Buying and Selling on ThredUp

Part of our New Life for Clothing series

What Does ThredUp Sell?

ThredUp sells secondhand clothes, shoes, and accessories for women and kids. They do not sell in the men's category.

The platform sources clothes from users nationwide, who send them to a regional ThredUp warehouse for processing.

Additionally, ThredUp partners with Rent the Runway to sell used designer/ luxury pieces at the end of their life cycle.

Who Shops on ThredUp?

With price points and brands across the spectrum, ThredUp most closely resembles a giant online clothing and accessories consignment shop/ thrift shop. The site caters to what's popular during the season, so you'll find all your basics and capsule wear along with trendy and seasonal pieces.

How Can I Earn Money on ThredUp as a Seller?

Potential sellers navigate to the website (or use the app) and sign up to receive a ThredUp CleanOut bag. A handy CleanOut guide helps you decide what is most likely to sell while you fill up your bag and estimates how much you might earn when a particular piece sells.

Strengths

Buyer Side

• Huge selection of all the most popular brands
• Curated selection - everything is controlled for quality
• Standardized listings with measurements and site-wide standards for determining item condition
• Designer/ luxury items pre-authenticated
• Great prices at every price point
• Returns accepted for most items
• Tiered shipping costs for purchases including qualifying for free shipping

Seller Side

• ThredUp team photographs and posts the items
• Prices set by experts aided by AI algorithms
• Your items are warehoused during the buying cycle and out of your space
• Standard price --> sale --> clearance cycle; no price haggling or auctions
• Unsold clothes can be returned to you (for a fee)
• Unsold, unreturned clothes added to a Rescue box or responsibly recycled

Weaknesses

Buyer Side

Above: ThredUp returns policy

• Restocking fee of $3.99 for returns
• If you choose to be refunded to your original payment method, there is an additional $10.99 shipping fee for returns, or you will need to pay for shipping yourself
• Unlikely to carry or accurately price rare, niche, unique, handmade, etc.
• Reports have been made about inaccuracies in listings, such as material

Seller Side

• Score of 1.3 on TrustPilot and many reports of quality items going missing from Cleanout Bags
• Listing fee of $15
• Listings don't always rank highly in Search results
• All pieces are accepted on consignment, even at the lowest price points
• Not all pieces are accepted, including items that might need shaving, cleaning, or brushing
• You will have to pay a $10.99 shipping fee for ThredUp to return items to you they deem 'unsellable', even if. those items are unique and super cool
• Turnaround time from submitting your bag to receiving any revenue is very long, often surpassing 6 weeks (can be slightly shortened for another $15 fee)

Overall Experience

Buying Experience

Buying on ThredUp is highly recommended if you’re in the market for what they offer.

You are protected against scams and can trust that you’re paying a fair price for what you buy. My experience echoes what most reviews say, that the buyer experience is much better than the seller experience.

The first thing I liked about shopping ThredUp is the pricing. The second is the variety. Specifically, four items float to the top as being part of my core style: A striped shirt, a cropped tank, ripped FRAME jeans, and red jeans.

Since 2020 I’ve bought four items I didn’t ever wear but couldn’t return, and returned only one (too small in the chest). I also noticed that they lack selection even in popular niche brands like Aviator Nation. It’s for normcore only.

A reasonable return policy assures that (for most items) if you don’t like the fit or color when you try a garment on, or the quality isn’t as expected, you aren’t stuck with it. Returns aren’t totally free, though, which means you still need to select with care. And, as in my case, clearance/ other ultra low-priced items are not available for returns (which makes sense, as any return costs $15+).

Fortunately, descriptions always include fabric, care information, and sizing. While reports of inaccuracies exist, I haven't experienced that myself.

As with all online shopping, it can be difficult to really judge the weight and thickness of the material or how it will fit or drape on your own body. Because of the lack of return policy, I do not recommend purchasing any unfamiliar brands on clearance/ final sale.

Overall, you’ll find great selection and prices on basic brands and items in women's and kids' clothing. For everyday wear pieces, it’s exactly what you want. Just be aware of sizing and material as with any internet purchase.

Selling Experience

I’ve turned in several bags of clothes to ThredUp that fit their requirements but didn’t seem to sell on Poshmark or local consignment. Originally it was my last-ditch attempt to get some money for them before trying them at a swap meet. 

As expected, I got a lot less cash for my clothes than I would have selling them on my own, and not all of them sold.

Compared to local consignment or clothing resale shops, ThredUp does offer more per item, in many cases. My plan for that first bag was to take what ThredUp didn't sell around to local shops. After reviewing their policies for unsold clothing, I decided to not pay to get anything back and end my investment there. Ultimately, you will earn less but also invest less time and effort and can feel positive about buying and selling on ThredUp.

For subsequent bags, I opted to try local resale or consignment first. Yes, less money, but it was something in hand, and no fees.

Ultimately, I recommend this if you have clothing to sell that fits what ThredUp looks for that hasn't sold on a potentially more profitable platform, or that you don't have the time/ effort to put energy into selling yourself.

Plus if you never want to see your old clothes again, you can at least say that what doesn't sell will be handled in a socially conscious manner.