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Discovering where to sell clothes online begins with understanding the changing shape of the retail industry. Websites sites to sell clothes online have become a very lucrative market. What once was a shopping experience to go into a brick-and-mortar store has turned into a profitable niche market of online consumers, largely due to Amazon.
Nevertheless, the Fashion and Apparel Industry Report published by Shopify reports that $317 billion was earned in the e-commerce clothing industry in 2018. That number is expected to grow to $362 billion in 2019.
The report further states expectations that online fashion and apparel sales will increase at a compound annual rate of 10.6 percent, ultimately reaching more than $706 billion by 2022. What does this mean for you?
Identifying where to sell clothes online can be a viable business opportunity if you know how to navigate the rising threats in the industry.
Here is a list of the best Websites to Sell Clothes
- Poshmark: Poshmark is a popular fashion resale marketplace that allows users to buy and sell gently used clothing, accessories, and beauty products.
- Mercari: Mercari is an online marketplace that allows users to sell new and used items, including clothing and accessories.
- eBay: eBay is a well-established online marketplace that offers a wide variety of clothing, shoes, and accessories from both individuals and retailers.
- Depop: Depop is a popular app-based marketplace for buying and selling fashion items, including clothing, shoes, and accessories.
- The RealReal: The RealReal is an online luxury consignment store that specializes in selling gently used high-end clothing, shoes, and accessories.
- ThredUp: ThredUp is an online consignment store that buys and sells gently used clothing and accessories for women, men, and children.
- Tradesy: Tradesy is an online marketplace for buying and selling gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories from designer brands.
These online websites to sell clothes have different target audiences, fees, and selling requirements, so it’s important to research and compare each one to determine which platform is best for your needs.
You aren’t the only person who realizes the benefits of entering the online clothing industry. Low barriers to entry mean that competition is rife and brand loyalty is virtually non-existent. It has now become less of a concern about where to sell clothes online and more of a concern of keeping repeat customers.
Important considerations when looking for online websites to sell clothes
- Create an online system that will make scaling to international sales simple.
- Offer flexible payment options with secure payment gateways.
- Ensure that your website is optimized and accessible on all devices.
- Use a reliable platform online for websites to sell clothes that syncs your inventory and product information. This information should be updated in real-time to avoid issues with purchases.
- Integrate your online sales with your third-party distributor. Always remember that a sale isn’t complete until it gets to the customer.
- Invest in content marketing (blogs, videos, and email marketing ) so that you can create a distinct brand that people will trust.
- Get customers to talk about your products and your brand. Encourage them to share photos, write comments and tag your brand on their social media pages. The more visible your brand is in social networks, the better your search engine optimization (SEO).
The 13 Best Places to Sell Clothes Online
- Shopify
Shopify has established itself as a drop shipping haven for people who want to create their own online stores. The beauty of this online marketplace is that it already provides all the integrations you need to make your online store successful.
You can learn more about promoting your Shopify store by watching this series of videos from experienced Shopify drop shipper Kirk Buchanan.
Are you a clothing designer? CafePress provides a platform for you to sell your unique designs. They do the background work for you (processing payments, shipping to customers and so on).
All you need is the right graphic design software so that you can upload the designs to your CafePress store.
Bonanza is somewhat of a merger between Amazon and eBay. It allows you to sell your own clothes without having to pay high seller fees. Additionally, it follows a principle similar to eBay where buyers can negotiate a price. Another added benefit is that your listings appear on Google Shopping and, therefore, in Google searches.
Like the other stores previously mentioned, ASOS marketplace allows you to create your own store and sell your own products. But, there are some catches. Firstly, you must consistently sell at least 20 different styles to keep your boutique open. That’s a lofty restriction, especially for a novice.
You’re also required to pay a monthly subscription fee and 20 percent commission. Despite these restrictions, you can still earn a decent sum from your ASOS Marketplace store.
Etsy isn’t only an online store for unique handcrafted items. You can also sell your handmade and vintage clothing.
Succeeding as an Etsy seller requires stunning photographs and a strong network with other Etsy sellers.
Bet you never thought of this one! Instagram is more than a social media platform. It’s one of the best ways to connect with potential customers. You’re able to post stunning visuals, use relevant hashtags to help people find the pictures, encourage comments to learn more about people’s opinions of your brand and post live behind-the-scenes content.
Customers can’t pay for items on Instagram. However, you can exchange contact information and follow-through with payment processing and delivery. Blue Layne Boutique is a prime example of how to make an Instagram online store work.
7. eBay
Yes you can sell clothes on eBay. There are many vendors selling on this site so you definitely need to have a unique niche here. But, eBay is a huge platform so if you have awesome photos and a unique clothing line, this could be a money maker.
Trade-In Used Clothes
Material World is the website for the material girl. They only accept designer clothes and each item that’s shipped undergoes an extensive inspection. If your items are accepted, you’ll either get store credit or payment sent to your PayPal account.
Poshmark is a social selling site. You upload photos of your items, share those photos and people who’re interested will either purchase the piece or repost the image.
You’re responsible for shipping the item and must pay a 20 percent commission if the item is sold.
When an item is purchased, you receive a pre-paid pre-addressed shipping label that you download and affix to the package. You then ship the package via Priority Mail.
ReFashioner is a community of shoppers who’re passionate about fashion. You can create a customized closet and then photograph and upload the items you want to sell.
The site administrators will either accept or reject your postings. If your items are accepted and sold, the proceeds are deposited to your ReFashioner account so that you can purchase other items on the site.
The team at the RealReal only sells authenticated, pre-owned designer fashion. You have to create an account on the site then indicate the number of items you’re selling. The administrators will send you shipping label which you’ll use to label the package you send to them.
Approved items are promoted to their subscribers and you pay a 30 percent commission.
ThredUp prides itself on a system that promotes giving back to the community. You can mail your almost brand-new clothes to them for free. They’ll reward you with in-store credit that you can use to purchase ThredUp items, cash through PayPal, or give you the option of donating your proceeds.
You’ll earn 40 percent of the resale value if a sale is made. You can also choose to donate items that they reject to a charity or textile recycling companies.
Like Poshmark, you can upload a photo of your item to Tradesy and use that photo to list the item for sale. You can suggest a price or allow them to suggest one for you.
A prepaid shipping kit with relevant packaging is sent to you once your item has been sold. Your payment is sent via PayPal and you only pay a 9 percent commission.
Putting It All Together
Fashion is a highly-saturated market, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t cash in. Answering the question of where to sell clothes online depends on your objective. You can earn money by creating your own fashion site or reselling the fashion pieces you have that are in good condition.