How to Sell Used Clothing on eBay

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 17, 2023 References

Using eBay to sell the clothes that you don't wear anymore is a quick and easy way to make some money. You can sell any kind of garment or accessory, including shoes, hats, scarves, and ties, and belts. After deciding what you'd like to sell and photographing the items individually, you can advertise them on eBay through your user account. You'll manage everything from describing the item, setting its price, providing shipping options, to communicating with customers. For as little time as it takes to set up and manage an online store, you can make a good amount of money, while freeing up closet space in the process.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Choosing What to Sell

1
Decide what you’re willing to give up. You’ll need to choose items that are in good enough shape to sell, and ones you won’t mind letting go of. It can be easy to get stuck at the stage of choosing which clothes you can do without. A good approach is to separate the clothes you wear frequently from the clothes you aren’t wearing and continually pass up when choosing an outfit.^{[1]
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Research source} The odds are good that you won’t regret selling anything that has been gathering dust in your closet, and that you won’t wear these neglected items again.
2
Sort the good from the bad. It might not be worthwhile to try selling items that have a low resale value. To get an idea of what an item of clothing could be worth, do a search from the eBay homepage. Your search terms should include at least the brand name, size, and style of clothing.
- Clothing brands that tend to sell well and at a good price include J. Crew, Victoria’s Secret, Bebe, Columbia, Tahari, Banana Republic, Under Armour, Miss Me Jeans, Theory, Lululemon,^{[2]
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  Research source} River Island, Zara, Topshop, Miss Selfridge,^{[3]
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  Research source} Claiborne, Patagonia, Tory Burch, Michael Stars, Hudson Jeans, and Rachel Roy.
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3
Check for damaged clothing and accessories. Some of your choices might also be too damaged to be attractive to buyers. For the more valuable items, a small hole or tear that could easily be repaired is ok. But long rips, big holes, stains, or major discoloration tend to make the item difficult to sell. Shoes should have all eyelets intact, no stains or tears to the material, and a sole that is not visibly worn down.
4
Wash or dry clean all the clothes. Put each item you plan to sell through the wash or have them dry cleaned. In addition to being eBay’s policy,^{[4]
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Research source} washing gets your clothes in the most presentable shape for being photographed. Some cotton items may be ironed as well--wrinkly clothing can put off potential buyers.
- You’ll need to dry clean certain delicate fabrics, such as silk and suede. Check the item’s tag for specific cleaning instructions, and look out for the “dry clean only” phrase.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Taking Pictures of Your Inventory

1
Set up a photo shooting area. Choose a space indoors that gets indirect natural light, where you can hang up your clothes or lay them out on a table. A white door or wall, or a white sheet as a background will help the item stand out better (unless it is solid white itself, in which case use any background but shades of white).
- If natural light won’t be enough to illuminate the item, set up lamps with lampshades around the area to provide extra sources of diffused light.^{[6]
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- Avoid direct sunlight or using the camera's flash, which can distort the garment’s colors.^{[7]
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2
Display clothes on hangers or lying flat. Avoid using plastic or wire hangers--a nice wooden or fabric-covered hanger will be much more attractive. Affix the hanger to a hook already in the wall or on a door, or to an adhesive hook.^{[8]
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Research source} Lay pants flat on a low surface, making sure to smooth out any creases as much as possible.
- If someone is available to help you, try modeling the clothes yourself. This will attract more attention, and give potential buyers a better sense of the item’s shape.^{[9]
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  Research source} A mannequin can also do this job quite nicely.
3
Take clear, high-quality pictures. Most modern digital cameras and cell phone cameras will produce images that are detailed enough to post on eBay. Take bright (but not overexposed), well-focused shots. The images should give an accurate representation of the colors, textures, and dimensions of the item
- In your camera's settings, select the highest level of photo quality. The minimum photo length allowed is 500 pixels for the longer side.
- Taking photos with a minimum length of 800 pixels will allow users to zoom in on the image of your item.^{[10]
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Use a tripod. If you're having trouble with blurry photos, either add extra light sources (without using the flash), or use a tripod to steady the camera. Most digital cameras have a timer function that allows to you set a countdown to when the photo will be taken automatically. This allows fully hands-free picture taking (if you use a tripod), which is another way to prevent the camera from shaking and taking blurry pictures.^{[11]
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Fill up the frame. The item you're photographing should take up about 80% to 90% of the picture's frame to show adequate detail.^{[12]
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Research source} If you're taking close-ups, the whole frame should be filled with the subject, but be sure everything is still in focus, is bright enough, and that it's clear what element is being shot.
- Some digital cameras have a macro setting that improves the clarity of close-ups. Use this setting if you're shooting closer than one foot (30 centimeters) from the subject.
6
Capture the defining details. It’s recommended that you shoot at least the front, back, and brand tags (external and internal) of the item, in addition to any flaws such as holes, tears, or discoloration.^{[13]
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Research source} Even better is to photograph components such as pockets and fringes, and standout elements like embroidery or unusual stitching.^{[14]
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- Imagine how you might inspect the item in a store. What elements would you check the most? Take photos of anything that might be of interest.^{[15]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Setting Up an Online Boutique

1
Register for a seller account. To set up an eBay account, click on the blue “register” hyperlink in the top left corner of the homepage. You’ll be asked to provide basic personal information, a method of payment for your seller’s fees, and a username. Think of your username as the company name of your online store. Make it a personal brand that is appealing and catchy without sounding too obscure or awkward.
2
Register for a verified PayPal account. You’ll receive payments from any clothes you sell through PayPal. A verified account is easy to set up, allows to you sell internationally, and gives you more credibility on eBay.^{[16]
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Research source} You’ll find a link to PayPal setup on your eBay account page.
3
Choose an appropriate category for each item. To begin, click on the “Sell” link on the top left-hand side of the eBay homepage. After choosing “Create a listing,” you’ll be asked to type in a description of the item. Follow the example provided, listing at least of few characteristics of the item, including gender, size, color, and style. A category will then be suggested for you, and if it seems accurate, click on “Create Listing.”^{[17]
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- For example, a search for “women’s gray LL Bean capri pants size 10" will recommend the category of "Pants."
4
Write an informative title. Include basic elements such as brand name, style, color, and material. The more descriptive your title, the more often the item will show up in shoppers' search results.
- For example, an appropriate title for a pair of jeans is something like, "Ralph Lauren Polo Jeans Black Classic Boot Cut Size 8."
5
Describe the item in detail. Be as descriptive as possible, including the brand name, material, size, color, and any pattern or embellishments. Use adjectives such as “dark” and “light” for colors, since the photo won’t appear the same on all screens. For women’s dresses give waist size and dress length, and for men’s shirts give armpit-to-armpit length, plus sleeve length.^{[18]
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- For example, a good description of a vintage blouse would be, "Vintage 70's Pat Argenti sheer ruffle front blouse. Small black buttons in back, faux button front. No size tag so please check measurements for fitting. Measures unstretched approximately: 40" (102cm) bust, 40" waist, 23" (58cm) shoulder to hemline. Dark green velvet ribbon detailing. Please note ribbon coming apart near the neck, also separating near the underarm & bust seams."
- Give all measurements in both inches and centimeters for the convenience of international shoppers.
- Other helpful measurements include bust/chest, waist, hips, inseam, pant length, and bell width (for skirts or dresses).
6
Decide on a pricing format. You have the option of selling the item at a price that you set, or putting it up for bid along with the option of a fixed-price sale (“Buy it Now”). If you’re concerned about your auction item selling at a really low price, you can set a reserve price under which it can’t be sold. Otherwise, for less valuable items, setting a low starting bid at $1 or lower can attract a high volume of bargain hunters.^{[19]
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Research source} The greater the number of bidders, the better the chance for bidding competition that elevates selling prices.
7
Upload your photos. On the "Create Your Listing" page, in the section titled "Bring your item to life with pictures, click on "Add Pictures." You can add one photo for free, but additional shots will cost a little extra. It's worth paying this extra price, especially for the more valuable items, to add several pictures for the the customers' convenience.
8
Set a shipping price. You can make three shipping price options available to potential customers: free shipping, flat fee shipping, and calculated cost shipping. Offer at least one other method besides free shipping in case the customer needs expedited shipping.
- For flat fee shipping, you set the shipping price when listing the item, based its packed weight. Use eBay’s shipping cost calculator to help estimate a cost for your item.^{[20]
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- With calculated cost shipping, the shipping cost will be calculated for your customers at check out, based on your zip code, the customer’s zip code, and the weight of the packed item.^{[21]
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Offer several shipping options. You’ll be given the option to choose mail carriers and shipping speeds to offer to potential buyers. Make as many shipping methods available as you’re willing to accommodate, but try at least to offer several expedited shipping options, since some customers might decide not to buy your item if they can’t get it promptly.
- Strongly consider offering free shipping: it’s an incentive to buyers, you’ll get an automatic 5-star seller rating for shipping, and you’ll show up higher on the list of shoppers’ searches for your items.^{[22]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Packing and Shipping

1
Have plenty of envelopes and boxes at hand. Once payment has been confirmed, you should have your package ready for shipment. For general shipping, a bubble envelope or small- to medium-size cardboard box should be large enough and provide enough protection for most clothing items.
- Use a USPS First Class envelope for lighter clothing and accessories such as scarves and ties, if the item and envelope together weigh less than 13 ounces.
- For packed items weighing more than 13 ounces, use a USPS Flat Rate Priority envelope or box, if you’ve offered these shipping options to your buyers.^{[23]
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2
Pack the item carefully. Since you took care to wash and iron your clothing for sale, try to pack the item in a way that will allow it to arrive with as few wrinkles and creases as possible. Fold shirts and pants neatly, and wrap them in thick paper or a sturdy plastic bag to provide extra protection and stabilization in the package.
- Use commercial-grade packing tape to seal boxes and envelopes, and to affix your mailing labels to them.
3
Print a shipping label. Use the eBay Print Label tool to easily print out postage-paid shipping labels. From the “Sold” page (the one that lists your sold items), check the box to the left of the item you want to print a label for, then from the “More actions” drop-down menu, select “Print Shipping Label.” The next page will give you a summary of the order, including shipping address, method, package weight, and shipping price. Verify that all this information is correct, then click on the blue “Purchase Postage” button, and follow the instructions for printing out the label.^{[24]
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- Cut the printout in half. Keep the receipt for your records, and tape the address label to the package.
- You can either drop off packages at the post office, or arrange with the post office for a pickup.
4
Follow up with your buyer. If you use the Print Label tool, the package’s tracking number should be automatically uploaded to the order information page for both you and the buyer. Being able to check this should give the buyer peace of mind about the status of the order. If the buyer has any questions before or after the purchase, or after receiving the item, be sure to respond in good time to their inquiries. Be courteous and understanding in dealing with their questions.^{[25]
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- Your helpfulness in answering customers’ questions should count towards a good seller review, as well as building customer loyalty. Just as with traditional stores, a satisfied customer tends to become a loyal customer.

Community Q&A

Question

How should I photograph the clothing?

Community Answer

Put a hook on the back of a door and hang each item on a hanger. Then, take a photo.
Question

Do I mail the clothes to eBay after listing them?

Community Answer

No, you don't mail the clothes to eBay. You keep the clothes in your home until someone buys them. Once someone buys the clothes, you mail it to that person's home.

Warnings

You cannot sell underwear, dirty clothes or cloth diapers on eBay.

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Try not to sell to people with bad feedback, if possible.

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