Navigating the Quirks of ThredUp

Where I've bought most of my clothes for more than 8 years.

I just checked— my first order from ThredUp was on June 20, 2016, which means that at this point I have been shopping on the site for more than 8 years. As a veteran, I’ve navigated a myriad of little quirks so I can help you skip the messy middle. (Get 45% off your first order with my share link.)

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post comparing Poshmark and ThredUp; in it, I highlighted the pros and cons of each. Below, I’ve taken some of the more significant cons of ThredUp and shared how I mitigate their effects on my shopping experience.

This entire outfit, save for the necklace and ring, is from ThredUp. As are the majority of my outfits. Everlane tee, Levi’s shorts, J. Crew belt, Kate Spade watch. Necklace and ring (custom) by Laine Benthall Jewelry Designs. Photo by Daniel Knight.

Restocking fees

• Restocking fees are $3.99 per item, which I’ll admit is pretty steep, especially considering that in the early days I think it was 99¢ per item. So, when I order something, I run it through the math of a $4 try-on fee. Unfortunately, there’s no real workaround for this unless the item that you get doesn’t match the description on the listing. More on that below.

Inaccuracies and inconsistencies in descriptions (fabric, sizing, brands)

• This is getting better because they just started including photographs of tags on listings, so definitely check for those rather than trusting the item description about each piece. If I really care about the material (etc.) of something (and I usually do), I’ll only order it if it’s explicitly listed as what I want or shows a tag that is accurate to what I want. That way, if it’s inaccurate, they’ll waive the restocking fee for the return.

• “Condition” is tricky by nature when you’re talking about used clothing, but I’ve found ThredUp rarely lists something as being in better condition than it is; they err on the safe side. And if I receive something that was listed as “Excellent” condition and it clearly isn’t, I’ve never had trouble getting my restocking fee waived.

What’s available and what you’re seeing

• Strangely, ThredUp kind of has a reputation for being only lower end stuff, and I think that’s because they like to market realllllly cheap prices, like “Tees starting at $3” and that sort of thing. But ThredUp actually has a massive selection of high-end brands and even authenticated designer clothing and accessories. It’s absolutely worth your time to not only browse their Premium and Designer categories, but also search for your favorite designers and save searches.