How Tariffs Are Changing the Resale Market (and How to Make the Most of It)
Today, like most days, I headed to the post office to ship my Poshmark sales . But what I’m shipping looks a little different than it did a few months ago. Of the seven packages I’m handing over, only one contains an item I’d consider “good.” Next to that Fendi top are six fast-fashion items—super-cheap pieces I ordered from Chinese retailers like Shein and Temu that, until recently, I’d never have expected to sell, given that someone could buy the same item new for, well, Shein and Temu prices.
But since the new U.S. tariff structure went into effect (most notably the elimination of the de minimus exception ), consumers have been forced to adjust to a reality in which they can’t easily buy everything from toothbrush holders to micro-fashion outfits from a low-cost Chinese retail giant, not to mention worrying about how much more they’ll have to pay for more expensive goods like cars and appliances made with foreign parts or manufactured overseas.
In this time of uncertainty, resale apps can fill the void. My own Poshmark sales are up compared to the month before the tariffs went into effect, with a notable increase in sales of basic, cheap items. Curious, I spoke to a few experts to see if my experience was indicative of a larger trend — one that could mean good things (well, relatively speaking) for both resale buyers and sellers.
The atmosphere in resale apps after the introduction of tariffs
The tariffs’ implementation was confusing and disjointed. It was (and still is) difficult to predict when consumers would see higher prices on electronics, cars, and other foreign-made goods, or on products assembled in the U.S. but made with imported parts. But it was clear from the start that goods from China in particular were going to cost a lot more — including the volumes of goods shipped directly to consumers by companies like Temu and Shein, the latter of which is famous for uploading 10,000 new styles to its site every day (and charging incredibly low prices for all of them). A few months ago, when the tariffs were first announced, people began wondering whether they should start stocking up (and on what, exactly) , importing cheap clothes from Shein, or bracing for higher prices on more essential items like smartphones.
I bought more crap from Shein than I needed, even though I know it’s not exactly a sustainable or eco-friendly choice . To make myself feel better, I’ve always listed clothes on resale apps as soon as they fit me. To be clear, these are cheap clothes—you’re not buying your capsule wardrobe on Shein; Shein is a place to buy microtrends (styles that are all over your Instagram and Pinterest feed right now, but won’t be around in two months) or basics like tanks that you can wear and abuse. Before tariffs, it would have been unthinkable that someone would pay me $9 (plus shipping) for a used, cheap dress or sweatsuit that I’d originally paid only $15 for—but that’s exactly what started it.
Over the past month, I’ve still sold clothing and accessories from Adidas, Gucci, Skims, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Reebok, and Givenchy, but these are typically one-time sales. My Shein resale sales over the past four weeks have dwarfed them. I’ve also sold a few electronics — an Apple Watch and a microcurrent facial device — that I listed on my Poshmark store months ago. Can I blame all these sales on tariffs and anxiety about upcoming electronics price hikes?
Of course, I’m not alone in noticing this trend. A Poshmark spokesperson tells me, “We’ve seen an increase in sales of overseas-made items, especially brands that have announced price increases due to high tariffs. Despite the price increases, demand for fast fashion remains high as consumers seek fashionable, affordable styles. Buying these items second-hand allows them to stay on-trend while maintaining clothing turnover.”
Beyond Shein and Temu, higher-end brands that have publicly announced tariff-related price increases have also seen sales soar, with Columbia button-down shirts up 61% month-over-month and Hermès sandals up 27%. Buying used Hermès sandals is one thing: Not all of us have $840 to spend on designer slides for summer fun. But a Columbia button-down shirt? That’s the kind of item I used to find at Marshall’s for around $30, but now people seem to be buying them used in droves, worried that even cheap shirts will become relatively more expensive due to tariffs.
Meanwhile, Poshmark reports that consumer electronics sales are up, too, with Sony resale up 22% month-over-month in the week ending April 27, and Apple resale up 21%. It looks like times are changing, and they’re changing in a hurry.
What do the rates mean for resale buyers?
I’m a resale buyer as well as a seller, and the uncertainty around tariffs has made me much more selective about what I buy new. Part of that is because I’m paying more attention now. I love the athleisure and sportswear made by SET Active. I have a lot of it, and I never thought about selling it before because it lasts so long and holds its shape so well. Until recently, I’d also never paid much attention to where it was made: While SET Active designs its products in California, all of its activewear is made in China . Prices haven’t gone up on the official site yet, but in preparation for when they might, I’ve already started shopping the brand on Poshmark and Depop . It’s not the worst thing in the world; buying used is both cheaper and more environmentally friendly. I’ve always been an avid resale shopper — I’ve just never had to do it so strategically before.
(It’s made it easier for me to ditch Shein altogether—I can live without the $4 tees I’ve been buying for the past few years—but my Poshmark customers have proven less willing to resist the lure of fast fashion, even secondhand.)
I’m not alone in being more strategic about my resale shopping. Financial experts are noticing the same thing. “After the tariffs were announced and implemented, people began looking for cheaper alternatives to more expensive imported goods,” says Aaron Razon, a personal finance expert at Couponsnake , “especially since many domestic products not only don’t meet the demand for certain products, but they also don’t have the variety and style that imported products offer. [Domestic products] also aren’t the cost-effective option that consumers are looking for, which is one of the main reasons why interest in resale platforms has increased.”
Bill London, an international business lawyer , notes that tariffs have not only driven up prices but also led to potential delays in shipping, which has also contributed to “a surge in interest in second-hand fast fashion.”
Six months ago, if you wanted a certain dress for, say, a themed bachelorette party, you could order it from Shein for $20, safe in the knowledge that you’d probably never wear it again. Today, it might be closer to $30 or $40, and you might experience delays in receiving it. The appeal of fast fashion has always been the low cost and convenience, provided you had 10 to 14 days to wait for it to arrive from China. Now, it just makes sense to buy that dress from someone in the U.S. who also couldn’t see themselves wearing it again — and now they’re selling it for about the same $20 you originally paid. It’s still a relative bargain for the buyer, and it’ll even arrive sooner.
This is not just fast fashion
Brands beyond Shein and Temu are also on the rise. As a Poshmark representative noted, resale of some luxury brands is also on the rise. Buying used luxury items has always been a smart financial decision (certainly, I’ve been a long-time practitioner of the practice), but with manufacturing and import costs becoming increasingly murky, it’s smarter than ever.
A spokesperson for Vestiaire Collective , a designer resale platform, told me that U.S. shoppers are increasingly seeing tariffs applied to their purchases from Europe and Asia at checkout, and that the company has been working to strengthen its position in America for years. Those efforts are now paying off big, thanks to tariffs: In 2022, VC acquired Tradesey to expand its selection of secondhand fashion items for U.S. shoppers, and it ramped up the brand’s marketing around it the following year. VC also curates a list of items ready to ship from New York, making it easier for U.S. shoppers to find items that can easily get to them domestically without any tariffs or duties. Consequently, the brand’s spokesperson says VC has recently “seen a shift toward more U.S. shoppers buying from U.S. sellers.”
Personally, I’ve noticed that people are buying workout clothes from me in particular lately. With the price of everything on the rise, it can seem like a bit of a stretch to pop into Lululemon to buy a new pair of leggings for over $100. Meanwhile, the tried-and-true alternative Shein now costs more money than it’s worth. It’s this class of in-between essentials—things you don’t need to survive but might be nice for your specific interests or lifestyle—that’s the source of personal economic pain, and reselling can fill that void. Whether you need new workout clothes, disposable clothing, a few basics, or even a designer handbag, the reality of a post-tariff world is that you’re almost certainly better off scouring resale apps before even considering buying new. (You have options, of course—I’ve rounded up a list of my favorite resale apps , including the items you’re most likely to find on each.)
What does this trend mean for resellers?
I’m still shocked that people who would presumably once order their sweats and summer shorts from Shein are filling the fast fashion void by buying mine, but trust me: If you’ve ever thought about selling your old clothes or home items but thought what you had to offer was too simple, cheap, or plentiful to be worth the effort, now is your moment. I used to list cheap items and fast fashion on my resale accounts only because it helped keep my listing count up, which helped my profiles’ reputation and attracted buyers to the higher-end items I was actually expecting to sell. Now, however, it’s the cheap stuff that’s actually touching and making me money. I’ve started to re-examine my closet and re-evaluate what meets my “worth it” threshold for listing. With tariffs in place, everything is worth listing.
As London puts it, “Tariffs have changed the way people shop.” The great American tariff experiment is still early in the year, but some brands commissioned surveys earlier this year to find out how people planned to cope with rising prices, and found that a significant proportion of consumers did expect to rely more on resale.
ThredUp , another online resale platform, found that 59% of consumers said that if clothing becomes more expensive, they will look for more affordable options, like buying second-hand, and consumers plan to spend 34% of their clothing budget on second-hand this year. And those numbers are much higher for millennial and Gen Z shoppers: They reported that they plan to spend nearly half of their clothing budget on resale.
Data from Smartly , an online shopping rewards app, also shows that 50% of survey respondents planned to consider reselling items in the face of rising prices. This means that even for casual resellers or those completely new to the concept, there are plenty of new potential buyers, which can directly lead to quick sales. At a time when the cost of essential items is rising along with those mid-life needs, you can make extra money by selling what you already have.
Will the resale surge last?
I’ve been buying and selling on resale apps for years, and I’ve always had success finding cool stuff to buy as quickly as I could to get rid of my old clothes, accessories, and electronics. While I’ve definitely noticed a surge in sales lately, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t demand before the tariffs were announced. If you’re new to buying or selling on the app, don’t worry about the bubble bursting and you wasting a ton of time listing your items for nothing — even if and when that moment passes, reselling can still be a solid way to make a little extra cash. (In the meantime, if you have a lot to sell and want to maximize your profits, download a cross-lister like Vendoo , which helps you easily list the same product on multiple marketplaces.)
Some experts expect the situation to calm down in the near future. “Whether this trend continues depends on a number of factors, such as how long the tariffs last and how shoppers react to the costs,” says London. “The resale market for goods will likely continue to expand if the tariffs remain in place. Demand may stabilize or shift to quality goods or eco-friendly products as shoppers adapt.”
In the meantime, Razon believes that resale apps will continue to thrive, but the interest in buying cheap items like fast fashion may wane. “Resale platforms have found themselves in a good position due to the recent tariff hikes, especially as consumers look for cheaper alternatives to imported goods,” he says. “The truth is that — while it may take time for consumers to realize this — they will eventually value higher-quality goods. There’s a good chance that consumers’ interest in these lower-quality items will wane as they begin to adjust to the new economic reality.”
That is, put your Shein, Temu, and Aliexpress items out now while people are still mourning their loss, but also consider more familiar brands that may also soon see price increases. Take inventory of your closet and do some research to find out where all your potential stock is made. Just as I worry that my favorite SET Active clothes will go up in price because they’re made in China, consumers may soon be tempted to buy cheaper items from Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, Levi’s, and others, since all of these companies manufacture most of their clothing overseas.
Resale platforms themselves already anticipate that their digital products will become more valuable and will remain valuable during (and after) the tariff era. Manish Chandra, founder and CEO of Poshmark, says, “As the tariff and import landscape changes, we believe the secondhand market will become an increasingly valuable and cost-effective resource for American consumers. By shopping in Poshmark’s closets or starting their own, consumers are supporting sustainability and helping to strengthen the American economy.”
In other words, resale shopping is another way to buy American, even if everything you buy is made in India or China.