One question I get often is how to decide where to sell my own pieces. Do I stick with just one service? Do I go local brick-and-mortar? Is it kosher to list the same piece across multiple platforms? Here’s a window into my world and decision-making process.

I have nearly 30K followers on Poshmark… which means that when it comes to getting eyeballs on pieces I want to sell, Poshmark is a pretty good place for me to do this. I have the time, bandwidth, and experience to take photos of my pieces, create the listings, and regularly share with my network to increase visibility. Because Poshmark is peer-to-peer and there’s no middle-man, sellers pocket a greater percentage of their earnings from Poshmark than on some other platforms.

However… not everything flies off Poshmark. There are some items, that despite my best attempts, just do NOT photograph well — and we all know how important photographs are in depicting fit and attracting a buyer. If there’s a piece that’s not photographing well, that’s a signal to me that I have better odds of selling it on a platform where it’s either fitted on a mannequin (like thredUP or The RealReal), or, could be a good fit for consigning at a local or in-person storefront.

I tend to consign my higher end pieces with The RealReal or Common Threads Denver — and frankly, there’s not a ton of science behind my decision-making. Brick-and-mortar locations (like Common Threads) tend to be pickier about what they accept because they have limited real estate and seasonality can play a much more impactful role in what they will accept and when. For example, I recently consigned dark rag & bone pants and a leather Helmut Lang jacket with The RealReal because I know those pieces are out of season for my favorite local consignment spot and it’s unlikely they’ll accept them now (vs in January when they might).

Just because one platform or store doesn’t accept your pieces doesn’t mean that’s the end of the road for your resale journey — try another. Again, seasonality and existing inventory often play a big role in what a brick-and-mortar store is willing and able to accept. If you’re consigning, I highly recommend making sure you consign with a store or service where you also shop, so you can convert your sales credit into direct store dollars — something that’s often incentivized via an extra reward (hello free money!).

Be honest with yourself about how much time and effort you want to invest in consigning your pieces. Consignment stores, thredUP, and The RealReal are super popular in part because they do all the work for you — sometimes, they’ll even come to your house and do a pick-up! There are times when I need closet space and don’t want to hold on to pieces while I wait for them to sell on Poshmark — so they go somewhere else. Conversely, I’ve definitely listed pieces on Poshmark that weren’t accepted at other stores or platforms for one reason or another.

Last but not least: try new platforms and places. You can always go back to the thing that works best for you, but it’s often illuminating to try a new experience and explore the unfamiliar. At the end of the day, it’s an art, not a science — and that’s OK.

PS: We run a workshop on how to figure out the right places to sell YOUR closet! Check out our Seller's Academy for the latest workshop dates!