I love shopping and used to have an addiction. I tried plenty of ideas to curb this addiction. One of these ideas was to purchase from reseller platforms, like Poshmark.
Since I love shopping, I figured I should at least try to buy used clothes. This way I feel it will help decrease my consumerism carbon footprint. I wanted to decrease waste by buying used. I also thought these purchases would be more thoughtful and cost-efficient.
I’m really trying to spend less on things, get out of debt, and achieve financial freedom. You can read about my journey by clicking here for the latest blog post about my money situation.
Although I am trying to be more mindful about my spending, I still love shopping. Currently, I am trying to find that balance of a budget for shopping.
This post is all about tips I’ve learned on how to buy on Poshmark and other clothes reseller platforms.
Measurements
One, measurements. This may be the most obvious, but I’ve noticed a lot of people don’t know their body measurements. Not only is this good to know for when you’re buying from Poshmark. It can also help you make purchases from online stores.
I keep my measurements on a notepad app on my phone.
I measure my chest, stomach, waist, hips, inseam, and the circumference of both my arms. When making clothing purchases online, the measurements I use the most would be my chest and waist. It’s also very helpful to know my inseam when making pants online purchases.
For instance, I’m considered petite in length for bottoms. If a short or petite version is offered by retailers, the inseam is usually around 28″. I prefer my bottoms to be a bit longer and hit at 30″.
When I purchase tops and want them a bit larger, like for sweaters, I’ll opt for a top that is about 4-5″ bigger than my chest, depending on how loose I want it to fit.
You also have to be mindful of how long you want your top to be. My advice would be to get a top that’s your favorite length and measure that. Do the same with jeans or pants, too.
Measure the inseam, the crotch area (where the zipper is usually located), and the waist.
I haven’t had issues with the circumference of the ankles, but I have when it comes to the sleeves being too tight.
Now that you have your measurements, when you find a clothing item you like, check to see if the reseller lists the item’s measurements. If they don’t list it, you can always message them and ask. Most times, resellers are super accommodating and will respond.
If they don’t, then you can really think about whether or not you want to give your hard-earned money to them.
Material
I usually buy a lot of my expensive material clothing items from Poshmark and other resellers, like cashmere or silk.
During the winter, I will do a random search for cashmere sweaters, and if I really want a specific color, I’ll filter for that specific color.
The same thing goes for the summer time. I’ll search for linen and silk materials. I also like looking for T-shirts that are 100% cotton.
This brings me to another tip when searching on Poshmark, which I’ll add in this category. If you have a specific item you’d like to own, you can always search Poshmark first.
For example, I was looking for a striped button-up shirt. Instead of buying a brand new, overly priced one, I found one for $8 (minus shipping and tax)!
I also found a 100% cotton white button-up for $5 (again, minus shipping and tax)! It’s one of my favorites. I get a lot of compliments whenever I wear it.
I’m at this point in my life where I’m really into natural materials right now.
Brand Names
Sometimes, I’ll have a brand in mind that I would love to own, but buying it brand new would be out of my budget.
For instance, I would love to own new pieces from Sezane, but the price point is just not something I want to invest in right now. However, I do have a couple of pieces I purchased used from Poshmark.
Another brand I like is Arizona Love. I like their sandals, but don’t think they’re worth the price.
I bought a pair of Arizona Love sandals on sale once. Now I know what size I am. Because of this, I was able to search for my sandal size in that specific brand and buy them brand new.
You do need to be careful when making purchases from Poshmark or other reselling platforms. If you’re looking for higher-end brands, some resellers will try selling knock-offs or counterfeits.
I once searched for Ganni tees and noticed a lot of resellers promoting counterfeit tops at high prices.
This brings me to my next tip on how to buy on Poshmark: what to look for in a reseller’s profile.
Reseller’s Profile
When making a purchase, check out the reseller’s account first. Look at how long they’ve had their account and how many items were sold.
Another thing I like to do is read reviews from their buyers. This can be helpful in understanding if their legit and if they also ship quickly.
If a reseller is selling designer items and hasn’t received any Love Notes, what Poshmark calls reviews, they’re probably not a legit reseller.
Love Notes are great indicators of a reseller’s professionalism and legitimacy.
Another thing I like to do is filter for all of their sold items. I don’t do this all the time. When I do, it’s for a couple of reasons.
One, I like to see if the reseller has made any sales and if so, what kind. Also, filtering for what they sold helps me have a better understanding of whether they’re open to negotiating.
Again, this brings me to my next tip on how to buy on Poshmark: negotiating.
Negotiating
I find that since Poshmark is a reseller platform, there is always room for negotiations.
I once watched a YouTube video where an influencer suggested making offers at half the selling price! That’s a 50% markdown.
Before watching her, I used to round it off to several dollars. After watching her negotiate 50% off and having it honored, I decided to do the same.
I will admit some will ignore you, some will even come back with another offer. If they do come back, this is where the back-and-forth takes place.
You need to know how much you’re comfortable spending. Also, take into consideration that you will be paying for shipping and taxes.
I’ve had some resellers ignore my request, flat out reject my offer, or negotiate with me only to continue offering their first or second negotiation price, and no longer budge. In other successful cases, they’ll agree to my asking price!
There is also a deadline to either accept or reject an offer on both ends, which I believe is 24 hours.
If you make an offer, the reseller has 24 hours to make a decision. If they counteroffer, you have 24 hours to make a decision.
Depending on how much you love the piece, you can also just buy the item without going through the negotiation process.
And if you’re undecided on the item, you can also just like or heart the item. It will be saved in your likes folder.
This is something I regularly do. Which brings me to my next tip on how to buy from Poshmark.
Liking or Hearting An Item
If I see something I like, I will automatically like or heart the item. This is also a trick I learned when making purchases on reseller platforms.
I noticed whenever I liked an item, the reseller would most likely send me a discounted offer. When they do, this gives me a better opportunity (in my opinion) in negotiating a very low price.
Sometimes, they will accept my offer right away, sometimes they’ll meet me in the middle, and sometimes, they’ll reject my offer altogether.
If they or I reject an offer, this cancels the 24-hour response time. You go back to square one as if there was never an offer.
Usually, when a reseller rejects my offer, I don’t buy from them at all. To me, it shows that they are not open to negotiating, and I move on to the next reseller who is open.
My last tip on how to buy on Poshmark is for trendy items.
Trendy Pieces
If you’re wanting to purchase something that’s in style or trending at the moment and don’t want to invest, Poshmark is a great place to start.
For example, I am loving the cheetah print moment. But I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for something like that. So I go on Poshmark and do a quick search for Cheetah Print Jeans.
Cat t-shirt? Search Poshmark.
Sometimes I can get an item for as low as $4 minus tax and shipping.
Some of my favorite silk and cashmere pieces were less than $15!
Smoke-Free or Pet-Free
This is another tip on how to buy on Poshmark, which I learned the hard way. I once bought a purse from a reseller who sent it quickly. However, when I opened the box, the purse reeked of cigarette smoke.
Thankfully, I was able to return the item. Save yourself a trip to the post office. Either ask or check the item listing or reseller profile for a smoke-free environment.
I was also able to return a pair of heels that had damage to the back. The reseller didn’t disclose or picture the damage in the item listing.
Now, before I make a purchase, I check their history and measurements. I also look for a smoke-free environment.
Some resellers also tell you if they’re pet-free in case you’re allergic. For me, this isn’t a problem, but I can see how this can be helpful to some.
Just remember, if a reseller isn’t willing to negotiate, you should reconsider your purchase. Make sure they provide you with measurements when requested or answer any questions you have. Otherwise, you may not want to buy from them. Because again, this is your hard-earned money you’re giving to them.
Also, you may not like the idea of paying for shipping. I don’t mind it so much. Yes, Poshmark’s shipping is pretty high. I think it’s almost, if not, $8.
Honestly, I don’t mind paying shipping because I feel like, one, it can be beneficial for the environment. Two, it’s most likely helping a small-business owner as well.
Hopefully, you find this blog post helpful. If you have any of your own tips, please share below.
Thanks for reading!
Love, Sutivi.
