Cork woman turns her Vinted hobby into business 

How many people have wardrobes bursting with clothes they never wear? And how many have the best plans to sell them on, but just never quite get around to it?

Not just me so!

That’s where Lucy Moynihan comes in. She’s the founder of a business called ‘Closet to Cash’ which does exactly as the name suggests: she takes your clothes, photographs them, uploads them to Vinted, posts them when a sale is made and, after taking a commission, gives you the rest of the earnings.

It’s the sort of simple idea we all wish we’d come up with, but entrepreneurial Lucy got there first.

It’s a side hustle for the mum-of-two from Ballingeary who works full-time in IT, but who has also worked in sales and account management, which are all useful skills to have when navigating Vinted.

“I started selling my own clothes on Vinted around 18 months ago and really enjoyed it,” she said. 

“l love fashion and have Brown Thomas tastes with a Dunnes Stores budget so I enjoyed being able to shop around on the platform, and researching what was there!

“Gradually, I started selling for a few people in my locality and that went really well, and then slowly the word spread about my service and I decided to go for it, and formally launch Closet to Cash, which covers Cork and Kerry,” she said.

“People have so many clothes, items worn once to a wedding, things that don’t fit, things people no longer like. They want to move them on, but it can be overwhelming to know where to start with Vinted and genuinely some people don’t have the time,” she said.

At this stage, Lucy has developed a discerning eye and knows what will sell on Vinted, what won’t shift, best price points, etc.

“People bring their items to me by appointment, or I go to them. I’m quite selective on what I take and what I won’t take. There has to be a sufficient resale value in the piece as I take a 50% commission, but my customers are always just so thrilled to get cash from things that were otherwise sitting unworn, taking up space in their wardrobes and their lives,” she said.

Lucy's tips for selling on platform

Her top tips to those looking for success on the platform is that photographs are key: “Always take your photographs in natural light. I use a mannequin which makes it easier and they’re readily available for around €35.

“Also, make the tape measure your best friend and include measurements in your description – this is really helpful and shows good attention to detail,” she advised.

In her experience from selling on Vinted, labels that do well on the platform are Cos, Reiss, All Saints, Claudie Pierlot, Maje and Sezane.

“In general though, you won’t get big money for your pieces, regardless of what you bought them for. That’s not what Vinted is about,” she said.

“Having said that, I always price a little higher, so I’ve wriggle room for offers, and that works well, but in general make your peace with the low price tags.”

Her other tips are to drip feed items when posting: “Upload in batches, six to 10 items at a go. That keeps your feed visible for longer. If something hasn’t sold in a few weeks, take the post down, and reload it.”

Vinted is seasonal so at the moment it’s all about denim, coats, occasion wear, especially anything with sequins for Christmas, and packaging nicely is also essential to get those five-star reviews.

“It helps that I shop on Vinted myself, so I’m really familiar with the platform.

“The days of being embarrassed for buying second hand, or pre-loved, are gone. It’s really liberating to let things go, things that no longer work for you, or that you’ve no attachment to, and know that hopefully someone else will get use or joy from them,” she said.

Business is thriving, so much so that her house is full of boxes – she doesn’t mind!

“The spare room is being used, the sitting room, even my own bedroom! That’s a good sign though,” she said. “I may have to look at additional storage if it keeps growing.

“My ultimate ambition is to host clothes sale pop-ups, to take Vinted out of the equation and sell directly, so watch this space.”