You may have started it as well; it’s time for Spring Cleaning! (Yay!..?) Just did a big cleaning of my place, but not just for the regular usage, but also within my closet. Yes, I’ve got a couple fashion pieces that I could let go, that I just haven’t worn in so long despite being in prime conditions. But then, I bet you’ve faced that situation before as well; how can we take advantage of those nice pieces of clothing? Sell them!
Then, the real question is:
How can we efficiently sell them so that they go away quickly without much hurdles?
That’s what we are here for today!
There are multiple ways, that may require more or less time commitment, or that you may be flexible as to the time it will take to sell your clothes. Also, depending on your (amazing) negotiation and selling skills, some platforms may help selling them at a higher price than others.
There are only a few listed, but of course, there are a ton of other alternatives. It’s just to give you the gist of it.
Let’s jump right into it, shall we?
1. Facebook Groups
I have been selling on Facebook for a couple of years now. It works! But.
The positive element, you reach a huge pool of people in one second! For example, I am part of this university sale group – Ventes de vêtements UdeM/UQAM – and there are about 5.5k (at the time of writing these words) members. And these members are active members!
Every time I posted a photo of a piece of clothing I wanted to sell, I received tons of notifications of people wanting to know more about the piece, where we could meet, etc.
Pro: It is super easy, trendy pieces will fly out fast and if you go to these universities, you can simply sell your clothes right before going to class. Ain’t nobody got time to waste!
Also, you often get the money in cash. No need to worry about whether they sent you the money via etransfer. It’s a quick done deal.
Con: Your “customers” – I don’t really like calling them customers because it feels so much like retail when you simply want to give a second life to the pieces you don’t wear anymore. Anyway, just for the sake of making sure we’re on the same page, let’s say “customers”. Your “customers” are sometimes quite demanding. They are students, right? So, they might want to make sure they fit the piece before buying it, meaning I’ve often met with people for them to say, “Sorry, I won’t take it finally.” Not cool.
Of course, you may not be able to sell all your pieces if they are out of style, because university students often want to stay in trend. Then, simply to find the right Facebook group for what you are selling!
There are also these 2 groups I am quite satisfied with:
2. Selling Apps: ex Upcycli
You may have seen it on my instagram @withnancypham I’ve had the chance to test the Beta version of the new app Upcycli. In a few words: looks very neat & simple to use 😉
Right before we go any further, just wanted to mention what sets Upcycli apart from the other apps: their sustainable fashion vision does not end to selling your clothes online. They also look for secondhand pieces that they can modify and give a second life. They also encourage a plastic-less lifestyle! For example, I received an adorable small reusable bag for my grocery shopping for rice, nuts, beans or anything else really. Look forward to what else they may have for you!
Down to the good stuff: it is very simple to post your clothes there, set up your price and connect with people! One thing that I really like about this app compared to Facebook groups for example, is that you talk to potential “customers” directly on the app. Yes, it may mean another app to look for messages but at least it doesn’t get lost within all your personal conversations that you have on your instagram or your messenger. All the “customers” talk are together on the Upcycli app and all your regular conversations are together on your other socials.
For me, that was a greaaaat plus. 🙂
How this works is very simple: you sign up with your email or socials, then you upload a photo of your clothes and answer the questions. Do not worry! They are very simple and will simply make you avoid tons of questions from people who want to know more like: size, material, price (of course!), how often you’ve worn them.
Another great thing about these questions? Well, they help people when they go shopping – or yourself of course if you’re looking for some gems 😉 Looking for a skirt? Look for that tag!
So, next time you want to download an app to sell your clothes, think about Upcycli 🙂 They are also super open for feedback. If ever you want new features, simply DM them. We always love brands that listen to their people.
Learn more about the Upcycli App HERE.
Available on the Android App Store & on iTunes App Store.
3. Closet Sales
Recently, I’ve been to 2 closet sales organized by instagrammers. You may have seen it on my stories 😉
For those who don’t know what this entails in, in a few words, a closet sale is when someone (or a group of people) gather to create some kind of ephemeral shop with a couple of their pieces of clothing. Then, people can simply come throughout the day to shop their available closet.
Very efficient; do it once, sell a lot.
From the customer side, it is also great as you go to one place one time, you have all these choices and often, there is such a nice atmosphere!
What I got for $80:
- A long jacket from the amazingly cool @vivitowers – absolutely in love with her and with long coats.
- A pair of white boots from @katiecung as well as lots of beauty stuff she was giving out for free – such a generous soul!
- A round wooden bag from @lai_tiffany (and a red shirt for my friend @the.glamedit) – and we even got a gift bag ❤
Pros: You do it once and you sell a ton. You meet your potential “fans”. And it’s fun!
Cons: It’s quite a lot of organisation to find a spot, find other people to jump on board with you to bring their clothes to sell, to advertise for your event. Of course, with the struggle of bringing quite a lot of garments, you want to make sure people show up and buy so that you don’t need to carry all of it back home!
Also, that means blocking at least a full day so that you are available for people to come check it out and of course, you need to have at least a couple (a lot) of items to sell otherwise it might fall a bit short for people.
There you go! 3 ways for you to make the most of your Spring Cleaning. Lately, some people have also started creating a second Instagram account for their closet sale, as for me, I am trying putting it in my stories and highlights. Let me know in the comment below which one worked the most for you!
Happy Closet Spring Cleaning 🙂
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On this note, PEACE!
xx
WithNancy 