As the online resale market grows, marketplaces like Depop and Poshmark have become go-to destinations for resellers and buyers alike. In this article, we’ll look at Depop and Poshmark, comparing their features, fees, audiences, and more to help you decide the best fit for your business.
Depop is a popular, trendy marketplace with 35 million active users in over 150 countries. Depop is rapidly growing due to its unique blend of social media features and fashion focus.
Depop is known for fashion but has a broad range of selling categories. Creating a Depop account takes only seconds, and the app is simple and user-friendly.
One of the best things about Depop is its vibrant community and focus on sustainability, making it a top marketplace among fashion sellers.
For everything you need to know about Depop, check out the article How to Get Started Selling on Depop.
Founded in 2011, Poshmark is a social commerce marketplace known for buying and selling secondhand fashion. With over 80 million community members, Poshmark is one of the largest resale marketplaces. Known for fashion, Poshmark has recently expanded its categories to home goods, toys, select pet supplies, and electronics. One of the best things about Poshmark is its unparalleled ease of use. Poshmark offers the simplest selling and shipping experience, making it a top marketplace among sellers.
Did you know that Poshmark enhances your Google ranking? Your Poshmark listings can reach a wider audience beyond the platform itself, thanks to promoted placements in Google’s feed.
For an in-depth analysis of everything you need to know about Poshmark, check out The Poshmark Bible.
Choosing the right marketplace is crucial for your reselling success. Let’s compare Depop and Poshmark across various aspects to help you make an informed decision.
Did you know that you can crosslist to both Poshmark and Depop in seconds with Vendoo?
Poshmark boasts a large audience of 100 million active users, primarily in the U.S. and Canada. It's best known for women’s fashion and trendy brands, though it has expanded into categories like beauty, home goods, and electronics. However, Poshmark’s audience is geographically limited to the U.S., and users cannot buy or sell internationally.
In contrast, Depop has over 35 million registered users in 150 countries. It is particularly popular for vintage, streetwear, and one-of-a-kind items, attracting a global audience that is predominantly young and fashion-conscious.
Reseller Tip: Poshmark listings rank well in Google Search, which can widen your audience beyond the platform. Depop listings, however, do not have the same SEO benefit.
Poshmark’s audience is substantially larger than Depop’s despite the geographical limitations.
The community and culture of Depop and Poshmark are quite different. Depop’s user base is primarily Gen Z, with 90% of users under 26. This is reflected in the platform’s vibrant, artistic atmosphere, where listings often feature unique, styled photography and modeled images. Depop’s focus is on artistic expression and individuality.
💡 Tip: Depop strictly prohibits stock images and proactively removes listings that use them. Usemodeled or flat lay photographs to be featured on Depop’s Explore page.
Poshmark, on the other hand, caters to a slightly older, more polished audience. Listings tend to be more formal, with professional photography and a focus on high-end, trendy brands. Poshmark’s community values chic and classic styles over the eclectic aesthetics that dominate Depop.
The range of selling categories is very similar on Poshmark and Depop. Both are fashion-focused but offer an expansive list of selling categories.
On Poshmark, you can sell men’s, women’s, and children’s fashion, select home items, pet items, and small electronics.
You’ll love the article Trends and Best Brands to Sell on Poshmark in 2024.
On Depop, you can sell men’s, women’s, and children’s fashion, vintage items, select home goods, and accessories.
💡Tip: The specific top-selling fashion categories on Depop are designer, Y2k, Vintage, Streetwear, and OOAK (one-of-a-kind).
Fees vary greatly on Poshmark and Depop. Compared to other marketplaces, Poshmark has the highest fees, and Depop has the lowest.
Poshmark fees are 20% of the sale price or a flat $2.95 fee for all items sold for less than $15.
Poshmark fees are simple. There are no listing fees or separate payment processing fees—only the 20% selling fee upon sale. However, listing items you can sell for at least $15 is best. If you sell an item for $3 on Poshmark, you make $0.05…
If you sell a pair of jeans on Poshmark for $20, you will make $16 after fees.
Sale Price: $20
Poshmark fee: $4
You make: $16
👀 Did you know you can also opt into Poshmark Promoted Closet for paid promotion? Fees apply.
Depop eliminated the selling fee as of July 2024. For listings created after July 15, 2024, there are no Depop selling fees. A few things to note:
The transaction fee still applies to all listings. In the US, the translation fee is 3.3% + $0.45 of the sale price for payments made through Depop Payments. (Note that transaction fees vary by location)
If you sell a pair of jeans on Depop for $20, you will make $18.89 after fees.
Sale Price: $20
Payment Processing fee: $1.11
You make: $18.89
👀 Did you know you can also boost your listings on Depop. Using the Boosted Listings feature in Depop will incur an 8% boosting fee on the total sale price.
You might also be interested in the article A Reseller’s Guide to Marketplace Fees.
Both Depop and Poshmark offer user-friendly listing processes. On both marketplaces, sellers upload images (and optional videos), write descriptions, and select item specifics like size, color, and price.
Depop, however, only allows eight images per listing and strongly emphasizes hashtags for visibility. The use of hashtags is crucial on Depop, whereas on Poshmark, style tags are less significant.
💡Tip: Learn the popular Depop hashtags in the Reseller’s Guide to Keywords & Aesthetics.
Depop and Poshmark require sellers to "refresh" or "share" their listings to keep them visible in search engines and newsfeeds.
On Poshmark, you can share a listing by clicking the "share" icon. On Depop, you can refresh an item by opening the listing, editing it, and saving it. Serious sellers on both marketplaces use automation to perform these tasks.
Both marketplaces also allow for individual and bulk offers to likers to maximize sales.
Poshmark accepts credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal. The transactions are secure, and buyers can choose their preferred payment method at checkout.
Depop offers many payment methods for buyers, including credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Klarna. Stripe facilitates Depop payments.
On Depop, payments are automatically deposited into the seller’s bank account two business days after the buyer receives the item. Processing times vary, but it usually takes a few days for funds to appear in your account.
Poshmark’s payment process is similar but requires a three-day wait for the buyer to accept the item. After that, funds are deposited into the seller’s Poshmark account and can be transferred to a bank account within 2-5 business days.
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Shipping works a lot differently on Poshmark and Depop. Poshmark offers the simplest shipping, but Depop offers more options for buyers and sellers.
Poshmark offers the simplest shipping for sellers, offering only a flat-rate shipping option. The platform provides a prepaid shipping label for USPS, and the cost is typically paid by the buyer. While this is simple, it does not allow the seller much control over shipping and handling.
On Depop, there are many shipping selections available to sellers. When listing, you must decide whether to:
Each Depop listing has a shipping section for this information. If you select to ship with Depop, Depop will email you a USPS label upon sale. However, when you list, you must enter the item’s approximate weight (including packaging) to select the label tier.
When you ship with Depop, you can download a prepaid shipping label issued by Depop. Tracking will automatically start once the package is en route. Depop uses USPS Ground Advantage for qualifying packages and USPS Priority Mail for all heavier orders.
Electing to ship on your own requires purchasing your shipping label and providing Depop with the tracking information for the package. When you ship on your own, you can purchase through any carrier.
Expand your exposure by offering international shipping. Depop exists in over 150 countries worldwide, and buyers love American Vintage!
💡Tip: For the best rates on shipping on your own, I recommend using Pirate Ship. Note that you must ship on your own for international shipping on Depop.
To learn more about the pros and cons of self-shipping vs. shipping with Depop, check out The Reseller's Guide to Shipping on Depop.
Poshmark does not allow returns unless the item is not as described (wrong item sent, undisclosed damage, not authentic, etc.). To attempt a return, a buyer must open a Poshmark case and submit photographic evidence to support their claim. Within the formal case, the buyer, seller, and Poshmark can all communicate back and forth to “hash it out.”
In my experience, Poshmark is certainly not quick to respond, but it is the fairest platform. While other platforms have a reputation for “always siding with the buyer,” Poshmark is fairly true to its return policy and terms of service.
Depop allows sellers to create their return policy. Of course, buyer protections are in place even if a seller does not allow returns. When a buyer opens a claim with Depop, you do not see the claim or get a chance to respond. Depop will decide and inform you of the next steps.
Depop customer support is not quite as comprehensive or accommodating as Poshmark’s.
Let’s explore the pros and cons of selling on Depop and Poshmark:
When deciding between Depop and Poshmark, consider your specific needs and goals. If you’re focused on fashion and want to tap into a younger, global audience, Depop might be the better choice. If you prefer a broader range of product categories and a more straightforward selling experience, Poshmark could be the right fit.
For many sellers, using both marketplaces may provide the best results. This allows you to reach different audiences and maximize your sales potential. Personally, Poshmark and Depop are my best and favorite two marketplaces.
Using Vendoo to crosslist your items on both Depop and Poshmark can significantly increase your exposure and sales potential. Vendoo simplifies the listing process, saving you time and effort.
Clear, well-lit photos are crucial for attracting buyers on both marketplaces. Take multiple angles and highlight unique features or flaws to give buyers a complete view of the item.
💡Tip: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million. Both Poshmark and Depop offer listing videos. Use video media to highlight your items and make more sales!
Offering free or discounted shipping can make your listings more appealing to buyers. If free shipping is offered, consider incorporating shipping costs into the item price.
Active participation in the community, such as liking and commenting on other users’ listings, can boost your visibility. Respond promptly to inquiries and provide excellent customer service to build trust with buyers.
Both Poshmark and Depop have so much to offer. Sell on both to optimize your profits! Why choose one marketplace when you can list to 11 marketplaces in under five minutes? Use Vendoo to enhance your listings, crosslist, manage your inventory, and more!
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