The basic idea of selling your stuff online has been around for a while. There’s eBay, of course, a tool that Sophia Amoruso (new book coming soon) famously used to build her Nasty Gal empire at the tender age of 22. Now there are mobile-friendly apps like Gone to help you sell electronics and Chairish that allows you to make extra cash off of vintage home goods. One of the fashion app elites is Poshmark, which launched in 2011 and now has more than one million sellers. You can list an item for sale in as little as 60 seconds, and items can be sold in bulk via Posh Parties, which are virtual buying and selling hangouts. This begs the question: What if you want to go big, and make more than just $20 a pop from the sweaters in the back of your closet? What if you want to make your closet into a full-fledged business? These three women from across the US explain how they hit the five-figure mark using Poshmark, and enjoyed themselves every step of the way.
Poshmark Power User: Lindsay Mosler
Poshmark Income: $30,000
“I maximize the time I have at home to put into my Poshmark business. I spend my weekends and free days listing new items and shipping out orders. And I use as much of each day I can to share my items with my followers on the app and on social media. The more time you put into the app, the more sales you score, so it’s a priority to me to manage my time wisely in all areas of my life to ensure that I make enough time for my Poshmark business to thrive.
I also use the app’s share feature to get my pieces out to every one of my followers as much as possible, and I list items that I know will be loved by my followers. Since I have been selling on the app for a few years now, I know what my customers want. I strive to display and style the pieces I sell in a professional way so that my customers keep coming back for more great items at competitive prices!”
Poshmark Power User: Jena Forsberg
Poshmark Income: $25,000
“I started selling on Posh in October of 2012. My first sale was a pair Marc Jacobs leather shorts and a Rebecca Taylor Boho blouse — two items I purchased because I thought they were great, but ended up being ‘not great’ on me. When I sold them it was so exciting; not only did they go to a great Posher but they made her happy because she got a great deal and I got some spending money.
Longevity with the app has definitely been a big part of my success, and I really believe in and enjoy the process. I love using the app, interacting with women, packaging product as it goes out, sharing my stories about the piece they are purchasing and receiving feedback when they wear it for the first time.
Women on the app are expecting to buy from you the person, not necessarily some box retailer, so even if you are creating a retail experience, don’t get lost in the mix. Women want to create a connection with who they buy from, so be yourself. You are your brand — own it, individualize it and have fun!”
Poshmark Income: $92,000
“When my husband and I had our first child, I knew I wanted to stay home with her, but I also knew that finances were going to be extremely tight and so I was on the lookout for a way to bring in a little extra cash each month. I stumbled across a Poshmark ad on Facebook and with the entrepreneurial spirit I have, I knew I had to check it out. One of my first sales was a pair of Fendi sunglasses for $59. I think I got them on final markdown at TJ Maxx for around $20. I remember being ecstatic that I made over $25 by ‘hunting’ for amazing deals.
My goal all along has been to make this a part time job that I could do at home. Because this was my goal, I tried a lot of different things. I have many sizes and styles in my Poshmark closet — from size 00 to size 3X — and I try to broaden the scope in my closet past my own personal style. I treat everyone with the respect that they deserve and I try to connect with them on a personal level if they want that.
I am a stay-at home-mom to two littles, two and three years old. When the kids are taking their afternoon nap, that’s when I list things for sale in my closet. After the kids go to bed, and after I have had some downtime with my husband, I will package all of my sales from the day before going to bed. I’ll be honest — there are harder times than others — but it’s such a blessing that I get to be home with my kids, and so if that means they remember me working on the iPad sometimes, that’s okay. ”
Would you sell your clothes for profit? Tweet us @BritandCo and let us know!
This post was previously published on Levo League by Devin Tomb. Photos via Getty.
