Swap.com is said to be a “community of thrifters to find affordable, quality secondhand apparel for the whole family.”

It’s a company I mentioned a few times, such as in my 21+ swap or trade websites post as well as my best place to sell used baby clothes post and figured it was time to start digging deep to see what they are all about.  At first glance, it seems to be a decent option if you want to buy secondhand clothes or even sell them to make a few extra dollars.  The great thing is that you just need to ship a box in and let them do the dirty work.  However, even though it may sound easy, is it worth your time?

Whether you want to sell the clothes you already have or maybe you want to shop for a deal, I wanted to dive in and see what the website is all about.

Swap.com Reviews

As in all of my reviews, I always try to be as detailed as possible and offer my advice near the end as to whether or not I recommend it.  I’m always honest and will only recommend items I would personally use.  Swap.com DID NOT pay me to review this.  I just see them pop up a lot in my research and see what it’s all about.

So, if you have used clothes you want to sell and/or you want to shop for a deal, let’s take a gander at what it’s all about.

What is Swap.com?

Swap.com is currently headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois and also has offices in Chicago and Helsinki, Finland.  Their “About Us” page only has history up to 2017, where they state they have processed more than two million items, but I’m sure this has changed.  It’s a 100% legitimate company, I can promise you that much.

The company’s goal, according to the website, is to “enable a community of thrifters to help them find affordable, quality secondhand apparel for the family.”  In short, this is no different than a thrift store you find near your home, only that it’s available online.

The company values discover, thriftiness and re-use, really making it a great option for both sides, whether you want to buy something secondhand or even sell your clothes to make a few dollars.  No matter what you do, in doing so, you’re helping the planet.

Selling on Swap.com

A lot of people come to Swap.com because they want to sell something from their wardrobe, whether it be shoes, clothes or even something else apparel related.  It also appears that they accept movies, books, toys, games and even baby gear.

However, in order to sell on Swap.com, there are a few things to consider.

For one, you will be asked to read through the company’s acceptance rules.  At this time, they only accept quality items with minimal wear and tear.  The acceptance criteria is quite strict, all of which you can read in detail here, but in short, your clothes need to be clean, void of stains, in working order and have a retail value of at least $5.

Other restrictions do apply, but generally, as long as your clothes abide by these guidelines, you shouldn’t have a problem selling.  Refer to the acceptance criteria guidelines before you even consider shipping any of your items in.  This is very important.

Just ask yourself, “Would I be proud to sell these to a loved one?”   If you answered yes, then there’s a good chance they will accept it.

And secondly, let it be known that Swap.com isn’t always accepting new sellers, so don’t be discouraged if you see applications closed at the time of applying.  Most of the time, however, they will want you to send in what’s known as a “Test Box” to test your quality.  I will get into this next.

How It Works

To start selling, you will first want to create an account, all of which takes seconds to do.  All they ask for is your email and a password, that’s it for now.

Once you create that account, click on your profile picture in the corner, where you see “My Account” and then click on “Send Items to Swap.com.”

In doing this, it will take you to a page that looks something like this…

Here, you will have to enter your address, choose the shipping option as well as acknowledge the acceptance criteria I mentioned earlier. You will have to check up to nine boxes, so make sure you read each one closely to ensure that your shipment gets accepted.

If you’re selling for the first time, let it be known that Swap.com will want you to send in a “Text Box” to see if you’re eligible to become a Premier Seller.  If they like what you send in, then you will be able to ship in unlimited boxes in the future.

After you fill out the form above, you will then be directed to the shipping label page, where you can then print your FedEx label.

In doing this, your service/shipping fee will be deducted from any future sales once they receive your payment.

Assuming your first set of items meet their quality guidelines, then Swap.com will let you become a Premier Seller, which allows you to send in endless boxes.

Once the company receives your items, you can view your box beneath the “My Boxes” tab.  It will look something like this…

Every time your items sell, you will receive a notification, in which you can track on your “Sales History” tab.

What Are My Items Worth?

Swap.com uses what’s known as “SurePrice,” which will automatically adjust the price as time goes on.  You won’t get to set the price, but you can choose how the company prices your item.  For instance, if you want it to sell fast, then they would price it lower, etc.  The age of the item, the market price as well as the season can change the market price as time goes on.

Once you ship in your items, you can adjust your pricing preferences if you’d like to or you can leave it up to Swap.com if you want to sell your items faster.  It’s really up to you.  If you do allow them to gradually play with the price, then they will price it in a way so that it’s competitive and ready to sell.

After your items show, just look for the following the bar to let them know how you want it to sell.

While Swap.com won’t give you a definite price, you can check out their current store offerings if you see anything that’s similar to at least give you an idea as to what you can make.

TIP:  The company has what’s known as the “SureSell Guarantee.”  This means that if at any time your item doesn’t sell for any reason, they will buy it from you.  You can find the guarantee price for each of your items under “My Account.”

What Are the Fees?

Of course, it’s not going to be free to ship in your items and sell on Swap.com.

First, you have to factor in the shipping fees, which are mentioned above.  Depending on the option you choose, it can cost anywhere from $12 to $15~ to just ship in your items.

Then, once your items are posted, Swap.com will take 85% of the sales price if your item sells for less than $8 and 30% plus $4.95 if your item is worth more than $8.  So, in a given example, your $7 t-shirt will net you $1.05.  If you choose your payment as a Swap.com credit, then you can add 20% to this amount.

Here’s an image directly from the company’s site…

And, lastly, if you want them to send the rejected items back to you, it will be yet another $10.  This is optional, however, as you can have Swap.com recycle the rejected item if you choose this option.

As the commission rates are very high, it’s important to do the math and send in a lot of clothing if you want to make some money.  Swap.com has one of the highest commission rates in the industry, but if you want a truly hands-off approach, it’s one of your better options online.

NOTE:  On occasions, the company will send you a bonus if you send in certain brands, usually of which are considered high quality.  Refer to this page for more information as to how you can take advantage of a bonus.

How Can I Get Paid?

Swap.com offers a variety of ways to get paid.

If you want Swap.com credit, the default option, they will give you a 20% bonus on top of what you make.  This can come in handy if you plan on buying something on the site.

While most people don’t like the idea of getting credit, I get it.  The company also offers direct deposit into a bank account of your choice or a check via the mail.

In order to cash out, you will need to make at least $10.  Once you hit that minimum threshold, you can request a payout, which will be sent out in one to 10 business days, depending on the option you choose.

Buying on Swap.com

While selling is one of the biggest perks on Swap.com, you can also buy on it as well if you’re looking for some decently priced secondhand clothing.

The great thing about Swap.com is that they have very strict buying guidelines, so everything you do find on the website will usually be in great condition, sometimes as good as new.  They take pictures of everything so that you can see what you’re purchasing.  This is a huge perk as it’s the exact item you will receive.

As I write this, Swap.com offers the following categories:

• Women
• Men
• Kids
• Baby
• Maternity
• Toys & More

Like the many online retailers, shopping is straightforward.  You can sort by the specific category or even search for a brand if there’s something of interest.

When I was acting as if I were a shopper, it was extremely easy for me to find what I was looking for.  For instance, looking at that graphic, you can see that you can filter in so many ways, making it next to impossible to not find what you’re looking for.

The buying experience is very smooth, and while the prices aren’t the greatest on all items, you may find a gem.  It really depends on what you’re looking for.  At least check it out if you don’t mind purchasing gently used clothing.

If buying, be sure to use the filters to your advantage and try to buy brands you’re familiar with so that you know they fit appropriately.

The Pros and Cons

As with all of my reviews, I always like to comb the internet and see what other people are saying.  So, in this section, I broke down the pros and cons I had found and included everything below.

The Pros

• As a buyer, the condition of the items were in great shape.
• Great prices for name brands.
• All items listed are exactly as described, with pictures on each listings.
• Good customer service.
• A great way to sell clothing without doing much.  They do all of the work for you.
• Lots of designer clothes in stock.
• You are not responsible for returns in case a customer returns your items.
• They do not charge storage fees.
• You can send in unlimited boxes once they accept your first box.

The Cons

• Very high commission rates, sometimes as much as 85%!
• Unsure of how many items will actually be accepted.
• If you want your items back, you will have to pay a fee.
• A lot of surcharges.
• It seems as if they reject a lot of items.
• It can take a long time to process, sometimes as long as two months, according to reports.

Final Thoughts

5/10If you want to sell on Swap.com, I would say it could be an okay option only if you have hundreds of clothes to sell at once.  If it’s only 10 t-shirts, then it’s best to skip it as you won’t make much after all of the surcharges, shipping and the commission.  As you can see from my review, there are a TON of reviews.

Sure, while the company makes it as easy as possible to sell your clothes, it isn’t the best option as you could make much more selling on your local Facebook Marketplace, eBay or maybe even one of these clothing apps.  It will take a lot of clothing to break even.

For now, I would at least check it out.  If you have a ton of clothes to sell, consider it, but don’t be discouraged when they reject more than 30% of your inventory.  This is the gamble you have to take.  I can’t stress this enough.

As for buying, the deals can be there, but like I said, it really depends on what you’re looking for.  There’s a lot of junk on the website, but if you know how to weed through and filter, you can find something of value.

Now, I will leave everything to you.

Have you used Swap.com before?

Did you sell?  How much did you make?

As always, you’re more than welcome to sound off in the comments section below!