Printify + your favorite platform = more sales!
To start selling clothes on eBay, choose a niche to stand out from other sellers and sell items that match what buyers shop for every season. Write clear listings with competitive prices, detailed titles and descriptions, and high-quality photos that show the item accurately.
Set simple shipping, return, and handling policies so buyers feel confident in their purchase. Promote your online store using eBay’s marketing tools or share your listings on social media to drive traffic and increase clothing sales.
Selling online sounds like a lot? Don’t worry. In this guide, we’ll break down the leading strategies for selling apparel on eBay, from knowing the market and pricing to optimizing listings.
Understanding the eBay apparel market
Apparel shopping on eBay offers potential buyers something traditional retailers often don’t: product variety, value for money, and online convenience.
Though the platform is known for collectibles and vintage finds, around 80% of items sold are actually brand new.
This shows that most shoppers go to eBay to buy everyday clothing items at a lower price, with faster delivery from domestic sellers.
Some of the top-performing eBay product categories include:
- Luxury resale – secondhand designer clothing, bags, or shoes.
- Streetwear – rare drops and limited-edition collaborations.
- Activewear – affordable workout sets and discounted branded pieces.
- Fandom fashion– band tees, sports merch, and licensed gear.
- Graphic and novelty apparel – funny tees, slogan hoodies, and meme designs.
If you’re a beginner, here are a few tips for selling on eBay:
- Stick to what you know: eBay sellers who focus on a certain type of clothing or a specific audience usually build more trust and repeat buyers.
- Think seasonally: Shoppers want different things in different seasons, like jackets in winter, shorts and festival gear in summer.
- Start small and test: List a few items, see what sells, and use positive feedback to guide your next steps.
Price and shipping strategy
Buyers compare prices in seconds, so your starting price has to make sense while still leaving room for eBay’s final value fees and your profit margins.
Before pricing your clothing items, calculate your:
- Final value fees – around 13.6% for most apparel categories.
- Insertion fees if you exceed your monthly free listings.
- Packaging and shipping costs, like boxes, tape, labels, and postage.
What makes eBay different from Amazon or Etsy is that sellers can price items in multiple ways:
- Auction: Best for rare or popular clothing. Buyers bid against each other, which can drive the price up. Items also often sell quickly this way.
- Buy It Now (BIN): Fixed-price listing format that’s good for everyday apparel and bulk inventory.
- Best Offer: Buyers suggest the price. Useful for slower-selling items or if you’re open to negotiating.
Many successful sellers combine these formats to make money on eBay and attract buyers.
The easiest way to set the right price is to look at what buyers have already paid.
On eBay, search for a product, then use the left-hand filter to check off Sold items under Show only. Narrow the results by condition, brand, or size to see the prices people paid for listings similar to yours.
How you present the price matters, too. A shirt listed at $19.99 often feels cheaper to buyers than the same one at $20.00.
Offer free shipping by including the shipping cost in your item price – this makes listings more appealing. Shoppers prefer knowing the full price upfront, and surprise fees at checkout often lead to cart abandonment.
Another strategy is to create a bundled product listing – like selling a three-pack of custom t-shirts. Buyers will feel they’re getting more value while you increase your average order size.
Optimizing product listings
When buyers search on eBay, results are sorted by Best Match by default. eBay’s algorithm prioritizes listings that are most relevant to buyer interests. It evaluates your title, relevant keywords, item details, price, high-quality photos, shipping, return policy, and seller history.
The clearer and more complete your listing is, the better its chance of selling. Here are some effective eBay seller tips:
Optimize your title and item specifics
Your title and item details are the first things eBay uses to match your listing to a buyer’s search. The more specific you are, the easier buyers find your product in search results.
- Use all 80 characters with brand, item type, size, and color. Example: “adidas Men’s Dri-Fit Running Shorts Medium Black.”
- Skip filler words like “Must-see!” – they don’t help with visibility.
- Add relevant keywords buyers use, like “Women’s Yoga Leggings” instead of “Sports Leggings.”
- Fill in all item specifics (size, fabric, style, condition). Many buyers filter listings by these details – if you skip them, your product may not appear.
For more visibility, you can pay to add bold titles or a subtitle to highlight features, keywords, or shipping perks.
Write clear product descriptions
Your description should confirm what’s shown in the title and photos. Keep it short, honest, and easy to read on mobile.
Start with 1-2 sentences that use relevant keywords, like: “Lightweight cotton summer dress perfect for casual wear or holidays.” This helps with eBay search and can drive traffic from Google.
Then use a scannable format to list key product details:
- Condition – pre-owned, excellent, no stains or holes.
- Measurements – chest 20 inches, length 28 inches.
- Material and care – 100% cotton, machine washable.
- Flaws – small snag on the right sleeve.
This gives your target market confidence in what they’ll receive and helps reduce returns.
Choose the right product category for your clothing items
Pick the category that buyers would actually click when shopping. For example:
- A custom hoodie should go in Men’s Activewear > Hoodies & Sweatshirts, not just Men’s Clothing.
- A summer dress belongs in Women’s Dresses, not the general Women’s Clothing category.
Misplacing your listings leads to lower impressions and missed sales.
If you’re selling clothes in different sizes or colors, use listing variations instead of making separate entries. This keeps all buyer activity and sales history in one place – helping your product rank higher in eBay search results.
Select the correct condition for your clothes
When you create a listing, eBay asks you to select the item’s condition. Choose carefully, as this sets buyer expectations and prevents returns.
For clothes, the default options are:
- New with tags – brand new, never worn, with the original tags or packaging.
- New without tags – brand new, never worn, but missing tags or packaging.
- New with imperfections – unworn but with a factory flaw, like a misprint or loose thread.
- Pre-owned Excellent, Good, or Fair – used to different degrees (Excellent means lightly worn, while Fair has noticeable wear).
Not sure which to choose?
- A polo shirt worn once and still in great shape = Pre-owned Excellent.
- A dress with a small coffee stain = Pre-owned Fair.
- A Printify-made t-shirt that’s brand new and ships with your custom design = New without tags.
Set clear shipping and return policies to build buyer trust
Your shipping and return policies affect buyer trust and your search ranking. eBay rewards sellers who offer fast handling times, transparent delivery info, and simple returns.
Include these details in your listing:
- Handling time: Be specific, like “Orders placed by 4 pm ship the same day. Weekend orders ship Monday.”
- Shipping options: List your delivery carrier and method (e.g., USPS First-Class Mail, Priority Mail), and offer paid expedited shipping for those who want items faster.
- Returns: A simple 30 or 60-day return policy makes buyers more confident in making a purchase, especially for apparel, where fit is tricky. Make it clear who covers return shipping.
After publishing, listings may take up to 24 hours to show in search. If you can’t find it, check for typos, duplicate listings, or category errors.
High-impact visuals
If you’re wondering how to get more sales on eBay, improving your listing’s visuals is a good start.
Great photos build buyer confidence in purchasing your products. Plus, eBay values clear, accurate images when ranking search results.
eBay listing photo requirements:
- At least one photo: The first picture will appear in search results, so choose your most representative shot.
- Minimum size of 500 pixels: For the best detail, eBay recommends 800-1600 pixels on the longest side.
- The exact item in pictures: Mockups are fine for print-on-demand or dropshipping products, but avoid stock photos – especially for pre-owned clothing.
- Never add borders, watermarks, text, or marketing graphics.
Tips to improve product photos:
- Use a plain background: A white or light gray backdrop keeps clothing items clear and distraction-free.
- Light it evenly: Natural or diffused light prevents harsh shadows and keeps colors accurate.
- Keep it steady: A tripod or resting your phone on a flat surface with a timer avoids blur.
- Fill the frame: The item should take up about 80-90% of the photo to look clear and professional.
- Lifestyle images: Showing a custom jacket on a person instead of just flat on the floor helps buyers picture how it fits in real life.
- Show every angle: Include front, back, sides, and close-ups of tags or stitching.
- Show scale: Use a ruler or object to help buyers visualize size.
- Use a mannequin if needed: This helps show fit when a live model isn’t available.
eBay also gives you tools to enhance images:
- Background enhancement replaces a cluttered background with AI-generated studio or lifestyle scenes.
- Generative AI video tool lets you turn listing photos into a professional-looking product video to share on socials.
- The Gallery Plus paid upgrade enlarges your main photo in search results and lets buyers scroll through all images directly from the search page.
How to increase eBay sales with built-in marketing tools
Good listings are the first step to selling clothes, but you may need extra help to get noticed. eBay offers tools to increase your visibility and clothing sales – some are free, some paid, and some Store subscriber-exclusive.
Free tools and strategies for all sellers
Here’s what you can do to make your private label successful without paying extra:
- Product research: Analyze prices, demand trends, and sell-through rates to understand what your target market is buying.
- Social media sharing: Link your eBay account to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, or YouTube to share listings and drive traffic to your store.
Paid advertising tools
For extra visibility, eBay has paid ads that any seller can use:
- Promoted Listings: Put your items higher in eBay search results and product pages. Choose cost-per-sale or pay-per-click options depending on your goals.
- Promoted Offsite: Showcase your listings on Google Shopping and other external sites. You only pay for clicks, and eBay automatically optimizes your titles for better off-site performance.
Advanced tools for eBay Store subscribers
Once you have steady clothing sales, a Store subscription reduces listing fees and unlocks advanced marketing tools so you can make more money selling things. Plans start at $4.95/month, with more advanced features available in higher tiers.
An eBay Store subscription grants access to tools like:
- Discounts Manager: Run sales, coupons, volume pricing, and shipping discounts.
- Store newsletters: Email past buyers and followers about new listings or offers.
- Promoted Stores: Advertise your storefront with your logo, categories, and top listings.
- Sourcing insights: Spot trending products and high-demand categories.
Scaling your apparel business
Once you’ve built steady apparel sales on eBay, the next step is to build a lasting business. Here’s how to take your clothing line to the next level:
Build a recognizable clothing line
Branding helps buyers remember your business and come back. To make your brand noticeable, keep product photos and descriptions consistent across listings, and stay active on social media to connect with shoppers.
Small touches like thank-you cards and branded packaging can make your brand more memorable. Pair that with good customer service – fast replies, smooth returns, and accurate listings – and your customers will recommend you to their friends and family.
Expand into related categories
Once your apparel business is steady, add related products to increase your average order value and appeal to more buyers.
For example, handbags, belts, or scarves go well with a dress or jacket. Branch into creative products that fit your brand, like selling art prints on eBay if your designs focus on graphics.
Use Printify Print on Demand to offer unique items
The print-on-demand (POD) business model with Printify lets you offer custom designs without holding stock. We handle production and shipping so that you can focus on design.
Sell one-of-a-kind hoodies, tote bags, or t-shirts under your own brand while testing new ideas without risk.
For inspiration, check out Andrew Kasemeyer’s story. He turned eBay into a POD goldmine selling finance-themed apparel. His success shows how eBay can be a powerful but often overlooked channel for POD sellers.
FAQ
To sell 100 items daily on eBay, focus on high-demand products, competitive pricing, and effective marketing tools.
Make your photos, titles, and item details clear and accurate. Then, scale with eBay’s built-in marketing features. Automate where possible, offer free shipping, and maintain positive feedback to rank higher in search results.
Clothing is consistently one of the top-selling categories on eBay, alongside electronics, health and beauty, and automotive parts.
Popular subcategories include streetwear, activewear, and vintage resale.
The slowest months for eBay sales are typically January and February, after the holiday shopping season in November and December. Many shoppers cut back on spending, which dips sales.
The easiest items to sell on eBay are usually lightweight, easy to ship, and always in demand. Custom clothing made with print-on-demand platforms like Printify is a great example. You design seasonal collections and trending clothes while we print, pack, and ship items under your brand.
Conclusion
eBay is one of the best places to sell apparel if you approach it with the right strategy. Optimize your listings, use great photos, and explore the built-in tools to reach more buyers.
Whether you’re new to selling clothes online or looking to scale, Printify makes it easy to create custom designs without ever holding inventory.
Ready to start selling? Open your eBay store and launch your clothing line with Printify.
