When it comes to selling on Poshmark, shipping is an important part of the process. Send your items quickly and packaged neatly, and there may be a great review and return business for you. But accidentally swap your labels, forget to ship, or allow items to get damaged in transit, and you’re in for a headache and possibly a return.  Here are some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them—or cope if the inevitable happens!

Not Taking Advantage of Free USPS Shipping and Packaging

Let’s cover the basics: one of the most common shipping mistakes on Poshmark is not using the right shipping method. Ebay sellers, put away your scales—Poshmark’s shipping fees cover USPS Priority Mail, which is free for sellers and fast for buyers, provided you use the label issued by Poshmark. Be sure to stock up on USPS’s free priority packaging, available in person at the post office or with free shipping online, for great buyer presentation and 2-day shipping. I like the Tyvek Envolopes, large mailer boxes, and medium sized boxes best. But don’t try to use the boxes for shipping anything non-priority. The boxes can only be paired with priority labels, which Poshmark provides.

Trying to offload your Amazon boxes? You can still use Priority labels. Just make sure to use the dang label Poshmark gives you, or you’ll pay uneccesarily for shiping, and the buyer will get slower service.

Packaging Poorly

Another common shipping mistake is not packaging items properly. It's important to make sure that items are packaged securely to prevent damage during shipping. This means wrapping fragile items in bubble wrap or tissue paper and placing them in a sturdy box or envelope. It's also important to make sure that the shipping label is securely attached to the package (though don’t tape directly over the bar codes—this can make it tricky for USPS to scan them).

Got a non-fragile item in a slightly too large box? I like to roughly fold some kraft paper in with the tissue-paper-wrapped item to keep in from bouncing around and getting dishelveled en route.

Slow Shipping

Poshmark requires sellers to ship items within three business days of a sale, but most buyers will get a little cranky if you wait that long. With that in mind, it's important to ship items as soon as possible after a sale. This means having a plan in place for shipping—including having shipping supplies on hand—and having your items prepped and ready to go at the time of listing (ie. lint rolled, folded, and put somehwere safe where you can find them again).

It’s also a good idea to put a note right in your listings about ship time, such as “Orders ship in 1-2 business days.”

Ghosting Buyers

Finally, another common shipping mistake is not communicating with buyers. Buyers appreciate updates on the status of their purchase, so it's a good idea to communicate with them throughout the shipping process, especially if you’re running ate. This means letting them know when you expect to ship, and responding promptly to any questions or concerns that buyers may have. Poshmark will let the buyer know when you’ve shipped and will provide them tracking information, so once you’ve had the item scanned at the Post Office, you can consider your job mostly done!

By avoiding these common shipping mistakes on Poshmark, sellers can provide a positive experience for buyers and build a strong reputation on the platform.

Swapping Shipping Labels

This is the worst, but it does happen: shipping two orders to the wrong buyers! If you get word from a buyer that they’ve received the wrong item, file a claim with Poshmark and they’ll send your buyers labels to re-ship the items to eachother.

Then, in the future, confirm each order as you label it, labeling items immediately after packing so you don’t get confused (or write the item where the label will go so you remember what’s in there).

A Few More Tips for Successful Shipping on Poshmark

Invest in Supplies

One of the most important things you can do to ensure successful shipping on Poshmark is to invest in shipping supplies. It’s no fun running late on a bundle order because you don’t have any big boxes on hand! Standard supplies include boxes of a few different sizes, envelopes, bubble wrap/kraft paper (save and reuse these from your online shopping orders!), tissue paper/kraft paper, tape, and other materials you may need to securely package your items. (I like Thank You stickers, but they’re optional!). By having these supplies on hand, you can quickly and easily package your items and get them out to buyers in a timely manner.

Put Items in Inventory Before Listing

Doing your final inspection, lint-roll, folding, and putting away will help you avoid last minute surprises, like needing to steam a rumpled piece or not being able to find it altogether.

Have a Routine for Shipping

If you’re used to shipping Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you’re a lot less likely to slack on sending items, or discover at the 11th hour that you can’t find something.

Treat Buyers How You’d Want to Be Treated

Listen, there are some jerk buyers out there, but in my experience, they’re few and far between. Having a hard time getting an item out the door for some reason? Communicate it! Most folks understand that we’re all human and would appreciate a head’s up if you’re running behind, or an option to swap in an item if you can’t find something they’ve bundled. Just keep it professional, and do your best to reach out ASAP if there are issues. If you’ve already waited 3 days to check in, you’re less likely to get an easy-going response.

Did we miss anything?

Have any shipping snafus to share?

I once accidentally swapped order labels, and then had one of the buyers not send the other one their order. And it was a gift. For Christmas. (Yes, I felt horrible).

It happens to the best of us, but remember in any shipping situations, put the buyer and good customer service first. The rest tends to sort itself out.

Love and magic,

Cathy @ClosetWitch