Online shopping platforms and apps have burst into popularity in the past couple of years, and why not, when they make the experience a lot more convenient and easy for both the buyers and the sellers.
But with so many selling sites and platforms out there, picking one to start with can be overwhelming, especially considering the fact that the platform you choose can have the biggest impact on your success.
This entry will talk about the two biggest platforms for reselling new and used clothes online; Poshmark and eBay. Which one is better?
Which one should you choose? Here’s an in-depth take on selling on Poshmark vs eBay.
Key Takeaways
- ✔ Evaluate both Poshmark and eBay based on buyer demographics, selling limitations, fees, shipping policies, and ease of use.
- ✔ Consider the unique features and audience of each platform to determine which suits your selling needs.
Before You Get Started
- ✔ Understand your target market and the types of products you plan to sell.
- ✔ Familiarize yourself with the fee structures and listing processes of both platforms.
Comparing Poshmark and eBay
Whether you are looking for a side hustle and make good money from your used clothes, or make reselling clothes as your full-time job, you need a platform that will help you maximize your potential.
Each platform has its particular set of nuances that make them suitable to your preferences and needs.
To help break down these two online marketplaces in question, you need to examine them using these factors:
- Buyer Demography and Geographical Restrictions
- Selling Limitations
- Listing Fees
- Selling Fees
- Shipping cost (and other policies)
- Ease of use
- Customer service
Buyer Demography
Founded in 1995, eBay is significantly older and has more active users, which is a whopping 132 million as of 2022. Poshmark on the other hand has around 80 million active users, which is a lot considering it was only founded in 2011.
Poshmark has established a strong presence as a selling platform in such a short time frame, and the trend continues to rise year after year. eBay on the other hand, is seeing a significant decrease in active users, though it still leads the race by quite a significant margin.
Between these two selling platforms, eBay is definitely winning, as it can help you reach as many customers as you want.
Geographical restrictions
Another thing you need to consider is the geographical restriction, as it can definitely affect the number of people that can see and purchase your items. eBay is a global selling platform, this means you are not limited to just the country you sell in, interested buyers from the other side of the world can see and purchase your items.
With that said, however, it is not uncommon to see eBay listings on Poshmark listings as well. Why? Well, for obvious reasons – the more people can see your listing, the more chances it gets sold.
Selling Limitations
Also, another thing to consider is the buyer purchases. You see, though eBay laps Poshmark by a mile in terms of active users, only a handful of those users actually look for clothing and fashion accessories.
Poshmark however, is essentially concentrated on selling clothes, fashion apparel and accessories, and shoes. It was only recently that they ventured into allowing the selling of electronics and household items.
eBay on the other hand, lets you sell anything and everything under the sun, there are no restrictions whatsoever. This is why you can see vintage and rare collectors on the selling platform, such as Pokemon cards, NBA cards, old coins, old movie posters, vintage gaming consoles, sports tickets, signed memorabilia, old newspapers, etc.
As an eBay seller, you can sell clothing and even rare items you like.
Listing Fees
eBay Listing Fee
Sellers get free 50 listings a month in eBay store. After that, you will have to pay for every additional listing eBay listing.
The listing fee is an important aspect that you need to consider when you are looking to list tens of items on the platform.
eBay listing, however, is quite detailed and time-consuming, as there are multiple steps you need to go through to list an item. As an eBay seller, you can also choose whether to put the item on auction or not.
Poshmark’s free listings
Poshmark on the other hand offers free listings per month, and sellers can list as many as they want. The listing process is made easier through the app, all you have to do is take photos of your items using your smartphone, write a good description, tap a few buttons, and voila!
Your item is listed.
Poshmark’s selling features are also quite interesting. They feature items; sellers can give discounts for multiple purchases, offer private discounts, and even share items directly with interested people.
Also, they protect buyers by offering free authentication for items priced more than $500, which is an excellent feature that gives shoppers confidence for their big purchases.
Selling Fees
Another factor you need to consider when choosing a selling platform is the seller’s fee.
eBay fees are reasonably priced
eBay charges depends usually on the item sold. For clothing, they charge a 10% flat fee, and sellers have to cover the 3% PayPal Fee as well.
That is a total of 13% cut from your sale, eBay fees are pretty fair considering the eyes and attention you can get from their platform and service.
Poshmark’s hefty selling fee
Poshmark fees, on the other hand, are quite hefty, as they charge 20% of every sale you make. This means you will only get a cut of $16 for the $20 sale you made.
Items below 15% however, have a flat rate selling fee of $2.29.
This is why sellers price their items higher than their actual price, to compensate for the Poshmark selling fees.
Shipping Fees
Poshmark shipping
Poshmark simplifies the shipping process; Poshmark’s shipping price is $4.99 for orders above $25 and $6.99 for shipping cost on all orders.
They also have a standard pre-paid shipping label that covers packages not exceeding 2 lbs.
Users can also upgrade their label should they exceed 2 lbs.
Shipping clothing and fashion items with Poshmark are also made easier, as everything goes straight to the USPS Priority Mail box, and you can use the shipping label that they will send you. Meaning, you can drop it off at any pick-up location of USPS.
eBay shipping
eBay however, is quite a different story; they actually give sellers different shipping options, and different ways for calculating shipping costs (based on buyer’s package size, zip code, etc.), you can also offer free shipping or paid. The seller can absorb the shipping cost, which can make selling items below $15 easier.
All in all, the better option when it comes to shipping depends on the total cost (and weight) of the product. Poshmark offers a simpler process, but can easily deter buyers of low-priced items.
eBay’s shipping options may be a little complex, but at least, you have the options. Most buyers however love that many sellers offer free shipping on the platform.
Ease of use
The ease of use for sellers is also an incredibly important factor to consider. Obviously, you are going to put a lot of work into any selling platform you work on, from capturing and posting photos, crafting item descriptions, answering questions, packing the items, shipping, etc.
That’s a lot of work for just one item, and if you have multiple listings, you are going to do all those things multiple times. This is why ease of use of the platform is very important.
Poshmark’s streamlined process
Poshmark was originally an app, which makes it easier to use; from taking photos of your items and listing them on the platform. Basically, you can do everything with just your smartphone.
However, people (buyers) will often see the most recently posted items on their Poshmark apps. This is why if you want your items to be seen, you have to post them regularly, and you have to be active in the Poshmark app.
And that takes a lot of time and effort.
eBay’s categorized listings
eBay on the other hand, lists its listings in categories and subcategories. This makes things a lot more complicated in the listing process, but rest assured that people interested in your items will definitely see them based on the category you input.
This means less maintenance work on your part.
Moreover, eBay lets you use their Easy Pricing feature, which lowers the price of your item if it’s not sold in 5 days. This makes it a lot more convenient than re-uploading the same item and changing its price just to get it sold.
Payout process
In terms of payout, however, Poshmark wins this category, as your payment gets processed immediately each time you make a sale. You only have to wait three days to accept the item, after that, the payment process is automatically approved.
This means you don’t have to wait long for your money.
eBay payments, on the other hand, are a little slower. After a sale or auction of an item, you will have to wait for the buyer to pay.
If the buyer or auction winner doesn’t pay, then you will have to email them or send them an invoice to notify (remind) them of their payment. Also, you will have to open a case against the buyer should they waste your time.
Customer service
Poshmark’s customer service is done through email, which can take up to a couple of days to get attended to, and unfortunately, most of their responses are quite generic. This can be a challenging issue should you face any problems with your listing, payment, etc.
eBay on the other hand, offers customer service via phone, which means you can talk to someone and get answers to your queries and have your issue fixed as soon as possible. Their customer service representatives are available via phone from 5 AM to 10 PM.
When it comes to returns and refunds, Poshmark spares you from any problem as soon as the buyer receives your item. The money goes straight to your Poshmark account unless a buyer opens a case against you (for a misrepresented product, damaged item, etc.).
eBay on the other hand, offers an optional return option. Sellers are not required to offer returns. However, Paypal allows returns within 180 days, whether or not you clearly stated: “no returns” on your listing.
What to Avoid Doing
- ✘ Avoid overlooking the specific audience and strengths of each platform.
- ✘ Don’t neglect the impact of fees and shipping policies on your profits.
How to Prevent Issues
- ✔ Regularly update your knowledge about both platforms to stay competitive.
- ✔ Keep track of your sales performance and customer feedback on each platform.
The Takeaway
Poshmark really makes the process of selling items a lot easier and more convenient, from listing, and shipping, to processing payments. Moreover, it is also a lot easier to bundle items in Poshmark, which can easily entice your buyers.
The return process is a breeze too, as they can take care of everything for you.
The biggest challenges in this selling platform, however, are the selling fees and shipping fees. Their rates are quite hefty, and buyers can easily get discouraged by expensive shipping costs for multiple items.
Selling on eBay is a lot easier, you will be provided with the tools and audience for your items, and buyers worldwide will have plenty of purchase and shipping options. However, the listing process can be complex and time-consuming, the fees can be complicated to calculate, and buyers can back out, which can cause a lot of stress to deal with.
Not to mention you are always at the mercy of customer feedback, which can have an effect on your sales.
So which one is the right for you?
Both Poshmark and eBay are great selling platforms, in their own ways.
If you want a streamlined and simplified process, then Poshmark is the way to go. It is easier to use, and the better choice for first-time sellers.
But if you want your items to reach a global scale, you don’t mind putting in a little work, and you want to save money on each item sold, then eBay wins.
However, who said you have to limit yourself to one selling platform? If you are serious about earning from your side hustle or making it your main source of income, then you don’t mind doing the work on both platforms, right?
Most sellers actually list the same item on both platforms.
Want to compare other marketplaces? Check out these handy guides
Amazon vs Shopify
eBay vs Etsy
eBay vs Amazon
eBay vs Mercari
