ThredUp Starting Tips: What to Send In

What is so great about ThredUp is that you pretty much just have to send items in and ThredUp does all the work.

So that leads to the ever always big ticket question, "What items do I send in to ThredUp?"

This is not a black and white answer, which is also probably why you haven't gotten the answer that you have wanted from other resellers. 

But in today's email, I will dive into trends that do well as well as one's I LOVE to send in.

First, it is so so important to know how ThredUp pays out. As you can see ThredUP ALWAYS takes at least a 20% commission (same as Poshmark) and they take out more and more the cheaper the item is. 

This is why I mainly focus on items that sell for a higher amount. For me personally, I don't find items super duper cheap (I don't shop at the bins and I don't get donations), so I like to send in items that can be listed over $100. 

Items under $150 are subject to sales, which occur more and more on ThredUp. If someone buys your item from a sale or with a code, you are getting even less (up to 20%). And in the lower price ranges, you end up only making $5-15 per sale. With the new changes of paying for expedited shipping, getting items back, and a 30lb. weight limit, I'd rather send in another item. 

So what items do sell for a higher selling price? Again, it so so depends, and like I talked about last email, depends on who is looking at it at the right time, but there are aspects of different categories that I have found do better regardless of brand. 

1. Item Category: Dresses & Coats

I pretty much only send in these items on ThredUp. Sweaters are next best, then tops. I never pick up pants or skirts anymore (unless they are leather or trendy jeans), they just do not move for me or not worth the payout. 

This is very similar to Poshmark as well where the fact is, people are more willing to spend money on these items.

Digging deeper into dresses, sheath dress tend to do best on ThredUp. Imagine a women looking for the perfect business casual or professional dress. Those dresses do great on ThredUp.


2. Fabric: Wool, Leather, Silk, or Cashmere

When ThredUp is calculating estimated retail price, these fabrics 1000% factor into creating a higher price.

These fabrics are also of super high quality, and I have found it is very attractive to a lot of buyers on ThredUp.

If you are looking to pay up for items to send into ThredUp, these materials are going to be something to pay attention to. 


3. Style: In-Season

In-season styling is so important on ThredUp. Not just the weather season, but what is trending. 

For example, wrap dresses, boho chic, and minimalist modern styles are doing really well on ThredUp. Outdated styles are not very easy to sell.

I used to pick up strictly on brand to send into ThredUp. I still have so many ugly designer trousers, skirts, and blazers that are not moving. Even at low prices 90% off retail. Not worth it.

Brands to Send In  Yes, brands are always changing and it can be hard to know what exactly is a good brand to send into ThredUp. Send in some you are comfortable with and continue to experiment with others over time. For example, I strictly send in majority designer items from local consignment shops. But I have been experimenting with some lower end brands from thrift stores. I have noticed it is a lot easier for cheaper brands to sell closer to estimated retail, so I am testing out brands that retail around $150-200 where I could max price it $100-150. Still, a very good profit from thrift store prices. Some of these brands I am currently testing are White House Black Market, Ann Taylor, and Joie. Will update on my stories.  But, one way you can see what is sought out on ThredUp is simply by looking at the searches on the app.  It tells you exactly what is trending. So keep this list in mind when sourcing at your thrift stores!   I myself am keeping track of those brands if I do find them at good prices, in excellent condition, have a size tag (or else ThredUp will reject no matter what), and are a great style.  BUT, I will reveal a couple brands that I have continuously seen do well on ThredUp myself: Etro Jimmy Choo Free People  Halston Heritage Diane von Furstenberg Burberry These are brands that have sold multiple times for me in a decently quick amount of time or always get a lot of likes. Keep paying attention to item activity (likes, how often in somone's cart) as you get more and more items into ThredUp. This is one of the best ways to learn for yourself what to send in.  But it doesn't stop there once you send items in! As much as ThredUp can be a "leave and forget it" platform, spending a bit more focus on it can really help drive sales. All of this will be covered in the next post. XOXO  - Ashley   Want the actual know of all things ThredUp? Consider enrolling in Kreithchele's course (the same one I took!) Enroll here.