The Ultimate Guide To Shopping Secondhand Online

Wearing clothes that first belonged to strangers has been part of my life since I was a kid, when my aunts would send my older cousin’s clothes to my mom. She then would go through every item with me and my sister to see which item would fit each of us better, and I remember the joy of opening those bags and discovering amazing pieces of clothes. I never had negative thoughts towards that – perhaps because my mom would always enthusiastically announce the new “deliveries” and incentivize us to donate the clothes that would not fit us anymore. Also, coming from a tiny town in Southern Brazil, I grew up seeing my mom getting baby clothes from friends and acquaintances when she was pregnant with my brother – I was 10 years old – and she would then donate the items that didn’t fit him anymore to other moms that were expecting.

Perhaps that’s why I never got the stigma some people have towards secondhand. I always thought it was silly to care about “bad energy”. I don’t even think about the origin of secondhand clothes and who wore them. All I care about is how many outfits I will create with that item – and also the money I saved by buying secondhand. And I’m so glad secondhand is now cool – the last thing we need is making people feel bad for buying secondhand – that’s ridiculous.

I’ve had the joy of finding so many incredible deals – and I can’t wait to share some of those stories on this Substack. But, today, let’s start with the basics: some of my tips and rules to shop secondhand plus some resources and favorite websites. I hope these will inspire you to embark on your own secondhand shopping journey and experience the thrill of finding great deals.

The stigma

Buying secondhand has become popular because of a lot of benefits: you can find unique pieces, it’s more affordable and it’s sustainable. But there’s space for growth. If you have a stigma, remember:

• Well, first of all: there is a wonderful invention called the washing machine. I’m not going to be a hypocrite here – sometimes I think it’s disgusting, but my motto is: after getting the item, I wash it. Simple. I don’t know if the person has washed the item that I bought, so, when in doubt, I don’t mind washing it. So, there’s no need to be disgusted by something you can wash.
• Another stigma is around the “energy.” Seriously, I can’t… I don’t think about where the clothes came from and who wore them – all I think about is: I have a new piece in my closet, I saved a lot buying it secondhand, and now it’s mine. Don’t stress yourself about it.
• Also, there is the embarrassment of shopping second-hand. Well… why do you care about other’s people opinions? Plus, when you shop online nobody’s gonna know.

Now, let’s check my tips!

Best practices and tips on buying secondhand online

1. Use Beni – the ultimate secondhand search tool

There’s no way to talk about buying secondhand online without talking about Beni! So, here’s the deal: finding something you love on resale sites can take a ton of time, expertise, and energy – trust me, I think I’m mastering the art of searching, but still, it can take time! And that’s fine if you enjoy the process like myself. I’m patient when it comes to secondhand, meaning I have no problem searching in more than one website for what I’m looking for. But that can discourage some people. That’s why you need Beni – and this is not sponsored at all!

Beni is a free and easy-to-use extension. All you have to do is adding to your browser – as you see on the picture above, the circled area. When you open a product you have an eye on, just click the extension and Beni will look for that item in all their partner secondhand websites (like Poshmark, Mercari, The Real Real, Depop…). When you find something you like, simply click ‘View’ and you’ll be taken to the relevant resale site to check out.

When using Beni, you can set your sizes, so it will only show you options suitable for you! Other features include the possibility to set an alert so you don’t miss out a new deal. Beni is also available on mobile through their app, where you can use the search feature to see the best deals from 40+ resale sites.

Of course, sometimes it’s not the accurate – for denim pants, for example, I noticed Beni shows me similar options to the item I’m looking for, which is not necessarily bad, of course. But, most of the times, it can save you a A LOT of time! I was able to find so many great secondhand items thanks to Beni!

• Check Beni here – create your account and add it to your browser!

Poshmark is one of the most popular apps/websites for buying second-hand clothes. And you will find not only clothes but also shoes and accessories from the most diverse brands – here, the focus is not on the luxury market, okay? It features women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing. There are also products for pets and even cosmetics and electronics!

• You can filter by categories, size, color, gender, brands, and even condition of the item – you can find brand new clothes with tags, look for NWT (new with tags);
• You can make an offer to the seller
• Your likes are saved in the “My likes” area, and it’s like your favorites folder, so you can keep track of the price of something you’re eyeing, for example;
• It doesn’t allow returns – you can only return if the item does not match the seller’s description;
• There is a comments area to ask questions to the seller – you can, for example, ask for measurements, ask questions about the style, etc. And you can see the previous questions.
• For sellers: all sales under $15, Poshmark receives a fixed commission of $2.95. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of your sales, and Poshmark’s commission is 20%.
• Poshmark has both an app and a website version. Sign up with code LAURAPERUCHI and save $10 on your first order.

This is my page on Poshmark.

Mercari

Mercari is similar to Poshmark – and features an app and a website. Like Poshmark, the focus is not on the luxury market. You will find clothes, shoes, and accessories from the most diverse brands – women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, cosmetics, and electronics.

• Mercari features an area called Shop Local – these items are for sale in your region, and you can receive them at home, just like food delivery. It’s a great option to find second-hand household items and electronics – something very common in the US, and that helps you save a lot of money!
• There are also several filters – category, size, color, gender, brands, condition of the item, and also by items on sale.
• You can message the seller with questions – there is no space for comments.
• Mercari allows you to make an offer/ask for a discount
• One of the coolest features is that you can save a search. Let’s say you’re looking for model X by brand Y. When you save that search, Mercari notifies you of new items on sale in that criteria.
• For sellers: Your earnings equal the listing price minus the sales tax (starts at 10%), payment processing fee, and shipping (if you choose to offer free shipping).
• You can use the code TFTGDY when signing up to get up to $30 off on your first order.

Depop

Depop is similar to Poshmark – they started as an app – its interface is reminiscent of the Instagram feed. Nowadays, they also have a website, but I do think the app experience is better. One of the advantages of Depop, for me, is the minimalist design of the interface: the information is very clear.

Features:

• Depop gives you the option to search for items in the US as well as in other parts of the world.
• Depop positions itself as a younger platform – so you probably gonna find cool and stylish items.
• You can filter by category, size, color, gender, brand and even condition of the item,
• Like button, that allows you to save all your favorites, so you can keep track of the price of something you’re eyeing, for example. Plus, sellers can send the likers a private offer!
• Depop also has the functionality to save a search and receive alerts.
• You can make an offer and also message the seller to ask questions – there’s no comment section.

The Real Real

The Real Real is one of the largest second-hand websites in the US and focuses on the luxury market. You won’t find clothes from Zara or Old Navy – the curation includes luxury brands and famous designers. You can check the complete list of brands available by clicking here. I was able to find amazing deals from Moose Knuckles, Reformation and A.L.C. on The Real Real.

Features:

• The Real Real is in possession of all items listed on the website. Every item goes through quality inspection before being listed. The items are sorted into the following conditions: excellent / very good / good.
• In addition to brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Gucci, you will find other brands/designers that are not luxury but not the cheapest either, like Reformation, Acne Studios, A.L.C., Coach, SAM., Mackage and so on go.
• It is not possible to make offers – but there are always sales and promotions.
• There is a return policy for some items – always check the item description under “Shipping & return” to see if it is possible to return the item you wanna buy.
• The Real Real has the most rigorous authentication process on the market – a team of experts evaluate items to verify that they are genuine (very important when we are talking about luxury items).

ReBag

ReBag started out as a website specializing in a niche – second-hand luxury bags. The selection includes more than 40 brands. They are still famous for selling handbags – but you can also find shoes, watches, and even clothes from luxury brands.

• ReBag is in possession of all items listed on the website.
• There is a return policy – you can check the details by clicking here.
• It’s not possible to make offers – but sometimes there are promos and discount codes.
• The selection of brands is smaller and more focused on the luxury market.
• All items undergo a review process by an in-house team of experts. ReBag has been buying and selling handbags since 2014 and has acquired hundreds of thousands of items, making it one of the top websites in the world. They certify all items and offer 7-day returns for any reason.
• To find out how to sell with ReBag, click here.
• You get 10% OFF on your first purchase when you use my link.

My second-hand purchases and storytime

Above, you can see some of the used clothes I’ve bought online. Honestly, these clothes have a special meaning because I really wanted to buy them so badly – some were even sold out, hence the reason why I decided to dig and I got great deals. But the best deal was my SAM coat. Storytime!

At the end of last year, a friend told me about this brand. And it was perfectly timed because I was already thinking about investing in a GOOD winter coat (and unfortunately, that means spending a few $100 bills). I fell in love with the brand’s coats – winter coats are usually not the prettiest (or they all look the same). So, the design got me. I kept an eye on the Noho style and even stopped by Bloomingdale’s to try it. I loved it, but I decided not to buy it that day: it was $625. Now that I knew my size, I decided to do an online round to see if I could find anyone selling a used one in good condition. I found several. Some for $400, some for $500. And that would save me some bucks, of course, until I found a girl selling the coat I wanted, in my size, for $68 on Poshmark.

And what was the catch? There were some tears/holes in one sleeve (she described this in the ad). So I researched how to fix holes in down coats and decided to try my luck – I offered her $61, and she accepted. When the coat arrived, I couldn’t believe it: it was exactly as described, and, honestly, the cuts didn’t look so bad. I bought a special glue and patches and covered these cuts. Once the process was complete, I sent the coat to the dry cleaner – I couldn’t wash it on my washer machine. Then there was the best part: man… it came back like new! So shiny! Perfect!

In total: I spent $68 for the coat and shipping, $24 for the glue and stickers, and $22 for the dry cleaner – a total $114. A new one would cost nearly $700 with taxes.

@itslauraperuchi One of my best deals ever ❤️ #samnewyork #secondhandfashion #prelovedclothes #poshmark #foundonposhmark #winterfashion #newyorkcityfashion ♬ Hip Hop with impressive piano sound(793766) – Dusty Sky

I hope you enjoyed this post, and I hope my testimonial has encouraged you to also opt for second-hand clothes – even if only once in a while!