eBay Verses Poshmark?

I am often asked about my experience selling online. Though I've been an eBay Top-Rated Seller for 16 years and have had very positive experiences (for the most part) during that time, I've recently discovered Poshmark, and I must say, I love it! Though Poshmark is not as "user-friendly" as eBay, I've still been very pleased with my experience and actually prefer it to eBay.

I have been both a seller, and a buyer on eBay. Much has changed over the years as eBay strives to refine its practices and policies. The feedback system was a pioneer in the eCommerce industry when it first rolled out, and has since been copied by many other online selling sites. It partners with Paypal which makes things even smoother, and the buyer protection programs in place are phenomenal. I have often thought that the seller protection could be better, but for the most part, it works.

There are many aspects of eBay that I find "user-friendly". I will be talking about some of them now and hopefully it will shed light on the subject for those of you still perplexed about how to sell. There are many tutorials on there that will help "newbies" get started. Once you create your first auction template, you can save it to be used for future auctions...easy! You can either post from your computer, or if preferred, your mobile device. It takes a little longer than Poshmark to create your auction, but it also has more information available for potential buyers to see. They also have a Global Shipping Program that is available to experienced sellers with top ratings. This is a great feature as it allows you to sell to people all over the world, yet eBay handles the difficulty of greater shipping costs and customs forms. You are able to sell a multitude of items verses only ladies fashion items and cosmetics as Poshmark states (new update 3/5/17 is that Posh now allows mens items, and kids items). Believe me, I do see many "unsupported" items for sale on Poshmark, but it is because the moderators haven't caught them yet. The community is growing so fast, it is practically impossible. As far as fees go, they are both just about the same. Posh charges a flat 20% commission on all of your sales, unless it is under $15 and then it is $2.95 per sale. eBay has a tiered commission structure based on final sale price. They also stick you with Paypal fees, but they are minimal. I must say, I love that Poshmark generates a shipping label for you and you just print and ship. It costs the buyer $5.95 and sometimes that is quite high if it is just 1 item (new update 3/5/17 reflects a higher shipping cost of $6.95), however, other times it is a super deal! eBay definitely has more tools in place to fight against fraud and poor behavior. I have had lots of success when I call them directly and share my issue. Posh, on the other hand, has nothing like that and it can be very frustrating. They have an email address, but it takes several days to get a response, and often times the response is fairly general. You can message buyers directly on eBay, but you can only leave public comments on Posh directly under a seller's listing. Search tools on eBay are 100% better than Posh as you can filter items by price, color, location, etc. This saves tons of time!

Ok, now I will share some things about Poshmark. Actually, many of these tips can apply to eBay as well. There are so many things to share and it is hard to cover it all in this short blog post! Before I started selling (which was just the end of Januray 2016) I'd read all kinds of reviews about it. I must say, had I just gone by what I read, I never would have started my closet on there! The reviews were horrific! But, many times people only post the negatives about something. I've seen that happen numerous times, even when I had my own retail store. Well, I LOVE Poshmark. I might not like some aspects, but just like a relationship, you accept the good with the bad :-). In the few months I have been selling, I've sold almost $1500 worth of items, have top ratings, and am one of their top 10% sellers! (New update 3/5/17 reflects a selling total of $8000 and still a Top Rated Seller!). This has been an exciting journey. It's been equally exciting to sell my "previously loved" items, and be able to use that cash to purchase new loves! I have gotten some fantastic deals and have met some amazing ladies. These are a few things I have learned, however, that have helped my sales and have given me valuable experience:

1. You MUST "follow" others, "like" other items, and continually add items to your closet, or at least "bump" up items frequently. It is all about "engagement" as this boosts your sales tremendously!

2. Take very clear, bright, uncluttered and as professional as possible pictures. People want to see things as if they were looking in a store catalog, not a garage sale ad.

3. Research your items before you list them! Look at what other 'Poshers" are selling them for, and price yours accordingly. Remember, people want deals! Don't be too greedy with your items, and be willing to negotiate!

4. Make sure you list your items as accurately as possible (note flaws, stains, rips, etc). Just like eBay, this will come back to bite you if you don't!

5. Link your closet to Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Tumbler, etc. This will boost your sales incredibly! You can also add a handy "closet widget" as I have on the first page of my blog that shows items you currently have for sale and will update in real time.(New update 3/5/17 shows that about 70% of my sales are from buyers who have seen my items through social media)!

6. Sort your closet as often as needed to bump "for sale" items to the top, and keep the "sold" items on the bottom. Buyers will appreciate this.

7. Don't list junk and old styles! Ladies prefer current designer labels and not things you can find at Walmart, etc. or that are more than a few years old.

8. Ship your items out within a couple of days. No one likes to wait a long time for you to finally send them their things.

8. Tag the buyer under the posted item they just purchased and thank them for the sale, also letting them know when it will be shipped.

9. ALWAYS have a "bundle discount"! You will DEFINITELY sell more this way. I do 20% off 2 or more items, and sometimes extend that deeper to change things up a bit. (New update 3/5/17 is Poshmark now allows buyers to create bundles and make an offer on it. I have sold quite a bit because of this as well).

10. Don't list items in your closet that are not Poshmark supported. Make sure you are clear about this beforehand. Take time to read the rules and best practices.

11. Pack your sold items carefully and with a nice touch. Wrap them in tissue paper, and include a handwritten thank you. You can throw in a "gift with purchase" too. You will get repeat customers this way for sure!

12. Make sure your items are clean with no odors like smoke or pet smells...AGH!!

13. Don't immediately reject an offer even if it is a lowball offer. I have had to learn this, as I initially would get annoyed and just hit "reject"! I've learned to always counter-offer, because many times they will accept it.

14. Make your closet appealing to the eye. I actually have mine color coordinated (my home closet is like that :-)). Ladies have commented on how much they like to see it this way.

15. Participate in Posh Parties and add your related closet items to them accordingly. This will also boost sales!

16. Follow others who have "liked" the same items you have. They will usually follow you back, and they will then be able to see styles that are similar in your own closet (provided you have some).

Well, I could keep going on and on, but hopefully these tips and this feedback will be helpful for now. Feel free to post any questions and I am happy to answer them (to the best of my knowledge). I wish you the best in your selling whether it is on eBay or Poshmark!!