Around 13 million people are using the app Depop according to the Evening Standard. If you’re not one of them, it might be a sign of your age — about 90% of its users are under 25. Depop is an app for buying and selling used clothing and accessories with a layout that mirrors Instagram. (It's worth noting that Instagram has recently has moved to integrate shopping into its own app.)
Used clothing is a huge growth market. A recent ThredUp report stated that the secondhand market is set to hit $64B in the next five years. Resale is expected to overtake the traditional thrift and donation segment by 2024.
What’s more, the trend is thriving during the pandemic, proving to be a recession-proof business. ThredUp reported that the online secondhand industry is set to grow 69% between 2019 and 2021, while the broader retail sector is projected to shrink by 15%.
So how does one get in on this burgeoning market? How do Depop’s top users find success?
Consistency is key
- Depop seller and former Depop employee Lilli Conreen told the blog Cleo that users need to post daily and build momentum.
- Seller Avenue Vinage told the Depop blog that having good quality, well-styled stock and photographs was key to success on the app.
Stand out
- Be unique. Sellers on Depop can stand out from the crowd by using long captions, defying traditional SEO logic, and creating unique collections and distinct styles.
Buy cheap and sell big
- Successful users frequent thrift stores and bargain bins. A $3 T-shirt can go for $20.
- The seller @shoplynx told the Depop blog, “We formed an LLC and started meeting with an accountant to track our profits and losses.”
Strategies aside, there is a learning curve with some unfair advantages. If a user has an existing audience — through Instagram or elsewhere — they're more likely to succeed on Depop. Chase Dexter is an influencer who recently started selling on Depop. "I know most of my following comes from people that love my style and aesthetic. So to sell it on Depop was such a great idea,” Dexter told the Business of Business. Celebrities such as Doja Cat, the Hadid Sisters, and Bella Thorne get a lot of traction on the app.
Depop native @pink_ink has a different, more familiar kind of success story, telling the Depop blog, “It me took time to build up my shop while I was working and to really know what I wanted to specialize in selling. I had to lay the foundations before making the leap as well as educating myself on how to run a business."
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