Are Poshmark and Depop Over? A Longtime Buyer Weighs In
Part of the New Life for Clothing Series
From the Buyer's perspective, there is a lot going wrong on Poshmark and Depop at the moment. As the platforms became more popular, they are not effectively combating many key issues buyers face, leading to an increasingly worse buyer experience. If you choose to buy from Depop and/ or Poshmark, it pays to know what you're getting into, the potential pitfalls, and other options that might be better for you as a buyer.
Let's unpack common Buyer pitfalls:
Prices Are Set By Sellers
Why You Should Be Wary
Unlike platforms such as ThredUp that handle fair market pricing using AI-assisted tech, Depop and Poshmark are both peer-to-peer platforms. In terms of pricing, that means sellers are able to price any item how they see fit. Sellers are allowed, for instance, to ask $100 for a used dress that is selling new on the brand's own marketplace for $25.
Poshmark technically has a policy against price-gauging, but I haven't seen any evidence that it's enforced. Also, paying more to a reseller for a dress that cost them money and time to source is part of the Posh/ Depop game.
How to Avoid Unfair Pricing
Reverse image search within Poshmark or Google for the item, or text search the brand and product name/ description. The Beni tool can also be useful to find other sellers that have the item on any platform (including ThredUp and The RealReal, both of which use fair market pricing algorithms).
Also check the brand website itself or other common sellers like department stores. In my previous post, Is Poshmark Legit?, I detailed how I purchased a New With Tags (NWT) pair of Sorel sneakers for $85 + fees on Poshmark (totaling over $100), only to find they were last year's model and selling for $52.49 + free shipping on the Saks Fifth Avenue website. Oh, and this pair from Poshmark was irregular (more later).
Should you find better prices elsewhere, buy there instead! If it's a unique item that can't be exactly located from another seller, consider making a lower offer.
Super Low Prices Are Usually Scams
Why You Should Be Wary
Prices set by sellers can also be set low... Suspiciously low. And that usually indicates a scam. (See more in the Poshmark and Depop Scams video.)
As detailed in Is Poshmark Legit?, many casual buyers believe there are rich sellers on Poshmark and Depop getting rid of nice designer items at bargain prices on the apps. Unfortunately, that is usually not the case.
Legit listings with super low prices are usually for pieces in a closet that haven't sold in a long time. Maybe they have signs of wear or have gone out of style, or are from brands that aren't costly to buy new (think Target or Amazon brands).
Low prices on something new with tags generally means you will be receiving a replica. If you want a replica, this is your chance! But a word of caution: I've tried three times now to purchase what are clearly replicas from what appear to be scam accounts, and every time, the order was canceled by the seller immediately.
In addition to selling a replica, super low prices on brand new, desirable, and/ or pricey pieces might indicate:
- Sellers may be attempting to generate a shipping label to use in a Shipping Label Scam (see Scams video)
- Sellers could use a false return address so you and they receive a refund from the platform (this happened to me with a set of fake Raybans)
- The seller may try to pass off the item as genuine using the Fake Receipts Scam (see Scams video)
You Probably Can't Return It
Why You Should Be Wary
Unless you cancel within three hours of buying, you are stuck with the purchase. Or if you made an offer, you can't cancel it for any reason.
Once your item arrives, if it doesn't fit, the color isn't as great on you as you thought, or you don't actually need it... Your only option is to re-sell it, aka, you have a chore on your hands. Reselling an item takes time and effort, despite how easy platforms try to make it out to be. And unless you're willing to hold onto the item virtually indefinitely, you won't recoup the entire amount you paid (which includes taxes, fees, and shipping).
I've re-listed six items I purchased that I didn't like: Three sold at a substantial loss, and three I ended up donating, including a NWT pink maxi dress fit for a summer wedding!
The exception: You can open a case for a return or arrange with the seller if an item is "Significantly Not As Described", meaning it has stains or holes, has very different measurements than listed, is not the brand listed or is an obvious replica (scam!), or is the wrong item entirely. Sometimes shipping labels do get mixed up on accident, but if a seller has accidentally sent the wrong item, they will work with you to rectify the situation.
High Shipping Costs and Buyer Fees
Why You Should Be Wary
Poshmark and Depop both use standard shipping labels, so unless a seller explicitly offers you free or reduced shipping on Poshmark (not possible on Depop), you will pay somewhere around $9 for shipping for a standard order.
Additionally, Depop adds a 5% Marketplace fee to every purchase (minimum fee $1). A standard $30 item plus shipping, fees, and tax will net you over $40.
The one sliver of hope is the end of the Buyer Protection fiasco, which lowers fees substantially on Poshmark. Starting 10/3/24, there was a failed attempt by the platform to add a Buyer Protection Fee to every purchase. The fee lasted about three weeks before platform executives realized it was a terrible mistake, so it ended 10/24/24. My opinion is that it was a clear cash grab that backfired, and the only reason they abruptly ended it is that it hurt their corporate bottom line.
What You Can Do
In this case, there is little that can be done. While you can make offers to sellers for items, you can't include free shipping in that offer, and neither you nor the seller can remove any additional buyer fees. So, just know that the price will be higher than just the item cost and factor that into your decision whether to buy from the platform.
If a seller is offering you free shipping, that's a great incentive to buy, but always research first.