Depop vs. Grailed: Where to Sell High-End Menswear

Depop vs. Grailed: Where to Sell High-End Menswear

Choosing the right online marketplace is one of the most critical decisions for a clothing reseller. When it comes to high-end menswear, two platforms stand out: Depop and Grailed. While both connect sellers with eager buyers, they cater to different audiences, operate with distinct fee structures, and offer unique selling experiences. Making the wrong choice can mean lower profits and items sitting for months, while the right choice can lead to quick sales and a thriving business.

This guide offers an in-depth comparison of Depop vs. Grailed, exploring everything from their target users to their fee structures. We will analyze the nuances of selling on Grailed vs. Depop to help you decide which platform is the superior choice for your high-end menswear inventory. Whether you're debating between Grailed or Depop, this breakdown will provide the clarity you need to list your items with confidence.

Depop vs. Grailed: Understanding the Core Audience

The first step in deciding where to sell is understanding who you're selling to. The user base on Depop and Grailed is fundamentally different, which directly impacts what sells best on each platform.

The Depop Audience: Trendsetters and Vintage Lovers

Depop positions itself as a sustainable source for Gen Z and millennials to discover unique fashion. Its audience is filled with trendsetters, models, and influencers who use the app to find a wide variety of coveted trends and brands. High-profile users like Bella Hadid, Olivia Rodrigo, and Charli XCX sell items from their own closets on the platform, attracting a fashion-forward crowd.

Sellers on Depop often list the most current micro-trendy pieces, while buyers are on the hunt for original and personalized style. Hannah Cha, a 23-year-old college student, noted she is willing to spend for this kind of originality. The platform is ideal for users seeking unique vintage items, thrift-finds, and indie-fashion designs that are hard to find in person. Even celebrities and stylists use Depop to source one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.

However, it's worth noting that some consumers have moved away from platforms like Depop for used trends due to issues with upselling.

The Grailed Audience: Menswear Collectors and Hypebeasts

Grailed, in contrast, brings authentic items to dedicated fashion-fanatics. It predominantly serves men who are looking for designer items and a vast variety of shoes. The platform specifically targets men in the second-hand market and aims its experience toward users interested in "Hypebeast" culture. It successfully brings hypebeasts and sneakerheads together into a single community.

Buyers on Grailed are often serious collectors on the hunt for specific ‘grails’—those rare, highly sought-after pieces. Sellers are frequently those looking to easily get rid of preserved impulse buys. Grailed is the go-to platform for users seeking the best high-end selection of fashion sneakers, pants, and jewelry. It effectively serves in-depth subcultures and categories from across the world, allowing sellers to connect with unique, niche markets.

Which is Better for High-End Menswear?

When considering Grailed or Depop for high-end menswear, the audience profile provides a clear answer. Grailed is purpose-built for this category. Its user base is actively searching for designer menswear, streetwear, and rare sneakers. The platform's organization into categories like Hype (streetwear drops), Sartorial (premium menswear), and Core (mass-market and vintage) ensures your listings reach the right buyers.

While Depop has a large and active user base, its focus is broader and leans more towards vintage, indie, and women's fashion trends. High-end menswear can certainly sell on Depop, especially unique vintage pieces, but you’ll find a more concentrated and motivated audience for these items on Grailed.

Selling on Grailed vs. Depop: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

The process of listing and selling an item differs between the two platforms. Understanding these operational differences is key to managing your time and maximizing your success.

How to Sell on Grailed

Grailed is designed for a seamless selling experience, especially for those familiar with menswear. Your chances of finding the perfect buyer for designer clothing, streetwear, or suiting are higher on Grailed than on any other marketplace.

The process begins by creating an account and entering your tax and payment information. To list an item, you simply click “SELL” and begin filling in the details. This involves providing general information like the title, brand, condition, color, and measurements. You must upload photos of your item and then publish the listing. It is free to list items on the Grailed marketplace.

To increase your sales, successful sellers follow a few best practices:

• Take Clean Photos: Use crisp, clear photos with a plain background.
• Write Detailed Descriptions: Be thorough in your description and enter measurements in the designated fields.
• Be Honest: Ensure your clothes are in good condition and describe them accurately.
• Price Fairly: Research comparable items to understand the market value.
• Engage with Buyers: Be willing to negotiate, accept offers, and respond to messages quickly. You can earn a "Quick Responder" badge for replying within 12 hours.
• Stay Active: Periodically "bump" or price drop your items to push them to the top of the feed. You should also list consistently or delist and relist older items.

One of Grailed's standout features is its authentication process. The platform has a team of expert moderators who review photos of higher-end items to determine authenticity. Once approved, the item page gets an “Authenticated” label, building trust with buyers. Sellers can also earn a "Trusted Seller" badge by completing 20 transactions with a feedback score of 4.8 or higher, and a "Speedy Shipper" badge for shipping within 3 days. Payments are generally released within 3 days of delivery.

How to Sell on Depop

Depop's selling process is straightforward, with a focus on visual appeal and community trust.

To list an item, you need to provide a clear description, the accurate brand name, and photos that truly represent the item. It's crucial to use your own original photos, as Depop will remove listings that use stock images. You must also include photos and descriptions of any faults, labels, or tags to ensure authenticity and transparency.

Once an item sells, Depop notifies you via email and the app. The seller is responsible for packaging and shipping the item. Shipping promptly increases your chances of getting a 5-star review, which is a key part of building trust on the platform. Depop encourages sellers to leave reviews for their buyers to foster a positive community and encourage buyers to reciprocate.

Key guidelines for selling on Depop include:

• Ship with Tracking: Always use a tracked shipping method to protect both yourself and the buyer. Depop Shipping is a recommended option.
• Stay on the App: Only sell items directly through the Depop app or website. Never follow external links or give out personal information. Depop will never ask for personal details to complete a sale.
• *
• Report Issues:
• If you receive a suspicious message, report it to Depop Support.
• Follow the Rules: Only list items that comply with Depop's Terms of Service and are not on the prohibited items list.

Payments are released to the seller as soon as the sale is delivered to the buyer, though exact timing can vary based on the payment method used.

Managing listings with these detailed requirements across multiple platforms can quickly become overwhelming. This is where a dedicated resale tool can be a game-changer. Our platform helps you turn photos into complete listings instantly, pre-filling descriptions and details to save you time. If you're ready to streamline your selling process on Depop, Mercari, and more, you can start your free trial with us today.

The Bottom Line: Comparing Depop and Grailed Selling Fees

For any reseller, the most important number is the final profit. The fee structure of a platform directly impacts your bottom line, and this is an area where Depop and Grailed differ significantly.

Here is a breakdown of the fees for a standard sale on each platform:

As the table shows, there is a stark difference. Grailed's fees are expected to be around 13%, which includes a 9% selling fee and a payment processing fee of 3.49% + $0.49 for domestic orders paid with Grailed Payments. For a $20 sale, this amounts to a total fee of $3.03 ($1.80 commission and $1.23 processing), leaving the seller with $16.97.

Depop's fees are very low, around 4%. In a major shift, Depop eliminated its commission selling fee for listings created after July 2024. This means sellers only pay the payment processing fee, which in the U.S. is 3.3% + $0.45. For that same $20 pair of jeans, the Depop fee is just $1.11, and the seller makes $18.89. It's important to note that if a Depop seller chooses to "boost" a listing for more visibility, an additional 10% fee applies.

From a purely financial perspective, Depop offers a clear advantage. However, the higher fees on Grailed pay for a more specialized audience and features like authentication, which can lead to faster sales at higher prices for specific items, potentially offsetting the fee difference.

Top High-End Menswear Brands to Resell

Knowing which brands are in high demand is crucial, regardless of the platform you choose. Certain high-end menswear brands have excellent resale value and a dedicated following.

Arc’teryx

Known for its outstanding quality and durability, Arc’teryx is a brand people are willing to pay top dollar for. While not a brand you'll find every day, many of its items can resell for over $100. It boasts a high average sale price of $111.16 and an impressive sell-through rate of 80%, making it a highly profitable brand to flip.

Brunello Cucinelli

This high-end Italian brand is highly sought after. With an average sale price of $212.15 and a solid sell-through rate of 55%, almost anything from Brunello Cucinelli sells for a decent price due to its high retail value. Resellers should definitely look out for their suits, which can sell for several hundred dollars.

Moncler

Moncler is a luxury brand famous for its down jackets, which are the most valuable pieces for resellers. It’s not a common find, but it’s a great brand to look out for with an average sale price over $300. The average sale price is $318.87 with a 24% sell-through rate. The high sale price makes it a worthwhile find despite the lower sell-through rate.

A Bathing Ape

A Bathing Ape (BAPE) is a Japanese streetwear brand known for its signature ape logo. While it has a very high resale value, with an average sale price of $133.56, its sell-through rate is quite low at only 9%. This means that while certain items can sell for over $100, they might take a while to find the right buyer. It's a good idea to look up comps when you find BAPE items.

Paul Smith

This high-end British brand is well-known for its classic style. Pretty much everything from Paul Smith can do well for resellers, especially outerwear and pants. It has an average sale price of $44.28 and a sell-through rate of 28%, making it a reliable, bread-and-butter brand for resellers.

Brands like Brunello Cucinelli, Moncler, and Arc’teryx are a perfect fit for Grailed's Sartorial and Hype categories, where buyers are specifically looking for premium and luxury goods.

Scale Your Business on Grailed, Depop, and More with Reeva

Whether you choose Grailed, Depop, or both, scaling your resale business means facing the challenges of managing inventory, creating dozens of listings, and tracking sales. Juggling these tasks across multiple platforms can feel like a full-time job in itself. Our platform is built for resale businesses to simplify selling, automate tasks, and help you grow.

Sell Smarter and Faster

We designed an optimized selling process to save you time. You can turn photos into listings instantly; just upload your photos, and we'll create complete listings with titles, descriptions, and prices. With one click, you can publish your items to all marketplaces, including eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, and Depop, without switching tabs. This multi-store support helps you reach more buyers effortlessly.

As FabFam from Washington says, "Reeva has cut my listing time by more than half. I can take photos, voice-to-text my details, and let Reeva handle the rest." If you're ready to stop wasting time on manual entry, you can start our free 7-day trial.

Save Time with Automation

Our platform puts your business on autopilot. We can automatically share your products on Poshmark to increase visibility and send personalized offers to buyers without you lifting a finger. Most importantly, we instantly delist sold items across all platforms to prevent overselling.

AlistairBP, a reseller from Georgia, says, "The feature I use 100% the most—and couldn't live without—is the AUTO-DELIST feature." This simple automation is a cornerstone of professional multi-platform selling.

Grow with Ease

We provide the management tools you need to grow and scale. You can update and manage hundreds of listings in bulk, track sales and profits with powerful business analytics, and even give team members access with multi-user account options. Our full-service accounting tools connect to your bank accounts, automatically recording transactions, expenses, and fees. You can generate clear profit and loss reports to make smarter business decisions.

TUFFNY from New York shared, "I've cut down my admin time by at least 30%, which has allowed me to source more products and expand my offerings."

Customer Success Stories

Resale businesses that use our tools see real growth. Nuzzydeals saw a 7x increase in sales. Vintage Vault WV sold 372% more items in just three weeks and increased their listing speed by 10x. AlistairBP went from selling 3-5 items a week to 10-15 items a day, increasing their selling amount 4x. We are trusted by top resale businesses across the U.S. because our platform is designed to accelerate growth.

Our Pricing

You can try our platform free for 7 days with no payment due. We offer two main plans:

• Basic Plan: For solo resale entrepreneurs. For a limited time, it's $29/month. It includes unlimited AI generations, auto delisting, business analytics, and cross-listing.
• Business Plan: For resale businesses and teams. For a limited time, it's $59/month. It includes everything in Basic, plus full automation, accounting, multi-user and multi-store support, and priority email, phone, and chat support.

Final Verdict: Grailed or Depop for High-End Menswear?

So, when it comes down to the Depop vs. Grailed debate, which platform should you choose for your high-end menswear?

The answer depends on your specific inventory. For dedicated high-end menswear, particularly designer pieces, sought-after streetwear, and luxury goods like Moncler or Brunello Cucinelli, Grailed is the superior choice. Its targeted male audience, niche categories, and authentication service create a trusted environment where buyers are prepared to pay premium prices.

Depop, with its significantly lower fees, is a fantastic platform for more unique or trend-driven items. If you are selling vintage menswear, indie brands, or items that appeal to a younger, style-conscious Gen Z audience, you may find great success there. The potential profit margin on each sale is higher, assuming the item finds its audience.

Ultimately, the smartest strategy is not to choose one, but to leverage the strengths of both. Why limit your reach?

With our platform, you don’t have to choose. You can list your menswear on Grailed, Depop, Poshmark, and eBay with a single click, maximizing your visibility and sales potential. We automate tedious tasks like delisting sold items and creating descriptions, giving you back time to focus on what matters: sourcing great products and growing your business. Start your free 7-day trial today and discover how easy it is to scale your resale business across every major marketplace.