Sell Clothes on Tradesy – Is It a Good Money Making Idea?

Do you have too much stuff in the closet that you’re no longer wearing? Now is probably a good time to do some cleanup and trade them for some cash. If you’re thinking to sell these clothes on Tradesy, you’re on the right page because I’m about to show you how it works, and most importantly, is it possible to make any good money from all these?  

Here goes. 

What is Tradesy?

Tradesy is a US-based online resale marketplace specifically curated for women to sell and buy branded authentic clothing and accessories. The mission is to make fashion sustainable and to bring life to second-hand items while still retaining its values. 

Anyone who opens an account can sell pre-owned items directly from their closets by uploading pictures and descriptions of the item through the Tradesy app. This makes reselling clothes intuitive and rewarding, with smart features that can guide you in making sure that the items are as eye-catching as possible to customers. 

Tradesy’s Selling Requirements

All sellers must currently reside in one of the 50 United States, as Tradesy shipping through the US Postal Service is limited only to this area. Items on sale must also be authentic; if you’re found to violate this condition, the company uses smart technology to automatically detects and removes ingenuine items that you’ve listed.

The customer base is targeted at women who shop for high-end luxury clothing and accessories at a reasonable price. Thus, all sellers must have items that fall under these categories – which means men’s clothing, children’s clothing, and cosmetics, among other items, are not allowed. Branded, authentic women’s clothing is the one most welcome on Tradesy.

How to Sell on Tradesy

To begin re-selling on Tradesy, users can go through the website or download the app from Android or iOS. Simply select the category for an item, snap a picture of the back and front, and highlight any details that buyers may be interested to know such as brand tag, accents, or packaging. 

The platform comes with smart features that include automatic image cleaning to help make your images crisper and professional-looking. As for shipping, you can either opt for a Tradesy shipping kit with pre-made packaging, print off a shipping label from the website, or choose to handle shipping independently. 

The shipping cost is directly calculated and added to the item price, so buyers will reimburse you for that amount. 

When it comes to pricing the item, the marketplace uses unique algorithms to estimate the selling prices. This will ensure that sellers are getting the best offer for their items while maintaining a competitive deal. You can then use this information to make the final decision about the item’s price.

Before a listing goes live, you’ll receive a review of the potential earnings of the sale by subtracting fees and commission rates. Tradesy’s commission rate is 19.8% on items $50 or more and a $7.50 flat rate on items under $50. This breakdown should give you a clear picture of how much you can earn from a sale. 

After a listing goes live, buyers can interact with you through the built-in chat feature, giving them a chance to learn more about the item. In a way, the site operates like a virtual yard sale, allowing buyers and sellers to form connections and build trust before initiating any transaction. 

Whether you’re using Tradesy’s USPS pick-up or shipping independently, all shipments must be sent out within 10 days of the order. Refunds and returns are handled by the staff, so sellers need not worry about having to deal with disgruntled buyers, granted you’ve not violated any terms either.  

The money earned from the sales is added to your Tradesy account, which can be used as store credits to purchase more items yourself. Alternatively, if you like cold hard cash like me, the money can also be cashed out through Paypal to a checking account for a fee of 2.9%. 

The Advantages of Selling on Tradesy

Now let’s look at some of the perks when it comes to selling your clothes on Tradesy.

• Tradesy’s user-friendly platform and live support for sellers make it a good choice for re-selling branded clothing. With free listings, there’s no risk of losing money even if the items don’t sell. 
• The niche marketplace targets a discerning customer that will understand the value of the items being sold, so great fashion items won’t be undervalued. In most cases, you should be able to get what’s worth of your designer handbag or high-end heels. 
• Selling on Tradesy can be a great way to make some extra cash through a reselling side business, upgrade a dying closet, or simply trying out new styles. Fast fashion often creates massive consumer waste in clothing and accessories, something I feel can be avoided if you choose to sell instead of letting it go to the dump. 

The Downsides of Selling on Tradesy 

As with any reselling platform, Tradesy does have its drawbacks. 

• For one, funds from selling are not immediately available for transfer and use. Tradesy may hold funds for up to 21 days as a measure of quality assurance to make sure the buyer has received the item. Thus, some sellers may have to wait nearly a month to see their earnings.
• When the platform imposes its commission structure, it also means that sellers do not keep all the money that they make on a sale. Other sites, such as Craigslist, do not charge a commission fee, but in the world of fashion reselling, this commission structure is similar to other platforms like ThredUp. 

Besides, transferring funds to another account also comes with a fee, so unless sellers prefer to keep earnings as store credits, they will also lose some money here.

• Selling branded items can be profitable, but it’s not something everyone can afford or want to buy especially during hard economic times. Luxury items are not a necessity, so unless people have surplus money, sites like this may experience a downturn of visitors until the spending power increases. 

If you compare to Poshmark, regular clothing brands may be a more popular market to enter right now. 

So, Is Selling Clothes on Tradesy Worth Your Time? 

Selling on Tradesy can be a great way to earn back money from your closet, or even become a lucrative side business. CEO Tracy DiNunzio stated in a 2015 interview with CBS that the average seller on the website made about $1000 a year, with some semi-professional sellers averaging a million dollars annually. 

The way I see it, you need to own a few of these items to start selling. The more stuff you list, the more buying options your customers will have. Of course, professional sellers are likely to have such a privilege because they tend to have ways to acquire branded goods at larger quantities compared to regular people. 

If you only own one or two items, it can be very difficult to create a selling presence much less, make a profit from them. In this case, you could consider reselling on platforms like OfferUp, Mercari, or Poshmark that welcome regular fashion brands, but keep in mind that any marketplaces will come with some level of competition. 

Alternatively, you can also consider joining women’s fashions affiliate programs and make money online through blogging. This form of marketing lets you earn sales commissions whenever you refer a new customer to an online fashion store. That way, you don’t have to hold onto any product inventory and are more flexible to experiment with new fashion ideas. 

To learn more about affiliate marketing, please join this online business training – it’s free for beginners. I hope this review has been an eye-opener as to whether selling on Tradesy is a good idea or not. 

Let us know in the comment area below if you’ve tried Tradesy or other similar platforms.