What to do with clothes that don't sell: fix the listing, then decide

Step 1: work out why it is not selling

Be honest with yourself and go through the listing as a buyer would.

• The first photo. Is it bright, sharp and taken in daylight? Does it show the whole piece clearly against a plain background? A dark or cluttered first photo is the most common reason a listing gets passed by.
• The title. Does it say the brand, what the piece is, the colour and the size, in words a buyer would search for? Our guide to writing a good listing title explains the pattern.
• The price. Search for similar pieces in similar condition. If yours is near the top of the range, that is probably the answer.
• The measurements. Fit is the question buyers ask most. A listing without measurements in cm leaves them guessing, and many will not risk it.
• The description. Does it say the fabric, the condition, any flaws and how it fits?
• The season. A heavy coat in June or a linen dress in December is waiting for its moment.

Step 2: refresh the listing

Change the thing most likely to be holding it back.

1. Retake the first photo near a window in the morning, with the piece steamed and lint-free. Our guide to photographing clothes to sell has the set-up.
2. Rewrite the title with precise words.
3. Add the measurements. Our guide on how to measure clothes shows which ones to take.
4. Add detail to the description: the composition label, the fit, any flaws.

Step 3: lower the price gently

If a refreshed listing still has had no interest after a couple of weeks, lower the price a little rather than all at once. Small, regular reductions usually work better than one big cut. On Rewear, people who have saved the piece can be told when its price drops, so a reduction can bring back buyers who were already interested.

Before you list, decide the lowest you would accept. If you reach it and the piece still does not sell, it is time for one of the other options below rather than going lower and lower.

Step 4: bundle it

A piece that does not sell on its own can sell alongside something else. Set a bundle discount in your profile, so a buyer who takes two or more of your pieces together saves and pays postage once. Mention other pieces in the same size in your descriptions. Our guide to bundling clothes to sell more explains how.

Step 5: give it a push, if you want to

Rewear offers an optional paid bump, which moves one of your listings back to the top of the feed and keeps it near the top for seven days. It buys visibility, not a sale, so it is worth it only once the photos, title and price are right.

Step 6: wait for its season

Some pieces are simply out of season. Take them down or leave them up at their current price, and list them again, freshly photographed, when the weather turns.

• coats, knitwear and boots: early autumn
• party wear: from November
• linen, sandals and summer dresses: spring

Our guide to what sells best second-hand in winter covers the cold months.

Step 7: decide what happens next

If a piece has had a fair chance, with good photos, a fair price and the right season, and it still has not sold, decide what to do with it rather than leaving it in limbo.

• Keep it if, now that you have looked at it again, you would actually wear it.
• Repair it if a small fix would make it sellable or wearable, such as a button or a hem.
• Donate it if it is clean and wearable. A charity shop or a local clothing bank can give it another life.
• Swap it with friends or family, who may love what you do not.
• Recycle it if it is worn out, stained or torn. Many councils and textile banks take clothes that cannot be worn again. Check what your local service accepts.
• Reuse it. Old cotton T-shirts make good cleaning cloths.

Avoid putting wearable clothes in the general rubbish.

Learn from it

Notice which pieces sell quickly and which do not. Over time you will see what is worth listing and what is better donated straight away, and you will spend less time on listings that never move.

The short version

Look at the listing first: first photo, title, price, measurements, description and season. Refresh it, lower the price gently and offer bundles. If it still does not sell, wait for its season, repair it, donate it if it is wearable or recycle it if it is not.