I'm a long-time seller on ThredUp. I was around for the conception/growth of TU as a buyer and seller starting around 2015. I fondly specifically look back to their 2019-2021 era, when ThredUp was great. It was fun to browse as a buyer, and it was good enough to sell on passively after a closet cleanout. You wouldn't make big bucks, but it was good enough to be worth the hassle of cleaning/preening what you were about to send in.
Then the IPO hit in 2021, and that is when I personally believe things took a nosedive. They started implementing new fees, calling old fees different things, changing that already-not-stellar rewards program, and forcing new "improvements" onto sellers and buyers alike that absolutely didn't improve the experience for buyers OR sellers, it was all to benefit the company/shareholders via scrimping coins wherever they could. Even to this day, my account as a "VIP" seller is rarely used because of new, FORCED fees that I cannot remove. I would rather be a "regular" seller. I didn't sign up to be a VIP seller. I make less than I ever have, which wasn't generous in the first place! I historically received $1.00-$1.67 per item. Now it is very consistently $1.00 or less for the same brands, the same wear that I had always sold. I suspect I'm a "VIP" seller because of the occasional high-value items I've been able to sell in the past.
As an aside, they lose or mix up your packages often. For example, I've sent in 8 large moving boxes of items in the past 2 years. 2 packages were mixed up with another seller. I had to reach out to support both times to explain that they listed an entirely different inventory under my account. Support initially seemed to not believe me, and had me explain what I DID send in, and asked if I could find my items listed on their site. That was a needle-in-a-haystack idea. I also didn't keep a robust inventory of what I sent into them, so I knew the general brands, sizes, and what item, but due to the insane amounts of similar garments, I couldn't be 100% sure the items were mine. They ended up crediting my usual gains both times, but that was truly crazy to happen twice over 24 months. I no longer send them my most valuable sale items because of this. I'm still mourning a St. John sweater's sale from one of those boxes.
This review sounds a little angry, which is accurate. I'm also bummed to lose a service that felt fun and authentic, while also granting me some pocket change/occasional cool clothes. It feels icky to use now. I used to recommend TU as a good way to make pocket change. Unless you have an insane amount of above-average-value clothing/shoes, just go somewhere else. It's no longer worth your effort.
