I Consigned My Old Clothes Through Apps, and Here's What Happened

After a quick Google search, I decided on three fashion consignment apps: Poshmark, Mercari, and Vinted. These apps became the basis for my short-lived (but very fulfilling) consignment retail business. I spent hours on staging and shooting photos of my clothes, and my experience with product copywriting went a long way in finishing my online boutiques.

I expected that maybe I'd sell a pair of jeans and a handbag, not much. I set out with a goal of earning $80 to cover the new pair of Levis I'd recently bought. And I was surprised that after just a few days, I had bites from potential buyers, asking for more details or discounts. I was always fair; if someone asked me to lower the price by a few dollars, I would. This was worn H&M and Zara clothing that I was selling, not Prada.

I quickly found that most buyers on these apps are considerate enough to leave reviews, and my discounting and quick shipping paid off. I had five-star reviews and sweet comments from my shoppers – pretty good for someone who had never had success working in retail.

That isn't to say that every buyer is to be trusted. I got a few messages from buyers who were clearly out to scam, asking me to send private emails or provide my home address so they can send a check much higher than my asking price.

Every transaction was done through the app, so both the buyer and seller were protected. The buyers would pay via credit card or Paypal through the app, then when the tracking showed that the item had been delivered, my account would be credited and I could transfer my balance directly to my checking account.

After two months, I had to close up shop. I was fully moved out of my parents' house and my little NYC apartment couldn't take the two remaining boxes of clothes. I counted up my profits, which added up to just under $350. Not too shabby when my average sell price was $10.

I boxed up the rest of my clothes and donated them. It was a successful two months, but very busy. I was relieved to no longer need to rush home every day to box things up and get them to the post office by 5 p.m.

If I ever found myself in a place with more than 15 articles of clothing and accessories that I didn't want anymore, I would definitely re-open my consignment business. But I am not savvy or patient enough to consign full-time. It took a lot of time and energy to earn the profit I made, plus I had to sell quite a lot before I saw real results.

That being said ,I can't recommend consigning clothes online enough. It's easy, you can make quite a profit if you're patient enough, plus you make space in that closet for new clothes.