How to Sell on Poshmark Like a Pro (insider Tips from 5 Years of Success)

I’ve been selling on Poshmark for five years, and in addition to being lucrative, it has turned into a side hustle and a hobby for me.

I’ve learned that selling on Poshmark can be done in a “right way” and in a “wrong way.” It’s more than just a fun website: it’s a way to make a business. There’s a lot to know, and there are a lot of things I’ve discovered over time, from trial and error and from interesting situations that have happened.

In this list of tips, find out my top secrets to success on Poshmark, as well as what not to do, with examples from my sales history on the site. Let’s dive in.

How to have success on Poshmark: My bottom line (and top tip)

I was just talking to a friend the other day and said I was on my way to USPS to drop a Poshmark package in the mail. She said, “Are you really having success on Poshmark? I can’t seem to sell anything.”

I told her that when I decided to step up my game, it was a difference of “just listing clothes and letting Poshmark do the work” versus “actually doing the work.”

Here is “the work” I’ve done on Poshmark, one of the best places to sell your stuff online.

1. I create thorough listings with at least 8 photos, a description of the product and why it’s great, the EXACT condition it is in (and if it has any damages or imperfections) and a solid listing title that uses all but a few of the maximum amount of characters.

2. I have the Poshmark app on my phone, and I keep the Poshmark website open in my favorite “tabs” in my internet browser on my laptop. I check my notifications several times a day.

3. When someone “likes” one of my listings, I send an “Offer.” Usually I discount another 20% and offer a deal on shipping, like the “$4.99 shipping” offer discount.

4. If someone comments on one of my listings asking for dimensions, measurements, asking “how it really fits” or if anything is wrong, I try to answer immediately or within a few hours.

5. If the same user “likes” several of my listings, I leave that person a “comment” under one of them and urge them to “bundle and save,” so that they can pay one shipping price for a package of multiple products from me.

6. Whenever I make a sale, I send the buyer a message via the messaging function on Poshmark, and tell them the following: 1) that their item will ship next-day and 2) thanks for shopping, have a great night! It’s nice “human” gestures like this that may make them want to shop my Poshmark Closet again as a return customer.

Let’s get into some of the nitty gritty and insider secrets of Poshmark selling in the detailed tips that follow, from my years of experience.

How to make great listings on Poshmark

I pride myself on having great listings on Poshmark, and this has helped me sell thousands of dollars of products over five years. After a bunch of practice, trial and error and also learning from very successful accounts, here is the recipe for a fantastic Poshmark listing and what I do.

Photos

Usually, I take 6-8 photos of my item (front, back, sides, sleeves, details, zippers, etc.) and then I also use screenshots from the product page at the website it came from. This helps the buyer visualize how the product looks on a model, how it fits and more.

This is especially useful (in my opinion) for products that look weird or unappealing on the hanger. If you’re going to be buying stuff on Poshmark, you’ll be extra keen to take note of things like this as well! You’ll find those tips in my Poshmark Buyer’s Guide for how to get a deal.

Use specific phrases

Use phrases like NWT (”New with tags”) or NWOT (”New without tags”). This helps the buyer see the condition, and if you have something that’s NWOT, explain where the tag went, why it’s missing or if the item didn’t come with one (some products come in the mail in packaging, rather than with a literal “tag”.)

Descriptions

Make a helpful description. A lot of times, for me, this has been saying something like, “I love these pants and the style, but I changed size, and now they don’t fit me. Maybe they’ll be great on you.” This helps to show that there’s nothing wrong with the item; rather, they’re not the right size for me at this moment.

I also list things like fabric composition, how to care for the item (some people don’t like “Dry Clean Only” products), and helpful tidbits like “This is an XS but it runs big,” or, “Consider that this is listed as a size 4 but fits like an XS because the brand runs tight.”

Is it worth it trying to sell on Poshmark?

I can tell you from experience that yes: it has been worthwhile for me to sell on Poshmark. Sure, I’ve put LOTS of hours into making listings, taking photos, surfing the website and the app to capitalize on “likes” and having failed “offers” that don’t lead to sales, but overall, I’ve made steady sales since I started.

Of course, it depends on the quality of what you want to sell, the prices you list at and the sale prices you expect to get. If you list old and dated clothes in used condition and expect to get full price for those things, it’s unlikely that you’ll find buyers for those.

Instead, if you have realistic expectations of what your clothes, bags, jewelry, accessories or shoes can list for and be sold for, you’ll hopefully have success like so many other Poshmark sellers.

I have to admit: I had no expectations of Poshmark at all, and then I made my first sale in five days (I probably listed my item WAY too low!). After that, I thought to myself, “Hmm, maybe there is some money to be made here,” and I learned the “game” of Poshmark.

How to get noticed on Poshmark

It’s hard to get noticed on Poshmark, just like it’s nearly impossible to get noticed on social media. I have a few ideas for this, though:

Use a nicely-lit background for your product photos

When I first started my Poshmark page, I used a cool and vintage exposed brick wall in our Brooklyn apartment as the backdrop for my listings of sweaters, scarves and blouses. When we moved, I started hanging clothes on hangers, off the knobs of my dresser.

For bags, purses, backpacks, wallets and accessories, I used a faux marble table and of course, great sunlit natural lighting, rather than overhead or fluorescent lights. My best tip is to never take photos of your products at night!

Make a profile and give some info about yourself so that you seem human

I have to admit, a lot of Poshmark has started to feel fishy and dodgy, just like Facebook Marketplace. Who can you trust? Who’s a real human behind the Poshmark account? If you use some friendly photos and write a short bio about yourself, you’ll be human, legitimate and appealing.

“Share” in Posh Parties

OK, hear me out: Posh Parties seem ridiculous, and I don’t really understand them, but mainly, they are a way for Poshmark to engage users and get people excited.

“Posh Parties” have themes, like the Maternity Posh Party, the Petites Posh Party, the Jewelry & Accessories Posh Party, the “Together We Posh” party and more. If you “share” some of your listings at those times, you may attract some new followers. That’s the only benefit I’ve seen.

Think ahead on the questions a buyer might have

This might be especially pertinent if you’re listing baby or children’s clothes and shoes to parents that of course want to save money with a baby. List out things like fabrics types, specific condition, any discolorations, any wear on the soles of shoes, organic aspects and “how it fits.”

Be friendly (but don’t be annoying)

If you reply lightning-fast to comments and ship your packages next-day, your buyers and potential buyers will notice that you perform well and your’e on top of your game.

Things NOT to do when selling on Poshmark

From some experience, I’ll tell you about what to avoid doing, and some no-no’s that I learned from.

DON’T take too long to send a package

The first time I made a Poshmark sale, I did not understand that I was being watched, as the Seller, about how many days it took me to ship the package. I didn’t know what I was doing. I wound up shipping my sale SIX days after it sold, and the buyer had pinged me to ask where it was, and Poshmark’s support even sent me reminders, twice!

Don’t leave things in your USPS mailer by mistake

I re-used a mailing envelope from a different item and from a different brand than the one I had sold, and I accidentally left the original receipt in there. SO embarrassing! The buyer messaged me to tell me she was in possession of my receipt and I said, don’t worry about it.

Don’t list things that have imperfections or damages, and shy away from them

I once sold a workout tank top that had some “pilling” from my laundry machine, and the buyer felt that this was not very apparent in the photos, so she asked to return my sale and get a refund. That was disappointing, and turned out to be a waste of time for me, sadly.

Don’t forget to thoroughly inspect the items you list

In a separate scenario, I listed a black rayon long-sleeve blouse that I thought was in totally fine condition, so I made my listing saying it was in great condition, worn once or twice, and washed.

After the buyer received it, she told me that there were 6 little holes in the bottom of the shirt and I had failed to mention it in my listing. I hadn’t known! I could’ve inspected better. This is my only 3-star review (out of 5 stars) to date.

Don’t feel that you have to EVER take responsibility for the speed at which USPS works

I once sold and shipped a men’s shirt to a buyer located in Massachusetts, and (this is a crazy story), even with my correct return address, and the buyer’s correct address on the shipping label, the package was wrongly routed to Puerto Rico, and then all the way back to Massachusetts, like a freak mistake. It took two weeks to get to him.

All I could do was reference the tracking and tell him I was going to contact Poshmark support, because it was totally out of my hands.

What to sell on Poshmark

I know there are lots of blogs out there telling everyone to sell top brands, to stay away from cheap brands and to not sell anything old or dated, but somehow, I’ve managed to sell anything and everything across the board.

Yup, I’ve sold sweaters and bathing suits from H&M. Yup, I’ve sold vintage purses from my grandmother’s attic. I’ve sold “dust bags” from suitcases and purses, and I’ve sold charms for necklaces and vintage jewelry.

What I’m saying is that a lot of websites might discourage you by telling you that the things from the back of your closet have no value, but it’s not true. If you have things that are unique, or even old “cool” things that turn heads and are in good condition, there may be a Poshmark buyer for that.

If you have luxury goods and they’re not selling on Poshmark after several months, this is when I turn to The RealReal, a luxury consignment website that will do a lot of the selling work for you. Learn about what I mean by this at my luxury consignment selling review of The RealReal.

Should you bother selling things for low prices?

In writing this guide, I looked at my past sales on Poshmark and I’ve sold things from $4 to $160. I’ve never said no to selling something where I netted $3, and that’s because for a few years, I was looking to build up my ratings and my followers.

And it was worth it! Buyers want to buy from sellers that have good ratings, and lots of them. They want to see a good average shipping time (mine is an average 1.6 days from sale to ship!). And buyers feel more comfortable buying from sellers who’ve had a number of sales, for confidence and security.

So, it’s my opinion that any sale is a good sale, especially when you are starting out selling on Poshmark.

One more tip: how to get a USPS pickup for a Poshmark sale

I started using USPS pickups when we moved to the suburbs. I couldn’t believe that I could get my Poshmark package picked up any day of the week except Sunday, by our USPS postal worker.

All you have to do is use the USPS Pickup Scheduling website, and make sure you choose “Priority Mail” as the type of mail that your Poshmark package is.

Another tip from me is to know that you can’t do same-day pickups; you always have to choose the next day. If this doesn’t work out for the necessary timing of your Poshmark sale, then bring it right to your local USPS post office after you package it and paste on the shipping label.