There are so many ways to try and make a little extra cash off of your unworn clothes these days—consignment shops, eBay, garage sales…lots of formats to choose from. Another option that you may not have considered is to do a closet sale on Instagram and extend your reach to your Internet friends as well.
I hadn’t done one before this past year, and it can seem a little intimidating at first, but I asked a few friends who had done a few for some tips, learned a few of my own along the way, and ended up helping Elsie do her first sale a few weeks ago.
It’s a great way to share your closet with your online pals and make a little cash for some new items (or put it towards a trip or something) at the same time!
First, for some general tips, I would really suggest holding the sale under a separate account from your personal one. That way people who want to follow the sale can, but not everybody who follows you will have to be spammed with your shoe collection.
Also, create the account and post all the photos of your items with their descriptions before you announce the sale on your personal account (or keep it a private account until it’s ready). That way, you can get everything how you want it and make any tweaks without people starting to bid before it’s open, etc.
1.) The photos are really important. Since your buyers can’t try on the clothes in a virtual dressing room, it’s really crucial to take clear and well-lit photos of all your items on a neutral background.
It also helps to have multiple photos, especially if there is a detail that should be seen close up or a unique back on a dress. If you have a photo of you wearing the item, post that as well so they can see how it fits when it’s worn.
2.) Clean your items. Make sure to wash or wipe off all the items before photographing and shipping. This is important for the obvious reason that no one wants to buy dirty clothes, but also because an item may have a spot or mark that may or may not come out.
If it does come out, then you don’t have to advertise it as damaged, but if it doesn’t, you may want to reconsider if it’s in good enough shape to sell.
3.) Be clear about sizes and any defects. You don’t want there to be surprises when the buyer gets their item, so make sure to list anything that the buyer would want to know about beforehand in the item description.
Note how the item fits if it’s different than the size on the tag (like if it’s a size small but fits like a medium), or if it’s a loose cut that could fit a range of sizes.
Add a photo or note if there are any worn spots or marks that can’t be removed so the buyer is aware of the item condition.
You don’t have to photograph every tiny loose thread (unless otherwise stated, people assume all items are gently used), but look over the item and point out anything you’d like to know about if you were the bidder.
4.) Be as organized as possible. This is probably the most important point of them all. Keep a spreadsheet or chart where you can list each item, the final purchase price, the shipping cost, the PayPal email of the winner, and their shipping address as that information comes in.
You can also use colors to indicate if someone has paid for their item and if it’s been shipped out to them. If you do the spreadsheet on your computer and open Instagram in another tab, you can copy and paste the winner’s email and cut down on spelling mistakes.
Also, if you can get a friend to help you assembly line photograph or pack all your items, that really helps too!
5.) Have clear sale rules. After you post all your items, put up a “sale rules” post (do it last so it will appear at the top of your page) and direct people to make sure they read it in your shop’s Instagram bio area.
List all the important details like what day and time the sale ends, how to bid (commenting with their bid amount and PayPal email is easiest), what countries you do/don’t ship to, an email address if buyers need to contact you, and any other details you want everyone to know.
Having clear guidelines up front will help if you have to respond to any issues or complaints later.
6.) Make a 24 hour deadline for payment. Note in the sale rules that buyers have 24 hours from the time they receive their money request in PayPal to pay the invoice, or they lose their item and it goes to the next highest bid.
This will help keep the payment process from dragging out too long and will encourage people to pay quickly so they don’t lose their chance.
7.) Don’t sell too many items at once. Like most anything in life, all the headaches are multiplied the more items you are selling in one sale, so keep the number of items you’re selling reasonable.
There really is a big difference in selling 35 items at once vs. 135 items, so keep it under 50 items to make it more manageable.
8.) Be mindful of the weight when thinking of shipping costs. Shipping costs are determined by weight, so use lightweight bags to ship items whenever possible.
9.) Offer shipping discounts for multiple items. Encouraging people to buy multiple items is good for everyone involved—they get more stuff, and it’s a 1/3 of the work to send an invoice and ship three items to only one person instead of three different people.
One easy way to do it is to make all clothing $5 shipping and all shoes $7 or $10 shipping (shoes are usually heavier and more prone to need a box for shipping), and then offer a discount if you buy more than one of the $5 items.
So, maybe it’s only $2 for shipping each additional item after the first one, and you can put them all in a bag together and send them out as once package. Everybody wins!
10.) Add a little note or gift with each order. You may not consider this an official small business with customers, but it’s a nice gesture to send your buyers a little note or special treat with each package.
Especially if you plan on doing a sale more than once, you want the people who bought items the first time to have a good experience and buy again.
Just don’t make a heavy item your special surprise because you’ll end up paying a lot more in postage than if you can think of something that is relatively light. Learned that one the hard way!
With a little planning, you can really make the effort worth it and collect a tidy sum to put towards something special—a new wardrobe, an anniversary trip, a bejeweled cat sweater. You know, the important things.
Do you have unworn items that you could find a new home for in your own Instagram sale? Quick, go check! xo. Laura
C
I’m late to the party here (I’m a little behind on my blog lovin’) but had to drop in to say thanks for such clear suggestions. Selling on Instagram seems much more do-able now. Thank you!
Vinted is also a great outlet to sell via app! Same tips would apply! I’ve made about $500 over the last few months with shoes/clothing that has just been sitting in my closet. Poshmark is another app that is popular, where women typically sell designer/higher pricepoint items.
Sorry if this is a repeat, but I don’t see the comment I thought I posted a few days ago. I was hoping someone knows something about if there’s a hashtag for insta sales. There doesn’t seem to be a commonly used one, which is surprising. I ask because I’ve been wanting to host a sale but have a private account with only friends and family. Obviously, I’d make a new account, but don’t have a way of announcing it to more than just my family, basically. It’s not quite as easy without being a blogger or someone with a lot of followers, even though I have some really good stuff to sell: lots of barely used modcloth stuff, completely new vintage-style swimsuits, Minnetonkas, etc. Just curious if anyone has any suggestions.
I think (and I’m talking to you, ABM :-P) you should create a hashtag for ABM readers’ closet sales! That would be the coolest little community. I don’t have the power to do it myself where anyone would follow, but how cool would that be?! Pretty please? 🙂
Jazz
PS, ELSIE- It was really sweet for you to lower the cost of the item, but, honestly, I think it’s fair game if it goes for more than new. You did a really awesome thing, went way beyond the necessary, I’m just saying don’t let lame commenters let you or anyone feel bad. The fact that a blogger we like owned it could make it more worth it. Maybe we’ve even seen it in outfit posts, etc. I know that’s weird for you to imagine since you’re just down-to-earth you, but it is kinda cool to us to have something that one of our favorite bloggers owned, since it has the story, more than just the value of the item itself. That probably feels super weird though…..:-P And besides, I’m not too hoitey-toitey for Target!
I’m certainly interested, I have been selling a lot of things on eBay recently, and I think this is a great idea!
Is there an app you are supposed to download in conjunction with Instagram? One that keeps coming up is salesy. Or can you just do this on Instagram avoiding fees?
great tips!
xx nikki
www.dream-in-neon.com
I must say I had never really thought of selling on Instagram but the more I see it done (successfully) the more I’m convinced it’s the way to go.
Thanks for the tips! 😉
Such a helpful post! It was the first time that i heard about sale on instagram and it sounds really interesting ^_^
xoxo Afrodite ~ BubblyBeauty135
Closet sale on Instragram? This will be interesting! A good way to get rid of all those clothes that occupy the closet for so many years, without have seen the light of day since they got into the house
Great tips, I think I could use these for my instagram account where I sell jewelry.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DelicateAndLayered
These are some really wonderful tips and suggestions! 🙂
i’d never thought about having an instagram sale- thanks for the idea and tips! x
Hannah | Heyitshannaah
These are great tips! I haven’t personally hosted a sale, but always appreciate when those who do keep it simple and professional. Cheers! xo
http://wanderlande.com
I’ve been working on selling clothes on eBay and other iPhone apps and I think these tips can still apply. I hope to have a successful experience selling on Instagram someday. Thanks for sharing!
Laura
http://laurahager.blogspot.com/
If we also have a e-commerce website, do you think there are any benefits to having a separate instragram sale? Or am I better off just posting a pic on instagram and directing people to our website?
Thanks so much for this tip! I need to get rid of some things and need the extra cash. I’ll be preparing for this project.
This is an awesome list! And useful too! Thank you so much you shared with us!
xOrsi
http://szkorso.blogspot.ro/
Great tips ! 🙂
www.thefashionpanda.be
www.thefashionpanda.be
This post has been so helpful!! Keep up the amazing work
I’ve never actually considered using implementing Instagram for a sale but I definitely will be.
xo
Maggie A
www.lovemavin.com
So useful! Thanks, Laura!