- Sandra Wyer is a 34-year-old Poshmark seller in Virginia.
- As of May 2023, she earned $352,417 on Poshmark since starting resale as a side hustle in 2018.
This as-told-to essay is based on an interview with Sandra Wyer, a 34-year-old seller on Poshmark, a resale marketplace that allows people to buy and sell new and used clothing, shoes, accessories, and home goods.
Wyer, who lives in Virginia, earned $352,417 on Poshmark as of May 2023 since she started selling as a side hustle in 2018; Insider verified her income with documentation. Last year, Wyer began hosting live shows on the app and generated $118,967 in sales for 2022.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I source a lot of my inventory online
At the beginning, I started to sell small brands and brands that I knew like Banana Republic, Free People, and Madewell. Then I started an Instagram account and met other resellers in the community, so they shared what they source.
I started sourcing more designer items in 2020 when everything shut down. I couldn't go out to source, so the only way to do it was online. I came across some designer pieces, so it was a bigger investment. I purchased a few things that were a little pricier, and it took about a month for the first one to sell.
It's the same amount of work, whether it's a designer or a small brand. I still have to photograph and measure both. So I figured why not just focus more on the brands that make a bigger profit? I do my research on how much an item retails for and how much I could sell it for to see if it's worth it.
I did my first live show on Poshmark in late November. It went great, and I was so happy I did it. Now I'm doing two shows a week, and it's been such a game changer. Most of last year, I generated about $10,000 a month in sales. When I started the shows, my monthly sales doubled to $20,000.
I mainly shop on either Poshmark or the other resale sites like eBay and Mercari. Then there is ThredUp, The RealReal, or other consignment stores that offer online shopping. I also source from Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack. They have major sales a couple times a year.
I always research what colors and styles are trending on Net-a-Porter, Google, or Pinterest. Lately, it's styles from the 1990s and baggy clothes. It also depends on the age group of my audience and what my customers shop for. I'm leaning more toward items for people between their late 20s to 40s.
Modeling my listings makes a big difference
Three years ago, I started modeling my listings, and it was the best decision I could have made for the business. Before, I would use stock photos but sometimes I couldn't find any; other times I didn't like how something looked on the hanger. Other times, listings would be removed because the picture wasn't authorized. So I just figured I'd start modeling, and it was so helpful.
People like to see how it looks on a real person. I always share measurements, so if the top is a large but it fits me, they know it runs small. Modeling has changed the game for me, and I do it on a daily basis. I try to not use brand photos anymore.
Prices depend on the item and your target customer
First, I look for something similar to whatever I find on Google or Poshmark's sold items. For example, if it's a dress, I look for similar dresses by the same brand and see how much they usually sell for. Based on how much I paid for it, I price it somewhere in the middle.
We can also negotiate the price. I always price things just a little higher than I would like to get, just to have that room for negotiation, but I don't like to price things too high.
People have different budgets, so I like to have a range of prices and a variety of items. There are definitely customers who would buy $600 shoes, and those buyers don't negotiate very much. But not everyone can afford Christian Louboutin shoes. You also have customers who want a cute Free People top for $50.