Where to Resell Used Clothes

Cultivating mindful living.

Where to Resell Used Clothes

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One of my cleansing rituals for January is clearing out my closet and selling my unwanted goods. This is not only great for starting a fresh new year with a fresh closet, but a way to keep an edited wardrobe. With so many online platforms to resell used clothes and accessories,  I thought I’d break down my experience with each one. Hopefully this will help you navigate the wonderful world of reselling your used clothes…

eBay

Brief: I don’t think eBay needs an introduction but according to google it is an e-commerce company, providing consumer-to-consumer & business-to-consumer sales services via Internet. I just listed my first items on eBay last week and so far so good.

 

When Selling: Their iPhone app makes selling items a lot easier and faster. They allow you to post your first 50-100 listings for free with up to 12 photos for no additional costs. You don’t pay for the listing until the item sells. eBay takes around 10-15% of the final sale price which is relatively low. They also allow your item to be relisted if it doesn’t sell the first week of auction. The app helps bring up similar items that were sold so you know how to price your item, this is super helpful because you don’t have to do the research yourself.

 

When Buying: Be aware of items that are non-returnable, ask the buyer questions beforehand to avoid being disappointed with the product. Auctions are often the best way to get a great deal. If you have the patience, wait until the last few seconds of the auction to place your bid. Placing bids such as $51.99 are better than even numbers because you will outbid someone who bid just $51.

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The Real Real

Brief: The Real Real emphasizes it’s commitment to luxury brands and authenticity. They have one of the largest networks of shoppers, so your items are sure to sell within a 6 month period.

 

When Selling: They have a concierge service in the New York City area (including Brooklyn) where one of their buyers will come to your apartment to pick up and inventory your items. This is only an option if you have ten or more pieces to sell. It makes everything a lot easier than sending all of your clothes and accessories in the mail, although they offer this option as well. I love that they accept accessories, shoes, jewelry, handbags and clothes. I sold 9/10 pieces they accepted for around $50-$90 per piece. I thought this was pretty good compared to Beacon’s closet.

 

When Buying: There is almost always a 20% off code, which makes up for the $12 shipping cost! I am not a huge fan of the awkward stance of the mannequins they photograph the clothing on, but I’ve had great success buying items on their site. I wait for items to go on super sale at the end of each month. So far I’ve scored black Céline pumps for $99, a white Prada shirt for $50 and ACNE Pop jeans for $99, not too shabby.

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Material WRLD

Brief: Unlike The Real Real, Material WRLD is not consignment, you get paid up front for your items, in the form of gift cards from top retailers including Barney’s, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Shopbop, Nordstrom, Steven Alan and more. They only accept women’s handbags and clothes, no accessories, shoes or jewelry.

 

When Selling: They will send you a bag to put your gently used clothes and handbags in, and they pay for insured shipping both ways. There are no fees. Once they receive your items they email you an offer on each item and you can accept or decline their offer (by item). If they don’t take an item, they tell you the reasons why. Also, before you even send in your items they give you an estimate of what they’ve paid for similar items. That way you can decide if you want to even send in an item. Once you approve the offer, they send you a gift card within the week and you can get shopping right away. They also match 10% of each gift card to a charity of your choice. If you are in the NYC area they offer valet pick up within Manhattan or you can drop off to their HQ in the flower district, very convenient for those of us who work in the garment district. I found that they have a limited list of designers that they accept, so for more obscure/smaller brands I tend to sell to The Real Real.

 

When Buying: I’ve attended one of their “sample sales” at the end of the summer, and I found prices to be higher than other sites. They were selling some items for more than the actual retailers selling new apparel, which seemed odd since Material WRLD resells already worn items. As of now, they don’t have an online marketplace to shop, but I think it is in the works. Hopefully they work out their pricing to be more competitive and desirable for resale shopping.

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New York

If you live in the New York City area, there are plenty of great consignment shops to resell used clothes. Here are my favorites…

 

Tokio 7 // Eva Gentry // Ina

 

These are my favorite high-end consignment shops. I haven’t sold anything at these stores, but they are my favorite places to shop for used designer goods. Eva Gentry tends to have a higher price point (which is great if you are consigning, it means more money in your pocket). Their end of season sales are well worth the wait (going on now). You can even shop Eva Gentry’s instagram if you don’t live in NY. I found my favorite tuxedo blazer by Stella Mc Cartney at Tokio 7 for only $150 and my Isabel Marant pour H&M leather pants at Ina for $90. The longer the items sit at these stores, the lower the price, so sometimes you stumble upon an amazing deal.

 

Beacon’s Closet // Buffalo Exchange

 

Beacon’s Closet and Buffalo Exchange are great places to sell thrifted vintage pieces and high street, fast fashion garb (from Zara, Madewell, J.Crew etc).  They give you cash on the spot, no waiting to get your cash like you do with the consignment stores above. You may even find a great deal once in a while. Last season I found a wool Miu Miu turtleneck sweater for just $35. The best Beacon’s Closet for shopping is the Greenpoint, Brooklyn store, while the best place to sell your goods is at the Park Slope, Brooklyn store. I speak from experience. Buffalo Exchange in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is better than the Manhattan store, but they tend to be more selective than Beacon’s Closet when it comes to buying your items.

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