A pair of white used high top Converse, a lime green sweater vest and a vintage pearl necklace are a few of the items you can find on junior Anthea Dill’s Depop page, an app where individuals can buy and sell new or used items that range from books to clothing. While she created her Depop account only a few months ago, she has sold 152 clothing items to make a profit of thousands of dollars. 

To be sustainable in an easy and efficient manner, students have taken the opportunity to clear out their closets and sell clothing pieces on reselling platforms such as Depop. 

Junior Ella Mazurek decided to download the Depop app after its widespread attention on other social media platforms. 

“I had heard a lot about finding stuff on the app on TikTok and YouTube, and I knew it was a great way to be conscious about the environment and fast fashion,” Ella Mazurek said. “I love shopping, so it was a great way to do it for cheap while helping the environment and other people too because it helps me when people buy my stuff, so it’s nice to help others out.”

On her account, Ella sells clothes she wore in middle school and ninth grade. Anthea sells clothes she no longer wears or finds appealing.

To sell items on the app, the user begins by taking photos of the clothing items they wish to sell and then list it by choosing a price for the item, adding hashtags and a caption. Once the item sells, the user ships it. 

According to Ella, while the process of listing and shipping items is simple, the process of selling them can be difficult. 

“It’s super easy to post stuff, but people might not want to buy it,” Ella said. “I have this jacket that’s been on my account for like six weeks, and it just recently sold randomly.”

Similarly, Anthea struggled with selling certain items but began utilizing tactics she found beneficial, such as increasing the quality of her photos with better lighting and responding to questions from interested buyers faster.

“From the very beginning, I was shopping at stores like Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville that have their loyal customers,” Anthea said. “A lot of people are interested in buying from those brands second-hand because you aren’t necessarily supporting the brand itself, so the type of clothing I was selling and the brand they came from also helped me increase sales.”

Ella and Anthea have also explored other platforms for selling items, such as Poshmark. 

Sales platforms Poshmark and Depop both take a percentage of commission from the sold item. Anthea prefers using Depop with its 10% whereas Poshmark has a 20% commission.

Anthea said, “In the grand scheme of things, you can technically make more off of Depop.”

Similarly, Ella prefers Depop due to the way it’s set up as she finds Poshmark a bit outdated.

Anthea recommends Depop for those who are interested in selling their clothes or even starting a business.

“If people are interested in selling on Depop,” she said, “I would say just go for it because it’s really exciting when people buy your stuff and if you are into creating a small business it’s a great start.”