Key Points:
- Poshmark is a great platform for anyone looking to sell mid to high-end products
- Depop acts as a sort of online thrift store, where people will pay premium prices for goods that are perceived to be either high-quality or particularly fashionable
- Easyship integrates with the leading eCommerce platforms, helping merchants streamline their shipping with dynamic rates at checkout, a multi-carrier network, and label generation
Back in the day, there were second-hand stores. Way back when, we would walk two miles in the snow to brick and mortar stores to purchase gently used styles from thrift stores. Buying second hand is not only affordable for low-income people and students, but it’s also an accessible way to make shopping more sustainable.
As it stands, the fast fashion industry is a major contributor to landfills, producing 25 billion pounds of waste per year in the US alone. Not to mention, it is, generally speaking, responsible for 8 to 10% of global carbon emissions. One way to offset this is to shop sustainably — ie second-hand stores and apps. It’s not just good for the environment — it also makes economic sense. ThredUP, an online consignment store, reported in 2019 that the secondhand market will approach a $51 billion valuation by 2024.
Reselling apps have become increasingly popular for thrifty thrift shoppers. Whether you’re looking to empty your closet or purchase some new goods, you’re likely weighing the benefits and cons of Poshmark vs Depop. While the platforms have the same core functionality — reselling trendy goods — they have different shippings, profit cuts, selling fees and community-focused features. Of course, you can supercharge your online secondhand store by working with Easyship to streamline your customer service and shipping processes.
Table of Contents
Selling on Poshmark
Poshmark is a marketplace for those looking to sell modern clothes and accessories, often secondhand. With more than 60 million users within North America and approximately 100 million items for sale, it is a great place to clear your closet or update it by selling some items. This platform is a great option for anyone looking to sell mid to high-end products.
Plus, as previously mentioned, the app also has a social aspect. You can host “parties” virtually to mingle with other community members, welcome new sellers, interact with listings, and aesthetically customize your profile — all with the end goal of crafting a beloved eCommerce store.
Selling on Depop
Based in London, UK, Depop is a fashion-forward resale marketplace. A 2019 article from The Atlantic describes it as “a little bit eBay and a little bit Instagram” due to its direct marketplace model and a heavy focus on trends and aesthetics. Targeted at millennials and Gen Z, the youth-centric app surpassed 13 million users in June 2019, TechCrunch reported. And they’re hitting that mark. As of 2019, 90% of the app’s users were under the age of 26. And in the UK, where the app was founded, a third of the country’s 16 to 24-year-olds use the app, according to TechCrunch.
Depop sellers can earn a pretty penny selling limited edition designer goods, hand-crafted accessories, or even just cleaning out their closets. Like Poshmark, it’s also a social platform. As sales are made peer-to-peer, it brings the app’s users together, as there is a messaging functionality.
Depop vs. Poshmark: Trends
Similarities
Both brands feature fashion-forward trends from recognized brands. Both platforms are a destination for high-value designer goods that may or may have been used before.
Differences
Poshmark is more geared towards Millennials. Sellers have good luck when posting brands like Madewell, Zara, Coach, and the Banana Republic. On Poshmark, you can earn a premium for selling brand new items – but shoppers aren’t concerned about high-value vintage pieces.
Depop, on the other hand, is marketed toward Gen-Z. Plus, Depop acts as a sort of online thrift store, where people will pay premium prices for goods that are perceived to be either high-quality or particularly fashionable, like Doc Martens, Levis Jeans, or Urban Outfitters.
Depop vs. Poshmark: Features
Similarities
Both apps are used in similar fashions. You can gain followers, bump or share your own or other people's posts to get the extra attention, and, in turn, sales.
Differences
One key feature is that on Poshmark you can negotiate prices down. Indeed, you’ll rarely pay sticker price for an item. This isn’t the case for Depop.
Poshmark is also extremely social. You can host “parties” virtually to mingle with other community members, welcome new sellers, interact with listings, and aesthetically customize your profile — all in the hopes of generating sales.
Depop vs. Poshmark: Usability
Poshmark
Overall, the process of listing items on Poshmark is straightforward. With just a few buttons, you can take a picture of an item, create a description with relevant search terms (including brand, size, and condition) and upload a full listing. Poshmark is known to be especially mobile-friendly, as all the following steps are best executed on the mobile app.
Depop
The process of listing on Depop is similar and simple. You can list on a desktop or mobile phone by taking a picture of your item (up to four), adding up to five hashtags and a relevant category.
Similarities
The processes are overwhelmingly similar, as the user bases have a similar end goal: Buying clothes and accessories at a decent resale value. Both platforms emphasize the importance of adding categories, making listings discoverable, taking clear photos, and writing long, helpful product descriptions to inform customers about items.
Differences
As these apps both are social media platforms, there are inherently different norms. For example, on Poshmark it’s common for sellers to be asked to share photos of themselves wearing articles of clothing. On Poshmark “New with tags” is a phrase you’ll see a lot.
While both platforms instruct sellers to share their prices, only Depop shows the shipping price outright — as it varies from item to item. Depop also allows sellers to save listing drafts and make listings on their computer, whereas Poshmark is mobile-first.
Depop vs. Poshmark: Support
Similarities
Poshmark and Depop primarily offer customer support over email. Their online support is available to buyers and sellers. They also have robust, public information centers that act as an encyclopedia of eCommerce information.
Differences
Poshmark is pretty strict about and involved in returns and customer-reseller disputes. The platform’s support team oversees and makes judgements on all returns — meaning that if there’s a dispute oversize or item quality (all common reasons for eCommerce returns) it cannot be settled between the merchant and the customer. Instead, it’s decided by a third party with limited, biased knowledge of the situation.
Depop functions differently. On the platform resellers are essentially eCommerce merchants, setting their own individual return policies and rules. Disputes and returns are not automatically raised to the support team.
Depop vs. Poshmark: Payment
Similarities
Both websites allow for online payment with the tap of a button. They both offer more than one option, making things pretty straightforward and accessible. Cash and checks are not an option with either platform — neither is trading.
Differences
Poshmark offers more options than Depop. Poshmark buyers are able to make their purchases through Paypal, Venmo or card. Depop customers can make purchases through Paypal or a card.
How Much Does It Cost to Sell on Depop vs. Poshmark?
Although the platforms are accessible and offer free listings, they’re not a free-for-fall. When considering listing an item on Depop or Poshmark, consider the fees associated with selling items.
Depop Selling Fees
For each item sold, Depop automatically charges a standard 10% fee on the total transaction amount — including the cost of shipping. There is also a standard PayPal transaction fee of 2.9% + £0.30 in the UK and 2.9% + $0.30 in the US.
Poshmark Selling Fees
Poshmark also levies standard selling fees. For items under $15, there is a flat fee of $2.95. For those above $15, the fee amounts to 20% of the total.
Who Pays for Shipping on Depop vs. Poshmark?
Shipping can be a bit of a headache if you don’t know your flat-rate box from your padded envelope. If you have grand plans to make big money from your side hustle, it makes sense to partner with a service like Easyship, which will help you streamline your DIY logistics operation, offering expedited shipping, flat rate shipping, and courier rates based on your needs.
Poshmark
The buyer is responsible for shipping — and the deadline is tight. Items have to be shipped within a week (although two is the recommended time frame) before a customer can request a refund.
Cost: The platform has a flat shipping rate of $7.11 paid by buyers shipping less than 5lbs.
Depop
Depop merchants in the US have two options. When shipping internationally, they can go it on their own and ship internationally or when shipping in the US they can ship with a partnership between Depop and the USPS. Either the buyer or the seller can pay for shipping – the seller makes that designation and all charges are levied through PayPal.
Cost: With packages shipped through USPS, shipping cost depends on size and speed.
Extra-small: $3.50 (First Class - less than 4oz)
Small: $4.50 (First Class - less than 8oz)
Medium: $6.50 (First Class - less than 1lb)
Large: $10.50 (Priority Mail - less than 2lb)
Extra-large: $14 (Priority Mail - less than 10lb)
Differences
Another difference in functionality between Poshmark and Depop comes in the form of shipping. Depop allows for in-person meet-ups to exchange goods and the use of third-party shipping services (like Easyship!). Poshmark, on the other hand, has a more strict shipping policy.
Is Depop or Poshmark Better?
On the face of it, Depop and Poshmark are strikingly similar. But upon careful examination, they do have some key differences.
As of 2019, Depop reported 13 million users — the majority of whom are under 25. Poshmark, on the other, boasts 30 million users in the US alone, but they fall into the millennial demographic. While both are extremely social platforms, buyers seek different things from each. Additionally, they are willing to pay different amounts for the services offered.
No matter what you’re selling and who you’re selling to, selling online can be daunting. With that in mind, it’s best to do your research ahead of time as to what demographic you think you’ll be selling to, the production values needed for each platform, and whether or not the platform has the capacity to support your store — either as a side or main hustle.
How Easyship Can Help
Whatever you choose, you don’t have to get it alone. Easyship integrates with the leading eCommerce platforms, helping merchants streamline their shipping with dynamic rates at checkout, a multi-carrier network, label generation and more. With our free tools, merchants can compare rates, easily generate a shipping policy, and calculate taxes and duties.
Sign up for a free Easyship account today!
Depop vs. Poshmark FAQ
What are some Poshmark and Depop alternatives?
Some alternatives to Poshmark and Depop include Mercari, The Real Real, Tradesy, ThredUP, and Rebag.
How do Poshmark and Depop pay their sellers?
Depop uses PayPal or Stripe to pay their sellers. On the other hand, Poshmark uses PayPal or Venmo.
What type of clothes has the highest sales on Depop vs. Poshmark?
Depop and Poshmark are popular for selling second-hand clothing.
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