Since it was founded in 2011, Poshmark has been paving the way for a new generation of e-commerce – social commerce.
Combining the convenience and financial benefits of traditional e-commerce with the fun, community feel of social media, Poshmark has continued to soar in popularity among young women.
With more and more people wanting to start a side hustle, work for themselves and run their business from home, it’s no surprise that more and more people are wanting to learn the secrets to selling on Poshmark and earning some extra cash.
However, it isn’t as simple as uploading a blurry picture of your old Lululemon yoga pants and going offline. In order to become successful on Poshmark, you will need to develop a solid sales strategy.
The good news is that this isn’t nearly as complicated as it sounds, and so whether you want to start a full-time reselling business, learn how to turn your old clothes into a solid side hustle or simply just declutter your closet, we’re going to share the biggest secrets to selling on Poshmark and getting your wardrobe working for you.
Are you ready?
Then let’s get into it.
11 Secrets to Selling on Poshmark in 2023 | Poshmark for Beginners
What is Poshmark?
Chances are that if you’re here, you already know what Poshmark is, but just in case you don’t, here’s a quick summary.
Poshmark is an app and website where you can buy and sell clothes, accessories, shoes, and more, and all you need to get started is your mobile phone.
The business model that it uses is a social commerce marketplace – a cross between a traditional online marketplace and social media site.
Poshmark sellers often help each other out by engaging with and sharing each other’s content, and they also go the extra mile to connect with their buyers by helping them decide what to pair a garment with or suggesting other products that they think they might be interested in. This gives buyers the feeling of choosing something from their friend’s closet rather than an impersonal eBay seller.
It also makes the process of selling super quick and convenient by sending you shipping labels to print, taking care of refunds and giving you a platform to display your best goods.
How to Sell on Poshmark Fast
What is the 30 minute rule on Poshmark?
Before we get into our best selling on Poshmark tips, I want to take a minute to explain something that you may have heard about – the 30 minute rule.
Lots of people seem to swear by it, but what is the 30 minute rule on Poshmark?
The ‘Poshmark 30 Minute Method,’ also known as Poshmark 30MM, was created by Lyn Cromar in 2017. This method aims to boost both the number of followers and sales on Poshmark within 30 minutes, making it ideal for those who want to increase Poshmark sales fast and without spending a lot of time and effort doing so.
The infographic below explains, step-by-step, what the 30 minute rule on Poshmark is.
Selling on Poshmark Tips
1. Prompt Customer Service
If you’re wondering how to make money on Poshmark, then the number one thing you need to learn is that customer service is everything.
While you don’t have to be glued to your phone 24/7, it is wise to keep your Poshmark notifications turned on and making a point of setting aside time every day (once or twice a day is fine) to respond to customer messages and questions.
Too many people leave queries unanswered, and not only does this leave the buyer none the wiser, but it also makes it seem as if you as a storeowner just don’t care about your customers, leaving them to go and buy from someone else.
Make a point of always responding within 24 hours with a friendly and detailed response that answers the question fully.
2. Put Your Best Foot Forward
Always display your best items at the top of your store.
These items are the first thing your potential customer sees when they click on your store, and if they like what they see, they more than likely keep scrolling through the rest of your listings.
When it comes to what sells best on Poshmark, designer items, popular brands (spend time on the app checking out the most in-demand brands), and items that are brand new or in excellent condition are the ones that you should be highlighting on your store.
3. Use Quality Images
Much like Pinterest, Poshmark is a visual platform.
The product image is the first thing that buyers see, followed by the product name, price and description.
Your storefront should more closely resemble a lifestyle blog or Instagram account rather than a flea market.
Pictures should be good quality with decent lighting (natural light is best) and a plain background so as not to distract from the product.
It helps buyers to see what the clothes will look like on a human body rather than a coat hanger, and so if you can’t model the clothes yourself (or ask a friend to!), invest in a cheap mannequin that will display your items in a realistic way.
Poshmark allows up to 8 pictures per listing, so you should showcase the product in as much detail as you can.
Photographs from the front and back are a must, as well as any tags, brand logos, or defects.
If you are selling a designer product, you should be sure to show the label, as well as other details that might be important such as the zipper or lining etc.
Finally, don’t over-edit your pictures too much – you don’t want to alter the natural colours of the items, because then buyers could be granted a refund due to the product being misrepresented!
4. Show the Person Behind the Store
One of the biggest Poshmark secrets is to always show your audience who you are.
As we mentioned earlier, Poshmark is a social commerce app, where people buy from people rather than brands.
Take advantage of this by making your profile personable.
Add a picture of yourself! Provide a quirky fact about yourself.
Make the customers feel a connection with you and they will be more likely to buy from you.
You should also make yourself stand out from the crowd by highlighting anything special about your store.
Are you a Black-owned or LGBT+ business?
Do you donate a portion of your profits to charity?
Do you offer bundle deals or weekly discounts?
Do you add new items every day?
Whatever it is that your store has to offer, make sure people know.
5. Write Descriptions that Sell
While it is true that images are a super important part of any store, too many sellers often make the mistake of writing half-assed, one-line descriptions that tell the buyer nothing about the item other than the bare essentials.
Some of them don’t even bother to do that!
One of the biggest secrets to selling on Poshmark is to grab your buyer’s attention with the product image and persuade them to buy with your description.
Your goal with your product descriptions should be to make it as easy as possible for your customer to buy the item.
Include every single detail that they potentially need to know (item size, fit, measurements, brand, any flaws the item has etc.).
Make them envision themselves in the product.
For example, rather than saying ‘denim skirt, size 10,’ and the other basic info, say something like ‘this skirt can be dressed up with a slinky top and stilettos or dressed down with a chunky knit sweater.’ You can even suggest other products that you think work well with the item.
6. Utilise SEO
It might sound scary, but mastering Poshmark SEO is the key to getting your listings seen.
Poshmark works like a search engine – when you type a word into the search bar, Poshmark will show you results that it deems most relevant to that word.
By optimising your listings with relevant keywords, you will ensure that your products appear at the top of the search results and in front of people’s eyes.
Research what people are searching for on the app and make sure that your listing has all of the specific keywords that users are typing into the search bar.
You should be putting these words in the title and descriptions of your listings.
For example, instead of ‘Lululemon navy blue leggings,’ you should be writing ‘Fast and Free HR Crop 23″ Non-Reflective in True Navy,’ because this is what fans of the brand will be looking for.
If you want an in-depth knowledge of SEO (for example, if you’re thinking of starting a blog to run alongside your Poshmark store), you may find this SEO course review useful.
7. Minimise Returns
Ideally, you want every product you sell to be final sale.
Returns are not only a pain in the ass – they’re a pain in your wallet as well.
Minimise the chance of returns by making sure that your product is exactly as described in the listing.
Be honest about wear and tear and show it on photographs.
Don’t advertise something as ‘brand new’ or ‘lightly worn’ if it isn’t.
Don’t manipulate colours.
Take a photograph of the size tag and also the fabric care tag that shows exactly what the product is made of so that buyers can’t claim that they have been sold something as ‘100% cotton’ when it’s actually 75% cotton and 25% polyester.
8. Sharing is Caring
Many people wondering how to be successful on Poshmark think only of themselves, forgetting that Poshmark functions like a social media app.
By interacting and being social with other sellers, you are giving your store an extra boost when it comes to getting noticed.
Follow people’s stores and share their listings with your own followers and there is a good chance they will reciprocate.
Posh Parties are also a great opportunity to get your products seen by people who aren’t following you yet.
These ‘parties’ are real-time, virtual shopping events that allow you to share your pieces with other Poshmark members who are online at the time. These events happen a few times a day and are a great way to gain more exposure for your items.
Some of the parties do have themes dictating what kind of products can be included, but others are more general.
One of the biggest secrets to selling on Poshmark in 2022 is to make the most of these free opportunities to gain traction.
9. Strategic Pricing
Pricing is often one of the most difficult things to get right, but it doesn’t have to be.
Start by looking at what other stores are charging for similar products. You don’t want to be charging a lot more for the same products, because they just won’t sell.
You should also pay attention to what prices the items have actually been sold at, not just the asking prices, because this will show you what people are willing to pay.
A sneaky sales tactic is to set the price at slightly higher than you would be happy to sell at – people like to feel as though they’re getting a good deal, and so by giving yourself some wiggle room, you can negotiate and let them think that they’re getting a discount.
Don’t forget to take into account the 20% seller fee and the time that it’s going to take you to list the product and get it shipped out.
Lastly, if you’re struggling to sell, offer discounts or bundle deals – again, people love a good deal and will be much more likely to purchase if they’re getting more bang for your buck.
10. Fast Shipping
Poshmark gives you a full week to get your items shipped out, but if you want happy customers (and remember that happy customers equal repeat customers), you’ll be getting things sent out a lot faster than this.
Ideally, aim for next day shipping, but at the very least, try and get your items sent out within 2-3 days of purchase.
If there is a delay, leave a comment to the buyer explaining why and apologising.
11. Perfect Packaging
While you don’t need to spend a fortune on fancy Thank You cards and elaborate gift-wrapping, a little goes a long way when it comes to packing your products, and a personal touch can make all the difference.
The basics – before you package the item, make absolutely sure that there isn’t any pet hair or lint on it. Spray it with Febreze to make sure it’s smelling as fresh as can be (but don’t use anything with a strong smell in case your customer has allergies) and make sure that it’s neatly packaged and protected with tissue paper.
If you want to go the extra mile, a handwritten ‘thank you’ card, a cutesy sticker and a small gift like a beaded bracelet or piece of candy are guaranteed to make your store stand out.
Secrets to Selling on Poshmark | Final Thoughts
Is Poshmark worth it?
While selling on Poshmark is by no means a guaranteed success, with the right strategies and practices, you can easily turn your Poshmark business into a profitable side hustle or even a full-time job.
By making sure all your listings are polished to perfection and providing a great customer experience from start to finish, you are sure to see the money rolling in before long!
Hopefully these Poshmark selling tips have given you some actionable tips to turn your Poshmark business into a real success.
Until next time,
XOXO
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When shopping on Poshmark most of us don’t care about such things poshers keep listing in articles like these. A very specific type of woman may but they’re usually not buying what the struggling poshers(majority) are selling. Most buyers ask for whatever is missing. Its bc to waste people’s time with the photos and descriptions advice just for ppl to ask for more of both or either anyway. Its like the sellers that identify with the aforementioned buyers assumes or pretends why they made sells is due to the non essential details but never want to admit Poshmark is practically a social site to sell on. You did touch on this indirectly with the mention of showing ourselves… ppl there buy ppl and attention and being in the clique as much as items. Its extremely superficial and it needs to be addressed when giving out advice. Else wise you’re basically gas lighting sellers struggling to make a buck who are naive enough to trust you and other successful sellers.
Hi Neeky, thanks for your comment. I am not a Poshmark seller, simply someone that researches how people can make money online, having done so myself for many years. I respectfully disagree with what you’re saying – as someone who runs an e-commerce site and makes money with affiliate marketing, keywords and good copywriting are the building blocks of what your store needs, both for SEO and the algorithm, and also to give people the nudge they need to buy.
With that being said, Poshmark is absolutely a social platform as you mentioned. I went into in detail about this when I discussed engaging with and sharing others content, posh parties, responding to questions in comments, curating a unique brand and showing yourself etc.
The tips given in this article are proven strategies to success on Poshmark, and if you feel gaslit, then you may want to look inwards and ask yourself why this article bothers you so much, because being provided with advice that you don’t like is not the same thing as being gaslit.
Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, Poshmark is essentially a social media platform and if that doesn’t work for you, then you might want to consider other platforms to sell on that don’t involve ‘being in the clique.’