How to Sell Clothes as an ASU Student (Instagram vs ASU List)

The Closet Cleanout Problem

Most ASU students accumulate more clothes than they need — especially if you've been here a few years and your style has shifted, or you just don't fit the same things after freshman year. Moving out of a dorm or apartment is usually what forces the reckoning: you have three boxes of clothes and one car.

Selling is better than donating if the items have real value. The question is: where do you sell?

Platform Breakdown

Depop

Best for: Trendy, vintage, or brand-name items with strong resale demand. Think Y2K pieces, rare Nike or Adidas colorways, vintage Levi's, Brandy Melville, streetwear.

Audience: National and international. Your listing competes with everyone, not just local sellers.

Fees: Depop charges 10% + payment processing. On a $40 sale, you net roughly $35.

Effort: You need good photos (well-lit, styled, multiple angles), measurements, and accurate brand/size descriptions. Half-effort listings get buried.

Shipping: You handle it — usually USPS First Class ($4–$7 for most clothing). Factor this into your price.

Bottom line: Great ROI if you have genuinely desirable pieces and are willing to do the work. Not worth it for generic fast fashion.

Poshmark

Best for: Mid-tier fashion brands — Lululemon, Free People, Madewell, Ralph Lauren, Coach. Also shoes.

Fees: $2.95 flat fee on sales under $15; 20% on sales $15 and up. High fees, but the platform handles shipping labels automatically.

Audience: National. More established buyer base than Depop, skews slightly older.

Effort: Similar to Depop — good photos are essential. Poshmark also rewards "sharing" your listings (manually re-sharing to feed), which is a time investment.

Bottom line: Good for quality brand-name items where the 20% fee is worth it for the wider audience and shipping convenience.

Instagram (Closet Sale Posts)

Best for: Quick moves among friends and campus followers. Great if you have a social following or a tight-knit friend group.

Fees: Zero — if you collect payment via Venmo/Cash App.

Effort: A single story or feed post with photos, a price list, and "DM to claim" instructions. Takes 20 minutes.

Speed: Extremely fast if you have the right followers. Clothes can sell within hours.

Limitation: Your reach is limited to your followers. Without a decent following, this doesn't work as well.

Bottom line: Best first move for quick, local sales with zero fees.

Facebook Marketplace

Best for: Local pickup of bulk lots or items nobody wants to ship — a full bag of clothes, a complete wardrobe cleanout.

Fees: None for local pickup sales.

Effort: Low. Post a photo, set a price, arrange pickup.

Best use: "Bag of clothes, various sizes, all for $20" posts. Somebody always bites when the bundle price is low enough.

ASU List

Best for: Reaching specifically ASU students in Tempe. Works well for clothing that's relevant to campus life — athletic wear, work clothes for internships, business casual for Carey students, ASU gear.

Fees: Free to post.

Effort: Similar to Facebook Marketplace — basic photos and a description get the job done.

Bottom line: Worth posting here especially if your items are ASU-relevant or if you want local pickup with no fees. Good complement to Depop/Poshmark rather than a replacement.

A Realistic Strategy by Item Type

ASU gear, sundevil jerseys, fan merchandise: Post on ASU List and campus Facebook groups. Local buyers who actually want ASU stuff.

Lululemon, Gymshark, Athleticwear: Poshmark or Depop. These sell nationally and buyers search specifically by brand.

Vintage and thrifted pieces: Depop first. The audience there actively searches vintage.

Business casual (for Carey or internships): ASU List and Instagram story. Your classmates are the exact audience.

Fast fashion (Shein, Zaful, etc.): Honestly, bulk lots at low prices on Facebook Marketplace or donate. Individual items aren't worth listing.

Shoes in good condition: Poshmark for women's shoes. For men's, especially sneakers, check StockX and GOAT for valuable pairs, Poshmark and Facebook Marketplace otherwise.

Photo Tips That Actually Matter

Regardless of platform, your photos determine whether you sell. The minimum:

• Natural light (near a window, not overhead yellow light)
• Clean background (a white wall or plain floor works fine)
• Show the item flat AND worn if possible
• Photo of the tag showing brand and size
• Close-up of any flaws — be honest, buyers appreciate it

Bad photos are the single biggest reason listings don't sell.

Pricing Clothes Realistically

The student resale market is price-sensitive. A rough guide:

• Basic T-shirts: $5–$12
• Jeans (non-designer): $10–$20
• Lululemon, Gymshark, high-performance athletic: $25–$50
• Vintage/rare pieces: research Depop sold listings
• Shoes (casual): $20–$45
• Shoes (Nike/Adidas, recent): $30–$65

Price for a fast sale — the goal is clearing your closet, not maximizing every dollar. A $10 shirt sold today is better than an $18 shirt that sits for three weeks.