Online consignments - ThredUp review

I've taken a lot of my clothes to local consignment stores and had good success selling items. I received a postcard in the mail a few months back for thredUP offering 40% off your purchase and decided to check it out. thredUP is an online consignment/resale site. They accept nicer brands in good condition and will pay upfront for your items. They also will consign items with a varying payout. Currently they are taking Designer Handbags thru 3/31 with 100% payout to the seller.

Before I decided to purchase anything with my 40% off, I requested a Clean Out bag. If I could get some cash for my clothes, that money could go towards my purchase. Once you receive the bag in the mail, it takes 7-10 days to arrive, fill the bag with clothes from your closet and drop off at USPS or Fedex. Make sure to take a picture of the label before you mail, in case you want to track or if it gets lost. You can also enter the tracking number into the site for their reference. I think this allows them to process faster.

I ordered my first bag back in November and it took them 30 days to process. You can choose Return Assurance to have any items they don't decide to buy returned to you. They do charge $12.95 for shipping. Otherwise any items they don't want will be donated. I was a little leery about sending some nicer items for fear they wouldn't be accepted and they would be donated. I didn't want to pay the return assurance fee either on this first bag. I received about $25 and used that towards the purchase of two tops. You can see the contents of you bag and what's sold from your account. Here's what was in my bag.

I ordered a second bag in early January, since I had a couple purses I wanted to sell. I received an email telling me to expect a 30 day turnaround. Much to my surprise, I received an email a few days later telling me my bag had been processed and I was receiving $120! Super excited, plus my Marc Jacobs purse was going on consignment.

For consignment items, thredUP will set the prices and you can change them within 7 days. An item will be on consignment for 84 days. You can then reclaim your item, or it will be donated.

Payout
After 14 days the funds are ready for your withdraw via PayPal. You can also use the funds towards purchases.

Pros
- Cash payout upfront
- Nice quality items in good condition to purchase
- Easier to search for brands and styles than shopping at a local consignment store
- Purchase items at a decent price

Cons
- Payouts can be low on items. Recommend Poshmark if you want to set your own price
- Turnaround time for processing long, but they are starting to ramp up
- iPhone and iPad app search functionality not very good, search from a computer

Overall, I like having this option and find it easy to use and easy to shop. I will definitely continue to use thredUp to sell my clothes.

For more info, check out their FAQ site.