Poshmark Vs. eBay: BUYER Edition

Happy Saturday!

I've spent a lot of time on different buying platforms in search of high end at cheap prices. It's what I do! The two spots I most consistently find the best merchandise are Poshmark and eBay. I've kinda gotten a feel for both platforms and am quicker at finding what I want because I understand the strengths of both. If you are new to one or both I've created a little cheat sheet of what to expect from both and how to get the very best deals!

If you are new to Poshmark, it is essentially a little eBay that specializes in clothing, shoes, accessories, and makeup.  It is a big community of sellers which is fun because it is more like social media of sharing closets, following sellers and buyers, and offering styling tips. 

Poshmark Pros:
- You can find a lot of mid-end items in great condition in the $15-$30 range
- You can make offers on ALL items
- I consider Poshmark a "cuter" platform with fun flat lay photos of the items and pretty gift wrapped items in your mailbox
- If you "like" (save) an item on Poshmark, the seller has the opportunity to send you an offer that includes discounted shipping costs
- All shipping is priority mail so you get your items quickly
- You can save your shoe and clothing sizes to your profile, so when you search for a particular item it will only show the items that are YOUR size

Poshmark Cons:
- Items are ONLY buy it now/offer, so no chance of snagging a sleeper auction item at the end of its listing
- Every item has a shipping cost of $6.49, no matter the item or weight
- While growing, Poshmark is still significantly smaller than eBay so you are less likely to find rarer or more specific items
- You are given only a 3 day period once the item has been delivered to "accept" the item and release the funds to the seller // if you don't let poshmark know of any issues within this 3 day window you are no longer eligible to return the item
- Sellers are given a 7 day "handling" time so your items could take a whole week to be shipped out before the seller is docked
- If you want to get in touch with a seller, you have to comment on the item because there is currently no private messaging system

I think everyone is familiar with eBay! You can sell everything from clothes to car parts and even homes with just a few clicks, which is one of the reasons it's the very most popular platform for selling!

eBay Pros:
- You can find practically ANYTHING your little heart wants to buy!
- Auction style listings offer the ability to snag expensive items for cheap
- It is becoming very popular for sellers to offer free shipping on most items
- eBay is currently pushing 60 day free returns on the sellers, so there is less risk to buy
- eBay sellers are expected to have no longer than 3 days of "handling" time, so your items get shipped out quicker
- You can private message sellers your questions

eBay Cons:
- Not all items allow buyers to make offers, and if they do you are limited in the number of offers you can make
- The shipping method depends on the seller, so there is really no guarantee you will be receiving your item in a quick manner 
- Because there are so many more users and items, the time in which your issues get addressed with eBay is longer
- The platform is flooded with millions of items, so searching through for the particular item you want can be daunting

Thanks so much for reading! Next week I will be sharing my "Poshmark vs. eBay: Seller Edition" for anyone looking to become a reseller or just make some space in their closet for more cute clothes. Make sure to check it out! And of course if you have any questions for me about Poshmark or eBay make sure to leave them in the comments section below!