Online shopping is increasing rapidly, there is more space to join. There are several websites and apps for selling clothes online. The best one for you depends on your motive, whether you just want to make extra cash by selling your old clothes or you want to establish a successful profitable business.
These websites and apps differ, some require minimal effort by doing all the work for you while others require you to do everything from taking pictures of your items to giving a detailed description and posting.
The following sites and apps are categorized according to the motive; they will guide you on how and where to sell your clothes.
Selling old clothes online
If you want to sell your old clothes online and make extra cash at the same time, some websites allow you to do so in the comfort of your own home.
1. Facebook Market place
On your Facebook account, you can navigate to the marketplace. Take pictures, provide the price and description for your item, and post them on the marketplace. Set up your location and sell to your local community. It is completely free to use, you get 100% of the profit.
2. Poshmark
Requires minimal effort. Sells top brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. You can sell women’s, children’s and men’s clothing. Poshmark provides packing, shipping, and tracking of the item. You pay 20% for sales over the price of $15 and a fixed rate of $2. 45 for sales below $15.
3. Depop
Requires medium effort. You take pictures, price, give a description of your item, and upload. You pay 10% on every item soldYou can sell both men’s and women’s clothing from casual to formal wear
4. ThredUp
Requires minimal effort. You send clothes to the company to sell for you. ThredUp takes a picture, gives a description, and uploads. You can sell women’s and children’s clothing
Becoming full-time entrepreneur by selling clothes online
If you want to become a full-time entrepreneur by sell the clothes in online then establishing an online store is the right way to go for you. You need to know your target market in terms of fashion, are you selling trendy clothing, formal or casual, gender, age, and income level.
There is competition therefore your store needs to stand out from the rest, and determine what makes it unique. To understand your competition, you need to know who your competitors are and differentiate your products from theirs.
Once you got all that, you are ready to start with your online store and start selling clothes.
The following are online clothing store business models you can choose from.
1. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is highly recommended as it is cheaper; you don’t need to purchase stock. The customer places an order on your online store. Your store sends the order to your dropshipping suppliers which then prepare the order and send it directly to the customer.
It requires less investment hence it is considered to be cost-effective. You need to find an app that will connect your online store with your suppliers. Does not require storage, if you order directly from wholesalers or manufacturers then the order will be sent to the customer. The product is purchased once the customer has placed an order. No stock is purchased upfront, therefore there is less risk.
2. Print on demand
You work with the manufacturer by adding your prints; they can be logos or your designs, to the product. Then you advertise your designs on your online store therefore there is no need to keep inventory because you create the product based on customer orders.
No need to keep stock in bulks. Requires less capitalNo need to buy equipment. You can establish your brand. Orders can take longer than expected as they are printed based on demand.
3. Custom, cut, and sew
This business model is for people who create, design and sell their products. It is expensive because it requires more funding to manufacture the product from the scratch.
You can apply creativity and make your product stand out. It is expensive because it is labor-intensive. It works best for a large number of orders. You need to have more knowledge about designs. Orders can take longer.
What technical skills do I need to start selling clothes online?
You need to have digital marketing skills to reach more customers and build customer loyalty. Digital marketing skills include; inbound marketing, Pay-Per-Click, SEO, affiliate marketing, email marketing, and social media ads.
How to ensure that people purchase my clothes?
Take high-quality pictures that will attract customers, give a clear description of your item and market your clothes where you know your potential customers spend most of their time, such as on Facebook and Instagram.
Conclusion
Selling clothes online can be a good business; you need to choose the platform that will suit you best. If you are selling old clothes it will be best to sell on websites that will market your product, therefore you need to do your research to understand how they differ, and what they offer to choose the right website.
If you want to establish a business then starting an online store is the right way to go for you then choose the right business model.
Do I need start-up capital?
You do not need start-up capital, when a customer places an order you send the order to the supplier then the supplier sends the order to the customer.
How can I convince customers to buy?
By marketing your clothes on your social networks and ensuring that your picture quality is of high resolution.
