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15 Premium Places for Selling Used Clothes to Clear Space in Your Closet

2 Comments / Decluttering, downsizing, selling / By maryv@shiftyourstories.com

Selling used clothes is a tremendously smart way to make room for items that align with your current (or future) lifestyle!

It’s not easy to let things go, regardless if it doesn’t make sense to keep them. We are beings who feel deeply and so our emotions often dictate the choices we make.

But when you’re ready to say goodbye to outdated, ill fitting, or just plain “I don’t care for that any more” or “I never wear this” clothing, what next?

If you can’t shake the feeling that you’re throwing money away if you donate it, I get that. I’ve felt the very same way, especially when the clothing cost quite a bit!

Yet hanging on to the item isn’t the answer. It continues to sit there, so what kind of return on investment is that?

So I say the answer is to sell it!

This Post is All about 15 Spectacular Sites for Selling Used Clothes

Obviously, there are an insane number of places to sell clothes! I’m breaking it down in two ways:

how you can sell locally and
where you can sell beyond your hometown

Local Options

Here are 5 ways to sell right in your own community, along with key points. A face-to-face hand off (if you’re fine with that) means no mailing costs incurred by either side. So potentially, you may get paid sooner.

Secondhand (brick & mortar) stores
Facebook Marketplace
OfferUp app
Craig’s List
5Miles app

When it comes to secondhand stores, these include consignment shops, pawn stores, and thrift shops. You can Google to find what’s near you. Each of them have their strengths and drawbacks. You can get the summary in this other post of mine, Secondhand Stores Can Be Your Decluttering Partners.

Just realize that you’ll have the least amount of control with secondhand store pricing since they are doing all the work and providing the retail exposure for your items. But in return, going this route will require the least amount of time and effort by you.

Facebook marketplace groups are easily found in the app. Other local online selling groups are discoverable within the FB platform, when you type within the FB search bar, “Buy and Sell Groups near Me”. You can also insert the type of merchandise you’re selling to discover specialty groups, i.e., jewelry.

OfferUp and Craig’s List have both been around for a bit. Check out their basic rules. Then noodle around to see what type of clothing is predominantly sold in your community.

Lastly, 5Miles is relatively new (to me) but growing rapidly as yet another buy and sell app. As the name suggests, it’s all about what’s within 5 miles of you. It’s touted as being both free and safe. It also has an auction feature for bidding on hot items.

Expanded Market Options

A larger market will expose your items to more buyers and also provide specialty niches.

6 Luxury sites

This is just a sampling of the top apps for buying and selling high end couture!

Take time to review the site rules before choosing where to list your clothing. Take into consideration any postage fees, mandatory price reductions, commissions, and seller protection. It’s always smart to see what comparable items are listed for, to avoid having your items over (or under-) priced.

I personally sold an LV duffel on The Real Real. Funny how a designer bag feels so special until it’s time to let it go and then you realize how many there are! So I priced it to sell and it did go quickly. It felt a little painful to see how discounted my return was but I reminded myself, “something is better than nothing”! The bag was simply not practical as it was quite large and I was concerned it would get scratched up if I ever had to check it in. So all kinds of lessons learned with that one!

Selling clothes on Poshmark can be lucrative, if you’re willing to put in the time. I’ve only bought, not sold there, myself. The sellers are quite active so you would need to stay on top of your listing and also connect with other sellers. When you network, sellers refer buyers to each other and also have combined “parties” with special discounts.

Niche sites

Fashionphile
Worthy

These two sites specialize in handbags (Fashionphile) and jewelry/watches (Worthy). Both are highly reputable and worth considering.

Honorable Mention sites

eBay
Mercari
thredUP
Vinted

These four sites are all wonderful in their own way. The first two involve auction style selling. eBay needs no introduction. It’s good for scoring a decent return and selling things quickly. Mercari is similar and also allows selling a wide variety of items with easy listing directions.

For an online consignment store approach, thredUP sends you a Clean Out bag with a prepaid label. Pop in your unwanted clothing, shoes and accessories and ship it off! Plus, if your items don’t sell, thredUP will donate them on your behalf. So selling clothes on thredUp is a fabulously convenient option!

And lastly, Vinted works similarly to Poshmark but without the luxury item category. It’s a good choice for mid-range priced clothing in decent condition.

The Wrap: This post shared 15 fantastic sites for selling used clothes

There is a wide range of sites for selling what you’ve pulled out of your closet!

Unless you go the consignment route, understand there will be time and effort needed to keep your listing optimized and to ensure the sale closes successfully. It’s rare to realize a return which is the same (or greater) as what you paid for an item. But don’t let that discourage you from recouping some of your initial cost.

To get in a practical state of mind, forget what you paid for the item. Seriously! What matters now is what you can get for it today. What you originally paid has been spent. So anything you realize now is “extra”!

Start here to figure out what needs to go: Clutter Definition: What Exactly Is It So We Can Confidently Declutter With Clarity? Then dig in to uncover some money!

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Second Hand Stores Can Be Dynamite Decluttering Partners

Leave a Comment / Decluttering, downsizing, selling / By maryv@shiftyourstories.com

Once you’ve decided to re-sell things you no longer need or use, it’s time to learn which second hand stores are going to be your best resource.

There are three different types of second hand stores: consignment shops, pawn shops, and thrift shops. Each is unique with what it can offer.

Equally important is understanding the entire selling process. From what items sell best where, to how much they pay out, it’s all about maximizing your return.

So let’s dive right in and explore what second hand stores can do for you!

Today's Post Focuses On Second Hand Stores & How to Land on the venue best for you!

Second Hand Stores | 1. Consignment Shops

How They Operate

Consignment shops typically pay you when your items sell. A few may buy your things outright but this can be less common.

These second hand stores may also charge a small flat fee in addition to the percentage payout. Your return will be larger if you agree to take a store credit instead of cash. After all, this makes sense when you help with moving other inventory off the store floor.

The store will quote you a starting price. Be sure to ask if there are periodic markdowns that would impact your return.

Many shops will have a set cycle for when they mark down inventory. They need to ensure goods are not just sitting and taking up valuable floor space.

If your item doesn’t move after a certain amount of time, you may be asked to pick it up. But they may also offer to donate your items to a local charity on your behalf, which saves you a return trip.

There are numerous specialty consignment shops so there are too many to address individually. Some carry a little bit of everything and others specialize in furniture, clothing or household items. Many are independently owned and operated as opposed to a chain of retail fronts.

Moreover, it can make more sense to take your stuff to a store that focuses on a particular type of item, i.e., an upscale shop selling designer apparel or a furniture store carrying only contemporary pieces. It stands to reason that specialized second hand stores can attract more potential buyers.

Lastly, expect to receive between 40-60% of the final sale price.

The Bottom Line

Be sure your items are in clean, serviceable condition. If the store politely passes on your stuff, don’t argue with the staff.

They are making decisions based on their professional knowledge and the current demand. Ultimately, they are not interested in having your stuff collect dust on the sales floor and nor would you be, either!

Also, until someone buys your stuff, you are in a holding pattern, waiting for your cash. If you’re looking for a quick payout, a consignment store will not be your best option.

Therefore, a pawn shop would be a better option for selling your stuff, if time is of the essence.

Second Hand Stores| 2. Pawn Shops

How They Operate

Not everyone immediately thinks of pawn stores as viable second-hand stores.

Until popular TV shows brought these stores to the forefront recently, there was always an aura of shame and intrigue. Why did someone sell their family heirlooms? What financial downturn occurred?

However, there are distinct advantages to checking one out. Here, you turn possession of the item over to the store and receive an immediate payout before you leave.

You are not impacted if it sells at an extraordinarily low price or never sells at all!

Pawn shops can be good venues for items that are in less demand at other second-hand stores. Think taxidermy, electronics, guns, tools or musical instruments.

In fact, a pawn store is a very good venue to sell gold or diamonds! Just be sure to compare their bid to other second hand stores that exclusively buy and sell used jewelry before moving ahead with the transaction.

On average, pawn shops pay 25-60% of the resale value of your items.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking to convert your stuff into cash quickly, these second-hand stores will pay you on the spot.

However, keep in mind that payment up front means you will realize less than if you were willing to wait for a buyer at a traditional consignment shop. So if you can be patient, circle back to option one above.

Second Hand Stores| 3. Thrift Shops

How They Operate

Thrift shops are the third type of second-hand store. What makes them distinct is that most operate as a nonprofit business. This means that many will not pay for your items.

However, I mention these as they are also a viable resource for offloading excess personal items. That in itself, is a bonus!

You may not receive monetary compensation but you may qualify for a tax credit (consult your financial advisor). They are often linked to a business such as a local hospice. Or think of Goodwill. Profits are funneled back to the parent business, which ultimately provides jobs in your community or funds other worthy initiatives. So ultimately, you also get the satisfaction of helping out others in some fashion.

The Bottom Line

When clearing space quickly is more important than a monetary payback, thrift stores are an ideal outlet. Not only will your stuff get a second life with new owner. Your donations are converted into dollars that support a worthwhile service in your community, too.

The Wrap: Second Hand Stores Can Be a Fabulous Outlet for Cashing in on your clutter!

Which second hand stores make sense for you? Keep the following factors in mind when decluttering:

Time: how quickly do you need to turn your items into cash?
Money: how much (if any) return is enough for you?
Specialty: are your items rare or of a specific genre?
Donation: would you be satisfied with supporting a higher cause?

Some folks enjoy the whole selling experience and seem to really cash out. Others, not so much. Like anything else, it takes time and energy to makes the rounds in order to see what you can get.

Something is better than nothing but at some point, diminishing returns can set in. Charitable donations start to look much more appealing! You make a difference to someone who can’t afford new and you may realize an income tax credit, too.

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pawn shop

15 Premium Places for Selling Used Clothes to Clear Space in Your Closet

This Post is All about 15 Spectacular Sites for Selling Used Clothes

Local Options

Expanded Market Options

6 Luxury sites

Niche sites

Honorable Mention sites

The Wrap: This post shared 15 fantastic sites for selling used clothes

Related Topics and Resources to Explore

Second Hand Stores Can Be Dynamite Decluttering Partners

Today's Post Focuses On Second Hand Stores & How to Land on the venue best for you!

Second Hand Stores | 1. Consignment Shops

How They Operate

The Bottom Line

Second Hand Stores| 2. Pawn Shops

How They Operate

The Bottom Line

Second Hand Stores| 3. Thrift Shops

How They Operate

The Bottom Line

The Wrap: Second Hand Stores Can Be a Fabulous Outlet for Cashing in on your clutter!

Related Topics and Resources to Explore

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