My housemate has spent the last 17 years growing her used reselling business on online seller platforms. Her biggest successes, Poshmark and eBay, have earned her thousands of dollars apiece. But they're not the same -- not even close. They cater to different types of sellers.
And they're huge. eBay boasts 132 million active users as of 2022, and Poshmark caters to 80 million. My housemate and I have experimented with a handful of platforms, and these have been far and away the most profitable.
Poshmark vs. eBay: Which is the better place to sell? Here's what a professional reseller (@Contempo Closet on eBay) says about how two of the biggest online reseller platforms compare. We'll compare fees, ease of use, and what items sell best on each platform.
Fees
See the table below for an overview of Poshmark vs. eBay fees.
| Fee type | Poshmark | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fees | Free, unlimited listings | Free for first 250 listings per month, then listing fees apply |
| Selling fees | Flat 20% on sales over $15, $2.95 for sales under $15 | Up to 15% depending on the category, plus payment processing fees |
| Shipping | Paid by the buyer, Poshmark provides a shipping label | Variable, paid by the buyer or seller depending on the listing |
| Paying processing fees | None, covered by Poshmark's fee | Included in the selling fee percentage |
| Monthly fees | None | None for a basic account, subscription fees for advanced shop options |
Data source: Postmark and eBay.
Poshmark charges almost double the average selling fee of eBay. However, it charges fewer fees overall, and fees are flat. My housemate claims Poshmark is more expensive overall. However, she likes how Poshmark is transparent about fees. She knows what she'll pay ahead of time.
eBay is comparatively cheap. But there are so many variable fees that it's impossible to calculate precisely how much you'll earn after factoring in fees. That makes it difficult to predict how much money eBay will send to your linked checking account.
Bottom line: eBay charges cheaper fees overall, especially to small sellers who open basic accounts and list 250 or fewer items. However, Poshmark's fees are more transparent.
Ease of use
My housemate used to spend hours refreshing (or automatically relisting) her Poshmark closet. She'd scroll through listings manually, pressing the refresh button. Ugh. It was exhausting as it was boring. Since then, I've realized that ease of use is a massive part of what makes a platform great.
Poshmark has since made it easier for sellers to refresh their closets with a "Bulk Refresh" option, making it easy to share your closet. It's also faster to list clothes on Poshmark than on eBay. (There are fewer fields to fill in.) Everything can be done quickly from the Poshmark app.
eBay doesn't require sellers to refresh their closets to juice sales. Once you post your goods, you're done. You can kick back, answer buyer questions, and wait for a sale. However, it takes longer to list items. There are many more fields to fill in, some of them mandatory.
Bottom line: Poshmark offers a more streamlined experience for sellers. It's easier for sellers to use, especially the app. However, Poshmark offers fewer customization options than eBay.
What sells best
My housemate sells primarily clothes, but she also sells vintage items, accessories, and shoes. She cross-sells most of her items to both platforms, listing items on Poshmark and eBay. After trial and error, we've confirmed what sells best on which platform.
Poshmark sells fashion well. Think clothes, accessories, and shoes. eBay also sells fashion and everything else you can think of: electronics, collectibles, furniture, you name it. eBay sells it all, and buyers flock to the platform.
Bottom line: eBay is great for reselling various products, including clothes. You can sell many things on Poshmark, but only fashion products sell consistently.
Which platform is better for sellers?
Poshmark is a better resale platform for sellers who want an easy-to-use experience and are OK with paying up for it. Fees are straightforward, so you'll know exactly what you're paying. (My housemate likes using an Excel spreadsheet to track sales and profit data.)
eBay is a better resale platform for sellers who want to focus on reselling anything that's not fashion (though it's good for that, too). It's also the cheapest overall. It offers sellers many customization options, so you can get very specific with your listing details.
My housemate uses both. She makes about 50% of her sales on each platform yearly, though her sales vary month to month. She is a big reseller of fashion products, and both platforms offer a large base of buyers for clothes, accessories, and shoes.
Bottom line: Poshmark and eBay offer different perks. Choose the e-commerce platform that suits you best. If both Poshmark and eBay fit your needs, consider using both.
