Why you should complete Poshmark Campaigns

Poshmark gives you credit for completing campaigns.

Earlier this year Poshmark began allowing their Poshmark Ambassadors to participate in Affiliate Campaigns and earn extra $$$. These Campaigns can easily be completed to earn either credit to use on the app or be applied towards their redeemable balance.

A simple post to Facebook or instagram that includes hashtags and links is all it takes to begin racking up the $$$.

Some Poshers may be weary of posting such pictures with hashtags out there for everyone to see. Don’t worry, get out of your comfort zone and start earning extra $$$. You don’t have to have 100k followers and each Campaign pays differently.

Once you become an Ambassador, check your profile for a menu of available Campaigns. Each will give a description of what is necessary and what platform to post on. Be careful to read the entire details before accepting the Campaign. You may only complete one at a time. Some may require you to post new items to your closet in a certain market as part of the Campaign. There are also deadlines, be sure to choose the correct one for you.

Sounds easy right? It can be. My experience however has not been so easy. The 1st went fine, got my credit and redeemed it right away. The 2nd, 1 week later back 4 months ago was in limbo for that long. There were a lot of emails, instagram posts and tweets with no help from anyone. I had given up. Then, I had someone ask me via instagram message how the Campaigns worked. I explained it to her and sent yet another email regarding my own Campaign situation. Finally-a response, no fix, another response, no fix. I emailed angry demanding that particular Campaign be squashed, trash it, and could I have a new one to complete. An instant response to that email led me to check my Campaign menu and bam, there were 6 to choose from. I was in Heaven. I accepted, completed and waited. There were issues with that one too….. How could this be. About 5 emails later I had an answer. The link on my instagram profile was wrong. With help from a fellow Posher, I corrected and now have been able to complete a total of 5. This has been frustrating and a lesson learned. So don’t give up if you are having issues with the Campaigns and read ALL the details.

Any questions or comments, let me know.

Handling Poshmark Cases

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How to professionally handle a Case on Poshmark.

Any customer can open a case on Poshmark and request a return for a number of reasons. Color, item not as described, didn’t fit, rips, tears or flaws. I have been selling over 2 yrs on Poshmark and have had my share of cases. It happens to everyone.

The first case I had opened devastated me. I was done. There is no way I could continue selling. Burn it all.

Now I know better. My first case was way back when we could not see the comments that were being made. I did try to ‘fight’ a couple of cases and won them. I felt horrible. Even though I got paid, I had a bad feeling about ‘winning’ a case. I also ‘lost’ a couple of cases and the item was not returned. I felt even worse about this.

These days, I have a simple answer to any case that gets opened. I still get the occasional case, don’t get me wrong. My generic answer to any case is somewhat like this:

“We here at trishvan99 apologize for this oversight. Please refund ________ and send the item back to our facility. We will gladly accept fault for this. We hope ______ finds the items they are looking for on Poshmark. We here at trishvan99 strive to provide the best customer service posssible. Thank you for handling this manner quickly.”

This response seems to me the most professional way to handle a case. This generic response works, the case gets closed fast and the buyer doesn’t get turned off by the app. I would rather have the buyer continue to shop from another closet on Poshmark. Keep in mind most of my items on average are purchased for 50cents to $3 each. Losing a case and getting the item back to hopefully relist is not a big deal.

If my response is not the way you choose to handle a case. I would advise you to stop, do not respond right away. Look at you listing, did you overlook or provide incorrect information? Don’t take it personal, put your emotions aside. Speak to another seller for advice. Ask for advice on Facebook-if you belong to reselling groups and feel comfortable requesting advice. Let Poshmark handle the case with the information provided.

The best thing you can to do is remain professional. You are a business person. Treat this as a business. Do not get heated and argue with the buyer. Do not get defensive and post this on social media. If getting help from others, refrain from using the buyers name-do not post their name on Facebook or instagram or put them on blast. This may be their first purchase ever and they may not know the process.

Think of you returning an item to a retail store. The clerk looks at the facts and processes your return. There is no arguing or name calling. They handle the transaction quickly and get you on your way with a smile. Be that professional clerk representing the retail store.

I understand that there are ‘scammers’ out there looking for free items. This is why I always request the item back.

I have sold over 2,600 items on Poshmark and have had cases opened. No one is perfect, we all overlook imperfections and mark wrong sizes when listing. It’s your response that will affect the customers view of Poshmark.

Any comments? Questions? Feel free to contact me.

Basic Reselling Tips

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Getting your items ready to list and sell

You’ve got some items to sell. Great. Make some money!!!! Whether these items are yours that you no longer use or you’ve sourced to sell, here are some basic tips to keep in mind no matter what platform you choose to use.

Clean clothing items. Start with clean items. Wash according to care tags and avoid any heavily perfumed products. Check carefully for any stains or marks. Use a lint roller or fabric shaver to get rid of any pilling or fuzzies. For items that are new with tags, I will spot treat and freshen up with the steamer. For dry clean only items, I use a home dry clean kit.

Fix or repair items. Items usually get donated because of minor flaws. Buttons can be easily replaced. Check and pull seams gently to inspect. Check hems and crotches. Don’t be afraid to do a little mending. Be sure to check zippers, zippers sometimes only need to be cleaned and realigned.

Clean shoes. I keep a shoe cleaning kit consisting of magic erasers, Scotti tool, Goo Gone, scrub pads, old toothbrushes, saddle soap and leather conditioner. All sneakers get laces removed, a hand wash and air dry. Think of how you would expect a pair of shoes to arrive, even if preowned, send the buyer a clean and disinfected pair of shoes.

Take good and plenty of photos. Each platform is different and allows a different amount of photos. Be sure to take photos of front, back, tag, fabric, detail, flaws, up close, modeled, hanger or flat. You want to show as many views of the items to avoid any questions. The cover shot is the most important picture. It will catch the buyers eye and draw them in. A lighting kit is not necessary from the start, choose an area that has plenty of lighting to take your pictures. Choose a neutral background and avoid clutter. There are plenty of editing apps to use if your lighting is not the best.

Provide measurements. Last thing you want to do is miss a message from a buyer asking for measurements. They are looking to buy now. They don’t want to wait days for you to respond. Get in the habit and provide measurements from the start. Include the basics-rise, inseam, heel height, platform height, bust, length and sleeve length. You will still have the occasional buyer ask for more measurements.

Use templates. Using a template that you copy and paste into the listing can help to ensure you don’t miss any vital information. This way, you just add the information as you go along. Having different templates for different items will make listing easier.

Provide detailed descriptions. Descriptions are important. You want to provide all the information necessary for the buyer. Fabric content should be included-I always add if material is thick, thin, or stretchy. If item is preowned, elaborate on the condition. Include and describe any signs wear or flaws. Buyers want to know if an item is button, zip, elastic, pull on, slit or oversized. There are plenty of ways to describe necklines, dress types, sleeves and heels. This terminology will come easier to you as you continue to search comps.

Optimize listing titles. The title and the cover shot are the most important to get right. Be sure to include brand name and style. Use the entire space allowed. Capital letters for the brand will make your item stand out. No need to include size in the title as the buyer can narrow their search. Color can be avoided in the title also, unless the option is not available. Be sure to add any specifics that someone may be searching for such as party, holiday, boho, festival, career, dance, business casual and cocktail.

Pricing. Not every buyer negotiates, there are buyers that know what they want and purchase at the listed price. The rest of us buyers are looking for a deal. Most platforms are allowing the buyer to make an offer on items. For this reason, you want to price your item at least 15% more than you are willing to sell for. Many buyers will price up to 30% or more to allow for offers. Keep in mind fees and shipping when listing. Always search comps and see what you items has sold for in the past.

Have more tips? Questions? Contact me and let me know! Happy selling!

What are the Goodwill ‘Bins”

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Have you been to the Goodwill Outlet Clearance Center in Phoenix? The Bins?

The Outlet is where you can shop and pay by the pound. $1.39 a pound can buy you a lot of goodies for yourself. If you are a reseller, this is probably the best place to shop to keep inventory costs low.

It’s not for everyone. Do no expect a regular store. This is more of a warehouse in an industrial area of Phoenix and it’s hot. There are many hidden treasures waiting to be found. Grab some water, hand sanitizer and be ready for an arm workout.

Plan on at least 2 hrs. If you get there and there are carts available, grab one. Find a blanket, sheet or towel, cover your cart, park it along the side with everyone else’s and get shopping. Best thing to do is grab anything that looks good, dump in your cart and keep going. Inspect your items at the cart, tossing back anything that has flaws, tears or you change your mind. Wait at least 1 or 2 rotations for the best selections and to make your trip worthwhile.

My last trip to the bins was an unplanned trip and lasted a quick 30 minutes. 15 items + a book for myself at a total of $14.68. So far 12 items have been listed, 3 have sold and 2 have yet to be listed.

Some names I found on this quick trip were WHBM, Members Only, Nike, Levi’s, Express, Fox, Ann Taylor and Hurley. I also picked up a few cute pieces I knew would sell. There was a wool coat and a faux leather jacket that were quite heavy. All in all, not bad for less than $15 or about .94 cents per item.

I leave all my items in the tied up bag until they get washed. Dry clean only items get treated with an at home dry clean kit. Here’s what my last bins trip yielded.

Does the Poshmark 30mm Method Work???

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The ever so popular 30mm Method. Does it work? Yes and no. No.

Poshmark is my favorite selling app to use and my busiest. I’ve done my share of everything to help with sales on Poshmark, along with this 30mm Method. I did join the Facebook group and had no guidance, after a short time I left the group and went about this on my own. No ones seems to want to share information on this with just anyone.

What is the 30mm Method? The following chart is what pops up every time a seller looks this up. Looks simple and doable. The title alone “Once A Day And Done” wow!

As the chart shows, you edit share 30 of your items, simple, quick. Done.
List 3 items-or relist. Simple and quick, we all have 7,532,459 pictures of clothing items on our phones. Done.
Follow your followers, all of them…. Does not specify how many. Following everyone may take a while……
Follow new closets from both categories just joined and fresh closets. Does not specify how many of each……
Welcome 10 new closets. This is easy, but, I was just there at the last step…..
Share back any activity from the last half hour. Was I supposed to keep track? Umm… i’m already 40 minutes into this…..

When I did this way back when, this took way longer than 30 minutes. I could have been doing this wrong, remember, no help from anyone. I did get more activity on my closet but ended up getting locked out or ‘jailed’ for following too many in a short period of time. Frustrating. I couldn’t be the only one out there.

So, I came up with my own method that works for me!!!

Pretty easy to follow. I do this most mornings on the treadmill. 60 minutes is what I allow to do this and repeat as much as I can.

Self share 30 of your own items. I know 30 isn’t a lot, you’ll repeat this.
Return shares. I pick 5 closets from my notifications and share 5 items from each closet. Most will return these shares too.
Follow active sellers. Go to find people, My brands-pick any, sort by active sellers at the top. Follow 30. Most of these will follow you and share your items-you’ll return shares in a bit when you repeat the steps.
Edit, next, list 10 of your own items.
Follow 10 just joined Poshers. Send them a ‘welcome’ note.
Self share 30 items.
Follow 10 fresh closets, share their items, and comment.
Relist 5 of your own items. If you don’t have pictures available, take screenshots, copy and past descriptions. This gets faster, trust me. I relist according to the upcoming parties. That way your item shows up in the ‘First Look’ tab.
Repeat if you have time.

Poshmark is a social app and can be needy. Doing this or your own version of the method will keep you active in all the areas required. Building followers, self sharing, relisting and sharing new closets will keep you relevant. You cannot expect to to put in 30-60 minutes and be done for the day. You should continue to be active on the app throughout the day. Even though I do this most mornings, I still continue my regular reseller work duties. An if time allows, I definitely share my closet especially around the parties.

I have learned that being busy on the app is what works for me. Play around with numbers and keep track of what works for you. For me, having a schedule is what works. This 60 minute method is how I start my day and keeps me busy.

Questions? Comments? Have your own method?

Keep in touch!

Reseller Sourcing Ideas

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Where to get inventory for your reselling inventory.

So you’ve done it. You have drank the Kool-Aid and have become a reseller. Money is out there waiting to be made and you want in. Great! Fantastic! There is plenty to go around for everyone! Go get what’s yours.

You’ve started and are committed to this new adventure that is reselling. But where do you find ‘stuff’ to sell???? Keep in mind, I myself sell mostly clothing and shoes. I sell on Poshmark, ebay and Mercari. If these are your platforms, consider these ideas since they work for me. I do not do wholesale, that is a whole other ballgame.

Here are some ideas to get you going or to keep expanding your sourcing. If you are new to this, start small. Do not spend any money. Look through your own closet for things to list. Think and plan as if you are having a yard sale. Gather any items that are worth selling, even if it’s just for a few dollars. This will give you a chance to experience the everything- listing, cleaning, inspecting, photographing, pricing, packaging, and mailing. Once you’ve got a few sales under your belt and have some cash to ‘reinvest’, you can head out to find inventory.

By far, the best deals to me anyway, can be found the ‘Bins’, the Goodwill Outlet or Goodwill Clearance stores. Here, you buy items by the pound. On average, my items end up costing from 30-50 cents a piece. Now, this will not be for everyone and may not be in your area. Do some more research before heading out. This can be a great experience if you are prepared.

So, the Bins are not for you? You may want to try:

Goodwill stores

Last Chance

Plato’s Closet

Turn Style

Yard Sales

Facebook Marketplace

Craigslist

Church Rummage Sales

Estate Sales

Salvation Army Stores

St. Vincent De Paul Stores

Savers

Thrift Stores

The list is endless, there is no way I could include every place. These are just some ideas as to where to pick up inventory. I’m in Arizona and these may not be in your area. Connect with other sellers in your area and get some ideas as to where they source. Do some research and find out when certain stores have sales or specials.

These days, my favorite places to source are Goodwill Outlet and dollar tag day at Goodwill. Have other ideas, questions, or comments? Contact me!

Reseller Starter Shipping Kit

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Whether you sell on ebay, Mercari, or Poshmark, shipping supplies are a must. You do not want to be scrambling at the last minute for ink or tape. Do your best to keep costs at a minimum right from the start. As you get busier and more comfortable with the shipping process, you may choose to do some upgrades. Personal thank you cards, business cards, cute polymailers or even a lighting kit will be nice additions. For now, save yourself some money and stick to the basics.

Printer or thermal label printer

Paper or labels

Clear tape

Boxes (priority mail boxes are free from USPS) or any recycled brown boxes

Polymailers for 1st class packages

Scale Poshmark limit is 5lbs, 1st class is under 16oz

Camera or phone camera I use my iphone camera

Plain tissue Color tissue is pretty, but color can run onto items (unless item gets bagged 1st) I buy this in bulk 5200 roll, lasts about 8months

Clear bags I place items in clear bags and seal with a thank you sticker

This is a basic list of supplies to get started with. This is not a must-have list that you need to go out and purchase. Many of these items you may already have somewhere in your home. Gather them up and make yourself a designated ‘shipping’ area. Packaging your items will be less stressful if you have an organized area do so.

Poshmark’s Poshfest

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To go or not to go….. Not. Poshfest 2019 has sold out.

Poshfest is Poshmark’s must go annual event. Part conference, part networking and tons of fun. 2 days filled with a wealth of information for new and seasoned sellers. The best part- you get to meet you PFF’s in real life. Yes, all those who you connect with daily on the Poshmark app, instagram, Facebook, and twitter are all there. Top it off with the ultimate and fabulous Posh Party!

New this year, Poshmark Ambassadors were able to snag their tickets a day in advance. Tickets for this year’s Poshfest sold out quickly, same as last year. An additional round of tickets were released at a later date and sold out just as fast.

You can still make your way to Poshfest 2019

There is currently a contest where you and your bestie can enter to win a pair tickets. If public speaking is right up your alley, you can apply to be one of many speakers. As the event nears, many will have had schedule changes and will need to sell their ticket. There is also a need for stylists to handle the demand for closet consultations. Don’t fear, there are still plenty of ways to make it to Poshfest 2019.

Last year was my first year attending and had an amazing time. I met so many wonderful sellers and learned new ways to grow my business. Can’t wait to see these wonderful ladies again, follow them on instagram @glossyrossi1 @azcactuscutie @rolfsrack @clairewearboutique @rocambolescoresale and me @trishvan99

If you make it this year, come find me and say hi. I’ll be wearing a trishvan99 tee shirt!

Poshmark Ambassador

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What does this mean?

Poshmark Ambassador. Everyone wants to claim and be it. You see it everywhere, on every seller’s title, closet name and on signs within the closet. What does it mean? It is the new ‘Suggested User’, who remember’s that?????

A Poshmark Ambassador is someone who uses and represents the Poshmark app well. You have met all the minimum criteria there is to achieve this status. You are seen as an active, buyer, seller, sharer and represent all that makes a great Posher. You have a great looking compliant closet while providing great customer service.

The minimum criteria for Poshmark Ambassador status are:

5,000 Community Shares

5,00 Self Shares

50 New Posher Shares

50 Available Items

15 Sales

1 Love Note Given

Here are my stats:

Once becoming an Ambassador, you should still continue to be active on the app. This feeds the almighty algorithm and keeps everyone happy.

The Beginning

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Reselling to me came along by accident. I was looking for a specific dress I already had. This dress fit perfectly and I had to have it in another color or 2 or 3. I googled the dress and Poshmark came up. Not knowing what this was, I dismissed it. A few days later, the same thing. I ended up getting the app in August 2016 and made several purchases. As the items came, I noticed these items were from people’s homes. Someone sold and sent these pieces of clothing from their home! Genius!