How to Make Money on Poshmark- Turning Decluttering to Cash!

Do you want to be paid for decluttering? We are going to walk you through how you can make money on Poshmark. You can be paid for decluttering, getting rid of the clothes you don’t want, need, or wear.

Some of you may be familiar with my wellness journey. I (shannon), lost 75 pounds during the covid quarantine. My entire wardrobe was finito! Since we were stuck at home and couldn’t get out, I learned how to sew pretty quickly, though not well. I began sewing the sides of my pants tighter and just wearing what I could.

With a tight budget, and the fact that we were in a no-buy year, buying a new wardrobe was not an option. Poshmark became the perfect solution for me! Poshmark allowed me to not only make money, but with my accumulating balance, I purchased new-to-me clothes that were my size. Hence, I spent nothing on my new wardrobe.

Why Poshmark?

I am well-versed in many online consignment shops and resale websites. I could list all the reasons to not use most of them, but I don’t want to waste time on all of the negative experiences. Let’s just say, I’ve had a lot of them. Poshmark makes it super easy and allows you to save time. There are fees they take out of sales, but for me, it is totally worth it. We’ll get into the fees a little later.

If you’re even a little tech-savvy, then Poshmark is the perfect platform to turn your decluttering into a side hustle. This is especially true when you first begin making the pile of clothes you are getting rid of. You just may find yourself wanting to get rid of more and more as you bring in extra cash.

Steps for how to make money on Poshmark

Step 1 – Create a Poshmark account

Create an account on the Poshmark app and start exploring the virtual marketplace. Click here to receive a $10 posh credit just for starting an account.

Get familiar with how Poshmark works so you can figure out what kinds of items sell well and what kind of people are buying them. That way, you won’t waste time listing items that won’t move.

I’ll give you a few hints here:

• Name brands sell well, but don’t let unbranded items scare you off. You just need to be descriptive. We’ll get into that.
• If you have items like t-shirts or lower-end, or really old clothes that you don’t think will bring in any money, just donate them (if it is still wearable) to your local community assistance program.
• If it is not wearable or damaged, you can donate it to non-profit textile companies like Planet Aid, where it will be recycled for good use. You can find the Planet Aid bins in store parking lots. You can also use damaged clothes for cleaning purposes in your home. 

Step 2 – Start your closet 

A paramount step to making money on Poshmark is setting up your closet. Your closet is your virtual store. You can upload pictures of items you want to sell and include all the necessary information that potential buyers need like size, brand, and condition. If you want a template that I use for listing, you can grab that here. 

If you want to be successful with selling on Poshmark, set up a space that has adequate lighting and a plain or non-busy background. You can peruse through Poshmark and you’ll find two identical items, one with a plain background, and one with a busy background. They will receive different engagements. One will sell faster, and one may not sell at all, or for a lower cost. Which one do you think it is? Right. What would you rather see? I don’t want to see someone’s stuff in their home when I am looking for clothes. 

Step 3 – List your items

 Once you have your inventory ready to go, it’s time to list your items on Poshmark. Take clear photos of each item that showcase its features and provide accurate descriptions so buyers know exactly what they’re getting.

Additionally, use every single option when you are listing an item. Put in the size, the colors, the tags, and the brand. Be as descriptive as possible. Don’t just put “red shirt”. What kind of shirt? Did you mention the brand name? What is the condition? Does this item come from a smoke-free home? It all matters and will make a difference in selling quickly, and for the maximum amount of money, you can get. Remember, this is about making money on Poshmark, not just wasting your time by listing items that won’t move. 

And don’t forget about pricing—you want it to be competitive enough that buyers will choose your item over someone else’s but still high enough that you make a profit. This isn’t the time to make more money than it is worth. You won’t get that. Think of this as someone paying you to get rid of something.  

Now that your item(s) are listed, you can take some extra steps to start selling clothes online.  

Step 4 – Promote your listings

Now that your items are listed, it’s time to get the word out and sell those babies! You can share your listings across your social media accounts and increase sales. I share mine on Pinterest where people may be searching for items. You definitely want to share your closet regularly within Poshmark. That is the secret. Some people even hire virtual assistants just to share their Poshmark closet. There are also apps that will do it for you, but most cost money to use.

Me? I just set an alarm on my google calendar every 3 hours that says, “Share Poshmark Closet”. It takes me 10 seconds to do. Poshmark has a tool in the settings of your closet to share in bulk.  The more people who see your listings, the more likely someone is going to buy from you! Plus, this is also a great way to build up a following which will help drive even more sales down the line. 

Step 5 – Participate in the parties

Making the most money on Poshmark depends heavily on eyeballs. “Share parties” are within Poshmark. These Posh parties are where members can share their listings with other users and promote their closets. You don’t have to do anything extra except share your closet. If a party is available, it will ask you if you want to share with that party.

For example, if I am selling or sharing a raincoat and there is a party called, “Outdoor Clothing”, I will share it with that party. Don’t put too much thought into it. If it doesn’t qualify for the party, the app will just tell you that you cannot share it with that party.

Step 6– Engage with other Poshers

You can think of Poshmark as a social commerce marketplace. Engagement and activity with the community are important.

Take time to follow other people, especially Posh Ambassadors. Posh Ambassadors have large followings, but not only that, they are experienced. These Poshmark sellers are active and have gone through steps to become ambassadors through their experience. The experience includes the number of listings, positive feedback, quick shipping times, and mentoring other Poshers by sharing their closets, ahem, YOUR closet. By getting your closet in front of their followers really amps up your reselling game!

Engage with posters when they ask a question about your item. When someone comments, likes or asks a question about your item, they are primed to buy. They just want an answer in hopes that your item meets their needs. So, answer them. There is nothing more annoying than asking a question about an item you want to purchase and…crickets. They will buy the item that is clearly answering their needs, and if they have questions, there is an answer. 

To avoid having to take the time to answer questions though, you will need to make sure you are descriptive as possible. Again, you can use my template to cover most of your needs for listing.

Step 7– Offer deals and discounts

People love a deal, right? That is one of the primary reasons people buy on Poshmark. If someone likes your item and they do not purchase it right away, consider making them an offer. The app allows you to do this easily by dropping the price. Oftentimes, just dropping the price by 10% and offering a discount on the shipping rate, will close the deal.

Offer bundle discounts. By offering a discount on bundled items, people will be more apt to buy more items from your closet. The combined shipping rate, plus a discounted rate is a sweet deal for someone looking to make a purchase. 

Step 8– Get paid 

Once an item is sold, the payment is taken care of within Poshmark. You don’t have to invoice or wait on payment. This is very different from eBay or others. Once you receive the notification that the item is purchased, you will also receive a notice to ship the item. Once the buyer acknowledges receipt of your item and reports all is well, you receive your payment within the Poshmark app. 

You can keep your Poshmark balance within the app, or transfer it to your bank account, or Paypal. It is a super easy process. 

Step 9– Let’s talk about shipping

Make sure that you ship items quickly. You will receive the shipping label via email. Same-day or one-day shipping will get you high marks aka, “love notes” from your buyers. Other buyers look to see what your shipping timing is. If they see that you have been praised for quick shipping, you will sell more. 

Your item needs to be well packaged so the buyer receives it in its original condition when they open it up. Reusing packaging material is fine, just make sure it is clean. I always reuse packaging, and if I do not have any, I use paper bags and wrap the item well. I always include a note inside thanking the buyer and letting them know that I am making all efforts to reuse packaging while encouraging them to do the same.

Once shipped, mark the item as such within the app. Once the item is within the USPS system, your buyer will receive a notification that it is on the way. It’s always important to follow up with buyers after delivery too—this helps build relationships so future purchases go smoothly!

You can either drop your item off at the post office, arrange pick-up online via the USPS website, or hand it to your mail carrier if/when they visit.

Step 10– Handle issues in a timely manner

If there are issues, contact Poshmark customer service right away. The downside to selling online and being successful is that you are going to encounter jerks here and there. I once had someone purchase an item from me, and right after I shipped it, they messaged me that they wanted to cancel the order. 

Poshmark does not allow canceling orders past 3 hours from purchase. Once I told the buyer that it had been shipped and that I did not have the ability to cancel it, they began complaining. I sent a message to Poshmark giving them a heads up, and screenshotting the conversation. I wanted them to know that I had a bad feeling and hoped that they would stand by me as a seller when the item was received if the buyer wanted to return it for any reason. What do you think happened next?

When they received the item they messaged Poshmark that the item was damaged. (Literally, shaking my head at the moment.) It wasn’t. Poshmark handled the issue by allowing the buyer to send the item back to me and refunding the buyer in the process. I received the item back, in perfect condition, and relisted it. It sold with no problem in just a few days. I received glowing feedback from the buyer who loved the item.  

Was I pissed that my time was wasted? Yes. Do I think Poshmark should have handled it differently, rather than let the buyer “cancel” the order by saying it was damaged? Yes. However, I move on. Just act in a timely manner. Be honest and it usually works out. In the end, though, jerks will be jerks. Don’t be a jerk.

Other things to note about making money on Poshmark

• As mentioned earlier, there are fees associated with selling on Poshmark. When you make money on Poshmark, so does Poshmark. The platform makes it so easy though. Poshmark handles the prepaid shipping labels and payment. For me, the fees are worth it. The average Poshmark seller will keep 80% of the sale and Poshmark’s commission is 20%. For all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. 
• Clothing items sell best. You can sell women’s men’s, kids’, and even pet clothing. If someone wants it, there is a market for it.
• Make-up, personal care products, and other items that involve hygiene, not so much. Please do not try to sell a personal care product that has been opened or used. First, gross. Second, it will probably be removed by Poshmark anyway.
• You will find as you are selling, there are some serious Poshmark sellers out there. Many sellers use this as their full-time job. Don’t be intimidated by that. Remember, you are just making money from decluttering. 
• If something isn’t moving, freshen it up with new photos, or see if there is something about the listing that can be adjusted. Otherwise, lower the price and if it doesn’t move, donate it. There is no point in keeping items around your home if they are not selling. Decluttering is the purpose here. 

Wrapping up so you can go make some money!

With these steps, anyone can turn their decluttering into extra cash by selling on Poshmark. So if you’re looking for ways to make some extra money from home (or anywhere!), why not give it a try? Who knows—maybe this could be the beginning of a side hustle. Let me know if you have any questions! Happy Poshing!