These Items Will Earn You the Most Money on Resale Sites Right Now

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Cleaning out the ol' closet is one of our favorite productive pastimes. When you've got a few spare hours (OK, sometimes days!), it can feel incredible to declutter, downsize, or more efficiently organize your wardrobe. Another motive for cleaning out your closet is to make extra money by selling some of your well-loved pieces, a practice that's become increasingly popular during the coronavirus. While local consignment stores and thrift shops are a great place to offload used items, many are currently closed due to COVID-19, which makes re-commerce sites like The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, and Thredup an excellent place for selling clothing and accessories for cash.

While these resale sites have had to shift their day-to-day operations to accommodate the health and safety of their employees, they're still in business. They're getting creative with how they're accepting used items by offering virtual appointments, contactless pickups, and prepaid shipping labels.

To get a better understanding of what's selling best in the re-commerce world, POPSUGAR spoke to The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Thredup, Fashionphile, and Rebag for a firsthand account of the bestselling items and unexpectedly in-demand categories right now. But before we break down the bestselling secondhand items of the moment, we also gathered a few tips for making the most money from your used items.

Condition Is Key

Sasha Skoda, the Head of Women's at The RealReal, told us, "condition is one of the biggest factors in determining what your piece is worth. The better the condition, the higher the price, and the more commission you could receive. With your newfound time at home, now is the time to take on a few easy DIY care and repair projects, like treating your handbags to a luxe at-home spa, conditioning your leather items, or cleaning your sneakers, so they look brand-new."

Current Trends and Classic Items Always Sell Well

Sarah Davis, the president and founder of Fashionphile, says that current trends and cult-loved items are great if you're unsure of what to sell right now. "Things like comfy luxe sneakers and Hermès blankets and scarves are all selling quite well. If you haven't used [an item] in six months and it isn't seasonal, sell it! Sell those things that are just taking up space in your closets. It will be a burden lifted."

Elizabeth Layne, the chief marketing officer for Rebag, told POPSUGAR that the resale site hasn't seen any particular uptick in demand, and top-performing brands remain to be Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès. "The classics never die," she said. When selling a luxury item for maximum profit, Layne says to offload the more classic bags in your closet first if you're willing to part with them. "There is always a market for timeless styles that will never go out of fashion," she said, also suggesting items that are a bit harder to find in the resale market as collectors are continually scouring for rare gems. She also suggests doing some market research before selling a luxury handbag to ensure you're getting a fair price. "[We] recommend perusing different resellers and marketplaces and checking the prices of recently sold items that are similar to yours — these are price values that buyers are willing to pay right here and now."

Affordable Fashion Can Earn You Money, Too

If you think that designer labels are all that's going to earn you money, think again. Fanny Moizant, the cofounder and president of Vestiaire Collective, said that the re-commerce site is seeing a shift toward more accessible price points under $300 with an increase in clothing deposits from sellers and a steady flow of footwear, accessories, jewelry, and menswear.

Thredup is another excellent place for selling a range of brands from Gap to Gucci, and Natalie Tomlin, a spokesperson for the website, told POPSUGAR that the site is still accepting 45,000+ brands across 100+ product categories. "It's a convenient place for sellers to clean out everything in their closets," she said, adding that it's not necessarily the place sellers will make the most money. Still, there are ways to maximize a payout, which include waiting on out-of-season pieces, ensuring items are clean and undamaged, and referencing Thredup's Seller's Guide for a list of high-demand brands (which can earn sellers a 15-percent higher payout ).

The Payout Process

As for payouts, each site varies, but Davis told POPSUGAR that Fashionphile is working to process payouts as quickly as possible since money is such a significant demand right now. "We try to make offers and pay out as quickly as possible. It can make a huge difference for some people. During the downturn in 2008, we drove out to Palm Desert and bought $100,000 in accessories from one woman's amazing collection. She needed it to make payroll. What a blessing that she had that to turn to to keep her business afloat."

Now that we've prepped you with some valuable tips for selling used clothing and accessories, keep reading for the top-selling items on The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Thredup, Fashionphile, and Rebag right now.

Clothing to Sell: Classic Pieces, Luxe Basics, and Minimalist Pieces

"Classic, simple pieces are performing better than ever since people are wearing more luxe basics and minimalist pieces around the home," Skoda told POPSUGAR.

Accessories to Sell: Scarves

"People have found a new use for their scarves as protective face masks. So, if you have a few extra scarves lying around, especially from a coveted brand like Hermès, now is the time to consign," Skoda said, highlighting silk scarves as a popular category for The RealReal.

Accessories to Sell: Jewelry

"Many of our day-to-day interactions are now in virtual meetings. We're seeing people embrace comfortable classics with a little extra polish. Refined jewelry, like classic hoops and chunky chain necklaces, is an easy way to accessorize your virtual look, and pieces by designers from Tiffany & Co. to Sophie Buhai are performing well on our site," said Skoda.

Clothing to Sell: Knitwear

"Demand for knitwear is generally pretty soft around this time, but with people dressing for comfort at home right now, we're seeing an unseasonal spike in sweaters," said Skoda. "A few personal favorite cozy pieces of mine include lightweight sweaters from The Row and chunky knits from Ganni."

Clothing to Sell: Bright Colors and Prints

"While many of our customers are shopping for items they are wanting to wear now, they are also looking ahead and making 'aspirational' purchases for when things begin to return to normal," Skoda said. "People are still shopping spring trends, just in a new way. We're seeing less interest in formalwear than we generally would in this prewedding time of year but lots of interest in cheerful prints and bright colors. Consumers want to be optimistic and to get excited about what they will wear once they can return to daily life or what they can put on now to bring a dose of spring indoors."

Accessories to Sell: Spring and Summer Staples

Skoda told POPSUGAR that it's smart to consign trending spring items like trench coats, maxi dresses, and sandals now since there will be demand for them in the coming months. "Get ahead of the curve, and sell your past season's items to get ahead of demand," she said.

Accessories to Sell: Classic Handbags

"We're also seeing gravitation toward understated styles in handbags," said Skoda. "Classic investment bags are timeless and proving their staying power now more than ever. The Louis Vuitton Neverfull and Gucci Marmont Matelassé Shoulder Bag are examples of handbags that are always in demand and command high resale values in our marketplace."

Clothing to Sell: Knitwear

"Now is the time to sell ready-to-wear and knitwear items at an accessible price point, as data has shown this is what buyers are looking for," Moizant said. "To support our sellers, we have dropped our commission in half until at least May 11 for any items deposited in the $170 to $340 price range. This means sellers can earn up to 20 percent more on each sale!"

Clothing to Sell: Luxury Accessories

"The top items that are selling faster during COVID-19 than ever before are Gucci Princetown flats, Dior J'Adior jewelry, Alexander McQueen oversize sneakers, and the Fendi Baguette bag," said Moizant. "We have quite a vast global supply of all of these items in various sizes, styles, and colors. They're all classified as part of 'hot' supply, so we always make sure we have a strong selection."

Accessories to Sell: Designer Handbags

"We're still seeing strong demand for iconic and classic [handbags] such as the Dior Lady and Saddlebags or the Gucci Marmont, that sell out quickly because they never go out of style & hold their resale value," Moizant told POPSUGAR. "Celine handbags (especially the luggage model) are still highly searched, and as prices are dropping, everyone is scooping them up. The same goes for Balenciaga's City handbag — we've noticed a decrease in selling price and with that, huge buyer interest and quicker sell-through rate."

Clothing to Sell: Affordable Basics

"While value has always been important to our customers, we are seeing thriftiness become even more of a priority," Tomlin said. "Consumers are focused on ensuring they have essential items and adjusting to new realities and routines with tighter budgets. During this time, many are opting to shop for comfortable yet pulled together outfits while spending more time indoors." Tomlin highlighted overalls as a big seller in this category as well. "Many are shying away from denim at home, but overalls are here to stay thanks to their ease and comfort."

Clothing to Sell: Name Brands and Comfortable Staples

Tomlin told POPSUGAR that Reformation, Lululemon, Anthropologie, and Free People are among some of the bestselling brands on Thredup right now. Over the past month, the site has seen a spike in comfortable basics like t-shirts and leggings, while workwear and occasion-wear categories have declined. "Sales of leggings were nearly 30 percent higher on average during the last two weeks of March compared to February," she said. "Interestingly, blouses remain popular as many women embrace the 'fashion mullet' look to balance comfort with back-to-back conference calls from home."

Clothing to Sell: Jumpsuits and Rompers

"Like overalls, jumpsuits and rompers are flying off the secondhand shelves for their ease and versatility," said Tomlin.

Clothing to Sell: Colorful Sleeveless Blouses

"Many customers are looking for pops of color on top to keep them inspired while at home, and as the weather warms up, these tops can lend themselves to future summer looks," said Tomlin.

Accessories to Sell: Designer Bags

Tomlin told POPSUGAR that designer bags are a big sales driver for Thredup. "Now is the perfect time to organize your accessories, and there might just be a bag you rarely wear that could bring you some extra cash," she said. "Thredup pays up to 80 percent commission for items that are priced at $200 or more across our 600+ accepted Luxe brands."

Accessories to Sell: Designer Scarves

"We're experiencing a growing demand for Hermès, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and other luxury-label silk scarves," Davis said. "What we're realizing is that many of the scarves purchased are being used as makeshift face masks. We're making high offers on these items, and they're selling quickly. When we notice trends like these, we reach out to our network via newsletter, social, and through our Virtual Appointments."

Accessories to Sell: Chanel Earrings

"Chunky branded earrings are easy to identify and elevate even a white t-shirt in a Zoom meeting," Davis told POPSUGAR. "Demand is up for these, so we're paying top dollar. A pair of Chanel earrings are the ultimate above-the-waist accessory."

Accessories to Sell: Christian Louboutin Pumps

Davis told POPSUGAR that she's buying a lot of Christian Louboutin pumps right now. "When cleaning out a closet, shoes are one of the first items we curate, and in quarantine, no one's wearing stilettos," she said.

Accessories to Sell: Fine Jewelry

"Our second-fastest-growing category is jewelry," said Davis. "Jewelry shows very little use even when worn, and the value of Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. fine jewelry only goes up over time. True investments."

Accessories to Sell: Luggage and Travel Bags

David said that she is quoting a lot of offers to sellers for luggage and travel accessories right now, highlighting the Louis Vuitton Keepall bag. "Sadly, no one is traveling anytime soon, so we're buying lots of travel pieces," she said.

Accessories to Sell: Watches

"Our watch category is growing faster than any other, at over 85 percent over last year, and Rolex is our strongest watch brand," Davis said.

Accessories to Sell: A Chanel Bag

If you're willing to part with a designer bag, Layne told POPSUGAR that a Chanel Classic Flap Bag is an all-time classic. "[It's] high on our 'to buy' list, but in particular, the small and mini sizes in caviar leather are in high demand due to limited supply," she said.

Accessories to Sell: A Louis Vuitton Bag

Layne told POPSUGAR that Louis Vuitton bags like the Favorite and Eva crossbody bags are top sellers for Rebag. "Small crossbody bags have spiked in popularity over the past few years, causing [these] LV models to pick up in demand. Production and availability are both limited, making this style even more exclusive," she said. "For reasons similar to the Favorite handbag, the Eva has maintained its popularity as a versatile crossbody style."

Accessories to Sell: A Dior Saddlebag

Vintage Christian Dior saddlebags are another big-ticket item at Rebag, according to Layne. "Since its successor came out in 2018, the demand for the vintage Saddle has not ceased," she said. "It's even more popular than the 2018 rendition due to its affordability. Also, small evening bags are back in fashion, making this style high in demand."

Accessories to Sell: A Saint Laurent Shoulder Bag

"The Loulou collection has been a fan favorite for the brand, bringing a softer, on-trend look with rounded corners and puffed, chevron quilting," Layne said. "The toy size is an especially high performer."