Looking for a way to make extra cash? Here’s how you can sell on Depop and make the most out of your old clothes…
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Want a side hustle that will mean you can make some extra cash each month? You need to try fashion marketplace app Depop. Today I’m going to explain how you can sell on Depop and make some real money!
I’m a massive fan of Depop. I’ve found some incredible bargains through trawling through its listings over the years. My best ever buys on Depop include a brand new pair of turquoise Nike Huarache trainers for a fraction of the price, a classic Topshop leather jacket that’s now a wardrobe staple of mine, and a coral red Ivy Park sports bra that I’ve worn so much it’s now coming apart at the seams. Oh yes, and there’s the gorgeous leopard print French Connection coat that I got for a tasty £30. I’m never out of it.
What I’m saying is: bargains are to be had. However, of course Depop isn’t just a place for buying lots of clothes at much reduced prices. It’s also great for selling and there’s an opportunity to make a healthy side hustle.
Why you should sell on Depop
What is so good about selling on Depop? Well, Depop has meant I’ve been able to offload a whole lot of my past self’s awful fashion decisions. I’m sure you’re the same. Doesn’t everyone have a whole heap of clothes stuffed in drawers that have never had a sniff of living human flesh in months? For me it was a big mix of stuff that I wanted to sell on Depop – clothes I’d grown out of, tops I’d panic bought the day before a night out and never ended up wearing, pairs of jeans I was going to wear when I was a dress size smaller, and so on. You know, the usual story.
What are the benefits of selling on Depop?
My boyfriend sells a lot of his old stuff on eBay. But for me that seems to means a lot of hanging around watching items, making bids, setting reminder so you remember to make a bid on an item, and thinking you’re going to get a bargain until someone swoops in at the last minute and places a higher bid. A whole load of faff basically! I find Depop SO much easier. All you have to do is download the app, set up your profile and you’re pretty much good to go. You can upload photos straight from your phone, fill in the details, price them how you like, and then get selling. Easy!
It’s sustainable to sell on Depop
Tired of fast fashion? Depop is a great way of being more sustainable. You get to get rid of things you don’t like anymore and feel like they’re actually going to a good home where they’ll be appreciated anew. It’s also a serious buzz. If you’re anything like me once you start selling – and buying item for a fraction of what you’d pay in the shops – you’ll never look back.
But how do you sell on Depop?
However, there are a few things to get your head around first if you’re thinking of selling on Depop. Is there any wiggle room on price? What should you include in your description on Depop? Hashtags or no hashtags? And what should you charge for postage? I hope to answer all your questions in this blog post. So let’s quit faffing about and get to it!
How to sell on Depop: 15 ways to make more money on Depop
1) Plan your photography
Planning your photography will lead to much better photos on Depop! First up, natural light ALWAYS works best for photography. You want your photography to be as light and bright as possible. That means taking your photographs in the daytime in a well-lit space. Not at 11.30pm in your basement.
It boils down to this: people want to trust what they’re buying on Depop. However, if they can’t properly see the item because the photo is too dull or dimly lit then they’re definitely not going to part with their money.
This means you’re going to have to be organised, particularly during the winter months when it’s dark in the evenings. Your best shout is to bulk shoot on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Get as many different items snapped and uploaded in one day as you can. Done, and done.
2) Style your background
Is it any wonder all the big fashion brands shoot their models in beautiful locations? Of course it’s not. Selling clothes is way than just the clothes themselves. It’s more about selling their transformative effect. Therefore, it’s important to make your background as aspirational as possible.
I always take my photographs for Depop against some gorgeous rustic beams in my converted attic bedroom, which are also draped with some twinkly fairy lights. It’s a small thing but it makes such a big difference to the overall look of the photographs.
Consider making a nice print or a rug part of your Depop photographs for more of an aspirational aesthetic. Take a look at what other big sellers on Depop are doing for inspiration. You could even style your clothes outside – have a snoop at the #asosathome models who styled their own looks during lockdown for ideas!
3) Keep your listings clean and fresh
It’s important to present your items on Depop as well as you can do. There’s nothing worse than seeing a crumpled dress slung onto a chair or, even worse, artfully arranged on the floor. I wouldn’t buy an item that looked like that, particularly because you’d have no idea what state it would arrive in. And the amount of absolutely filthy trainers I see on Depop! Would you not just pop them in the wash them first?!
It’s pretty obvious (I would think) but you need to make your items look as good as they can in order to sell on Depop. That means washing them, ironing them and hanging them up for a start. It can make a huge difference!
If you want people to give you a good rating or buy from them again them provide a good service and sell them clean and fresh-smelling clothes, right?
4) Model your items to show the fit
It’s best practice on Depop to share pictures of you actually wearing your clothes. People always want to see the fit of an item and how the item looks on an actual person, don’t they? Some people go the whole hog and properly style every outfit, which is absolutely great if you have the time and the energy to do that.
You can be a little bit more minimal effort with it though; all you need is a clear, well-lit photograph of you wearing the item. You don’t even have to reveal your identity. I’ve posted pics of myself with my head cropped out, for example, and it worked just fine.
If you’re comfortable sharing, it can be a good idea to list your dress size so that people can better understand how the item will fit them. If you’re usually a size 10 but you’re modelling a size 12 dress that’s important info!
5) Take clear photographs
You really don’t have to be a professional photographer to sell on Depop. That said, a little bit of effort with your photography on Depop goes a long way. Do it right and you’ll see your see interactions and sales increase.
Most people have a decent camera phone these days, but really the most important thing is to show your item clearly. No blurry pics please! Don’t crop out the bottom or only show your item from one angle – show people as much as you possibly can. That means the front, the back, the sides, and any aesthetic details such as pockets or buttons or patterns up close.
You also need to show any wear and tear. If you say there’s wear and tear then make sure customers can see it. If you don’t and all the information isn’t there for people to see then buyers are likely to just move onto another seller.
6) Is it new? Show people it’s new
Your photography is key for showing all the key information about the item you’re selling on Depop. If your item is brand new, like a pair of trainers for example, make sure you show the trainers in the box so that people can SEE they’re brand new.
There are plenty of scammers on Depop trying to rip people off and claim that items they’re selling are new when they’re not, right? The box is proof. You can add authenticity and back up what you’re saying in your description if you show your item packaged in the box.
Likewise, if your item is unworn and still has the tags on then show people that the tags are still on. Likewise, and as I mentioned above, if your item has wear and tear then make sure you show that too. It sounds obvious but it makes a difference and will mean that you’ll sell more on Depop!
7) Include key information in your description
OK, so you’ve done a good job on your photographs – now onto your item description on Depop. I’ve touched on some of this already by your description is such an important selling tool on Depop. Don’t waste it.
You want to include ALL the key information about your item in your description because – guess what – if it’s not there people aren’t going to message you to ask, they’re just going to go elsewhere. That’s when you miss out on sales.
So what should you include? You need to include a description of the item, the brand of the item, the size of the item, and whether the item is true to size – if it’s not is it bigger or smaller? You should also include information about the condition of the item, and be honest about this. There’s no point saying it’s barely worn if the bobbling and the hole in the armpit says otherwise. Not being upfront about wear and tear can get your stung if buyers aren’t happy with their purchase.
Another final thing that’s really important is to make sure you proof read your description before you publish. If you spell something incorrectly it might not pop up when people are searching for it. That means less eyes on your items and potentially less sales.
8) Use hashtags
Hashtags and keywords are super important on Depop. You want to ensure you’re adequately describing your item in your description so that it’s searchable for potential buyers. Two things: be specific and keep your customer in mind when you’re creating your hashtags and keywords.
Words or hashtags like #leatherjacket or #topshopleatherjacket would be the kinds of search terms that potential buyers will be using. The word skirt is too vague will throw up hundreds up search results. If you go for something more targeted, such as denim skirt or denim midi skirt, your item is much more likely to appear when people are searching for it because the search volume of items that match that description will be much lower. You can use five hashtags on Depop so make them count.
9) Be savvy with your pricing
When it comes to pricing you have to know your market. The biggest mistake I see is people going too high with your prices. You can always spot the people who had just started selling on Depop because they’re charging nearly full price on their items. It’s not realistic.
I think you can charge more in a few incidences: when you’re selling an expensive or sold out item that everyone is after – or when you’ve built up a really solid following and are something of an influencer on Depop. That’s not the case for most people, though.
Something is only worth as much as people are prepared to pay. You can think it’s the most amazing item ever but if no one is willing to pay that much then your only option is to lower your pricing.
10) Research your competition
Following on from this is another important point: researching your competition. If you’re selling a particular item by a particular brand then you need to know what your competitors are doing. What price are other people selling the same item for in the SAME CONDITION as yours?
There’s no point charging twice as much just because you don’t want to lose out on what you originally paid for it. Get a feel for what your competitors are doing – especially if they’re experienced sellers by the look of their account – and do the same.
One smart tip is to knock off a really small amount in the effort to draw more people to your account. If someone is telling a Topshop bag for £20 then put yours up for £19.50 or £19.00. It’s not a lot but it makes a difference and you might just find yourself getting more interest.
11) Engage, engage, engage
As with most platforms, Depop is all about the algorithm. I know, I’m tired of hearing about algorithms too and anyone who is trying to promote themselves on Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook is probably the same. However, algorithms are important and they can seriously affect how many people your items are seen by. The more people seeing your items = the more potential buyers for your items, so they are super important.
Make sure you don’t exist in a vacuum – if you want to sell on Depop you need to get your face out there. That means following other people, liking items that catch your eye, and generally being an active user on Depop. It’s all about building trust within the community and if people see your face popping up regularly they’re more likely to purchase items from you.
12) Send DMs to people who like your items
Yes, I’m telling you to slide into the DMs of potential buyers. This is more of a hard sell tactic so it might be something that not everyone is totally comfortable with. However, I thought I’d put it out there all the same as being more direct with potential buyers can lead to more sales on Depop.
If someone likes your item then what you do next is get in touch with them with a simple message along the lines of this: “Hey, I saw you recently liked this item. I can knock off an extra 10% of the price for today if that would be of interest?” A lot of the time people won’t reply or you’ll get a polite “I’m just thinking about it, thanks”, which is absolutely fine and is very much their prerogative. However, you may find that some people do get back to you and it does help you to make more sales.
It might not feel comfortable at first but give it a go and see! The important thing is to incentivise people with a reduced price and a limited amount of time in which they can buy the item at that price – they can’t say they’ll think about it and come back to you in a week’s time for example.
13) Provide good customer service
When it comes to selling on Depop you need to offer good customer service, because if you’re good to buy from that means people are more likely to follow you and buy from you again. That means getting back to people promptly when they message you for more information about your item and keeping it polite even if people make a cheeky offer. You don’t have to accept it, of course, but it is better to keep it polite and professional.
Once you’ve made a sale on Depop it’s also good customer service to wash and fold the item up neatly and to post out the item as promptly as you can. If you like, you can add a short note for a personalised touch. Buyers will have the opportunity to rate your service and your star rating is visible on your account so it is really important to offer good service to buyers!
14) Don’t get stung on postage costs
Another thing to pay attention to when you sell on Depop is your postage costs! It’s important to be mindful of your postage costs and factor them in to your pricing. I got caught out a few times on Depop when I underestimated how much I should charge on postage. That meant I was essentially selling the item for less than I wanted to, but it was too late because I’d already made the sale.
I don’t know if you’ve used Vinted before, which is very similar to Depop, but I was always very impressed by its clear postage instructions. Once you’ve sold a few items you’ll get a feel for how much you should be charging, but definitely pay attention when you’re first starting out and see what your competitors are doing. How much are they charging for postage on similar items to what you’re selling?
Another thing to keep in mind is the option free postage. You can make all of your items free postage as a way of incentivising more people to buy, for example. However, bear in mind that you then won’t be able to go as low on the price as you would if the postage wasn’t free. There’s no right or wrong way – experiment and see what works best for you audience. You might find that more people are drawn to low prices with added postage!
15) Promote your listings on social media
If you’re a blogger or you’re active on social media then it’s likely that you’ll have an engaged audience already… so why not tell them about what you’re selling on Depop? There’s every likelihood your audience has similar tastes to you, so if you’re uploading new clothes to sell on Depop schedule some promotional posts on social media too. You can also use the same hashtags that you would use on Depop in case people are searching for them.
I’ve typed in hashtags such as Desenio discount code into Twitter before in the hope that someone had an active discount code I could use. It turns out they did, and I got 10% off my order (read more here). Definitely keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to social media and you might find yourself connecting with other Depop users or making a few unexpected sales!
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