I have a confession: for two years, I had a garbage bag full of "maybe" clothes sitting in the trunk of my car. You know the ones—items that were too nice to donate to Goodwill but not valuable enough to justify the headache of photographing, measuring, and listing on eBay. It was my "Death Pile," and it was haunting me. Then, I finally caved and ordered a ThredUp Clean Out Kit. I shoved everything into the polka-dotted bag, left it on my porch, and forgot about it.
Three weeks later, I got a notification: "You earned $42.50." It wasn't a fortune, but it was $42.50 for doing absolutely nothing. That is the magic (and the trap) of ThredUp. If you are asking what is thred up, you are likely looking for a way to declutter without the hassle. But before you send off your favorite sweater, you need to understand the fees, the weird sizing codes like "P," and why some sellers end up owing money instead of making it.
What Is ThredUp? (The "Lazy" Reseller's Best Friend)
To understand what is thred up, you have to stop thinking of it as a selling app and start thinking of it as a liquidation service.
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On Poshmark: You are the store owner. You do the work; you keep the profit.
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On ThredUp: You are the supplier. You ship the goods; they run the store.
The Model: You order a "Clean Out Kit" (a giant plastic bag). You fill it with women's or kids' clothing and mail it back (shipping is prepaid). ThredUp’s warehouse processes the bag. They accept what they think will sell and "recycle" the rest. You get paid a percentage of the final sale price after the item sells.
Opinion Statement: I honestly believe ThredUp is the best tool for "mid-tier" clothing—brands like J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Madewell. It isn't worth it for luxury (sell that yourself on eBay) or fast fashion (donate it), but for that middle ground, it is a lifesaver.
What Is It Like to Send Clothes to ThredUp?
The process is deceptively simple, but the devil is in the details. If you are wondering what is it like to send clothes to thred up in 2026, here is the timeline:
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Order the Kit: You can choose a "Standard" kit (free, but slow processing) or "Expedited" (costs money, processed in <1 week).
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The Wait: Standard kits can take weeks to process. I once waited 8 weeks for a bag to be opened.
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The Inspection: This is the nerve-wracking part. ThredUp is strict. Pilling, tiny stains, or "out of style" items get rejected instantly.
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The Listing: Accepted items go live for bidding or immediate purchase.
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The Payout: You don't get paid until the return window closes (usually 14 days after the buyer receives it).
Honest Failure: In 2023, I sent a bag full of "Forever 21" and "H&M" items thinking I would make a quick buck.ThredUp accepted 0 items. Because I didn't pay for "Return Assurance," they recycled (donated) my clothes. I effectively paid $0 to give my clothes away.Lesson: Do not send low-value fast fashion. The payout is often $0.05 or nothing.
ThredUp What Is Formal Goen? (Decoding Typos)
If you are searching the site or your payouts, you might stumble across weird terms. A common search query I see is thred up what is formal goen. This is almost certainly a user typo for Formal Gown.
ThredUp has specific categories for "Occasion Wear."
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Cocktail Dresses: Shorter, semi-formal.
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Formal Gowns: Floor-length, prom, or gala attire.
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Wedding Guest: A massive category in 2026.
Why this matters: Formal gowns have a high Average Selling Price (ASP) but a slow sell-through rate. If you send a prom dress, it might sit for 3 months. However, the payout percentage on a $200 gown is much higher (up to 60-80%) than on a $20 t-shirt.Tip: If you have a "Formal Goen" (Gown) from a brand like Reformation or anthropologie, send it.If it’s from David’s Bridal, consider selling it locally on Facebook Marketplace instead.
In ThredUp What Size Is P?
Sizing on thrift sites is a minefield. You might see a dress listed as "Size P." In thred up what size is P? It stands for Petite. However, it gets confusing because of international tags.
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P (Standard): Petite (Usually correlates to XS/S height-wise).
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S/P: This often appears on Canadian or French labels (Small / Petit). ThredUp's AI sometimes reads this as "Size P" instead of "Size Small."
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Is P synonymous with XS? Not always. A "10P" is a Size 10 Petite. A "P" alone is usually a "Petite Small" or "Petite Extra Small."
Buying Tip: Always check the "Measurements" provided in the listing description. ThredUp tries to estimate sizes, but their automated measuring system can be off by an inch or two.
ThredUp What If Nothing From My Bag Is Accepted?
This is the nightmare scenario. You send 20 items, and ThredUp accepts zero.Thred up what if nothing from my bag is accepted? It depends on the box you checked when you ordered the kit.
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Recycle (Default): If you did not add "Return Assurance," ThredUp owns the rejected items. They will sell them to textile recyclers or third-party wholesalers. You get nothing.
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Return Assurance (+$10.99 approx): If you pay this fee upfront, they will ship rejected items back to you.
Is Return Assurance worth it? Only if you are sending high-risk, high-reward items (like vintage). If you are sending mall brands, the $11 fee is likely more than the clothes are worth. If nothing is accepted, take the loss and learn to inspect your items better next time.
Is ThredUp Legit? (The Buyer vs. Seller Divide)
Is thredup legit?
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For Buyers: Yes. It is arguably the best place to buy clothes online. You can find Lululemon leggings for $20.Returns are easy (though they charge a restocking fee).
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For Sellers: Yes, but it feels like robbery if you don't understand the fee structure.
The "Partner Kit" Hack: ThredUp partners with brands like Gap, Madewell, and Reformation. Instead of cash, you can choose a "Partner Kit." Your payout is usually 15-20% higher if you take it as a gift card to that specific brand. If you shop at Reformation anyway, always use the Partner Kit.
Poshmark vs. ThredUp: The Ultimate Comparison
Should you do the work yourself or outsource it? Here is the breakdown of thredup vs poshmark.
My Strategy: I sell my "A-List" items (Patagonia, Gucci, NWT Revolve) on Poshmark. I send my "B-List" items (J.Crew, Loft, lightly worn Nike) to ThredUp.
Sourcing with Closo Demand Signals
Smart resellers don't just sell on ThredUp; they buy on ThredUp to sell elsewhere. This is called the "ThredUp Flip." But to do this, you need to know what is trending. I use Closo Demand Signals to spot opportunities.
How Closo helps me predict demand across categories 6 weeks ahead is by analyzing search velocity.
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The Scenario: I saw a "Silk Slip Dress" trend spiking on Closo Demand Signals.
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The Action: I went to ThredUp and filtered for "100% Silk Dresses" under $30 (often mislabeled as generic brands).
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The Flip: I bought three silk dresses for $25 each and resold them on Depop for $80 each as "90s Whimsigoth" style.
I use Closo to automate my sourcing research – saves me about 3 hours weekly of guessing which fabrics are valuable.
Leveraging the Closo 100% Free Crosslister
If you are buying from ThredUp to resell, you need to get those listings up fast. You can use the Closo 100% Free Crosslister to speed this up.
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The Workflow: I buy a lot of 10 items from ThredUp.
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The Listing: Once they arrive, I list them on Ebay.
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The Expansion: I use Closo to instantly push those listings to Poshmark and Depop.
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The Result: I turn ThredUp's low prices into my high margins across three marketplaces.
Selling on ThredUp Review: The 2026 Reality
If you read a selling on thredup review from 2020, ignore it. The fees have increased. In 2026, you are charged a fee just to process the bag (unless you catch a promo).Is thredup worth it?
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If you want money: No. Sell locally or on Poshmark.
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If you want space: Yes. It is better than a donation bin because you might get $20, and you know the clothes are being given a second chance.
Parenthetical Aside: (I once sent a designer Diane von Furstenberg dress to ThredUp. They listed it for $40. I was furious because I could have sold it for $100 on eBay. I learned the hard way: never send something you are emotionally attached to.)
Common Questions I See
People always ask me... Why are ThredUp payouts so low?
ThredUp has massive overhead. They pay for the warehouse, the photographers, the steamers, the measurers, and the customer service. When they sell a shirt for $15, they lose money if they pay you more than $1. They only make real profit on items over $50, which is why the payout percentage jumps significantly for higher-priced items.
Common question I see... Can I get my clothes back if I don't like the price?
Technically, yes, but it costs money. You can "Reclaim" an item before it sells, but you have to pay the return shipping fee (around $10.99) per shipment. It is rarely worth it. Once you send it, consider it gone.
People always ask me... Does ThredUp wash the clothes?
No. They steam them to remove wrinkles, which kills some bacteria, but they do not launder items. This is why you must wash everything before you send it. If it smells like mildew or smoke, they will reject the entire bag to protect their inventory.
Conclusion
So, what is thred up? It is the ultimate "easy button" for clearing out your closet, provided you have low expectations for cash flow. It is a massive, chaotic, treasure-filled warehouse for buyers. And for savvy resellers, it is a goldmine for sourcing underpriced inventory to flip elsewhere.
My honest assessment is that you should treat ThredUp as a sourcing ground first and a selling platform second. Use the Clean Out Kit for your "death pile," but keep your gems for Poshmark.
If you are ready to find profitable items on ThredUp to flip for real money, use the Closo Seller Hub to identify what brands are hot right now.
For more on comparing marketplaces, read our Poshmark vs. ThredUp Guide
And if you want to know what items you should be hunting for in the ThredUp "New Arrivals" section, check out Trending Products Forecast 2026
