How to Start a Successful Depop Shop From Scratch

How to Start a Successful Depop Shop From Scratch

Depop has carved out a unique space in the world of e-commerce, blending social media with a vibrant marketplace for new, preloved, and vintage fashion. For aspiring entrepreneurs, it represents a fantastic opportunity to turn a passion for style into a profitable venture.

But where do you begin? Starting a Depop business can feel daunting, but with the right strategy, you can build a thriving shop from the ground up. This guide will walk you through every step of the process, from creating your account to scaling your sales.

We'll cover everything you need to know about how to start a Depop shop, from sourcing inventory and creating killer listings to implementing advanced selling strategies that get results. Let's get started.

Getting Started: How to Set Up a Depop Shop

The first step in your journey is creating your shop. This is your digital storefront, your brand identity, and your operational hub all in one.

Step 1: Sign Up for an Account

You can begin your Depop journey either on the Depop app or directly on depop.com. If you prefer using your phone, you'll first need to download the app from the App Store or Google Play.

Regardless of which platform you choose, the sign-up process requires you to provide a valid phone number and email address to create your account.

Step 2: Create Your Profile

Your Depop profile is your shop, so it's crucial to make a great first impression. You'll need to choose a username that is memorable and representative of your brand. This will be your shop's name.

Next, create a strong, secure password to protect your account. You will also need to pick a profile photo that represents your shop's image and create a bio that tells potential buyers what your shop is all about.

Step 3: Connect Your Payment Accounts

To start selling and, more importantly, get paid, you need to set up your payment methods. A verified PayPal account is a requirement to sell on Depop, as it allows you to securely send and receive payments.

Once your PayPal account is verified, you can connect it to Depop. Simply navigate to Settings, tap on "Selling," and then select "PayPal account." From there, you will be prompted to log into your PayPal account to complete the connection.

You should also set up Depop Payments if the feature is available to you. This expands the payment options for your buyers, allowing them to use Apple Pay, Google Pay, and credit or debit cards directly.

Activating Depop Payments has several benefits for you as a seller. Your earnings will be paid directly into your bank account, and you can view all your sales and process refunds without ever leaving the Depop app. This feature is being rolled out gradually to the community.

Sourcing Your Inventory: What to Sell on Depop

With your shop set up, the next question is: what will you sell? The beauty of Depop is the sheer variety of items that find success. You can sell whatever you're passionate about.

Finding Your Niche and Stock

The easiest place to start is your own wardrobe. Most people have unwanted items, whether they're new with tags or gently preloved, that can become your initial inventory. You can even help family and friends declutter their closets for more items.

Once you've exhausted your personal supply, it's time to get creative with sourcing. Great places to find clothes to sell include:

• Markets and car boot sales
• Secondhand shops and thrift stores
• Rag houses and wholesalers
• Yard sales

Keep an eye out for local events and sales in your community. It pays to be creative and look for interesting places to pick up unique stock for your shop.

Types of Items to Sell

Depop is a marketplace for a wide range of styles and items. You can build a successful business by focusing on a specific category or offering a diverse collection. Popular categories include:

• Vintage Clothes: Timeless pieces from past decades are always in demand.
• Upcycled or Reworked Items: Give old garments a new life with your creative touch.
• Thrifted Finds: Curate unique pieces found on your sourcing adventures.
• Designer Goods: Authentic high-end items can fetch a premium price.
• Various Sizes and Conditions: Be transparent about the condition of your items, which can range from "brand new" to "used - fair." Including different sizes makes your shop more inclusive.

Creating Standout Listings That Sell

Your listings are your most important sales tool. High-quality photos and detailed, informative descriptions are essential for attracting buyers and converting interest into sales.

Start with a Strong Foundation

To get your shop off to a good start, aim to list at least four items. This shows potential buyers that your shop is active and gives them more to browse. It's easy to get started with just a few items, so don't feel pressured to have a huge inventory right away.

Take High-Quality Photos

Great photos are key to grabbing a buyer's attention on a crowded feed. You don't need fancy equipment to take decent pictures. Theresa Sobocinski, a seller who made nearly $100,000 in revenue on Depop, grew her account by posting high-quality try-on photos.

Here are some tips for photos that sell:

• Use Natural Lighting: Natural light helps your items look their best. Avoid harsh shadows and yellow indoor lighting.
• Choose a Consistent Background: A neutral or consistent background makes your feed look cohesive and professional. It helps the item stand out.
• *
• Show All Angles:
• Don't just upload one picture. Show the garment from the front, back, and even the inside for coats. This helps buyers understand exactly what they're buying.
• Highlight Details: Take close-ups of interesting features like patterns, textures, or unique buttons.
• Be Honest About Flaws: If an item has any defects, wear, or flaws, include clear photos of them. Transparency builds trust with buyers.
• Model Your Items: Modeling clothes can help buyers visualize the fit. If you use a model, try to keep the pose consistent for your main photos to create an aesthetically pleasing page.

Avoid using stock images or old photos of you wearing the item. The focus should be on presenting the product clearly and accurately as it is today.

Write Clear and Informative Descriptions

A good description can significantly increase your chances of making a sale. It should provide all the information a buyer needs to make a confident purchase.

Your description should include:

• Details about size, fabric, and condition: Be specific. If an item is vintage or has no tags, include detailed measurements to help with sizing.
• Accurate keywords: Think like a buyer. Include the brand name, style (e.g., "boilersuit," "blazer"), and color at the beginning of the description.
• Aesthetic and style hashtags: Utilize hashtags effectively. A simple cardigan could be tagged with #grandmacore, #90s, #corpcore, or #darkacademia, depending on its style. Use up to five relevant hashtags to increase visibility.

Being honest about an item's condition in the description is crucial, especially for used items. Detail any flaws to ensure your buyer knows exactly what to expect.

Set the Right Price

Pricing can be tricky. Start by researching how other sellers are pricing similar items on Depop. This will give you a baseline and help you stay competitive.

If you're open to negotiating, make this clear in your listing or bio. Letting potential buyers know you're open to offers can help you sell items more quickly.

Advanced Selling Strategies for Growth

Once you've mastered the basics, you can implement more advanced strategies to boost your sales and grow your Depop business.

Stay Active and Engaged

Depop's algorithm tends to favor active users. Consistency is key. Being active on the platform can involve several things:

• Refresh Your Listings: Constantly refreshing your items is crucial for boosting sales. This bumps your listings to the top of search feeds. Seller Theresa Sobocinski credits this as a key to her success.
• Delist and Relist: For items that have been sitting for a while, delisting and relisting them can make them appear as "new" and give them a visibility boost.
• Engage with Others: Be an active part of the Depop community. Follow other shops and engage with their content.
• Answer Messages Promptly: Excellent customer service goes a long way. Check your messages regularly and respond to questions as quickly as you can.

Use Promotions and Offers

Drive sales by offering strategic discounts and bundles. Offering free shipping on bundles can encourage customers to purchase multiple items from your shop.

You can also discount individual items to trigger notifications for shoppers who have liked, saved, or added the item to their cart. This can create a sense of urgency and lead to a quick sale.

Provide Excellent Customer Service

Positive reviews are vital for building a reputable shop. Consistently provide excellent customer service to earn them.

This includes:

• Shipping Promptly: Once an item sells, ship it to your buyer in a timely manner and provide tracking details.
• Packaging with Care: Every item you ship must be freshly laundered and securely packaged to ensure it arrives safely.
• Adding a Personal Touch: Consider including a short thank-you note. Little details can make a big difference and encourage repeat customers.

Promote Your Shop on Social Media

Take advantage of Depop's feature that allows you to link to your social media accounts. For the best results, create separate social media accounts for your shop rather than using your personal profiles.

This allows you to build a dedicated community around your brand and drive external traffic to your listings.

Scaling Your Depop Business with Reeva

Starting a Depop shop is one thing; scaling it into a full-time business is another. As your inventory grows and sales increase, manual processes like listing, delisting, and managing inventory across multiple platforms can become overwhelming. This is where we can help.

Our platform is designed specifically for resale businesses looking to accelerate their growth. We simplify and automate the tedious parts of running your business, giving you back valuable time to focus on sourcing great products and expanding your brand.

Top resale businesses like Nuzzydeals, Vintage Vault WV, and TuffNY trust us to help them run and grow their operations.

Ready to see how you can streamline your workflow? Start your free trial of Reeva today!

Sell Smarter and Faster with Automation

One of the biggest time sinks for any reseller is creating listings. We've revolutionized this process. Simply upload photos of your items, and our platform can instantly create complete listings with titles, descriptions, and prices.

As FabFam, a reseller from Washington, put it: "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." This efficiency has helped them double their listing amount.

Furthermore, if you're thinking about future-proofing your business, selling on multiple marketplaces is a smart move. Our platform allows you to list your items everywhere with one click. Publish your inventory to Depop, Poshmark, eBay, and Mercari without ever switching tabs. This multi-store support helps you reach more buyers effortlessly.

Save Time with Powerful Automation

To stay visible on platforms like Depop and Poshmark, you need to keep your listings fresh. Our platform automates this process by relisting stale products to keep them at the top of search results. We also automatically share your products on Poshmark to increase visibility.

Worried about overselling an item that's listed on multiple marketplaces? We've got you covered. Our auto-delist feature instantly removes sold items from all other platforms, so you never have to cancel an order again. AlistairBP from Georgia says this is the feature he "couldn't live without."

This level of automation is a game-changer. TUFFNY in New York was able to cut their admin time by 30%, which allowed them to source more products and expand their offerings.

Grow Your Business with Ease

Managing a growing business requires powerful tools. Our platform provides robust business analytics to track sales and profits, helping you make smarter decisions. You can manage hundreds of listings in bulk, give team members access with multi-user accounts, and keep accurate records with built-in accounting tools.

Hiview Reloved noted, "I’ve created more listings in the few months of using Reeva than I was able to create all of last year when trying to do it on my own." For Vintage Vault WV, the results were even more dramatic, with a 372% increase in items sold and a 7x increase in sales after using our platform.

You can manage your entire business seamlessly from your mobile device, desktop, or tablet. Unlike other tools, you don't need a Chrome extension or to keep your laptop running for our automations to work.

Stop juggling spreadsheets and multiple apps. Try Reeva for free and see how our all-in-one platform can transform your resale business.

Conclusion: Your Path to Depop Success

Starting a successful Depop shop from scratch is an achievable goal for anyone with a passion for fashion and an entrepreneurial spirit. It begins with a properly set up profile and a clear strategy for sourcing unique inventory.

Success is built on creating high-quality, trustworthy listings with excellent photos and detailed descriptions. By staying active on the platform, engaging with the community, and providing outstanding customer service, you can build a loyal following and consistent sales.

As your business grows, manual tasks can become a bottleneck, preventing you from reaching your full potential. To truly scale, you need the right tools to automate tedious work and streamline your operations across multiple platforms.

Our platform offers everything you need to grow your resale business, all in one place. From AI-powered listing creation and cross-platform syncing to automated delisting and powerful analytics, we give you the freedom to focus on what truly matters: growing your brand.

Ready to take your Depop shop to the next level? Start your free 7-day trial of Reeva today and discover how easy it can be to run and grow your resale business.