Poshmark Seller? Don’t Accept Bogus Returns.

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BY JENNIFER SILVERMAN

Have a Poshmark side hustle? Ditto!

If you're anything like me, you consider reselling an enjoyable pursuit - especially when your internal soundtrack first begins blasting the cha-ching sound on the regular.

Alas, selling on Poshmark is not all rainbows, sunshine, and posh parties.

Once your reselling dabble morphs into a legit biz, you'll likely battle a bad egg buyer or two.

In my experience, the predominant drawback in pursuing a resale side hustle is contending with jerky customers.

It totally sucks when buyers' bad attitudes kill our good vibes, but unfortunately, it's par for the course.

This is how my Poshmark story began...

MY POSHMARK SIDE HUSTLE BACKSTORY:

Like many accidental entrepreneurs, my side gig materialized during the pandemic - when I really needed a hobby to distract me from my burgeoning Covid anxiety.

Conveniently, my compulsive need to constantly declutter, penchant for bargain shopping, and background in fashion all served as ideal justification for launching an online resale business.

I got my side gig going by selling on Poshmark, listing neglected clothing from my closet and wedding gifts that were gathering dust. (Not literal dust of course...you're currently perusing the words of a neat freak.)

My newbie Poshmark sales surprisingly poured in rather quickly, and in a blink, I had a Poshmark reselling side hustle.

Eventually, my mom contracted the highly contagious reselling bug, and we joined forces, expanding our hustle.

Once we outgrew my personal wardrobe purges, we got into a rhythm sourcing inventory and expanded our reselling platform portfolio to eBay and Mercari.

We currently have around 500 pieces of pre-owned clothing, shoes, accessories, and home items for sale online.

All in all, our resale hustling hobby feels like good karma to me.

It gets an unloved item into the hands of someone who will enjoy and appreciate it and does the environment a solid by reducing landfill waste.

Plus, crafting beautiful listings keeps my creative juices flowing, which in turn minimizes my grouchy tendencies.

WHEN ANGRY POSHMARK CUSTOMERS DESCEND...

At the start of my resale journey, everything went really smoothly. I had sold at least 75 items with nary a hiccup. Then, out of nowhere, my first disgruntled Poshmark buyer emerged from wherever it is in which meanies hail.

She purchased a pre-loved designer handbag, received it, and quickly spewed hostility and disrespect.

I’ll spare you the gory details but suffice it to say my description of the bag’s condition was very detailed - including close-up images and a video in the listing spotlighting signs of wear.

Upon receipt of the handbag, the cranky Poshmark customer seemed to contract a rapid case of buyer’s remorse. She promptly berated me with accusations and insults.

She also made all sorts of erroneous claims about the condition of the bag and attempted to imply I was dishonest.

Even though I knew her allegations to be untrue, I made my best attempt at good customer service, apologized for her dissatisfaction, and requested that Poshmark authorize her return for a refund - which was not required - at all.

WHAT TO DO WHEN A POSHMARK BUYER REQUESTS A RETURN...

Take my advice. If you make a mistake on a listing or overlook a flaw, take accountability, apologize, and accept the return.

However, if you did not misrepresent your item and a Poshmark buyer is attempting to bully you, stand your ground.

Honest sellers are under no obligation whatsoever to engage with meanies or grant them returns due to false claims, fit, or buyer's remorse.

Had I not given the buyer what she wanted in a futile attempt to please, more than likely, Poshmark would have sided with me. (Poshmark typically stands behind honest sellers with a good track record and a good attitude.)

Since my listing was completely accurate, the bothersome buyer would not have been permitted to make a return without my consent.

In case you're wondering, if I were magically given the opportunity to redo this irksome round of the resale game, I would have chosen differently.

Now that I have several years of reselling experience under my belt, I don't give into rude, shady customers unless I make a mistake - and I always block them post-encounter.

Anywho, in my case, despite my immediate compliance and unwarranted apology, the Poshmark buyer's rude words persisted.

I’d like to tell you that the false denunciations of a perfect stranger had no impact on me whatsoever.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. At the end of the day, the truth is that it hurts when someone is plain mean – regardless of who they are. And it hurts when one’s character is questioned – even in the most absurd of ways.

I contemplated reporting the disrespectful buyer to Poshmark customer service but decided against it.

I knew I would be stooping to her level, and she clearly wanted a fight. I, on the other hand, elected not to enter the boxing ring – I don’t much care for black eyes.

Ready to start your resale journey or expand your reselling side hustle? Take a gander at The Curious Columnist's Resale Side Hustle Tools Shopping List for a shoppable guide of my recommended must have resale supplies. (I know - it's a mouthful.)

New to reselling and looking to determine which resale website is right for you? Check out this article for all the pros and cons of selling on Poshmark, eBay, and Mercari.

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