One of the most common questions I get asked is, “What are some places to source inventory for Poshmark?” The answer is, it depends on your goals.
If you plan to sell on Poshmark full-time, you may choose to find a place to source inventory that will provide a steady stream of products, such as wholesaling. But if your intent is to use Poshmark as your side hustle, you have the freedom to source inventory from multiple places whenever you spot a good deal. Plus it never hurts to have more than one inventory source (you know the saying about putting all your eggs in one basket!)
The best places to source inventory for Poshmark when you’re starting out
When you’re just getting started it’s best to avoid spending money on inventory if you can. Try out this reselling thing and make sure it’s truly something you want to do.
Look around your own home
The best place to start your reselling business is to look around your own home. Before you go out and spend money on things to sell, see if you have things around your house that you no longer use. It’s common advice, but you may be surprised at what you find. I have been shocked at the profits I made on things I looked at everyday in my home but didn’t really need anymore.
Ask friends and family
Sometimes if you tell your friends and family about your business you’ll be surprised to find they have tons of items they’ve been wanting to get rid of. Maybe they’ve been meaning to donate it and just haven’t had the chance. It never hurts to ask, especially if they’re willing to let you have it for free! Some people also consign higher value items for their friends and family, which means they sell the item and then give the friend or family member a cut of the profit.
Other places to find inventory
Thrift Stores
The first place you may think to source inventory for Poshmark is thrift stores. This is one of the easiest ways to source inventory, as there are thrift stores in nearly every area. Veteran thrifters can tell you that some thrift stores have significantly increased their prices due to resellers buying up items. Be sure to find out if your local thrift has sale days, discounts or coupons. More often than not you can still find deals good enough to flip.
Goodwill Outlets (aka “The Bins”)
Goodwill outlets (which you’ll often hear resellers refer to as “the bins”) are Goodwill stores where items usually sell by weight. There are fewer of these stores then regular Goodwill stores, but if you have one within driving distance it can often be worth the trek. Go with gloves and be prepared to dig. I once found a Coach bag buried under a bunch of other purses, that I was able to resell for about a $40 profit. You can find your nearest Goodwill outlet (or retail store) by clicking here.
Yard Sales
If you live in an area where yard sales are a thing, you’re in luck! I have found some of my best deals at yard sales. Most people hosting a yard sale just want to clear out their stuff, and will sell things for cheap. Prices are usually negotiable as well. I once stopped at a yard sale with mountains of nice clothing. They were charging a flat price for as much as you could fit into a garbage bag. You never know unless you stop and look!
Flea Markets
Not only is it fun to browse flea markets, but you can find really interesting items to resell. I’ve found books, baby items, home goods, clothing and shoes that I’ve resold for profit.
Storage Unit Auctions
If you’ve ever watched Storage Wars you’ll know what I’m talking about. The show dramatizes storage unit buying quite a bit, but it really is a valid way to source inventory. My dad and brother are really into this, and I’ve tagged along to quite a few sales. It’s usually a mystery as to exactly what you’ll uncover, since you can only see the contents of the unit from the door. But as you gain more experience, as my dad explains, you learn how to glean some info about what might be hiding in all the bins and boxes.
Estate Sales
Estate sales are one of the most fun ways to source inventory, in my opinion. I’m a softy and I feel strange sifting through all of a person’s former belongings, but I also love antiques and the unique items you can find at estate sales. Some estate sales are auctions, and some you will actually walk through a person’s home and “shop” for the items you want. In an auction setup, everyone gets a chance to see the items up for sale before bidding begins. When the sale is set up inside a home it’s usually first come first served.
Estate Liquidators
My mom works for an estate liquidation company that buys out entire estates. They sell the nicest things themselves, but they put many things in their shop for sale for cheap. I have sourced designer clothes there from high-end estates that I was able to sell for really good profits. Check and see if there are liquidation companies in your area, and if you can buy inventory from them.
Liquidation Lots
The difference between this and estate liquidators is this is usually an online company who buys overstock, returned or damaged inventory from large retailers. They turn around and sell these items in lots at a wholesale price. Sometimes you can see exactly what you’re purchasing, but sometimes you will be buying a mystery lot with a general description of the type of items.
Retail Arbitrage
This is where you shop retail stores (brick and mortar or online) for sale items that you can resell for more. You will pay more for these items as they are usually new, so be sure to check sold prices on the item and ensure you can make a profit before purchasing. If you’re shopping online don’t forget to consider any shipping costs you’ll need to pay to get the items to you.
Discount stores (T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, etc) / Outlets
Similar to arbitrage, you can often source brand name items new with tags but at a cheaper price than regular retail. Made-for-outlet items are not always worth as much as their regular retail counterparts, but every now and then you’ll find retail items at the outlets that are deeply discounted. This is especially true at stores like Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off 5th, etc.
Craigslist / Facebook Marketplace
If you have a little time on your hands, you can look through listings on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. There are also Facebook groups specifically for buying and selling. One other thing you could try is posting that you buy clothes in bulk. This is hit or miss…you have to be sure what you’re getting is in good condition and resellable.
Curbside Freebies / “Dumpster Diving”
Depending where you live, you may be surprised what people put out on the curb or in the trash. I have found so many nice home goods that were left on the curb with a “free” sign! In my city there are bulk trash pickup days a couple times per year. I’ve actually picked up things before the trash truck got there. Also if you take a drive around wealthy neighborhoods on the weekend when people are likely to be doing some clean-out, you just might find some curbside freebies.
Other Selling Platforms
Believe it or not, I have purchased things on eBay to sell on Poshmark, and vice versa. I think it works especially well on eBay, where you have a chance of getting an item for cheap if it’s an auction-style listing. I usually type in my search term and then sort by “ending soonest” to catch some listings that are about to end with no bids. Then I swoop in and purchase the item right before the auction ends. Other popular reselling platforms include Mercari, Etsy, Vinted, Depop, Kidizen, Letgo and Amazon.
Consignment
Profit margins won’t be as big with items purchased at consignment stores, but it doesn’t hurt to look. I will say I’ve sourced inventory at stores like Plato’s Closet when they’re running an end-of season sale and found plenty of things I was able to resell.
