Instagram Closet Sales

Instagram closet sales are a new way to take advantage of the increasing influence of social media. Whether you are buying, selling or just want to browse, Instagram’s closet sales are there for you in an instant.


Graphic by Phoebe Um

Graphic by Phoebe Um

Cartoon by Kristen Perez

Cartoon by Kristen Perez

To all the social media users who need spare cash: Instagram’s got your back. Nowadays, the lives of people all over the world  revolve around social media, so starting your own Instagram closet sale is as simple as uploading a post. The Instagram closet sale, a trend that started gaining popularity in 2014, is a new way to sell old clothes to make some extra money. Unlike a regular used clothing shop, Instagram lets you set the price based on how much you think each item is worth.

By holding your own online sale, you can kill two birds with one stone by cleaning out your closet and making some money at the same time. After holding three sales, Instagram user Rachel Awtrey found herself with her own successful virtual business. Her blog contains a wealth of knowledge and helpful tips on how to start sales, making it easy for anyone to start their own online venture.

Cartoon by Kristen Perez

Cartoon by Kristen Perez

Veteran seller, Rachel Awtrey has a separate Instagram account with the handle @ShopAwtrey to better organize her items. She suggests making a profile description that describes the purchasing process, which includes the shipping cost, payment method and who procures the product if several people want the same item. Adding hashtags like #Instashop, #ShopMyCloset, or #InstaSale underneath the picture will also help people to find your closet sale. One pivotal part of persuading people to purchase your product is in the picture posted. To maximize the product’s market appeal, it should have good lighting, a plain backdrop, colors true to the item and a clear image. A post’s description usually gives additional information about the item like size, price and washing instructions. After the purchase, buyer information, such as their delivery address, is necessary.

Organization is key–selling the same item twice is a big problem. Once the item is paid for and shipped, the sale is finished, and now you can celebrate.

If Instagram isn’t your thing, there’s no reason to fret. All is not lost. You can also sell clothes and accessories on Etsy or Poshmark,  both of which allow you to sell your commodities and to connect with prospective buyers. Similar to Instagram, the user gives a description of the item and includes a good picture to make it appealing to customers.  There’s no sense in missing out on money because you don’t have Instagram.

A multitude of people are losing money with every new purchase and each missed online closet sale. It’s not too late for you to start your own. With so many new ways to sell your unwanted items, there is no excuse to squander money throwing out old clothes without recompense.