Unlike even just a couple of years ago, there are now hundreds of different sites and apps for buying & selling goods online. From the OGs like eBay and Craigslist, to the now ubiquitous Facebook Marketplace, to thredUP and The RealReal, the space has changed quite a bit in the last several years.
Over time these marketplaces have gone one of two ways: ubiquity or specialization. Meaning they either try to sell anything like OfferUp, or they focus on very specific niches like second hand luxury goods (i.e. The RealReal) or even brand-specific programs like Patagonia Worn Wear.
Even though Mercari is one of the former – where you can buy & sell just about anything – we know most users, and especially those of you reading this here on Thriftoff, will be interested in sustainable second hand clothing apps. So here are the best 5 sites like Mercari for sustainable second hand clothing in 2021.
1) thredUP
thredUP tops our list because of their curated second hand inventory, their mission behind sustainability and reducing fashion waste, and their unique selling model.
In contrast to most peer-to-peer buying and selling apps where you are buying clothes directly from someone else (like Mercari), on thredUP you are actually buying the item from thredUP. The difference might seem meaningless but because thredUP has already purchased the items they sell from individual sellers, you can have confidence that what you are buying is unstained, undamaged, and authentic. With apps like Mercari, the onus is all on you – buyer beware.
Sustainability is a big focus for us at Thriftoff and thredUP’s mission is not unlike ours – to reduce waste from the fashion industry. There is the straightforward reuse in a garment’s lifecycle when you buy clothes from thredUP but they also recycle the clothes they don’t buy from sellers. That’s a very unique value proposition that we haven’t seen from any other second hand buying & selling app.
Lastly, their model for sellers is super easy and convenient. You simply order a Clean Out Kit, put all your clothes in it, ship to thredUP, and they’ll take care of the rest. After they review your clothes they’ll send you money for everything they purchased, and they’ll recycle the rest!
You check out our post about selling on thredUP that goes through the entire selling process and even provides a thredUP payment estimator.
2) Poshmark
Poshmark is very much similar to Mercari in just about every way. In fact, I know some sellers that will post their goods on both platforms just to cover their bases.
We like Poshmark because while they offer some other categories like makeup, home goods, and pet supplies, their primary focus is on clothing (both men & women’s). Poshmark also offers some unique value propositions to their buyers like buyer protection, expedited shipping, and free authentication on luxury goods.
3) Depop
Depop has a similar model to Mercari and Poshmark – that is peer-to-peer shopping but we love them because they are focused heavily on clothing (though they are starting to branch out into other categories) and they focus on vintage and streetwear.
Loved and used by many Gen Zers, Depop markets itself around “unique fashion.” There are definitely some unique items on Depop so it’s easy to spend hours just browsing through different categories and sellers.
One other very interesting feature with Depop is that we think it does the best job out of any other site on this list of creating something akin to a social network. You can follow individual sellers and get updated when they list new items. This makes Depop also very big in the influencer community.
4) Tradesy
Tradesy is a very compelling app like Mercari due to their focus on clothing and similar model to thredUP where you are buying directly from Tradesy and not an anonymous person.
Tradesy seems to lean towards the designer and vintage end of the clothing market. This is evident just by simply browsing their site but also given some of their features.
They claim that 100% of all items on their site is guaranteed to be authentic. If you not, you can get your money back via The Tradesy Authenticity Promise.
If you’re a seller on Tradesy, they hold your hand through the entire process so it’s pretty smooth sailing. Our recommendation is to sell your designer or Vintage goods here.
5) Vinted
Vinted is definitely less well known than the other sites on this list but there are some compelling reasons to check them out.
For one, if you’re a seller they do not charge commissions. They even let you trade goods with other sellers (assuming both parties are willing, of course). I know some people who would definitely be interested in that.
There is a fee for buyers however. The fee is 3-8% of the sales price. They chalk this up as part of a Buyer Protection fee. Apparently it funds protecting you should you ever need a refund for any reason.
Also because they are a bit less well known, there is typically less competition on high interest items so you’ll have a better chance of getting what you want for less money. That’s a good enough reason for us to at least check them out and see what kind of clothes they have available.