I'm a stay-at-home mom reselling clothes on Poshmark. The side hustle gave me financial independence and the opportunity to book a family vacation, which I couldn't do before.
- Sandra Wyer started selling on Poshmark as a side hustle and turned it into a full-time business.
- She recently started hosting live shows, which raised her monthly sales from $10,000 to $20,000.
This as-told-to essay is based on an interview with Sandra Wyer, a 34-year-old Poshmark seller in Virginia.
Poshmark is a resale marketplace that allows people to buy and sell new and pre-owned clothing, shoes, accessories, and home goods.
Wyer has earned $352,417 on Poshmark since starting it as a side hustle in 2018, which Insider verified with documentation. Last year, she began hosting live shows on the app and made $118,967 in annual sales. She told Insider that the live shows have doubled her monthly sales from $10,000 to $20,000.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I started selling on Poshmark as a side hustle
I was a new mom and I had quite a bit of stuff in my closet that I couldn't fit into anymore. They were really nice items and some were brand-new. I Googled the best way to sell items, and Poshmark was the first site to pop up. I did a little research and opened an account.
I listed a handful of items and it took three to four weeks to make my first sale, and it was addictive. So I went to my closet again, and I listed more items that would sell sporadically week after week. I had a Tory Burch bag and I sold it for $100 — I felt like I won the lottery. Eventually, my closet was almost empty, so I started thrifting. Between the second and third year of selling on Poshmark, I doubled my income.
Hosting live shows has doubled my monthly sales
I was initially hesitant to start live shows because I have stage fright. Then I heard my reseller friends on social media talking about it and I felt left out.
I did my first show 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.
The shows have boosted my profits. Last year I made an average of $10,000 a month. Since November, when I started the shows, my sales doubled to $20,000 a month.
I was a stay-at-home mom before this, so I didn't have my own income. Poshmark has given me the freedom to do whatever I want and spend however I want. The other day, I booked a family vacation to Mexico. I couldn't do that before.
How to host a live show on Poshmark
It's definitely a lot of work, especially for the two shows a week. First I have to source all the items to sell and that takes a day or two.
I show 50 items in each live event, and I put them all on hangers and see if they have stains or flaws. Next, I wash and steam everything. Then I need to photograph them — I model everything and edit the pictures. Finally, I schedule my show.
Usually, the title I use highlights some good designers or stuff that I have. Then I add all 50 items with a brief description, size, and pictures.
When the show starts, I log in and we just have fun. Usually, it's between three and four hours. I have quite a few repeat customers who keep showing up and watching the shows. We chat and I start bids. If a jacket is easy for me to put on, I try it on in front of the camera so they can see how it fits, and I show every single detail.
It's not all about business. There's plenty of time to have a little chat in between. Lately, about 100 people are tuning in to each show.
If people want to start doing live shows, I would say be yourself. It's intimidating the first time. You don't know if it's going to be five people or 100 people watching, but try to relax.
The buyers are also humans — they want to be entertained and have a good time. It's like a girls' night out.