How to sell on Depop | The Foolproof Method That Helped Me Make My First 50 Sales
Are you thinking about learning how to sell on Depop? Here’s everything you need to know about how to sell clothes on Depop.
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If you’re looking for a side hustle or are just looking for a way to sell your clothes online, you’re probably wondering how to sell on Depop.
I started selling clothes on Depop as a way to make some extra money in college, and since then I’ve managed to make over 300 sales and make hundreds of dollars every month. I’m going to tell you everything that is important to know when it comes to selling on Depop.
After you read this post, you’ll know how to sell on Depop and be ready to start making money!
This post is about how to sell on Depop.
The Best Tips For How To Sell On Depop
1. Make an account
The first step to selling on Depop is to set up your account. You’ll need to set a profile picture, fill out your bio, and choose a username along with your shop name.
Here is what my profile looks like. Make sure you say in your bio what kinds of things you’ll be selling, whether or not you’re open to offers, and the most important shop policies.
You have a very limited amount of space for your bio, so make sure you put what is most important to your shop in there!
Related post: No BS ways to make money in college with side hustles
2. Connect Bank Account To Depop Payments
Depop used to allow Paypal, but now they only allow buyers to make payments through Depop’s system called Depop payments.
So, you’ll need to set up your bank account to Depop payments so you’ll be able to receive the money you get from sales!
3. Figure out where you’re sourcing your items from
Sourcing is important when it comes to knowing how to sell on Depop.
There are lots of different ways to get inventory for your Depop shop. Some common ways are wholesale, thrifting, print on demand, and selling your old clothes.
I personally sell my old clothes and thrift to get inventory for my shop. It is good to do research on the different options to see what is right for you, though!
The Goodwill Bins are my holy grail when it comes to sourcing inventory for Depop, so if you have one near you, I highly recommend checking it out.
4. Fees
Before you start listing, it is important to know that listing on Depop is completely free, but they do take 10% of each sale. They also take out a small transaction fee for Depop payments. I think it is worth it, but definitely something to consider when you’re thinking about selling clothes online.
Related post: Everything You Need In Order To Sell On Depop | 11 Things That Will Make Your Life As A Depop Seller So Much Easier
Tips For Listing
5. Take Good Quality Pictures
To make sales, it’s important to make sure that you’re taking good quality pictures of the things you’re selling.
Tips For Taking Quality Pictures
Use square mode on your phone
Depop crops photos to a square shape, so using the square picture mode on your phone will make sure you know how the pictures you take will look on Depop. It will keep you from having to crop them.
Use at least 4 pictures
Listings with at least 4 pictures do the best. They recently increased the number of photos you can post from 4 to 8. I try to use all the photo slots available when I can by getting different angles of items, but sometimes there are only so many different pictures you can take. So, I’d say use the max amount of photos if you can, but try to do at least 4!
If an item has flaws, I will typically use last few photo slots to show clear pictures of the flaws. Make sure you’re posting pictures of the flaws if it has any! It is SUPER important to be transparent about that so people know what they’re buying. Vintage/ thrifted clothes will frequently have little flaws like snags, scuffs, tiny stains, etc. I don’t usually have any issue selling things with little flaws like this! In my experience, buyers don’t mind that much as long as they know the flaws are there beforehand.
Model Your Items
Modeled items usually sell the fastest. You can also take flat-lay pictures, but people like to see what an item looks like on. So if you model it, it’ll likely sell faster.
Make Sure You Can Tell What The Whole Item Looks Like
When you’re modeling it, make sure you can really tell what the item looks like in the pictures. I like to make sure I get some close-up pictures, some of the full item, and some of the back of it.
Lighting
Lighting is so important when you’re taking pictures. I typically like to use natural sunlight to take my pictures, but you can also get good pictures with a ring light. You can definitely manage without one, but having one on hand will probably make your life as a Depop seller much easier.
Camera Angle
The camera angle is also really important. I had a really, really hard time getting the right angles for pictures before I bought a tripod. Having a tripod just makes it literally so much easier to adjust your phone camera’s height to make sure you’re getting good pictures of the item.
I bought a two in one ring light and tripod so I could kill two birds with one stone. It also comes with a bluetooth remote that will let you take pictures without having to use a self-timer. It is a life-saver!
Again, you can probably make do without one, but having a tripod will make your life SO much easier. If there’s two things I really recommend investing in for your Depop shop, it’s a tripod and bluetooth remote for taking pictures.
Backdrop
To get good quality pictures it’s really important to have a nice, clean, non-distracting background so people can have a good view of the clothes without anything pulling their eyes away.
The easiest way to do this is with a backdrop. You could buy a backdrop, or you could use something you already have, like a flat bed sheet (that’s what I do).
I definitely think buying a backdrop that you can just pull down when you want to take pictures is the easiest way, though. I use my sheet but I have to tie it up each time I take pictures and it is honestly such a hassle. But if you want to save some money, you can definitely just use a bed sheet or a plain wall or something.
Styling
Whether or not you make a sale can really depend on how you style the item in the picture. If you style something in a way that looks super cool, people are more likely to buy it.
When styling items for pictures, I’d recommend posing with accessories like purses, adding jackets (if you do this make sure you can see the full item in other pictures), wearing cute necklaces, etc. If an item looks cute and stylish it is so much more likely to sell.
6. Good descriptions
A listing description can make or break a sale and determine whether or not your item is showing up in search results. Here are some things that are super important to include in your descriptions.
How to write a good description
Describe the item
The first thing you’re going to want to do is describe your item. I typically will put a “summary” of the item as the first line. For example, in the description above I put “white lingerie cami.” I then will include a couple sentences that talk about important details of the item, and then I’ll write a sentence or two about how it could be worn or styled.
When writing your descriptions make sure you’re putting spaces between the “paragraphs” so you don’t have a giant block of text, because that would make it hard for people to read.
Include Brand
I typically will also include a line in the description that says what brand the item is. If the brand is super well-known, I’ll put it in the first “summary” line. If it isn’t, I’ll make a line that says “brand.” You want to include this so it will pop up in search results if people search for the brand.
Flaws
I talked about this a bit already, but if your item has any flaws you MUST list them in the description. Buyers want to know whether a used item is in perfect condition or not, and you should let them know what they’re getting into. Even if an item doesn’t have flaws, I’ll write a line that says “no flaws” or “no noticeable flaws” just so they know for sure.
Measurements
When I first started doing Depop, I wasn’t listing measurements. The issue with this is that, especially with used or vintage clothes, the size listed on the tag isn’t necessarily how it will fit when it comes to modern sizes.
For example, I have a ton of items in my shop that are listed as large or extra large, but I wear a small and they fit me just fine.
It is best to include the measurements of an item so buyers know whether or not it would actually fit them. It is a little bit of a hassle, but it honestly is super quick to do it and you’re more likely to make a sale that way (especially in the beginning).
I’ve honestly gotten a little lazy with listing measurements as time has gone on, but I definitely found that it made me more sales when I first started! I still list measurements on items where the sizing seems a little iffy.
When I first started taking measurements, I used the “measure” app on my phone (if you have an iphone, the measure app should already be on there). This can be a good way to do it if you’re just getting started and want to save money.
However, since then, I’ve started using a little tape measurer like this one. I find it a lot quicker, easier, and more accurate than using the measure app on my phone. They’re usually under $5, so pretty inexpensive and definitely worth it.
Relevant Hashtags
Listing hashtags at the end of a description will help when it comes to search results. Think about what you would search if you were looking for an item like yours. Doing a hashtag of whatever aesthetic it is is a good way to do this.
For example, in the picture above, some of the hashtags I used were “dainty,” “fairy,” and “bridal.” These are all things I think people would search if they were looking for items like that one.
I had a lot of trouble coming up with relevant hashtags when I first started. A couple good ways to figure out what hashtags to use are looking for similar items and seeing what they hashtag, and also looking at the explore page to see what hashtags are popular that also apply to your item.
Tags
Including tags is another important thing when it comes to being seen in search results. In the picture above, the tags are “white,” “vintage,” “cute,” etc. When you’re listing an item, Depop gives you a section where you can choose from different tags that are relevant to your item.
7. Pricing
Knowing how to price your item can be really confusing at first. It’s one of the main things you need to know when it comes to how to sell on depop.
The best way I’ve found to price items is to look at the “market value.” I’ll search similar items in Depop and see what other people are selling them for. I’ll look up the brand, along with the type of item just to get a good feel for the demand. I’ve also started reverse image searching items on google to see how much they’re selling for on other places as well.
Depop also recently came out with a feature that is SUPER helpful when it comes to pricing where it shows similar items that have already sold and what price they sold at when you go to price an item. I’d recommend combining this with the method I mentioned above!
A big part of pricing is to experiment with it. You don’t want to list things too low because, surprisingly, that can make people less likely to buy it. You also don’t want to list it too high.
Eventually you’ll get a feel for what price point people will buy your stuff at, but it does take a little experimenting. Don’t be afraid to change prices or run discounts.
8. Shipping Prices
Another aspect of pricing is shipping.
You have two options when it comes to shipping. You can either ship through Depop, or use your own shipping. To use your own shipping you’ll have to use a shipping website and input all the info on there. To use Depop’s shipping, you just need the item’s weight.
I personally use Depop’s shipping because I find it easier and more convenient, but using your own shipping can be cheaper.
It’s good to have a scale to weigh clothes when it comes to shipping. Whether you use Depop’s shipping or decide to use your own, you’ll have to input the estimated weight of the package. If you put in the wrong weight you can run into trouble with the post office not shipping the package.
I got into trouble with Depop a few times for listing the wrong weight when I first started out. If your post office is strict about the weight on things and you ship with depop, they’ll notify Depop when your package weighs more than the shipping label. It could also create a situation where the item gets sent back for insufficient postage, they could charge your buyer to have the item delivered, or they could charge you extra when you drop it off.
I specifically go to a post office that I know is lax with the shipping weights on prepaid packages, so I don’t pay TOO much attention to it anymore (and I’ve gotten a good feel for how much things weigh in the past few years I’ve been doing this), but I’d definitely recommend investing in a scale if you’re not sure how strict your post office is or if you have trouble estimating the weight on things.
9. Refresh Listings Every Day
When it comes to knowing how to sell on Depop, it is important to know how to make sure your listings are seen.
The most recent listings are the ones that show up first in search results. A good way to make sure that people are still seeing items is to refresh the listing every day.
To do this, you simply go to your item, click edit, and then click save. This will make it look like the item was just listed. It is a bit tedious, but this is important to do often so that even items that were listed a long time ago keep showing up in search results. Every day I go through and start at the bottom of my listings and refresh all of them.
10. Post New Items Consistently
Along with refreshing old items every day, it is important to post consistently. The more new items you’re listing in your shop, the more people it will bring in to look at your other items, and the more likely it is that you’ll make a sale.
I’ve noticed that when I’m posting consistently I make a lot more sales than when I’m not making any new listings and am just refreshing old ones.
Tips For After You Make A Sale
11. Be Communicative
I would say the most important thing after making a sale is to communicate with the buyer as soon as possible.
Here’s an example of the kind of message I’ll send once someone makes a purchase. I make sure to thank them, let them know when I’ll drop it off at the post office, and let them know that I will continue to keep them updated.
I keep a little template of this message in my notes app. When I make a sale, I copy and paste it into a message to the buyer! It saves me a ton of time and brain power to just copy paste the message instead of having to type it out each time.
Good customer service can go a really long way! It can also help you get good reviews, which will make it more likely for people to buy from you.
12. Ship quickly
I feel like there is nothing worse than making an online purchase and then having to wait 10 years for it to come.
This is another thing that just goes along with having good customer service. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get good reviews. I typically try to ship within 3 days.
Depop will include on your profile how fast you ship (that feature can be a little finicky though, mine says I often ship in 5 days but that definitely isn’t right). If you have a longer shipping time it will show that and make it less likely for people to buy from you, so try to ship asap.
Be Transparent About Estimated Shipping Times
Sometimes you aren’t going to be able to ship within a few days. If shipping is going to take longer than a few days, I will typically put a note in my bio and post a listing that I keep at the top with my next shipping date.
For example, this is what my profile looks right now! I’m currently out of state for a couple weeks, so I made sure to have the next shipping date on my profile.
If something comes up that you aren’t aware of ahead of time and you’re not going to be able to ship quickly, I would message the buyer and let them know what is going on and when they can expect it to be shipped.
Another thing I do that helps when it comes to prolonged shipping times is I add some little treats or goodies to packages that took a bit to ship. In the listing that says “important info” I wrote a caption that lets buyers know of the prolonged shipping and that I’ll be including a little treat for their patience with shipping. Little things like this go a long way!
13. Packing Orders
Packing orders is my absolute FAVORITE part of selling on Depop. If you’re wondering how to sell on Depop, knowing how to pack orders is a super important part.
Here is an example of what my orders look like packed. I try to make it as cute as possible to make sure opening it is a great experience for the buyer.
Tips for packing orders
Cute packaging
Like I said, I love to make the packaging super cute .This isn’t completely necessary, but I definitely think it helps you get good reviews.
Here are the things I use to pack my orders. I like to use either eco friendly mailers or reuse boxes and mailers I’ve gotten in the mail.
I’ve also gone on Facebook Marketplace and gotten packing supplies second hand from small business owners who were going out of business! That’s another good way to be eco friendly with packaging.
Add thank you notes
Adding a thank you note is a little thing to do that really takes a package above and beyond.
I make my own hand painted thank you cards and I customize them based on the customer’s name, what they bought, etc. Here’s the script I usually use for my thank you cards:
“*Insert their name*,
thanks so much for your purchase! This *item* is so cute and I’m so glad it found a good home. I hope you love it!
Thanks again, Ryan”
If you don’t want to make your own cards, you can also buy some like these that are insanely cute.
Freebies
Including a little goodie bag isn’t completely necessary, but I think it’s another thing that really just brings a package above and beyond. And it’s really nice to do.
Here are the little goodie bags I like to use, along with some things I’ll usually include. The world is really your oyster when it comes to freebies. I’ve seen people use scrunchies, butterfly clips, etc. If you put candy in it make sure it is wrapped in plastic so that there isn’t any contamination going on and so it won’t get on the clothes if it melts.
I love doing freebies, but with how many sales I make now, it takes too long to pack them and put them with every order. I’ll still occasionally add in some goodies to some orders, especially large orders or orders with delayed shipping (like I talked about earlier).
Goodie bags are always super appreciated by my buyers when I do send them, and they’re likely to get you good reviews, which is super important in the beginning. So, I’d really recommend doing them, especially when you’re just starting out!
Those are all my depop tips for now! I really hope this post helped you. If you have any questions or things you’d like me to address in a future post, you can leave a comment or shoot me an email via my contact page!
This post was all about how to sell on Depop.
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