How to Sell Clothes Online

7 Tips for selling clothes online

1. Immerse yourself in the market

Before you can begin achieving any form of success online, you will need to learn how to sell clothing using social media, your website, or even a third-party host. In order to do so, immersing yourself in the online fashion industries and clothing communities is a must. Diving into the various fashion industries and communities online will provide you with valuable insight, such as popular selling platforms, trends, markup guidance, and even marketing tips.

2. Build an online store

When you choose to build an online store of your own, you are able to maximize freedom and flexibility, especially when it comes to your store's layout, design, as well as the inventory you choose to stock and/or promote. Building an online store is possible with your own web host in addition to using CMS (Content Management Systems) such as WordPress in conjunction with WooCommerce.

You can, however, also opt for a third-party host to manage your shop's inventory and security. Some of the most popular third-party solutions for hosting and building online stores today include Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, and BigCommerce.

3. Cultivate an online following

When you want to drive sales for your online clothing store, it is difficult to do so if you do not yet have an online following or a social media presence. In order to successfully sell clothing online, establishing a social media presence is imperative, regardless of the platforms you choose to use.

Set up your social media presence using the same name as your clothing store name or the official name of your website's domain. Your name should be the same across all platforms for branding and identity purposes. Update your social media platforms regularly to inform followers and prospective customers of the items you currently have in stock, what inventory you are getting in, as well as any promotions or sales you wish to display.

You can also use social media platform ad solutions such as Facebook Ads to help with promoting your business and brand even more to target demographics or to a specific audience you want to reach.

4. Engage your online community

Entering the fashion world is intimidating for most, especially due to the never-ending competition. If you want your clothing brand or business to stand out, you will need to put in the work and effort in order to help create a sense of community among your followers. Engaging your online community with the use of social media is possible by asking questions, requesting input and feedback, and even offering exclusive discounts or promotional codes to those who follow you or participate in a specific update you share.

Using social media and your existing online following is one of the most efficient methods of spreading the word about your clothing store and the inventory you currently have in stock.

5. Quality over quantity

With the rampant uptick in online sales and selling clothing and various types of merchandise all over the web, eCommerce stores have become littered with low-quality junk that is nearly unusable. If you are building a fashion line from the ground up or if you want to promote existing clothing for resale, it is important to do so only with the highest quality materials you can find.

As you are establishing your brand, it is advisable to sell high-quality clothing, as this will help to build a positive and professional reputation for your business. Offering clothing that is torn, thin, or cheaply made can turn customers off and result in negative reviews and knee jerk responses.

6. High-quality photos are a must

Without high-quality photos of the fashion you are selling, you can kiss your chance of success goodbye. When establishing and building an online fashion store, you only have one opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression on your website's visitors. If your website appears outdated, clunky, non-responsive, or includes outdated photos of your inventory, you are less likely to gain a follower or garner sales.

High-quality photos of your merchandise should always be a top priority, especially in industries that are extremely competitive, such as fashion and eCommerce clothing.

7. Represent yourself professionally

Even if you are just getting started with selling clothes online or if you are choosing to do so independently as a freelance seller, it is important to always represent yourself professionally. Avoid being unprofessional, rude, arrogant, or disrespectful as you attempt to promote and sell clothing, even if you are offended or approached negatively by someone else.

Remaining professional at all times is simply part of conducting business, and it is expected if you want to be taken seriously in the world of business and fashion.

4 Best sites to sell clothes online

Once you are ready to begin selling clothing online but you are not yet ready to launch a site of your own, consider one of the following platforms to begin listing and promoting your goods:

Poshmark

If you are looking for a clothing selling platform that allows you to maintain complete and total control over your listings, consider checking out Poshmark. With Poshmark, you can sell everyday items as well as designer merchandise, from bags and accessories to tops and gowns. Poshmark allows users to upload and share their own photos of merchandise before listing them with a description and sale price.

• Cost: When using Poshmark, you can expect a $2.95 fee on any sales under $15 and up to 20% of the listing price for any item listed at $15 or more.
• How does it work: Once you make a sale using the Poshmark website or mobile app, you are then responsible for shipping the item(s). Once your customer receives their item(s), you will see your earnings posted to your Poshmark account within three days.

Depop

Depop is another web and mobile-based selling platform solution designed for both casual and serious sellers alike. Whether you are looking to sell a few outdated pieces from your closet or if you want to expand the number of online storefronts you have, Depop has a solution for everyone.

With Depop, it is possible for individuals to sell individual items while also having the ability to launch a digital storefront with logos and social media share buttons.

• Cost: Depop is free to use, even for those who are thinking of launching a digital storefront of their own. With every sale that is generated, users are simply responsible for paying Depop 10% of the transaction.
• How does it work: Once you register as a member of Depop, you can begin listing individual items, or immediately begin launching your own virtual storefront.

ThreadUP

If you are searching for something a bit different and are geared towards consignment store options, ThreadUP is an excellent choice. ThreadUP allows users the ability to send in items in exchange for money. It's almost just as simple as that.

• Cost: ThreadUP pays users a percentage of the final selling price of an item. Which may take some time. For items that sell between $100 and $199, users will earn anywhere between 60% and 80% in total. Sales between 5% and $19.99 may only net users between 5% and 15% in total, however.
• How does it work: With ThreadUP, users have the option of sending in clothing using a printed shipping label or by sending in their own boxes of clothing.

Tradesy

If you love designer clothing for women and enjoy searching for or selling rare items to other women from around the world, Tradesy may be just the place for you. Tradesy.com allows users the ability to sell their own designer pieces while setting individual shipping costs and fees themselves. Users are also responsible for product photos, essentially making Swap.com a massive online fashion marketplace, similar to eBay.

• Cost: Tradesy requires a $7.50 commission fee for any sale that is made under $50 using the platform. A 19.8% commission fee is also required for transactions over $50.
• How does it work: The Tradesy marketplace is similar to eBay, and provides users with a hands-on approach to listing, promoting, and selling designer fashion pieces online.

Let your customers know when new pieces are available

Having a well-designed website that is attractive and responsive is just half of the battle when it comes to building a following for a fashion line or brand. In order to keep your customers and followers interested in your fashion line, it is important to keep them informed whenever new pieces are available or whenever your inventory has been restocked and refreshed.

To do so, creating an ongoing newsletter can help, especially when it comes to reaching existing customers as well as those who have registered for your newsletter online. To easily create and manage newsletters while tracking the results of individual emails and newsletters you have sent, consider using Mailchimp. Mailchimp provides a web builder, newsletter creator, and marketing solution all in one location, making it easier than ever to build a website to begin selling clothes online today.