How to make money selling clothes online

Can you make money from selling clothes online?

Yes. You absolutely can make money reselling clothes online. If you want to declutter some space in your house by selling unwanted clothes, school uniforms and occasionwear, you'll earn extra income. It’s typically a few pounds per item, or more for barely-worn or branded pieces. If you want to build a business out of reselling clothes, the amounts may be higher, though you'll need to invest in stock to get started.

Keep in mind that earnings aren't guaranteed. If the items you're selling aren't in demand, they may take a long time to shift and you might not make as much as you'd hoped.

And it's not just about the stock. You'll also need to consider shipping and delivery costs, as well as platform fees. Some marketplaces charge listing or transaction fees, while others are free for private sellers but charge for postage or optional listing boosts. All of which can eat into your profit.

Which clothes are best to sell or resell?

If you want to resell clothes as a side hustle, you may be wondering which items are worth your while.

Branded and designer pieces are normally popular, as is sportswear. For instance, a pair of Nike trainers is likely to command a higher value than a pair of supermarket own-brand trainers. Vintage clothing sells well too, especially when pieces are popular or hard to find. Children's clothes are another strong option – as little ones grow out of their wardrobes, those items can help another family who will appreciate the savings. Reselling also saves items from going to landfill, which benefits the environment.

Condition is also a factor that affects resale costs. The higher the quality, the higher the price you can charge. For example, a new Zara dress with labels is likely to sell for more than one that shows visible signs of wear. Bear in mind, however, that this is only a guide. The value might be affected by whether the item is rare, in demand or current season.

Timing can also play a role in how items sell. Think coats and knitwear as the weather turns colder, and occasionwear in the run-up to summer weddings. On the flip side, fast-fashion and heavily worn items can be slower to sell, even at lower prices.

To get a grip on the best things to resell, take some time to do your research. Browse the best-selling items on Vinted. See what sellers are recommending on Reddit and Facebook. If there's a specific piece you're thinking of selling, search for it on Vinted or Depop to gauge demand and pricing before you buy.

Where can you source clothes to resell?

If you plan to start reselling clothes online, a good first step is to declutter your wardrobe. Clearing out items you no longer wear will help you to get familiar with how reselling works.

Once you're more confident, you may find hidden gems in charity shops and at car boot sales. Regularly search through the rails to pick up low-cost stock.

Wherever you source from, inspect items carefully. Check labels for in-demand brands, and look over each piece for stains, pulls, missing buttons or fraying hems. Small flaws can be easy to miss but harder to sell.

Kilo sales are another inexpensive way to source stock. You don’t typically know what you're getting, but the low prices leave room for profit. Plus, we've heard stories of people finding designer labels and in-demand classics among the bundles.

Beyond secondhand items, you could also try online marketplaces like Fleek, live auctions or wholesale suppliers. Bear in mind that these options come with added costs such as shipping and supplier margins, which can reduce your profits.

Where is the best place to sell clothes online?

Once you've got clothes to sell, the next question is where to list them. There are plenty of options, including Vinted, eBay, Depop and Facebook Marketplace, as well as outlets such as Vestiaire Collective for reselling designer clothes.

As a rough guide, Vinted and Depop suit casual and fashion-led resale, eBay offers reach and flexible listing formats, Facebook Marketplace works well for local sales, and Vestiaire is built for designer items. Each has its own strengths, fees and audience, so it's worth weighing them up before getting started. Our guide to the best online marketplaces in the UK breaks down the pros and cons of each.

It’s important to remember that you don't have to choose one platform. Listing the same items across several platforms widens your audience and improves your chances of a sale. Just keep track of what's listed where, so you can remove pieces once they sell.

Of course, Causee is a great option to add to the mix. You can upload products you've already listed elsewhere for an extra opportunity to reach potential customers. And whether you're selling secondhand clothes, children's clothes, seasonal pieces or occasionwear, we donate all of our profits to good causes, so you can support your community while you sell.

How to price clothes for resale

Getting the price right is key to selling clothes for cash successfully. It's a delicate balance: you want to maximise your profits without putting buyers off with a price that's too high. Think about postage costs and platform fees as well, so you don't end up making a loss. It’s worth comparing what different couriers charge so you can cover your costs without overcharging your customers.

Condition makes a big difference to what you can charge. New-with-tags and barely-worn pieces hold their value best, while worn or flawed items are worth pricing more modestly. As a rule, high-street clothing tends to sell at a fraction of its original retail price; sought-after brands, designer pieces and vintage finds keep their value better.

If you're selling on a platform where buyers can make lower offers, consider adding a small amount on top of your target price. That will mean you can accept an offer without ending up out of pocket. It's also worth offering a discount on bundles: buyers taking several items helps you move more stock and saves you time and postage.

As always, research the competition. Look at what other sellers are charging for similar pieces, and whether those items are sitting unsold or being snapped up quickly. The pace of sales tells you a lot. If something's shifting fast, there may be room to raise the price and if it's lingering, you may need to come down.

How to make your listings appealing

Alongside price, much of your success selling clothes online will come down to how appealing your listings are.

With that in mind, provide as much information as possible about the item. Which brand is it? What condition is it in? What size is it? Where you can, include actual measurements as well as the size label. Sizing varies between brands, so this saves questions and reduces returns or negative feedback. Think about the words buyers might type into the search bar, and use these in your product title and description so the right people can find your listings.

Go beyond the basic facts, too. A short, engaging description helps your listing stand out from dozens of similar ones. Explain how a piece fits, what it pairs well with, or the occasions it suits – it helps buyers picture owning the item. Remember to be honest about any flaws: declaring marks or signs of wear upfront builds trust, heads off disputes and means fewer returns.

Don't underestimate the power of good photography, either. Clean and steam your items if they need it, then hang them in good light and photograph the whole piece as well as the details, labels and any flaws. The more clearly buyers can see what they're getting, the more confident they'll feel about buying. For more on this, read our photography tips.

And while this is not strictly about the quality of your listings, it can affect sales: answer questions about your items quickly. Shoppers who send you a message are likely to be highly interested in an item. Responding quickly demonstrates that you’ll give a great service while minimising the chances of them buying from someone else.