It’s hard to believe that we’ve already reached the holiday season and that there’s only one month remaining in 2024! Before I publish some posts recapping the year, I want to cover a topic that I’ve been pondering a lot lately. Today’s essay will address selling clothing online, which was a short series that I covered back in late 2020 and early 2021.
Some of you may remember that I sold a lot of my clothing castoffs on eBay and Poshmark at the time of that series. While it took quite a few months for everything to sell, I managed to offload almost seventy items through that process. In the end, I earned over $2000 in total, which helped with both the guilt and the financial burden of having made too many mistakes with my shopping.
That may seem like a decent amount of money, but the money I earned was by far eclipsed by the money I lost through not being selective enough with my purchases. It’s also important to note that I spent countless hours photographing, measuring, and listing the items for sale. It was much more time-consuming than I thought it would be, and although it felt good to deposit some funds back to our bank account, it would have been far better to have been more selective with what I bought so there would be little need to try to “recoup my losses.”
A New Pile of Castoffs…
Fast-forward to 2023 and 2024… I had gradually accumulated another pile of clothing pieces that didn’t work out for me for various reasons. Sometimes the problem was no fault of my own, such as “fussy” garments that I didn’t love wearing and shoes that were uncomfortable when walking for more than the short try-on distance in a store.
But more often than not, my castoffs were pieces that I should have never purchased in the first place, things that I mostly bought due to “the allure of the sale.” I let some of my well-thought-out standards fly out the window in the face of the “great deals” offered via resale stores, clearance racks, and end-of-season sales. And while I sometimes realized the error of my ways in short order, many of the items were “final sale” and couldn’t be returned.
Thus, I decided to once again go back to selling my unwanted – but in good shape – clothing online. Although I dreaded the time expenditure and slow process of doing this, it was comforting knowing that I had a sort of “contingency plan” for dealing with my ill-advised purchases and the guilt that they provoked in me.
A Very Different Resale Landscape
I finally took the time to photograph, measure, and list ten items on eBay (the site that I decided I preferred) this past June and July. Unfortunately, however, those pieces languished without any “bites” for weeks on end. It wasn’t that my items were priced too high; they weren’t even receiving many views despite my including descriptive titles and summaries that should have easily come up in search results.
Even after I opted to promote my listings at an extra charge, it still took about two months to sell even one single item. I know that summer can be a slow time for sales on eBay and other such sites, but to date, only three of the ten items have sold. Of the remaining listings, only one other has gathered a decent number of views and a few watchers. Because my first ten listings did so poorly, I wasn’t all that motivated to take the time to list the remaining items.
Sadly, I don’t think my “contingency plan” from a few years ago is going to serve me this time around. I’m not really sure what has changed, but it may have something to do with the almost-constant sales being offered at retail establishments. Perhaps many potential buyers have lost interest in purchasing resale pieces when they can acquire brand new clothing at comparable prices without paying for shipping or possibly dealing with damaged or poor-fitting items. Whatever the reasons – and there are probably many, the bottom line is that selling my clothing castoffs online doesn’t seem to be a value proposition any longer.
There is an Upside
At first, I was sad that I wasn’t going to be able to recoup much of my lost money for mistake purchases, but I’ve come around to recognizing an upside to this situation. Maybe it’s actually good that I no longer have a contingency plan for my ill-advised buys. Perhaps I should celebrate this recent development rather than lament it.
Since I came to realize that I likely won’t be able to mitigate my shopping losses through selling pieces online, I’ve become more careful about what I buy and what I keep (the great advice that I wrote about in this post has helped a lot, too). I still do more shopping online than in person, but I generally return anything that isn’t a “hell, yes” when I try it on at home. This is a good practice for everyone, but the added push of knowing that I likely won’t be able to sell things later for a decent amount is helping me to choose more wisely.
There will always be a lot of sales to tempt us to buy more (especially this time of year!), and “sales goggles” can often nudge us toward purchasing pieces that aren’t exactly what we want or need. I’ve noticed that more and more retailers are labeling items as “final sale” these days, which is a big risk for buyers unless they’ve already seen a garment in person and tried it on. Even then, sizing can vary among different styles – or even different colors of the same style – within a brand, so the risk is usually too great. I wonder how many final sale items end up being loved and worn. My personal track regard in this regard is definitely not high!
What I Did with My Recent Castoffs
My entire office closet (which consists of a large shelf and a short clothing rod) was filled with clothes and shoes that I had put aside to sell, probably at least as many items as I had listed the last time. In October, I went through everything and divided it into three categories. I donated several bags of castoffs to our local Goodwill and sent off three additional bags to Thredup to sell for Athleta credit.
I don’t have high hopes for receiving a big payout from Thredup, even though many items in the bags were new-with-tags or in pristine condition. I’ve read that payouts from that site aren’t great, but I decided to give it a try and see how it goes. I should find out in late December or January how much Athleta credit I’ll receive, but I’m not holding my breath for anything earth-shattering.
I held aside about twenty pieces to list for sale on eBay because I thought they were things that might sell well. It appears as if relatively recent Cabi and Athleta items are in decent demand, so those were mostly what I chose to keep and list. I have photographed and measured these items, and I plan to list them in early December in the hope that people might purchase them as gifts (especially the new-with-tags pieces) or for themselves with money they receive for the holidays.
I had considered sending everything to Thredup, but I compromised and hope that was a good decision. I think this will probably be the last time I try to sell anything on a resale site, though. I’m going to put the option out of my mind and focus on buying smarter, purchasing less, and wearing and loving what I have. This is easier said than done, but setting the intention is a good first step.
Conclusion
Overall, I’d like to spend less time and energy on shopping and wardrobe management in general. I shudder to think about how many days, weeks, and months of my life have been dedicated to these activities. Of course, some of it has been enjoyable and beneficial, but the effort involved in the buy-return cycle alone has occupied far too much of my life.
I know that I would be well-served to pursue alternate hobbies, as I don’t have enough of them to focus on at this time. Although I see personal style as a creative pursuit, the constant “closet churn” that I’ve experienced over the years has been more frustrating than fulfilling. It’s time to dedicate more of my time, energy, and creativity to other pursuits, even if I’m not sure what those will be just yet.
Part of my goal for 2025 will be to figure that out, but I’m first going to focus on closing out 2024. I’ll be back soon with some year-end posts. I’m not yet sure exactly what I’ll address, but I’ll probably cover my best and worst purchases of 2024, my wardrobe “all-stars” (and maybe “benchwarmers”), and the overall state of my wardrobe as the year draws to a close. I’ll also address how I’ve fared with my “courage” theme for the year and maybe share what my 2025 theme will be, too (I haven’t selected it yet).
For those of you who are in the U.S. and celebrate the holiday, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season! Best wishes to you in the final month of this year. I hope we all finish out 2024 strong.
My Wardrobe, Myself 
I’ve posted before on this issue. Like you, I am a very small-time seller on EBAY and agree that it has become much more difficult to sell. I’ve barely listed anything in the past year because I was too busy moving, etc. Perhaps the used clothing online reselling landscape will improve if retail clothing continues to get even more expensive and the quality in the stores continues to go downhill as I’ve noticed with several brands. Shipping prices have increased making it much more difficult for small resellers. I’ve had to accept in the online reselling process that getting something is better than nothing. Another big problem for casual resellers will be if the IRS $600 rule ever goes into effect-that is such a low figure even though you generally sell used clothing for less than you paid and it is not a taxable event. However, proving that a handful of sales is non-taxable could be a headache. I actually donate more than anything else because the local consignment stores-if they even take your goods—at their 60% commission—are even less profitable than reselling online. I am interested in hearing how your Thredup experience goes as many online reviews by sellers are very negative, claiming pennies on the dollar in payout. Overall, your point is well taken—it is best to make smarter buying decisions in the first instance as online reselling is no panacea.
Thanks so much for your comment, Lisa. I’ve read quite a few accounts from eBay sellers (and people who sell on Poshmark and other sites) that selling has become more difficult recently. I think you’re right that shipping prices factor in quite a bit, especially since many retailers offer free shipping for purchases over a certain dollar amount. I didn’t know about the IRS rule that you mentioned. That sounds like it could be even more of a death knell for small resellers 😦 It sounds like this next set of listings really might be my last, and I’m looking at it much like what you said: being happy to get something rather than nothing. That said, I have donated a lot over the years, too. I’ve actually done much more of that vs. reselling (and I used to take a lot of stuff to consignment stores, but their parameters became more and more strict and many of them closed up shop). My reselling has mostly been of higher-ticket items, especially those that were new with tags. As I said, I’m not super hopeful about Thredup, but because I shop at Athleta regularly, I decided that I’d be happy to get some credit toward a purchase there (or hopefully enough to buy at least one or two items). We’ll see, though… If it’s really pennies on the dollar, I will likely be disappointed. I plan to work more on those smarter buying decisions to hopefully avoid most of these issues!
Thanks for another thoughtful column, Debbie.
I buy fewer clothes online and generally only NWT because so many used items come heavily scented — either from detergents or Febreze — and it’s sometimes impossible to get the scent out. Even NWT items can have an odor from being stored alongside scented items. I’ll be the first to admit I’m pretty sensitive to perfumes.
As for selling, I sell at a consignment store and don’t get that much, but it’s little work on my part and most of my items tend to sell, which makes for good reuse.
One thing that helped me think less about my clothes this year was committing to reading more books. I set a general reading goal for the year and added the caveat that for every item of clothing purchased I would read at least two books (and I could certainly read more books than double the number of items purchased). It was arbitrary in part but it helped me change my habit to pick up a book instead of scrolling clothing sites. So in addition to reading more wonderful books (using the library mostly), I bought fewer clothes and spent less this year than in the past decade.
I spent more $ this year than any other in paying to send send items back to store. I can’t find my size in most brick-and-mortar stores near me.
I also keep thinking about planet sustainability. A PBS segment on clothing “dumps” in Ghana that aired a few weeks reinvigorated my efforts to keep my purchasing to a minimum. I don’t share that to chastise anyone about their purchases but it was a reality reminder and motivation for me.
Wishing everyone a good end of year and looking to a healthy and happy 2025.
I have been a fan of second-hand clothes shopping for decades. I try to be picky, only buying quality natural fibres and things I love and will enjoy for years. But I have read about and noticed a growing problem with second hand clothes. I read about the growing waste back in March: “The trendy second-hand clothing market is huge and still growing – yet nobody is turning a profit” (BBC.com). I notice myself that the charity shops and markets I visit have been getting fuller and more popular for years, while more professional “vintage” shops have also been springing up everywhere. In the Netherlands, you can see from the labels that many of these shops are even sourcing clothes from other counties, like Japan, the UK and the US. But increasing second hand availability seems to do nothing to slow the growth of cheap clothes in physical stores or online. Clothing churn seems to be rising like crazy. In fact, many charity shops here have so many clothes to process that they are putting up signs that they are not taking any any more donations for weeks or even months.
I still love clothes, but now I’m trying even more to enjoy what I already have. Lately, I’ve been collecting some vintage buttons to change up my clothes (and get a little clothes shopping buzz without actually buying any new clothes). And I bought a little sewing machine for small alterations (simple side darts, different hem lengths). And I’m even being more picky about where I shop second hand. I avoid bulk traders and favour the car boot markets here where individuals sell their old clothes. And there are one or two charity shops which tend to have lovely things I can enjoy. If I need something new, I only visit the two or three stores I can trust to stock quality for a reasonable price.
Oops, didn’t mean to reply to the last comment, just to add a new one …
It’s is all part of the good conversation generated by Debbie’s helpful insights. 🙂
No worries about replying to B’s comment vs. adding a new one, Sue. That’s easy to do…
Thanks for sharing your insights and observations regarding the secondhand clothing market. I think with the rise of “fast fashion” and the almost constant release of new trends, there are just SO many more clothes out there than there used to be. It seems like Thredup is taking a long time to process the clothes that are sent in, too, because so many people are churning through clothes. I admit it’s been a bit problem for me over the years. It’s not as bad as it used to be now, but it’s still an issue for me.
Great ideas to change up what you have with switching out buttons and doing alterations. I do that, too, but I’m not able to do it myself (but I probably should learn). I think it would serve all of us to pay more attention to enjoying what we have vs. bringing in the new, but it can be hard to resist the temptation to buy, especially with the almost constant sales that are going on, at least in the US. I wonder if it’s the same in other countries, too. I used to do a lot of resale shopping, but there are fewer good shops now (and fewer shops overall), plus I have the fragrance sensitivity issue.
Being picky about where we shop and what we buy is helpful, whether we’re buying new or secondhand. I’ve done better with being picky since my epiphany earlier in the year (that I wrote about in this post and the few after it: https://mywardrobemyself.com/2024/02/18/how-we-shop-vs-how-we-dress/), but there is still room for improvement. I feel like I can learn a lot from the readers of my blog! I always appreciate the comments, as there is a wealth of knowledge among us, especially since I am blessed to have readers from all over the world.
I have the same issues as you do with the heavily scented items, B, even with new-with-tags items sometimes (I think people still spray them with Febreze, or they’re stored with the preowned clothes like you said). I’m also very sensitive to perfumes and synthetic fragrances, which makes secondhand shopping challenging. I can usually get the scent out, but it can take a lot of effort! And sometimes with certain fabrics, the scent seems to be locked in 😦
I used to sell my items at consignment stores, but there aren’t as many of them around anymore and they’ve gotten a lot more selective about what they accept (mostly just certain designers at this point). It was certainly much easier to take my clothes to a consignment store, even if I didn’t get as much money for them. So much has changed with the resale market – sigh…
Great idea to focus more time and energy on reading vs. online shopping. That seems like a good goal/pursuit for me for 2025. I’m impressed that you commit to reading TWO books for every item of clothing purchased! That would definitely cut down on purchases, unless one is a speedreader. Congrats on your success with both reading more and shopping less this year!
Great points about sustainability. There’s a movie called “The True Cost” that I really should watch. I did read a book years ago that went into some of the details that you mentioned. I’m sure things have gotten a lot worse, too (I read the book about 10 years ago).
Debbie at the start of this year I read a post on high heels in the wilderness blog about sustainability. The author Sue talked about 5 purchases for the year. It really made me think. No I didn’t stick to it, but I have been travelling for nearly 4 months solid so did not buy a thing in the first 3 months. Then one pair of my trousers wore out, after only wearing them 13 times (I still track). So I was a bit short. After looking for a replacement for a while in one day I somehow bought 5 new items. When I pulled everything out of the bag that afternoon I realised I had forgotten the first dress I bought! Now my luggage is totally full and could not take another thing. I bought 2 sweaters. I did not need them, I needed trousers, how did I think that was going to work? The dresses have been useful sure, but I didn’t really need them. And as for the sweaters well I have worn one a few times but I sure didn’t need two.
I think learning to sew would really be the best hobby. Spend some time and money on a good teacher. When you make your own clothes and learn to adjust patterns to truly fit you it would solve the tricky trouser problem. I used to sew as there were few plus size available. Then probably a decade of good things available. More recently I find quality is just not there. And really I just don’t need that many clothes. But I enjoy fashion. It’s a tough one. I’m thinking when I eventually get home I’m going back to sewing and getting perfect for me clothes.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Cathie. How wonderful that you didn’t buy anything for the first three months of your travels! I can totally understand how your shopping for one pair of trousers led to buying FIVE new items. Been there, done that too many times! It’s all too easy to buy things that we don’t need because there are so many things we see that we LIKE. I hope the new items will still serve you well in the long run, even if you didn’t really need them. The lesson will hopefully stay with you, though, and sharing your story here will surely help others.
I agree that learning to sew could be a good thing for me. I have thought about it over the years, but I never took the plunge. One of my friends is a very talented sewer, and I’ve been impressed by what she’s made. You’re so right about the decline in clothing that’s available in retail stores. I have some really old pieces that have been with me for over a decade, but I doubt that anything I’ve bought over the last five years or so will last that long. If you get back to sewing, best wishes with it. You have me strongly considering finding a class and at least trying it out.
I think Cathie might be talking about “The Rule of Five”, started by Tiffanie Darke. I read about this last year 2023, it came initially from a report late 2022. Much like the #30 wears which I have been trying to do for 7 years now, and had reasonable success, it makes me feel better about my consumption. I didn’t set out to specifically do it this year but as I managed not to buy anything until June, it hasn’t been that difficult to now get to December and find by now I have bought 4 new items this year, plus some underwear.
Being incredibly picky is part of what helps, and so is realising there can be lovely things which I can look at and admire, even if on a wishlist, but I don’t have to own them.
There are occasions when this feels like white-knuckling my way through and also that I don’t have enough hobbies, but often it comes easier than it used to.
And bonus, the wears go up on the clothes I already own, plus the money spent goes down.
I had never heard of “The Rule of Five,” Jenni, but I have heard of “The French Five-Piece Wardrobe” (I may be a bit off about the title), which sounds similar. I think it involved buying just five new pieces per season or year, which would be a worthwhile challenge for any of us to pursue. It sounds like you’ve already done it, though, which is amazing! I agree that being picky helps a lot. I continue to strive to be MORE picky, as my lack of pickiness has led to so many problems and so much waste 😦 You’re so right that we can ADMIRE things without having to actually own them. I ready an article once (I believe from Jill Chivers) about the “art gallery method of shopping,” which is in line with what you’re saying. I might go back to tracking wears, even if just for a year, because it can be so enlightening. I also need to cultivate some new hobbies so I focus less on clothing. Cathie mentioned sewing as a possibility, which could be a good one, even though it’s still related to clothes.