Whether you are looking for a new side hustle that can make you some extra money or you are simply wanting to declutter your home from unwanted items, reselling on second-hand apps is the best route for you.
The apparel resale industry currently sits at approximately $141 billion, but is estimated to reach $218 billion by 2026!
Thanks to Gen Z and millennials, reselling through second-hand apps has become an extremely profitable side gig that can easily turn into full-time income; perfect for those who would rather be their own boss.
There are a myriad of online marketplaces you can choose from when it comes to buying and selling new and pre-loved items. However, each platform has its own product niche it is known for. Thus, it is wise to choose a marketplace that caters to your own goals and needs.
Everything you need to know about buying and selling on resale marketplaces is right here!
This is why we have created an ultimate list of the 5 best second-hand apps across the web:
Depop
Founded in Italy in 2011, Depop is made up of over 3.1 million active buyers and 1.8 million active sellers.
Overview
This popular reselling platform is widely known for its fashion-savvy users, making it one of the best-second apps for those who are looking for unique and authentic items.
The most popular items sold on the platform are trendy jewellery and apparel pieces.
Unlike similar marketplaces like Vinted, Depop users are heavily inspired by the latest social media and fashion trends. This is why the majority of buyers and sellers belong to younger age groups.
In fact, 90% of its active users are under the age of 26, making this app great for those who are looking to target Gen Z fashion; especially vintage, Y2K and streetwear categories.
This focus on the latest trends means that for Depop users, the vibe matters more than the brand. This is great news for those who are looking to buy aesthetic fits on a budget!
Fees
Depop charges a 10% selling fee, which is deducted from the seller’s profit after a transaction has been made.
A great way to combat the effect of platform fees is to increase the item price in order to cover the loss of profit.
You can also use our free Depop Fee Calculator to find out your predicted revenue after fees and taxes here.
Find out more: Depop Fees Guide
Must-Have Tools
Just like with any other second-hand app, becoming a successful seller requires a lot of marketing efforts; ranging from frequent refreshing of listings to bulk messaging followers and previous buyers. All these serve to boost your shop’s visibility and inevitably increase the chances of a sale being made.
What if we told you that all the top sellers are using software that automates all these features for them?
Making use of a Depop Bot is highly recommended for any seller who is looking to increase their profits on the platform.
With important features such as auto-follow, auto-refresh and automatic relist/delist functions, a Depop Bot can help you save time and money by making the entire selling process simpler. Try out our Depop Bot for FREE.
You can also make use of a crosslisting app to sell on multiple marketplaces at once (including Depop!).
Crosslister allows you to list to depop and other popular marketplaces (etsy, ebay, etc) in just a few clicks. Every seller making serious money on a marketplace is making use of a crosslisting app!
Start crosslisting today for free here
Poshmark
Founded in the US in 2011, Poshmark currently has over 80 million users and 200 million listings.
Overview
This social network marketplace is a second-hand haven for those who are looking to buy and/or sell fashion apparel, electronics, and beauty products. However, the platform is widely known for its huge luxury fashion niche, making it ideal for the resale of new and pre-loved designer pieces.
Poshmark is known for its easy user-interface, as it mimics popular social media where you can like, comment, and follow your favourite sellers- also known as Poshers!
All you have to do is create your virtual closet by adding your listings. Each listing typically includes clear images of an item from multiple angles, an informative description, the size, price, color, brand, and original price.
Popular brands sold on Poshmark include Gucci, Lululemon, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Coach and Michel Kors.
Fees
While the app is free to download, it comes with a few fees that may seem quite steep for a lot of users. These include:
- Flat commission fee of $2.95 for items sold for $15 or less
- 20% commission fee for items sold for more than $15
- Flat shipping fee of $7.67 for items under 5lbs
- Additional shipping fees for items over 10lbs
No seller wants to see a long list of fees when choosing the best second-hand app for their business. However, Poshmark does not simply charge its users without giving something in return.
The app is known for its great buyer and seller protection, as well as their pre-paid shipping labels.
After all, the high number of active users speaks for itself!
Find out more: Poshmark Fees- The Definitive Guide
Must-Have Tools
Just like a Depop bot, opting for a Poshmark Bot to automate your closet will save you a ton of time, while also making a huge difference to your wallet!
Using automation software for your Poshmark closet means that you will no longer have to manually send offers to potential buyers that are liking your posts, or constantly relist your items for the much-needed exposure your shop needs.
You already have to deal with Poshmark’s pesky fees. Let our automation software make your time on the platform worth your while by boosting your visibility to potential buyers!
Try our Poshmark Bot for FREE.
Vinted
Founded in 2008, Vinted is a Lithuanian reselling platform with over 75 million users and 180 million listings.
Overview
This popular online marketplace is arguably one of the best second-hand apps for new sellers who are looking to start their reselling journey on a budget. This is due to the lack of platform fees that heavily favour sellers.
Like Depop, this is a great place to sell vintage fashion, although accessories and beauty products can also be listed.
Find out more: Depop vs Vinted- Which Reselling App is For You?
All you must do as a seller is take a few great pictures (it is recommended that you include at least 5), write an item description and wait until your listing gets noticed!
As a buyer, once you see an item of interest, you can either contact the seller with any questions you have or make an offer with a price that suits your budget- remember to stay realistic! Once agreed on the price, you can go ahead and buy the item through Vinted. This is important, as this is the only way you can qualify for Buyer Protection in the case of a missing or damaged item.
Fees
As previously mentioned, selling and listing your items on Vinted is completely free!
You may be wondering how Vinted makes its money if sellers do not contribute in the form of fees. Unlike most reselling platforms, this second-hand app makes its money through the Buyer Protection fee customers pay when making a purchase.
This is all great news for first-time sellers or for those who would rather avoid platform fees at any cost!
Find out more: Vinted Fees- The Ultimate Guide for Buyers and Sellers
Must-Have Tools
While Vinted fees are not something you should be concerned about, becoming a successful seller with a profitable business means that you need to do more than simply list your items.
Bumping your listings to appear at the top of the search results requires sellers to delete and repost their current listings.
Depending on the number of listings you have, this can be an incredibly time-consuming process that is open to human error.
A Vinted Bot can automatically bump, edit and add views to your listings; allowing you to focus on other aspects of marketing for your business.
Mercari
Founded in Japan in 2013, Mercari has over 20 million monthly users and 2 billion listings.
Overview
Mercari is one of the best second-hand apps for selling new and used products of any category. Unlike niche platforms such as Depop, Vinted and Poshmark, most product categories can be sold successfully on this app.
Despite that, collectibles are particularly popular here, including limited edition items and video games.
As a seller, all you need to do is make your product listings by including up to 4 clear pictures, a precise description, the price, and condition.
Offering free shipping is recommended to any seller who is looking to maximize their profit, as they tend to be more popular with buyers. To make up for the financial loss, you can adjust your item price to cover the shipping costs.
Once a purchase has been made, Mercari provides its sellers with a FedEx or USPS shipping label which can be attached to the parcel.
A feature that makes Mercari unique is their Local Pickup option, which became possible after the platform partnered up with Uber to resolve safety concerns users had with other apps that allowed local meetups.
Instead of sellers having to meet up with their customers to deliver purchased items, sold products can now be given to the buyers through contact-free delivery. In other words, a pickup can be scheduled through an Uber Driver or FedEx Same Day.
Unfortunately, Mercari does not offer international shipping at the moment, making it available across the US only.
Fees
Mercari only charges its sellers on each successful sale:
Selling (10%) and payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.50)
This means that downloading and listing on the app is free; leaving you with one less thing to worry about.
Find out more: Mercari Fees- A Seller’s Guide
Must-Have Tools
Unless you are strictly sticking to limited-edition collectibles, selling on just a single platform is outdated and unlikely to make you a top seller.
It all makes sense when you think about it. If the same item is listed on multiple apps, there is a much greater likelihood of it being seen by potential customers.
Crosslister is a software that automates the process of selling on multiple sites at once.
While this can be carried out manually, it is prone to mistakes that can significantly affect your seller rating if gone unnoticed. After all, you should be aiming for consistent positive reviews if you want to become a trusted seller.
This automation software does everything for you! From automatically crossposting your listings individually or in bulk to multiple apps, to delisting items and avoiding a double sale, Crosslister is a must for any seller who is looking to make serious profit!
eBay
Founded in the US in 1995, eBay is the second largest e-commerce marketplace after Amazon. It currently has over 187 million users across the globe and it has been known as the king of second-hand retail.
Overview
This huge online platform is available in 180 countries, making it an ideal reselling app for a big international audience.
Similar to Mercari, you can successfully sell any product of your choice. However, the most popular categories include collectibles, electronics, sneakers and furniture.
Find out more: How to Become a Sneaker Reseller
While eBay offers traditional fixed-price listings, it also operates on a bid system that allows buyers to send their best offers for an auctioned item. Once the auction ends, the buyer that has set the higher bid will receive the product.
Fees
The platform fees can be slightly complicated for new sellers, as they tend to vary with each product category.
As a rule of thumb, there are two main fees you need to be aware of: insertion and final value fees.
An insertion fee is what eBay charges you when you have more than 250 listings per month. This starts at $0.35 per listing.
A final value fee is a selling fee that is deducted from a successful sale. The percentage largely depends on the type of product you are selling, but they tend to average between 12% to 15%.
Find out more about eBay’s selling fees here.
Must-Have Tools
Crosslisting is a significant marketing strategy that is guaranteed to maximise your profits.
As mentioned earlier, Crosslister is an automation software that takes care of the entire process for you.
It is supported by most marketplaces, including:
- Depop
- Vinted (UK, US, FR, CA support)
- Poshmark (US/CA)
- Mercari
- Ebay (UK/US/FR/CA/AU)
- Etsy
- Grailed
- Facebook Marketplace
- Instagram (Partial Support)
- Shopify
- Shpock
- & More!
In Conclusion…
Deciding on the best second-hand app for your business can be difficult when you don’t have all the information you need to make the right informed decision.
In this ultimate list, we have gathered the top 5 best second-hand apps for sellers and/or buyers who are looking to become a proud member of the ever-growing resale industry.
Here at SellerAider, we make automation software that allows our customers to list their products on multiple sites at once; eliminating the need to decide on a single app for your business.
After all, boosting visibility can be better achieved by appearing on the searches of multiple e-commerce platforms.
Try our crosslisting software for FREE and maximize your profits in weeks!