Call with Jess Furman

Jess started selling thrifted clothes on Instagram in 2020, initially just her own items. She later expanded to resell thrifted apparel, focusing on natural fibers and quality pieces. Jess uses Instagram for its personal touch and storytelling, educating customers on sustainability and styling. She balances authenticity with trends by mostly selling vintage items but also includes modern pieces. Jess aims to provide quality, style, and affordability in her resale inventory. Okay. Cool. I heard it. Yes. So, Jess, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today. You have been – you have a very admirable growing business online with selling thrifted apparel. Can you tell me a little bit more about your business? Yes. So, I have been selling clothes through Instagram since 2021, or fall of 2020. It started – I kind of built a separate Instagram account, then my personal account, really just to sell my own clothes, because that was something I kind of did all throughout college and kind of beyond, like every once in a while I would post things on my page. And I kind of wanted a separate space to do that. And so, I made a separate account that, you know, 40 of my, like, friends and, like, people, like, followed it, you know, they would, like, want to buy my clothes. And then I kind of have always, like, seen other people resell clothes or have always been curious about it. And I just thought, like, I really wondered, like, I wonder if I could actually do this, like if it could actually be successful. And so, when I – I would sell my own clothes every now and then, and then I would sneak in, like, one or two pieces that I had just bought from the thrift store that weren't actually mine, and I was able to sell them. But again, I was selling things for, like, $10. Like, it was – I was barely, you know, by the time I would pay for shipping, I was, like, making no profit. But it was a really, like, helpful learning experience. And so, then I just kind of decided – it was kind of middle of COVID, everybody's working from home, we had two kids under two years old, like, we were bored out of our minds. And so, it was kind of a good time to, like, try that too. So, I was, like, why the heck not? And yeah, kind of ever since then, it has grown and evolved and changed a lot, but it still kind of has this heartbeat of I resell clothes that I thrift from local thrift stores here in Pittsburgh, and I mail them all over the country, sometimes internationally. It's all done through social media rather than, like, a selling platform like eBay or Poshmark, which I really like. It's very personal. So, like, any sale that I've made has happened through my DMs, you know, like, through personal interaction. Right. Which is, like, really lovely. It's been – which has sort of contributed to being almost more of a brand than just you're looking for a red cardigan and so you search on Poshmark until you find one. Like, it's kind of more of a, like, people trust me as a person who is kind of sourcing a certain level of quality and style and aesthetic, and they kind of want to browse whatever it is that I've picked sort of thing. Right. So, I didn't anticipate it kind of taking that direction, but it definitely has. Right. So, I mean, it's nice with Instagram, too, because it kind of – where we can go to is kind of, like, why Instagram, like, that platform, but do you stay away from, like, eBay and Poshmark and those sites because of the fees that are incorporated? Because you don't – like, does that play into why you've chosen Instagram? The fees definitely play into it. Poshmark, I know, takes a hefty fee. I've sold a few things – like, maybe five things total on Poshmark my whole career. Okay. But, yeah, there's the fees, and then I also do – I really like the personal aspect of it. I mean, I think I started doing it through Instagram because it was the only way I really knew how to do it or the idea of kind of, like, building something. I liked the way that other sellers on Instagram – it was sort of a mix of, like, a personal aesthetic. Like, you follow them for, like, style inspiration and to shop. Like, it sort of is more expansive than, like, just a rack of items to buy kind of thing. And so, I really liked that, and I just, yeah, have continued to really like it. So, how do you decide which pieces are worth selling versus keeping for your own wardrobe? Yeah, I mean, part of the fun of getting to do this is that when I go thrifting, I can just grab everything that I like regardless of size and season. And if I already have something like that, like, it's kind of – I get to just grab everything that I like, which is just really fun. And so, I definitely keep quite a few things for myself along the way, but almost everything I buy, I resell. And I – yeah, kind of – there has to be sort of this, like, Venn diagram I picture in my mind of this sort of, like, three overlapping circles of price. Like, it has to be a low enough price that I know I can sell it for a substantial enough profit margin that it'll be worth my work. So, I see a lot of things that, like, I really like out there, but I can't – you know, I just know that I can't afford to resell it at that price. So, the price has to be there. The quality has to be there. So, I really have moved toward only sourcing natural fibers. So, I only am picking up wool and cotton and linen and silk and those kinds of pieces, staying away from polyester, acrylic, nylon, viscose usually, like, those kinds of fabrics. So, the quality has to be there. It has to be under a price I can afford to resell. And then, like, style, aesthetic. I have kind of, like, a particular style. I don't know what you would call it. I know everybody has different names for it. I don't know what you would call it. But I have – like, so, I lean towards, like, more elevated, neutral staples. Like, I do grab colorful things every now and then. I do grab kind of Y2K little styles, like, every now and then. But I do kind of have a more classic, understated, elevated kind of, yeah, like, staples. Like, blazers, turtlenecks, always, like, vintage denim, trousers, loafers. Like, just that kind of vibe. So, a lot of that is more my personal taste. But, yeah, all three of those things, the quality, the style, and the price, all kind of have to, like, overlap for it to be a piece that I can buy to resell. Nice. Yeah, I'm actually – I just realized I'm wearing a sweater that I purchased from you, which is funny. Oh, my gosh. So, how do you use storytelling when sharing your thrifted pieces online? Yeah, there's a lot more storytelling than I would have originally thought, and definitely a lot more than if you were just selling something on Plosh Market or eBay, again, where it's like you're looking at the listing. It doesn't matter who's selling it. I would say a lot of the storytelling, like, I do a lot of content that has to do with, like, sustainable, ethical kind of, like, practices and sort of that aspect of thrifting better, you know, for the world and that kind of thing. I also do a lot of talking around cyber content and, like, why that matters and why my thrifted pieces are priced higher because they're made of cotton and wool and that sort of thing. And so I do a lot of kind of, like, education sort of in that realm. And then also, like, styling advice. Like, so I will, if I'm listing a piece, I will, like, if I'm modeling it or whatever, I'll model it, like, with other pieces I would wear with it. That kind of gives people, like, a shot. Like, I'm always, I'm continually surprised by the amount of people that would say kind of, like, oh, I love this blouse, but I have no idea how I would style it. Because I'm kind of, like, I don't know, like, jeans and a cardigan. Like, it's not that hard. To me, it doesn't seem that hard, but it's, like, any time I post that kind of content, people really eat it up. So it seems like it's kind of therming them for people to be able to, like, imagine, like, oh, this is, like, are four different ways you could style a blazer or kind of whatever. So I do a lot of that kind of thing, too, so that then if I'm just selling a red sweater, it doesn't really just stand on its own. I'm, like, sort of supporting it with, like, these narratives of, like, this is, like, this might be a really good thing to shop secondhand. This is why it's a good thing to buy clothes that are quality fibers. And also, like, here are some ways to style it. I don't explicitly do all of those things for everything I post, but I think enough of my account circles around all of those sort of topics that, like, you do. The idea would be that you're buying, like, I'm selling you something and also, like, giving you some ideas of what to do with it or, like, why you should buy it from me. Yes. I mean, I use it that way, too, because I'm, like, you can pick out a sweater and I'd be, like, if I were to see it at a thrift store, I'd be, like, I'd probably pass over it. But then you always outfit and style everything very nicely. And I'm, like, oh, I would wear that sweater. You know? Yeah. You do that so well. And as a fashion student, you have educated me on fibers and stuff because I have studied that. Yeah. Cool. Well, kind of tying with – you kind of just answered it, but how do you make sure your resale inventory feels authentic while still keeping up with trends? Yeah. That has been – that's been, like, a tough tension for me to figure out because, like I said, part of – part of what I love about just, like, switching it is it's just grabbing all of the things. I love, like, an old vintage chunky sweater and sometimes they, like, look ridiculous, right? They have, like, all this embroidery and, like, stuff that's, like, maybe not necessarily trendy. And so I've had to learn that, like, there is a balance of, like, there are vintage things that are, like, really high quality and that, like, I think are really beautiful in their own right. But I'm, like, people nowadays, like, it doesn't really fit into kind of the style trends that people are moving toward or that kind of thing. So there definitely is a balance. I really, like – almost all the – everything I sell is vintage. I would say, like, 20% of my inventory are, like, modern pieces. But they're from, I don't know, brands like Eileen Fisher or, like, high quality, like, Everlane, like, those sorts of – those sorts of brands that, like, I just know people will, like, eat it up. So – Yeah. So some of it is just this really quick, like, oh, my gosh, I think this is a Madewell barrel jean. I'm going to have 80,000 DMs about this. Right, right. This is the easiest sale of my life. But usually it's more of a, like, this is, like, a really, you know, a neutral, like, white or gray cardigan. And it's, like, it's not going to necessarily be, like, a standout piece. But it's sort of – it's, like, the shape is, like, trendy right now. You know what I mean? Like, shorter versus longer. Like, whatever. So I definitely have the trends, like, in mind. Because I also am, like, susceptible to trends, right? Like, I became obsessed with barrel jeans this year. Or, like, you know, it was, like, crop versus, like, longer tunic things are in. I'm, like, oh, my gosh, you're right. That is the cutest thing ever. So I know that, like, my – what I choose also ebbs and flows with trends just because I tend to, like – like, just like anybody else, like those silhouettes when they become, like, big and trendy. So it probably – like, trends probably affect me more than I even realize. But I do have kind of a conscious eye to, like, just because something is, like, high quality and vintage, there does have to be a market for it. And I have kind of over time learned what my people are looking for, which is why, like, I do kind of – and this kind of gets into the – I know that there was a question on your list about, like, kind of ethics of reselling and that kind of thing. And there's probably more that could be said. But kind of one dimension of that is, is this, like, I feel like I'm picking clothes – or I'm picking styles for a particular audience rather than just kind of, like, trying to make fast cash by finding something that's by free people. I'm, like, oh, I know people want this sort of thing. Like, there is – and I almost see myself more as a personal shopper than I do, like, I'm just stocking inventory for anybody to buy. And to me, that kind of, like, moves the dial a little bit with some – not all of the ethical questions, but definitely with some of them kind of, like, I'm not just trying to, like, en masse take everything good from the thrift store to sell it to other people. I'm sort of, like, I know what people want. And I know that, like, somebody would love this cardigan and this pair of trousers. Like, I'm sort of envisioning the people that do shop for me or this sort of, like, aesthetic or whatever makes people want to, like, follow me and shop for me. And I'm, like, catering to that. So there's that sort of personal dimension of it, too, that makes it feel maybe less like icky or, like, just trying to make a fast buck or something. Right. This kind of goes in – kind of heading into what challenges do you face when sourcing items through the thrift stores? Like, do you see that thrift stores are picking up on resellers? For sure. And everybody – I mean, yeah, rising prices is probably my biggest challenge. When I first started doing this in 2020, I was paying, like, 99 cents to three bucks for a piece usually. And I'd only pay up to $5 if it was, like, something really good. And now I'm, like, lucky if I get something for only $5. I'm paying more, like, six, seven to 10 or $12 per item, which is just, like, a huge increase. And the people that shop for me have not necessarily kept up on that increase of, like, what they've been able to – what they've been willing to pay, like, proportionally to that increase. So that has been, like, a struggle. I'm actually making less money this year than I have in years past. Even though I've put in the same amount of work, similar kind of numbers of sales, I'm making less profit because those margins are just getting a little bit smaller. So that's definitely a challenge. I think resellers get a lot of flack for the reasons that their stores are increasing their prices. And I think maybe there is, like, some degree in which, like, one of the local thrift stores has, like, a little vintage rack and everything there is, like, the price of everything else. You know, that kind of thing. But, like, really, inflation is everywhere and, like, prices of everything are increasing. And if anything, like, resellers – like, me buying a cart full of stuff is, like, supporting the thrift store and, like, helping to keep them open. And so I really push back against that kind of narrative that it's, like, because of resellers that prices have gone up. I think they've gone up just proportionally to, like, life. Yeah. And if a thrift store decides they want to tag a Ralph Lauren jacket for $25 instead of $5, like, I don't know. I don't make us think about it. I think that's just life. Right. Have you noticed any shifts in your followers and how they respond to secondhand fashion over time? Do you see them – do you – like, do you have to shift with, like, what you're shopping for? Oh, my – oh, my – and I just drew a blank, unless you're understanding. No, yeah, those are great questions. Not massive shifts. And what's interesting is what I'm finding is that most people that follow me are already, like, somewhat adjacent to the, like, Instagram thrifting secondhand world, which is, like, definitely its own ecosystem. So I rarely am finding myself having conversations or, like, making sales to, like, people who have never thrifted before kind of thing. So most of the – most of the sales that I make, I think, are with people that are already on board with secondhand fashion. What has been interesting is I've had a couple of reels go – like, viral is way over-exaggerating – but, like, they've gotten a lot of views, and I have gotten a lot of followers from them, but it's been more styling content than it has been, like, thrifting content. Right. And so I have had kind of, like, an influx of people who end up following my page because I was teaching them how to style something and now are seeing, like, secondhand fashion and have, like, questions and, like, that kind of thing. So actually some of the non-thrifting – or, like, non-explicitly thrifting-related content I've made has brought in people that are less familiar with the world of thrifting. But, honestly, most people are, like, on board. I've had – I get occasional, like, angry or snarky DMs of, like, why would you charge $40 for something that you probably paid only $5 for, you know, kind of thing. Right. And I have – I literally have a message that I copy and paste because I've had this conversation enough times where I just kind of go through, like, yeah, it actually is, like, way more work than you probably realize. And what you're paying for is, like, the luxury of getting to look through 20, like, hand-picked pieces rather than, like, hundreds on the rack. And everything that I'm posting I've ensured is good quality and in good condition and, like, all of these things. And so you don't have time that I spend measuring. And, like, packaging takes me hours. You know, so, like, I kind of have a whole spiel about, like, why it's worth it. But I do get people that are, like, think that it's just ridiculous that I would charge $40 for a sweater, you know, kind of thing. Yeah. And I think that, like, that's just – again, that's just life. Right. If you're not familiar at all with this, like, what, you just take a picture and post it? Like, anybody can do that. And then I'm realizing and, like, standing more secure and it's not like, oh, actually not everybody can do this. Right. Like, there is a sense of, like, I that I have that, like, people want the kind of styles that I'm able to curate. Right. Like, it's not just, like, anybody can do it. So, yeah. So, like, some of those might be, like, challenges or shit. Right. I mean, and you take the time, too, because, I mean, you're sourcing quality fabrics now and textiles and any more. I mean, you can go to Target and buy a sweater for $40 and it's 100% acrylic and – That's exactly what I tell people. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, not – you're not a confrontational person, so – No, but – No, but, like, there's so much more into what you're doing. Yeah. And that's why I shop with you. And that's exactly, like, there's, like, you could – yeah, if you're going to spend $40 on a sweater, you could buy it from H&M or Target and it's acrylic. Or you could spend $85 on a sweater from Everlane and that would be 100% cotton or whatever. Right. Or you could buy a 100% cotton sweater from me for 40 and secondhand, but it has the quality of an 85 or $100 sweater. Right. For less. So, like, it hits that middle ground of people that are, like, on more of a budget than able to, like, truly buy, like, slow fashion that is really expensive but want that level of quality. That, I think, has sold a lot of people that maybe not – maybe would not have otherwise thought to look secondhand, but you – like, if you know to look for that difference, you're like, oh, actually, this is, like, a categorically different piece of clothing than I could get from Forever 21. Yeah. Yeah. So, where do you see thrift reselling heading in the next five years? Do you think it'll go more mainstream? Do you think it'll stay more niche? Or do you think something else? That's a great question. It has definitely, like – there is, like, a – it has definitely increased in its, like, mainstreamness. Not necessarily, like, the thrift reselling world on Instagram has kind of been its own self-contained universe that is, like, people that know about it know about it. So, it's, like, growing, but not exponentially. What I'm – like, what I'm seeing a lot more is people participating in, like – like, there's that new app, and I don't know how to pronounce the name whatsoever. It's, like, N-O-I-S-A-F Bazaar, and it's, like, a – it's, like, a Poshmark or, like, reselling app, but it's, like, for cool girl clothes and, like, more slow fashion, more, like, high-end in the sense of, like, high quality, like, that kind of thing. And, like, people are going bananas over it. Like, so, I think, like, turning to resale apps to shop when you're looking for something I think is growing in popularity. Like, if there's – if you want a pair of Everlane jeans or this specific sweater and you don't have hundreds to spend on it, like, looking to those apps is kind of, like, I think increasingly a move for people. I don't know how much longer – like, I'm realizing that my success with my Instagram kind of world is very directly tied to the content that I produce. Like, that is outside of just – like, if I were just listing clothes, I would get far fewer views on my stories and on new followers, all of that kind of thing. So, I think if I – like, my success is definitely tied to, like, me continuing to build my, like, quote-unquote brand or, like, the persona there that, like, people trust me and they know me and, like, they've followed me for long enough so that when I say, this is cute, everyone's like, oh, yeah, that's cute. Like, I have this, like – I joke, but I have this, like, power a little bit where, like, whatever I say, people believe. And so – but I think, like, that has been built, like, over time and just through, like, little silly personal posts or, like, more, like, strictly educational content, like, all of those sorts of things. And so, I definitely, from my little world of reselling on Instagram, I don't think just, like, accounts that only list clothes that don't have that personal element of, like, person talking to the camera and, like, that kind of thing, I don't see that succeeding maybe, like, long-term or kind of, like, new era of Instagram. People really want the narrative. They want the personal connection. Yeah. They want the – like, that sort of stuff is what makes it worth your while. So, I definitely, like – yeah. And so, I had just looked – I mean, before we started talking, I went to your Instagram, and I saw you have, like, 28,000 followers, which – go, girl. I – so, like, when you do your drops, I guess is what you would call them, does your – since your following is so big now – I mean, I would consider it big – do – does everything sell through faster? You know, you would think so. Or do you have a lot of just, like, repeats? I have a lot of repeat customers. I am – I see it as, like, a good sign. I always am kind of mentally paying attention because, again, it's all through DMs, so it's all personal. So, I recognize the Instagram handles of the people that shop for me, you know, that kind of thing. Yeah. And so, I see it as a good sign if, like, every collection of orders, if I have, like, I don't know, if, like, 25% of them are new customers because once someone has bought from me, they, like, will almost certainly buy again. Like, there's a – I have a – I feel like – I don't know what the numbers are because I've never, like, tried to actually do that math, but I experience it as a high return rate of customers. And so, like, it's a win. Any time I can get a new customer because I'm, like, so – I mean, even, like, honestly, people that engage with my page, like, the way the algorithm works, that means they're more likely to be shown future things and, like, that kind of thing. So, it sort of is, like, a self-fulfilling prophecy a little bit. Yeah. I think that's – I think that's how I would answer that question. Yeah. Yeah. And then what advice would you give someone starting out in styling or resale? My advice would be take your time and do it well. So, like, I see a lot of, like, new pages that take either really crappy pictures or don't include measurements or don't include what the fabric is made of. Like, these sorts of, like – those sorts of things. I think, like, taking the time to, like, take beautiful pictures, like, produce aesthetic content. So, like, when you're taking a picture of something, like, take it with the – you know, take a picture of something with, like, sunlight on it. Like, you know what I mean? Like, really give it, like – and I have to actually remind myself of that all the time. If I'm, like, taking pictures, I'm, like, if I could take an extra 30 seconds and add a plant or, like, make it – like, that pays off. Whatever ounce of extra effort pays off. And so I definitely would recommend, yeah, that – taking your time to, like, do it right. And then when you are a small account, like – I mean, actually, now Instagram, it's changed so much since I started. Reels weren't really a thing, and Reels did not get the reach that they do now. So, like, making good content, you don't even have to have followers to start out with. We – when I started, you sort of had to, like, build this base of followers out of – like, from scratch, which was, like, kind of way harder to do. So you would, like – you and other, like, thrift accounts would, like, shout out each other's pages on your stories, you know, like, all sorts of things to try to, like, gain, like, enough of, like, a critical base. But now, with the way that, like, content can reach millions or hundreds of thousands without even, like, being your followers, that, like, go crazy with that. Like, make good content. Find, like, a niche. And, like, yeah, again, that's your – like, tell a story. Like, there has to be something nowadays that, like, is unique that you bring to the table or, like, people have to want to, like, pay attention to you for some reason other than just the product you're selling. That doesn't – it's just not enough anymore. So there has to be some kind of, like, narrative component. So that would be – yeah. And that is the advice that I actually often get DMs from people. They're, like, how do you get started? Okay. And so I kind of give them this spiel, and then they're, like, great, will you share my page? And I'm, like, no. But – yeah. Yeah. Oh, and one back to your – I guess I'm – I feel like I didn't fully answer your question about, like, if I sell all of my things I post. I don't. I feel like I sell the same proportion now if I post a drop than I did, like, four years ago. But, like, when I post something, I feel like I sell about, like, 60 to 70 percent of it right away. And then it ends up taking a few months. So, like, maybe I run a discount sale or, like, something, or I repost it again later to actually, like, sell all the rest of them. I don't know how people do it to, like, sell out every time. I have not figured out that secret sauce. But – I mean, it's tricky because you sell different things every time. In different sizes. Oh, it feels – honestly, when you think about it, you're, like, oh, it's actually remarkable that I make any sale because I found this pair of shoes that's in this size or, like, this pair of denim that fits this size. There has to be somebody that is that size that wants that specific – like, when you think about it like that, you're, like, actually, it's remarkable that I make any sales at all. So, there is – yeah, I very much have a, like, long game approach of, like, it'll find the right person. And if it's been sitting around for a few months, I'll try to, like, style it differently or, like, repost it. Only – honestly, only – over the last five years, I have probably only donated back from the thrift store, like, 25 items. Like, everything else I've sold. Yeah. Yeah. So, I, like – so, it's very rare when I'm, like, I literally can't get this thing off my hands. And I do have a standard of, like, I won't sell – like, do not attempt to take a package and put the label and, like, all of that kind of stuff. I don't sell things. If I would make, like, a $5 profit on it, I don't bother. I would donate it back to the thrift store. Like, it's not worth my time. Yeah. That's true. That's true. Well, I think that's all I have for you. Awesome. I really appreciate it. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to – hold on. I'm going to end.