Making and selling items online sounds like the perfect way to make extra money, especially if you’re creative and love making handmade items! But making items is only half the business. Where can you list items so they’ll actually sell?

If you’ve heard of Poshmark, you may wonder if listing your handmade items there is a good idea. The good news is that Poshmark allows you to sell certain handmade items on their online marketplace. However, there are some restrictions and guidelines that you need to follow.

In this post, I’ll cover if you can sell handmade items on Poshmark, along with the rules and guidelines on selling handmade items. Then, I’ll give you basic tips for selling on Poshmark and some alternative marketplaces to sell your handmade goods if you decide Poshmark isn’t for you. Or, if you want to expand your reach and list your handmade products on multiple marketplaces!

Keep reading if you’re ready to start your handmade business on Poshmark!

Can You Sell Handmade Items on Poshmark?

Yes, you can sell handmade items on Poshmark. According to Poshmark’s guidelines that list what you can sell on the platform, “handmade fashion, accessories, and permitted home goods are also welcome.” 

Basically, as long as your handmade items fall under the categories currently available on Poshmark and don’t violate any Poshmark guidelines, you’re good to list your handmade goods!

I’ll give you more specific info below, but just be sure to carefully review Poshmark’s guidelines before listing any handmade items for sale to ensure they meet the platform’s requirements.

Should You Sell Handmade Items on Poshmark?

If you want to sell your handmade items, you may wonder if Poshmark is the right platform. Poshmark is a popular platform primarily known for new and secondhand clothing and accessories, but it also allows handmade goods.

However, Poshmark wasn’t designed for the handmade community. That means your items might not get the same appreciation or value as on platforms specifically curated for crafts and handmade goods.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t list your handmade items on Poshmark, but it is an important factor to consider.

Here are some pros and cons to consider:

Pros to Selling Handmade Items on Poshmark

1. Large Audience: There are millions of Poshmark users, meaning your handmade items could potentially be exposed to a lot of people.
2. Easy to Use: Poshmark is pretty seamless when it comes to selling, which can be helpful if you’re new to selling online. The listing process is simple and, once an item sells, Poshmark emails you a prepaid shipping label. You just stick it on and drop it off at the post office.
3. Buyer Trust: Because it’s a well-known platform, and Poshmark acts as a middle man, holding payment until the buyer has received the item, it can help buyers feel comfortable with their purchase.
4. It’s Free to List: Signing up for a Poshmark account is free, and there is no listing fee. So you can start listing items with no upfront cost. If you’re just starting and don’t have money for upfront fees, this can be a huge bonus.

Pro Tip: Sign up for a new Poshmark account & get a free $10 credit to shop with referral/invite code AILEENBARKER or click here to sign up in your browser.

Cons to Selling Handmade Items on Poshmark:

1. Not a Handmade-Focused Platform: The primary audience on Poshmark isn’t not be looking for handmade items. Your potential customers might be easier to find on platforms tailored for crafts and handmade goods.
2. Fees: Poshmark takes a percentage of every sale (20% for items priced at $15 or more and a flat rate of $2.95 for items under $15). This is a bit higher when compared to other online marketplaces.
3. Limited Item Categories: Poshmark sellers primarily sell clothing, shoes, and accessories. If your handmade items don’t fit these categories, they may not gain traction. In addition, if your items fall outside the approved items on Poshmark, you won’t be able to list them on Poshmark.

Selling Handmade Items on Poshmark

If you’ve decided that you want to start selling handmade items on Poshmark, here’s what you need to know.

Types of Items You Can Sell

Poshmark has set categories and subcategories that you can list, including women’s, men’s, kids, home, pets, and more. However, their guidelines only mention the sale of “handmade fashion, accessories, and permitted home goods” being allowed.

Whether other handmade items are allowed isn’t clear, so if your product falls outside those three categories, it might be good to contact Poshmark support to double check.

Handmade Items You Can’t Sell

While Poshmark allows the sale of handmade items, there are restrictions. You cannot sell items violating Poshmark’s Prohibited Items Policy, such as counterfeit and infringing products, weapons, illegal items, etc.

This seems pretty obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. You also can’t sell aerosols, perfumes, and nail polish. Additionally, you cannot sell items that do not fall under the categories currently available on Poshmark.

Listing

Creating a listing is the first step to selling your handmade items on Poshmark. When creating your listing, include clear and detailed product photos, a detailed description, and measurements (if applicable). Use keywords in your listing title and description to help potential buyers find your item.

Pricing

When pricing your handmade items, consider the cost of materials, labor, and any other expenses you paid while making the item. Also, consider the current market value of similar items on Poshmark.

You can price your item competitively to attract buyers but don’t undervalue your work.

Fees

Poshmark charges a flat fee of $2.95 for sales under $15 and a 20% commission on sales over $15. The commission is deducted from your earnings, so factor this into your pricing.

Marketing

Because handmade items might not always get the attention they deserve on Poshmark’s built in audience, your handmade items may need an extra push. If you want to sell on Poshmark, I highly recommend marketing your items off of Poshmark so you can send traffic to your listings and increase your chances of selling your handmade products.

Here are some ideas:

1. Social Media: Use platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to show off your items. Create posts, stories, or even reels about the making process, the finished product, and special promotions. Get people interested and add links to your products in your posts.
2. Collaborate with Bloggers or Influencers: Partnering with individuals with a significant online presence in the niche you’re selling in can help drive traffic to your Poshmark listings, too! If you can find a microinfluencer, sometimes they will accept free product in exchange for a post.
3. Network: Share your Poshmark listings with friends, family, and acquaintances! Tell them about your new venture and ask them to spread the word.
4. Online Communities and Forums: Join online communities, like Reddit or niche-specific forums, where you can showcase your creations, share your Poshmark links, and gain insights from fellow creators.

By driving external traffic to your Poshmark listings, you can increase visibility, improve sales, and start building a loyal customer base.

Best Online Marketplaces for Handmade Items

While Poshmark is an okay option for handmade items, I truly don’t think it’s the best place to sell. If you want to sell handmade items, there are many better online platforms for hand crafted goods. Here are some of the best online marketplaces for handmade items:

Etsy

If you’re looking for online selling platforms that have built in customers, you’ll want to start with Etsy. Etsy is one of the most popular marketplaces for handmade items and is a great option for small businesses that want easier access to potential buyers. It has a large customer base, many of them are specifically looking for handmade items, so your target audience is more likely to be here than on Poshmark.

As a bonus, the fees are pretty reasonable at $0.20 per item to get it listed and then a 5% commission on the sale price of each item. This is much less than Poshmark’s 20% fee. Overall, Etsy is a better option for new sellers looking to sell handmade items.

Amazon Handmade

Did you know you can shop and sell handmade on Amazon? Amazon Handmade is a newer marketplace for handmade items that’s integrated with Amazon. This gives sellers access to Amazon’s large customer base! There are some fees to get started, like $39.99/month for a professional selling account plus a 15% referral fee on the sale price of each item.

Your Own Shopify Store

Have you considered starting your own online store? Shopify is an e-commerce platform that makes this super easy. It’s what I use for my online stores.

The advantage of your own store is that you’re totally in charge, and you own it. The fees are a little lower and you can do your own thing. Plus, you can start building an email list of folks who love what you make, making repeat business easier.

If you’re already putting in the work to market your products, why not send potential buyers to a place that’s all yours? Plus, Shopify has a free trial so you can give it a test run to see how you like it.

Conclusion

So yes, you can sell handmade items on Poshmark! As long as they’re within the listed categories and not on the prohibited items list, you’re good to go! However, I personally recommend expanding your reach and not only selling on Poshmark unless you’re just having fun and not looking to maximize sales.