How To Sell Clothes on Depop in 2024

Selling clothes on Depop is one of the easiest ways to make money online in the UK. Depop is an online platform that allows anyone over the age of 13 to sell their unwanted or thrift clothing to customers from around the globe. For fashion lovers, Depop can be a very appealing small business idea with huge potential profit margins. The best way to start a Depop business of your own is to sell clothing from your wardrobe that you no longer wear. In this article, we will walk you through how to sell clothes on Depop in the UK so that you can start making extra money online.

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How To Sell Clothes on Depop in the UK

To sell clothes on Depop you need to create an account, upload images of the clothing that you would like to sell, connect a payment method to your Depop account, and write optimized item descriptions to attract potential buyers. Selling clothes on Depop is a straightforward way to make money from your phone that takes just a few hours to start. I made £500 in one month by selling my unwanted clothes through the app. Below are the exact steps that you should follow to start your own successful Depop side hustle.

Step 1: Read the Depop seller guidelines

Before you start selling clothes in Depop, it is very important to read the Depop seller guidelines. Failure to follow these guidelines could result in your account being banned, preventing you from making any money from Depop in 2024.

The Depop guidelines protect both sellers and buyers on the platform by preventing the sale of fake or misleading items. The guidelines also ensure that items are shipped quickly to buyers and that sellers receive payment for all items that they sell.

Sellers must use accurate product descriptions with clear images and must also provide tracked shipping. It is also important that sellers communicate quickly with buyers through the platform. Depop users are also advised not to use offensive language and to handle any disputes through the Depop dispute resolution center.

Depop guidelines also provide advice around drop shipping, selling designer items and selling handmade items through Depop. This information could be very helpful to sellers who wish to turn their Depop store into a full-time small business.

Also read: How to start a reselling business in the UK

Step 2: Create a Depop account

After familiarizing yourself with the selling guidelines, it is now time to set up your Depop account. It is free to use Depop in the UK and no fees are charged for uploading items to your Depop store.

When you create a Depop account, you will be asked to provide a username, store name, and profile picture. Make sure that you set up your account so that it is appealing to potential buyers. Use a clear photo of yourself or a logo as your account profile picture and give your store a name that fits the style of clothing that you plan to sell. If you don’t have one specific style in mind, you could choose a generic name such as ‘Ruby’s Wardrobe’.

Buyers tend to judge Depop sellers by first impressions. Therefore, it is important to create a profile that appeals to customers. Aim for high-quality images, a catchy name, and a descriptive bio that accurately describes the clothes that you sell.

Here is how to create a Depop account in the UK:

1. Sign up with your email. For a quick sign up process, sign up with your Google or Apple account.

2. Fill out your personal details.

3. Verify your account through the email verification link. You can also use your mobile number to verify your Depop account in the UK.

4. Upload a profile image and answer some questions about your style.

5. Choose a store name and write a bio for your store. The bio should clearly describe your Depop shop and should also mention USPs such as free shipping or offers.

6. Connect your bank account to Depop. You will not be able to list any items for sale until you have connected your account to a verified payment method.

Step 3: Take photos of your clothing

The next step is to take photos of the clothing that you would like to sell. To be successful on Depop, take high-quality images using plain/light backgrounds and good lighting. It is also a good idea to take a photo of you wearing the item (if you can) so that buyers can see what it looks like off the hanger.

Every Depop seller has their own preferred way of taking photos. I recommend spending some time doing research by looking at successful sellers to get some photo inspiration. Some sellers use props to make their images stand out whereas others stick to very simple images that sell.

It is important to show as much as possible in the images that you take. Make sure to take close-up shots of any damage or flaws as well as authenticity markings if you are selling designer pieces. It is also a good idea to take photos of the label so that buyers can easily see the size of the item.

Depop also allows sellers to upload a video to their product listing. This is a good way to show the entire item if you do not have enough room to upload enough photos.

Also read: How to make money on Vinted

Step 4: Write optimized item descriptions and choose a price

Once you have taken photos of your clothing, it is time to write product descriptions and choose a price for each item that you want to sell.

Good descriptions are key to selling successfully on Depop. Try to optimize your description with key search terms and include as much detail as possible about the items that you want to sell. You should provide information such as condition, size, damage or flaws, and the quality of the item.

Depop does not allow sellers to use keywords or hashtags that do not accurately describe the item that they are selling. This is done to prevent sellers from falsely advertising items to buyers. If you accidentally use an incorrect word in the listing, it will get taken down by the Depop team and you will be asked to re-upload your item with a more accurate description. Make sure that you get the description right the first time to avoid this.

When it comes to pricing, a good idea is to look at how much similar items are being sold for. To make sure that your items sell, price them competitively. However, it is important not to price too low because this could eat into your profits.

If you choose to offer free shipping, take this into account when pricing your items. Free shipping could attract more buyers to your shop but will decrease the amount of money that you make on Depop. To get around this, you could offer free shipping on bundles only or offer shipping for £1.

Step 5: Upload your clothes to Depop

You can now upload your items to your Depop shop and start selling. It is a good idea to refresh your listings a least once every day so that they appear in search results.

There is a lot of speculation online about the best times to upload items on Depop. Some sellers claim that the time you upload your items will determine how successful you are in selling. Of course, there are also plenty of sellers that don’t back this claim and your success will largely depend on the actual items that you choose to sell. However, with so many users claiming that timing does count, we did some research into the best time of day to post items on Depop.

Best time of day to upload items on Depop in the UK

The best time of day to upload items on Depop in the UK is during ‘active’ periods when buyers are mostly online. This is typically during the evenings and at weekends, however, sellers also claim to see success when they post during lunch hour (between midday and 3pm).

Buyers are also more active around payday which is usually at the end of the month or on a Friday for people who are paid weekly. A lot of successful sellers will prioritize uploading items on these days to maximize potential sales.

According to a subreddit, the best times to upload items on Depop in the UK is between 1 pm and 3 pm and then later in the evening at 8 pm. The best strategy is to try several different upload schedules until you find one that works the best for your audience.

If you choose to sell internationally, it is worth considering when people from different time zones will be most active on the Depop app. For example, New York is 5 hours behind London which means that buyers from the US are more likely to see items that are uploaded later in the day.

Step 6: Engage with other Depop users

Depop brands itself as a ‘social shopping app’ which means that sellers and buyers can interact with each other. You should use this feature to your advantage to maximize sales and bring traffic to your shop. It is possible to gain followers on Depop and accounts with a high following often have better chances of appearing in featured spots and at the top of searches.

The best way to get followers as a new seller is to follow other shops that you like. You should also message potential customers to encourage them to purchase items that they like. The app has a very strict no-spam policy so we do not recommend sending pointless messages to potential buyers. Instead, reach out to people with offers or a welcome message.

Another way to engage with your Depop audience and sell on Depop is to create a social media page for your shop. This isn’t usually necessary for small sellers however; it is a great step for Depop sellers who want to turn their shop into a small business.

Step 7: Offer discounts, bundles and deals

A good way to sell clothes on Depop quickly is to offer discounts and bundles to Depop buyers. This involves holding a sale on your shop or messaging buyers privately with offers. This is a great way to encourage people to buy more items from your Depop store.

The Depop platform allows sellers to apply a discount to their items after it has been listed for a few days. While offering a discount is a good way to increase sales, it is important to make sure that the discount doesn’t eat too much into your profit.

It is normal for your first sale to take several days. Do not reduce the price of items until at least 7 days after listing them on your Depop store.

Step 8: Package and ship your clothes

The most successful Depop sellers ship items within 1 day of purchase. The quicker you ship orders, the better the reviews you will receive from buyers. Positive reviews make it much easier to sell clothes on Depop in 2024. The best way to streamline the shipping process is to use a label printer that can be attached to your phone. This is often much easier than printing labels in a post office before shipping.

Another way to optimize the shipping process is to use sustainable and aesthetic packaging for your Depop orders. Not only is this good for the environment but nice packaging will appeal to buyers and improve the overall experience of buying through your Depop shop.

Professional Depop sellers often use branded packaging and include a thank you note with each order. This isn’t necessary for beginner sellers but is a good way to establish your brand further down the line.

Step 9: Ask for positive reviews

Also read: How to promote your side hustle

One of the biggest contributors to success when selling clothes through Depop is buyer reviews. Customers tend to favour sellers who have received 4/5-star reviews because they are deemed more trustworthy. Therefore, as a new seller, you should ask your customers to leave glowing reviews on your shop. You could offer discounts on future purchases in return for good reviews.

When you sell clothes on Depop, the platform prompts buyers to leave reviews. Most of the time, satisfied customers will leave reviews without you needing to ask. This is great for your shop and is the best way to sell more of your stuff quickly.

Negative reviews stop people buying from your shop. You should avoid receiving negative reviews as much as possible by providing a great experience for all of your customers.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell Clothes on Depop?

It is free to sign up to Depop and sell clothes. However, the Depop platform will take 10% of every item that you sell as a selling fee. This fee is fixed and is the only fee that you will run into when using the platform. The 10% fee is taken from the total order cost, including shipping. If you sell an item of clothing for £5 and charge £3 shipping, the fee would be $0.80.

It is important to take fees into consideration when pricing your products. Occasionally, Depop will hold low-fee offers to encourage more sellers to use the platform. It is a good idea to take advantage of these offers when they appear to maximize your profits.

Depop shipping and packaging costs

When you sell clothes on Depop, it is up to you to set shipping rates and choose a packaging method that is low-cost. We took to Reddit to find the best shipping rates for Depop sellers in the UK as well as the cheapest way to package your items.

Depop shipping rates UK

UK sellers should set shipping rates based on the size of the package. Small packages will cost around £2.99 to send by Royal Mail. To cover the extra cost of packaging, you could charge £3.50 for shipping small packages. Medium packages cost £4.49 to send by Royal Mail in the UK and large packages will cost around £6.49. Again, you could charge extra to cover packaging costs.

The cheapest way to package your Depop orders in the UK

The cheapest way to package your Depop orders is to use recycled packaging or materials that you might already have around the house. This could include cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, or plastic bags. Re-using packaging is cheap and good for the environment.

If you run out of materials in your own home, the cheapest packaging to buy is paper wrap. You can find this on Amazon or in your local post office.

If you want to grow your Depop shop into a small business, it is a good idea to use branded or aesthetic packaging. You can find a variety of nice designs on Etsy and it is even possible to find pretty packaging that is made from sustainable materials.

Conclusion

To sell clothes on Depop in the UK, you need to create a free account, upload high quality images, write optimized product descriptions, and provide a good service so that you receive excellent reviews. In this guide, we have taken a closer look at the steps involved with selling clothes on Depop in 2024.

If you follow the right steps, it is possible to make hundreds each month by selling clothes on Depop. Furthermore, this is a great side hustle for students because it is free to start and you do not have to be over the age of 18 to use Depop in the UK.

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