5 Things to Do Before You Start Selling on Poshmark
You’ve heard about Poshmark and how it’s an easy way to make money. Now you’re looking to try selling on the platform yourself. That’s great! Who wouldn’t want to make some extra money selling on Poshmark?
Selling online is fun, exciting, and profitable. But when you’re new, it can be overwhelming and frustrating, especially if you’re starting from scratch.
Selling goes so much better with planning!
When I first started selling online, I was so eager to list items that I didn’t even consider how I would handle any sales I made.
I thought it was like other platforms where I list something and then wait days for it to maybe sell. I would figure out the platform and shipping in the days in between.
It was just my luck that I sold a Coach wristlet within a few minutes of listing it on my first day on Poshmark. I freaked out about how to package and ship the wristlet and my other first few sales that came soon after.
I didn’t even have a printer to print shipping labels!
I want to save you from anxiety and uncertainty by sharing some easy things to do before you start selling on Poshmark.
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***If you don’t have a Poshmark account, you can receive a free $10 bonus when you sign up with my code SFGIRL2015. Amount varies by promotion.***
1 | Find items to sell
I commonly hear new sellers ask themselves or me, “What should I sell?” How do you know what people want or what’s on trend?
When you’re starting out, I wouldn’t worry about finding the hottest or trendiest items just yet. If you know what they are and have them, that’s great because you’re more likely to make sales.
The best thing to do when just starting out is selling things you already own. This way you don’t lose money attempting to buy things that might not sell.
There are so many things you can sell online. On Poshmark, you can sell women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing and accessories. Now you can sell home goods too.
On eBay and Mercari, you can sell so much more – video games, vintage items, electronics, etc. You may want to tackle those platforms if you have the time and those types of items.
Look around your house to see what you have that you don’t use or need anymore. Most likely you have clothes or shoes you don’t wear that are still in good condition and can be sold.
2 | Clean your items
Once you have items to sell, look them over to make sure they’re in good condition. Skip anything with stains, holes, or obvious wear. Good condition also means the items are clean.
I recently read about a buyer opening a case because she received a top with dried deodorant marks at the armpits. Yuck!
No one wants to receive an item that’s dirty with food stains, pet hair, deodorant marks, or a stale scent. Clean all of that off as best you can before listing the item.
Wash and dry items or throw dry clean items in the dryer with Dryel. Use a lint roller to get off any pet hair. Steam items that have lots of wrinkles or a scent on them.
Then look over the item before you list it and make sure it’s spotless. Or disclose anything that you weren’t able to get off of it.
3 | Gather shipping materials
Many buyers want their item ASAP. Although Poshmark gives sellers 7 sales to ship an item, the recommended time is 2 days.
We live in an age of instant this and on-demand that. Amazon has same-day delivery in some places. Many buyers have come to expect quick shipping from Poshmark sellers as well.
You’ll save yourself time and money by preparing shipping materials beforehand. It stinks to make a small sale that earns you $5 and you have to spend $3 of it to buy a box or mailer envelope to ship it.
I’d even suggest not listing items that you know you have no way of shipping right now. I once sold a huge tote bag but didn’t list it until I got a cardboard box that I knew would fit it. Then I could ship immediately once I made the sale.
Thankfully, Poshmark makes shipping easy. You can use boxes, mailer envelopes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, and more.
They can be recycled items that you received in the mail. Just be sure to remove old shipping labels and cross out any writing on the box so that it gets to the correct destination.
You can get free USPS Priority shipping boxes and items from the post office or order them to be delivered to you. I’d go to the post office and pick up a few to have right away.
When you order from USPS online, it can often take 2 weeks or more to receive your items. Order even further ahead for the winter holidays.
Use USPS Priority Mail, Flat Rate, or Regional Rate boxes and envelopes (red and white colored). Avoid Express Mail boxes and envelopes (blue and white colored).
You’ll likely need:
Boxes and wrapping supplies as mentioned above
Thank you cards or stickers. This can be notebook paper or even a Post-it note.
Access to a printer and paper for shipping labels
Packaging tape (unless you use USPS self-sticking boxes)
Clear tape & scissors (unless you have self-sticking labels)
A small scale
On Poshmark, shipping labels are good for packages up to 5 lb. The seller must request a new label and pay the difference in price if the item is above 5 lb.
Most clothes don’t weigh nearly 5 lb, even when packaged. But if you’re selling heavy items like winter boots or home goods like dishware, your package may get over 5 lb.
It’s good to have a scale at home to weigh your packages. Even a small scale like this one will do.
4 | Set up an account
The next thing to do is set up an account. It’s super easy on Poshmark. Just enter your name and email address, pick a username, and create a password.
Once you have an account, decide if you want your whole name showing. If you signed up using your full first and last names, they might both show publicly.
If you don’t want your full name snowing, you can change this and many people do. Here are a few of many options:
Leave your first name and use emojis or a description for your last name.
Replace one or both of your names with promotional information such as
5 for $25 sale
BOGO free
[name] & fast shipper
Don’t worry, you can change all of this any time. You can even change your username if you really want to sometime down the line. Email Poshmark Support to help you with that.
5 | Read the rules
Every platform has procedures and rules to be followed. Poshmark is no exception. Reading through the rules first will give you an idea of how Poshmark works. You’ll find information about
Recommended ship time – within 2 days but up to 7 days
Refunds – not allowed unless an item isn’t as described
Trading – not recommended although allowed
Commission – $2.95 for items under $15 and 20% for items $15 and over
Prohibited items – used underwear, appliances, and more.
Get an idea of what’s allowed before you list and sell items, so you don’t risk being banned and losing money.
6 | Track your inventory
I know I said 5 in the title, but I didn’t want to let this one go so here’s a bonus #6 tip.
I heard so many times from sellers that they’ve sold a lot and made a profit. But when asked how much they made, they say, “I don’t know”. Yikes! Every business big and small should know its numbers.
Write down every item that list. This way once something sells, you can note the sale price and how much you earned after the commission is taken out.
If you get to the point where you’re buying items to resell, then subtract the cost to acquire the item as well. That’s your profit.
Selling online has been one of the most fun and profitable side hustles I’ve ever done. I’m excited for you to sell too!
Are you ready to start selling?
