Selling clothes online starts with choosing the right platform, photographing your items well, and pricing them to actually move. Whether you’re clearing out your closet or building a resale business, the process is straightforward once you understand what buyers expect and how to ship affordably. Here’s how to do it from start to finish.
Pick the Right Platform
Different platforms attract different buyers, and listing in the wrong place can mean your items sit for months. Poshmark and Mercari are popular for casual and mid-range brands, with built-in audiences already shopping for secondhand clothing. Depop skews younger and works well for trendy, vintage, or streetwear pieces. eBay gives you the widest reach and works for everything from budget basics to designer items. ThredUp and The RealReal handle much of the process for you (photography, listing, shipping) but take a larger cut of each sale.
If you’re just selling personal items you no longer wear, starting with one platform is fine. If you’re building inventory to resell regularly, cross-listing on two or three platforms increases your chances of a quick sale. Most platforms charge a seller fee between 10% and 20% of the sale price, so factor that into your pricing.
Where to Find Inventory
If you’re going beyond your own closet, sourcing inventory cheaply is how you make real profit. The most accessible option is thrift stores, where clothing typically costs $1 to $20 per item. Items from recognizable brands or with unique vintage appeal can resell for many times what you paid.
Goodwill outlet stores, often called “the bins,” sell clothing by the pound rather than per piece, usually $1 to $3 per pound. This is one of the cheapest ways to source in bulk, though you’ll spend time sorting through a lot of items to find ones worth listing. Garage sales and yard sales are another goldmine, with prices often between $0.25 and $5 for items that can resell for $20 to $100 or more.
For higher-end inventory, consignment stores sell designer clothing and handbags at roughly 30% to 50% of original retail. Liquidation pallets from companies like Liquidation.com or B-Stock offer returned or overstock clothing from major retailers at 5% to 30% of retail value, though quality varies and you’re buying sight unseen. Wholesale suppliers sell directly from manufacturers at 30% to 60% below retail, with minimum orders typically starting at $100 to $500.
Photograph Like a Pro
Photos are the single biggest factor in whether someone clicks on your listing. Natural light is your best tool. Shoot near a window during the day, avoiding direct sunlight that washes out colors. A clean, uncluttered background (a white wall, a door, or a simple clothing rack) keeps the focus on the garment.
Take at least four photos per item: front, back, a close-up of the fabric or any notable details (tags, texture, pattern), and one showing any flaws like pilling, stains, or loose threads. Buyers who can see exactly what they’re getting are more likely to purchase and less likely to open a return. If the piece has a recognizable brand label, photograph that too.
Flat lays (laying the item on a flat surface and shooting from above) work well for casual clothing. Hanging items on a hanger against a door or wall shows the drape and shape better for dresses, blazers, and structured pieces.
Write Listings That Sell
Your title should include the brand name, the type of garment, the size, and one or two descriptive words (color, style, or condition). Something like “Levi’s 501 Original Fit Jeans Size 30 Medium Wash” is far more searchable than “Cute Jeans!” Buyers search by brand and size constantly, so put those terms front and center.
In the description, mention the fabric content, the condition (new with tags, gently used, visible wear), and specific measurements. Measurements are one of the most important things you can include, because sizing varies wildly between brands. For tops, measure the length from the shoulder seam straight down and the bust across the chest (then double that number). For pants, measure the waist straight across and double it, plus the inseam from the crotch seam to the hem. For dresses, include the overall length from shoulder to bottom and the bust and waist measurements.
A useful trick is to photograph yourself measuring each dimension and include that image in the listing. This shows the buyer exactly where you measured and builds confidence that the fit information is accurate.
Price to Move
Before setting a price, search for the same item (or similar brand, style, and condition) on whatever platform you’re using. Filter by “sold” listings rather than active ones. What something sold for tells you what buyers will actually pay. What someone is currently asking tells you very little.
If you sourced an item for $3 at a thrift store and comparable pieces have sold for $25, pricing at $22 to $28 gives you room to accept offers while still making a solid profit. Most platforms let buyers submit offers below your asking price, so list slightly above your true minimum. Account for the platform’s seller fee (typically 10% to 20%) and your shipping costs when calculating your actual take-home amount.
Items priced competitively sell faster, which matters more than you might think. Stale inventory ties up your money and storage space. If something hasn’t sold in 30 days, lower the price or relist it to push it back into search results.
Ship Affordably
Shipping costs can eat into your margins fast if you’re not strategic. For lightweight items like a single t-shirt or dress (under one pound), USPS First-Class Mail is the cheapest option. Pair it with a poly mailer instead of a box to keep weight down and postage low.
For heavier items like sweaters, jeans, or multiple pieces, USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate options are hard to beat. A flat rate envelope runs about $9.90 regardless of distance, and a medium flat rate box starts around $8.45 and holds up to 70 pounds. For a 2-pound package going cross-country, USPS Ground Advantage costs roughly $9.90 and UPS Ground runs around $10.83.
Heavy or bulky items like coats and shoes do better in cardboard boxes, where FedEx Ground and UPS Ground become competitive. A 20-pound box shipped coast to coast via UPS Ground costs roughly $28 to $32. Poly mailers work great for soft, non-fragile items and cost just pennies each when bought in bulk. Save the boxes for items that need structure or protection.
Many platforms (Poshmark, Mercari, eBay) offer discounted shipping labels through their own partnerships with carriers. Always check the platform’s shipping tools before buying postage on your own.
Track What You Earn
If you sell through a payment app or online marketplace and your total sales exceed $20,000 across more than 200 transactions, the platform is required to send you a 1099-K form reporting that income to the IRS. Some platforms send this form at lower thresholds voluntarily. If buyers pay you directly by credit or debit card, your payment processor sends a 1099-K regardless of the amount.
Even if you don’t receive a 1099-K, income from selling goods is technically taxable once you sell items for more than you originally paid. If you’re reselling for profit, keep records of what you paid for each item (your “cost of goods”), what you sold it for, shipping expenses, platform fees, and any supplies like mailers and tissue paper. These costs reduce your taxable profit. A simple spreadsheet tracking each transaction is enough to stay organized.
If you’re just selling your own used clothes at a loss (which most closet cleanouts are), that’s not taxable income. You only owe taxes on profit, meaning you sold something for more than you paid for it.
Build Repeat Buyers
Small touches turn one-time buyers into repeat customers. Ship within one to two days of a sale. Fold items neatly and use tissue paper or a small thank-you note. Leave the buyer a positive review or rating promptly, which usually prompts them to do the same for you. Strong seller ratings push your listings higher in search results on most platforms.
Respond to questions and offers quickly. Buyers browsing secondhand clothing are often looking at multiple listings simultaneously, and the seller who replies first frequently gets the sale. If someone asks for additional photos or measurements, providing them within a few hours can make the difference between a sale and a pass.