10 Common Mistakes New Resellers Make (And How to Avoid Them in 2025)
Getting Started with Reselling? Don’t Fall Into These Traps.
If you’re new to reselling - whether you’re flipping clothes from your wardrobe or building a full-blown secondhand side hustle - chances are you’ll hit a few bumps early on.
But what if you could skip the trial-and-error part? Hello, Shopfront 😉
This guide breaks down the 10 most common reselling mistakes, with practical, beginner-friendly ways to avoid them. Whether you sell on Depop, eBay, Grailed, Shopify, or somewhere else, these tips will save you time, money, and a whole lot of stress.
👎 Mistake #1: Buying Too Much Inventory Too Soon
Why it happens: It’s tempting to “stock up” early when you’re excited - especially after a good thrift run. But overbuying can leave you stuck with a pile of unsold items, no cash flow, and no time to list everything.
How to avoid it: Start small. List 5-10 items, see what sells, and only source more when you’re consistently moving stock.
💡 Pro tip: Track what sells quickly so you can source with intention - not emotion.
👎 Mistake #2: Not Understanding Your Target Buyer
Why it matters: If you’re trying to sell Y2K pieces to minimalists, or streetwear to a high-end audience, your listings won’t resonate - no matter how good the product.
How to avoid it: Pick a niche early (e.g. streetwear, vintage denim, kidswear) and research the typical buyer. What brands are they looking for? What price range do they shop in?
📚 Try exploring Depop’s Explore page or eBay sold listings to spot trends in your category.
👎 Mistake #3: Underestimating Platform Fees
Why it matters: Each platform takes a cut. New sellers often forget to factor in selling fees, payment processing, shipping, and currency conversion - which can eat into your profit.
How to avoid it: Before listing, check out these free fee calculators for each platform:
Build your pricing to include at least a 20–30% margin after all costs.
👎 Mistake #4: Listing the Same Item Manually Everywhere
Why it hurts: Manually copy-pasting the same listing across eBay, Depop, and other platforms is time-consuming and often leads to errors or forgetting to delist when something sells.
How to avoid it: Use a tool like Shopfront to create one listing and sync it across all platforms - then automatically remove it everywhere once it sells.
This prevents:
- Overselling
- Wasting time retyping descriptions
- Inconsistent pricing across platforms
👎 Mistake #5: Using Poor Photos
Why it matters: Photos are everything online. If your images are dark, blurry, or cluttered, your item won’t get the attention it deserves - no matter how cool it is.
How to avoid it:
- Shoot in natural light
- Use plain or clean backgrounds
- Show the item from multiple angles
- Include close-ups of tags and flaws
✨ Bonus: Shopfront’s built-in background remover helps make your images pop (but gives you full control if you want to keep the original aesthetic).
👎 Mistake #6: Writing Vague Descriptions
Why it matters: Buyers want details: brand, size, measurements, condition, material, fit. If you skip these, you’ll get fewer sales or more returns.
How to avoid it? Use this format as a base:
- Brand
- Size + Fit (e.g. “marked M, fits oversized”)
- Material
- Measurements
- Condition
- Keywords (e.g. “Y2K, archive, 90s, baggy”)
📦 Bonus points if you include how it’s styled - this helps buyers picture themselves wearing it. Shopfronts AI listing generator will get these details filled out for you in one-click!
👎 Mistake #7: Forgetting to Promote Listings
Why it matters: Platforms like Depop and eBay reward activity. The more you engage (list, update, refresh), the more visibility your items get.
How to avoid it:
- Relist older items weekly
- Promote your shop on Instagram or TikTok
- Bundle items into “drops” or themed edits
- Use hashtags and keywords consistently
🛠 Tools like Shopfront helps automate some of these updates and makes relisting easier by keeping everything organised and ready to update from one place.
👎 Mistake #8: Not Tracking What Works
Why it matters: Without tracking your sales, you won’t know what to source next or how to improve.
How to avoid it? Use Shopfront’s built-in analytics to track:
- Item name
- Platform listed
- Price sold
- Time to sell
- Profit margin
This helps you double down on your best-sellers - and avoid dead stock.
👎 Mistake #9: Giving Up Too Soon
Why it happens: Reselling takes time. Some items move fast, others don’t. It’s easy to get discouraged after a quiet week.
How to avoid it: Stay consistent. Treat reselling like a business - even if it’s a side hustle. Learn from every sale (or non-sale) and keep iterating.
👎 Mistake #10: Not Using the Right Tools
Why it matters: Trying to juggle Depop, eBay, Grailed, inventory, and sales manually leads to burnout.
How to avoid it: Use tools that make your life easier, like Shopfront.
Why Shopfront Is Ideal for New Sellers:
✅ List once, and publish to multiple platforms
✅ Use AI to help write listings and optimize pricing
✅ Auto-delist sold items to prevent double-selling
✅ Keep track of inventory, sales, and platform performance
✅ Built for Aussie and global resellers alike
Start Smart, Grow Fast
Everyone starts somewhere - and every mistake is a chance to learn. But by avoiding these common missteps and using smart tools to support your workflow, you can build a reselling business that’s sustainable, profitable and fun.
👉 Ready to sell smarter? Try Shopfront free and simplify your reselling journey today!