Poshmark: A how-to guide for buying & selling with the Poshmark app

Poshmark: A how-to guide for buying & selling
with the Poshmark app

Have you guys heard of Poshmark?  Poshmark is a free app that allows you to buy and sell clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry and other accessories right from your phone.  You download the app (available for android and ios), create an account and immediately begin buying and selling!

I can’t remember exactly how I stumbled upon Poshmark but I’m really glad I did.  As much as I like selling on ebay, I feel as if I am a little fish in a big sea (uh, probably because I am?).  With Poshmark, anything I am selling is visible to all my followers, whomever my followers decide to share my pieces with, and with whomever is following the particular brand I am selling.

Poshmark seller "Daneen2fabulous"--got it!

 How It Works

Once you download the free app, you can sign in using Facebook or with an email address.  Complete your profile by adding some details about yourself (your size, your location, your favorite brands, etc.) to optimize your buying and selling experience.  After that, click “sell” from the main screen and you are on your way!  

Open Your Closet.  Your account with Poshmark will be associated with your “closet”, i.e., the place where all of the goodies you are selling live.  Simply snap a few pics with your phone of the item you would like to sell, enter some mandatory details and a description of the item, name your price and add it to your closet!  You can add an infinite amount of items--the more the better!  You can also share your listings on social media, through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr.  Here's a snapshot of my closet:

Shop more of my closet on Poshmark

Gain Followers.  Follow other Posh users and share their items and they will do the same.  This increases your closet’s visibility and you will gain more followers, too.  Additionally, it allows you more closets to shop from.

Monitor Your Listings.  Your listings will never expire.  The items you are selling can stay in your closet indefinitely, until they finally sell.  However, if you really want to move your merchandise, I recommend slashing prices after a few weeks.  This will show your followers that you are a motivated seller.

Bundle Items.  I highly suggest “bundling” multiple items for your buyers interested in purchasing more than one piece from your closet.  For example, if you sell 2 or more items to one person, you might want to offer a discount as well as combining shipping costs.  I personally bundle at 3 items and offer a 5% discount.  Five items will get a 10% discount.  I want to be reasonable and accomodating, but I want to make money, too.

Join Parties.  Twice a day Poshmark will host different “parties” and will ask if you would like to join.  For example, if you have a few handbags for sale in your closet, you might want to join their “Best In Bags” party.  This will give your closet exposure to those who are specifically looking to purchase handbags.

Shopping on Poshmark is simple.  On the main screen click “shop”, and then enter some search terms.  Let’s say you’re interested in black heels, size 9.  You can enter that info in the search bar and all black heels size 9 will be listed.  You can narrow your search by entering additional search terms, such as designer labels.

​Now there are a few things to consider when using this app.  Thankfully, I did my research before I began buying and selling on Poshmark, plus it wasn’t anything I hadn’t already considered when using ebay or Amazon:

Buyer Beware.  Poshmark is known for  discounted, name brand merchandise, but I myself would NEVER purchase anything over $100 from Poshmark.  There are too many scammers ready to rip you off and while Poshmark does offer concierge service (for an additional charge they will act as a middleman and authenticate merchandise before you receive it), I do not want to buy anything name brand or designer without seeing it and touching it for myself first.  Of course, your perogative may be different, but the complaints about being duped out of high end merchandise are too great for me to take that chance.

Retail Sales from Sketchy Merchants.  Much like ebay and Amazon, this site is starting to get innundated with knockoffs and cheap imitations, flimsy clothing and subpar handbags, jewelry and other accessories.  Check the seller’s ratings, ask questions and use your best judgment.

Commission Fees.  The biggest drawback to Poshmark is their high commission.  They take 20% straight off the top.  Transactions are not handled between buyer and seller, but rather Poshmark and buyer.  Once payment is made to Poshmark for the cost of the item plus shipping, Poshmark will take their 20% cut, and credit the seller the balance.  The seller can then decide to either keep the funds in their Poshmark account or request they be direct deposited into their bank account.

Shipping Charges.  Shipping charges are a flat $6, regardless of size which some can argue is a bit steep.  

All in all, Poshmark is a great place to buy and sell pieces that may just stay tucked away in your closet for eternity.  It’s a great place to be sociable, empower other women and dare I say, make a friend or two?

EARN $10 JUST FOR SIGNING UP WITH THE APP!  Just enter code JJYFB.

Want to shop my closet?  Clink on the "Shop My Closet" icon below!

Want more info?  Check out Poshmark's own "Guide to Poshmark", and browse their most frequently asked questions.

Do you use Poshmark?  I've been pretty successful.  What do you think?  Let me know in the comments below!