Poshmark Buyer’s Guide: How to Get the Best Deal (And Watch Out For!)
How do you get a great deal on Poshmark? In this how-to guide, I tell you what to look out for, from red flags to sending offers, making bundles and using support to shop like a pro.
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If you know me, I’m always looking for a deal! And I love finding a good deal on Poshmark.
Especially because I’m a Poshmark seller, I’ve turned my know-how and intel about how to sell well on Poshmark into how to expertly shop on Poshmark. It takes a bit of practice, because the Poshmark marketplace is oh-so-big!
With a little practice, and with the tips below, you can find your amazing deal on Poshmark, all from the app on your phone or just by sitting on your couch.
Let’s get started with how to find the best deals on Poshmark, with my best tips as both a frequent buyer and seller.
What to look for when shopping on Poshmark
I shop on Poshmark because there are some things I know I can get new or like-new, for less than half the price of what they’d cost in the store. Plus, with so much excess of clothes, bags, shoes and jewelry in the world, it’s never been a better time than now to shop second-hand and get deals that way.
Here’s just a snapshot of what I’ve gotten on Poshmark at great prices:
- Peloton cycling cleats, like-new, for $24 (retail price $125)
- Athleta women’s biking shorts, like-new, for $12
- Ann Taylor LOFT Petite floral blouse, like-new, for $9
- Athleta yoga leggings with pockets, like-new, for $7
Seriously, I cannot believe these deals, either! They’re unbelievable. When I started shopping on Poshmark, how could I ever go back to regular old online shopping?
Use my code CLOSETBROOKLYN to sign up for Poshmark, and we both get $10 when you order for the first time.
Here’s what I look for when I shop on Poshmark:
The seller
I look for a seller with a lot of ratings, and a good number of followers. I don’t need to be shopping from those sellers with more than 100,000 followers. That’s because I know that I (as a 5-star seller who originally was just looking for websites to sell my stuff online) once had only a handful of followers, not thousands.
Ratings matter, though: this is where past shoppers rate sellers on how good the purchase was, like did it match up with the photos, how fast did the seller ship and could they answer any questions the buyer had. Ratings matter to me!
The product photos
While I don’t require snazzy professional photos to make me interested in a listing, I do look for clear and well-lit photos that showcase all the aspects of a product. For example, if the seller lists a known defect like a stain or rip, I want to see an up-close picture of that.
If it’s shoes, I want to see the soles, like how worn they are, and if it’s a shirt with buttons or snaps, I want to see photos to make sure they all work and none are missing. This is just a start, because for any given product, there are things you’d want to see in order to make sure that the item itself lines up with how the seller describes it.
Product description
Sellers should be giving clear and accurate descriptions on Poshmark. In my tips for selling on Poshmark, I talk about how I provide information all about the product: how it fits (does it run small? or big?), why I’m selling it (i.e. it no longer fits, or it was final sale and I can’t return it) and what you might want to know.
The seller’s other listings
I’m always curious to see the seller’s other listings: are they selling junky stuff, or good brands with products in really nice condition? Of course, everyone has a different reason for selling on Poshmark: to some people it’s a hobby, to some people it’s a way to declutter their home and to some, it is a full-time hustle.
I also like to see that the seller has made sales before and that I won’t be the guinea pig on being their first buyer. That’s just me, though. Remember: Poshmark Support will have your back if you want to return an item because it does NOT match the description or photos (see below at “Support you can use as a Poshmark buyer”).
How to get the best deal on Poshmark
Ding ding ding! Let’s get into the nitty gritty of how to get a fantastic deal on Poshmark.
As a seller, I’ve seen my buyers get some great deals from me, and I’m happy to offer deals (if I still profit!). Sometimes, I barely profit, but I’m either happy to make a good sale and hopefully get a repeat customer, or, just make someone’s day and get rid of something that’s been in my closet for too long.
Here are some key tips for getting a great deal by shopping on the site.
“Like” the listings that interest you
Clicking the heart to symbolize “Like” on a Poshmark product listing is your way into the seller seeing that you’re interested. As a Seller, one of my best methods for selling on Poshmark like a pro is to send private offers immediately to buyers who “like” my listings.
“Liking” the listing will get you in the door for the next deal tip, which is accepting a private offer, fast.
Be quick to accept private offers
When I was shopping around for specialty sizing some time ago and wanted cute blouses for summer, I clicked “Like” on a bunch of listings that were my vibe. Within a few days, I received private offers from those sellers, knocking down the price (sometimes substantially) to me, and the other “Likers.”
The way this works, when you receive a private offer “to Likers” via email or in the app, is to be the first one to accept it. It’s a first-come first-served method of offering a great deal, and only the fastest buyer wins!
Send an “offer”
As a Poshmark seller, I always respond fast to buyers’ offers. An offer is when you can send an offer directly to a buyer, and they can accept it, reject it or negotiate it.
For example, with my Peloton shoes that I bought for our used Peloton bike (we got a great deal on that, too!), I saw that the shoes were priced at $40, and I offered $20.
The seller came back and offered $28. I didn’t like that, so I offered $22. The seller met me at $24, and we met there. I was pretty happy with the deal I got, because I was confident that I had seen good photos of the product, and the seller had good ratings. In the end, I was indeed satisfied!
Remember, though, that offers are BINDING. If you send two offers at one time, and both are accepted, you’ll be obligated to purchase BOTH of those offered prices for items from the same seller, or different sellers!
Make a bundle (save on shipping)
My buyers have done this and it’s how they’ve gotten a good deal from me. So yes: MAKE A BUNDLE! A bundle is a way to buy 2 or more items from the same seller, and instead of paying for shipping twice, the seller will package the items in the same box under one shipping label.
The seller will make more money (because you bought 2+ listings), and you will pay less (because you got a discount on the bundle).
Everyone saves, and everyone is happy. Here’s the best way to make a bundle on Poshmark, and start saving immediately.
Leave comments
Leaving comments and having a conversation (remember: all conversations as comments on Poshmark are completely public, except for when you have a private conversation with a seller after purchasing!) with the listing seller are a good way to ask questions and get noticed, if you want a deal.
By commenting on a listing and saying something like, “Hey, I’m interested in this; do you have any deals available?” you may be able to start a private offer or negotiation with the seller and get the price you want.
Get friendly with the seller (give good ratings)
I think many people won’t think of this, but I’m going to tell it to you fair and square from a seller’s perspective: if you give your seller a 5-star rating, they’ll like you. I promise! I’ve had repeat customers, which is very cool to see, and I’m happy to give them deals.
So, leave a 5-star rating if you’re happy with your first purchase, and go back to that seller’s Poshmark store to ask for a deal on the item you’re interested in, the second time!
What to watch out for on Poshmark (red flags)
As both a seller and a buyer on Poshmark for more than five years, here are the key red flags to look out for that should stop you in your tracks as a buyer.
Seller red flags!
I see SO many users on Poshmark who look like fakes, frauds, spam and scams, and it bothers me a lot. I’m not sure what Poshmark is doing to clean up these accounts, but here’s what I can tell you (as a seller) to watch out for with sellers who are up to no good!
Any of the following would be a red flag for me when researching the seller I want to buy from:
A messy username
Some users use a punctuation mark as the first letter in their name, so that they come up first in your follower list. I think this is a scammy tactic. They might also use emojis or letters like “AAA,” and numbers. I’d think twice!
No seller ratings
I’d be hesitant to buy anything on Poshmark from a seller who didn’t have any ratings, just like I’d hesitate before booking an Airbnb that didn’t have any reviews. Of course, if you’re getting a great deal on something that’s only a small investment, you may win out, and you can be that seller’s first review. After all, there was once a time when I made my first sale and had no prior reviews!
Lots of listings and no “Sold” sales
If a seller has a Poshmark profile with tons (hundreds) of listings and NO sales (you can check this by looking for “Sold” listings from them), I’d really stay away!
Listing red flags!
There are a few types of listings I’d really hesitate with, before making a purchase on Poshmark. The following is a list that I developed to tell you what I’d NEVER buy on Poshmark:
- A listing with no description
- A listing priced too low
- Listings with too few photos
- Listings that claim NWT and don’t show photos of tags
- Overuse of words like “authentic,” “real” or “luxury,” with nothing to back them up
- Listings that seem to hide defects or things to know about an item’s condition
By avoiding all these things, I’ve had great experiences shopping on Poshmark. This is because I’ve been clear on what I’ve purchased by seeing all the photos and details, from highly-rated sellers.
Support you can use as a Poshmark buyer
To be fair, Poshmark support has been really good to me, and their staff is pretty good at having your back. A few ways you can use support if you have an issue when buying are:
Use the FAQ
Poshmark has a pretty helpful FAQ page where you can learn about everything from seller price gouging (and how it is not allowed!) to the acceptable return policy for buying, and payment methods accepted.
Despite the fact that I spend lots of my day on Poshmark, I am always learning! The FAQ helped me get acquainted with some current policies when re-reading it just now.
Contact support
I’ve used Poshmark support more times than I can count, and usually you get a reply from a message in 1 to 2 days. I’ve contacted Poshmark’s support both over the web version of Poshmark, as well as through the app. After getting your message through, you get a confirmation email (that’s how you’ll know your contact was sent).
Support can help with everything from one-off questions, to issues with your order or with a seller. Often times, Support will have your back, as a Buyer.
Posh Protect: Buyer Protection Policy
This is the policy that protects you, the buyer, every time you make a purchase on Poshmark.
If an item is not as described, never shows up, fraudulent or in bad condition (among other issues), you can ask Poshmark’s customer care team for your money back.
What to know though: Unless something drastic is wrong with your Poshmark purchase, ALL Poshmark sales are final. This means you should really want what you’re buying, and be ready to keep it if it does not fit the way you intended!
Poshmark says that only “Misrepresented” items can be claimed for refund. Things that don’t “fit,” or if you simply “Changed your mind” are not covered by the protection policy.
When to shop on Poshmark
There are loads of reasons to shop on Poshmark, and in this section, I’ll give you a few examples of times I’d use Poshmark rather than traditional retail websites, or even Amazon.
I recommend using Poshmark to friends who want to save money with a baby. The reason is because babies grow out of stuff very quickly. A lot of babies might ram through a clothing size in 3-4 months, which means anything you buy for a baby has a very short lifespan. Why spend more, when you could spend a LOT less for what you want, on Poshmark?
One of the things to do in your first trimester of pregnancy is to start considering maternity apparel, and Poshmark’s a perfect place to get it. Maternity clothing is another one of those things that has to be seasonal, and will probably only get used for 5 months or 6 months of a pregnancy. Very temporary! Poshmark remains an ideal platform for getting gently-worn maternity clothes from great brands, and scoring cheap deals.
All other times to shop on Poshmark are when you just want a good deal—am I right? The times I’ve shopped on Poshmark have been because I don’t feel like paying full-price for whatever it is I’m seeking, whether workwear, athleisure, workout gear or name brands. I’m fine with purchasing an item that is like-new, or even new with tags, if I can get it 50% off or more.
How to shop on Poshmark and get a deal now!
Use my code CLOSETBROOKLYN to sign up for Poshmark, and we both get $10 when you make your account and buy your first purchase. Download Poshmark and get those deals ASAP using all the tips in this guide.
