Poshmark Search Algorithm 2024: 8 Secrets For Success

To say that Poshmark has undergone major changes lately would be an understatement. Poshmark has made some big waves in the reseller community, mostly surrounding the algorithm controversy.

All sellers, big and small, felt the impacts of the search change. Most hated it, a select few loved it. Regardless, it is important for resellers to pick themselves back up and keep pushing towards sales. 

In this article, we will go over how the Poshmark search works. And more importantly, we will discuss data proven facts that will help the algorithm work in your favor.

Jump to:

• How Poshmark Search Works
• 1. Use Keywords
• 2. List Often
• 3. List New Items 
• 4. RePosh Items 
• 5. Offer Likers
• 6. Respond To Offers
• 7. Timing Matters
• 8. Seasonality Matters

How Poshmark Search Works

The default Poshmark search has changed a lot over the past couple years. As it currently stands, items are filtered first by “Just Shared”. 

That means when a buyer searches for an item, the ones that were shared last will appear first. This search method does not prioritize fresh, new listings.

Buyers do have the option to specifically search for new listings though, as they can manually select “Just In”. Buyers also have the ability to filter by other factors including brand, color, price, and more. 

From there, the algorithm will attempt to match the buyers search with listings that match the most relevant keywords.

1. Use Keywords

Keywords are a major factor in being recognized favorably by the Poshmark algorithm. Further, it also helps you get noticed by Google’s algorithm. 

To optimize for keywords, describe your item in great detail. Include aspects about style, color, print, type of item, brand, gender, occasion, and more.

For example, if you are selling a white lace dress, you want to include the obvious about the color, fit, pattern, and brand. Further, you could add “bridal shower” or “bachelorette party” as potential customers may be looking to wear a white dress to one of those occasions. 

The best way to find keywords and trends is to perform research for the current market. Poshmark even helps with this on the app where they go over “Today’s Trends”. 

You can check each day for new trending items, and add those keywords to your listings that apply to join in on the trend!

2. List Often

It is important to regularly list items on Poshmark in order to gain favor with the algorithm. Plus, it makes sense that the more items you have available for sale, your chances to make sales increases. 

According to data from Poshmark, when all sales for a certain week were considered, 94% of those sales went to sellers who listed within that same week. That means only 6% of total sales went to all sellers who did not list within that same week.

These numbers are absolutely staggering, and is a strong piece of evidence showing it is vital to list often.

3. List New Items 

Besides just listing often, the type of item and listings matters. When looking at the data from Poshmark’s research, it shows that fresh, new listings outsell listings that are copied. 

When you look closer at the numbers, the sell through rate of fresh listings doubles the sell through rate of copied listings.

These numbers can mean a couple different things. One, it may mean the hard truth that these items that stick around long enough to be copied (>60 days) are just not desirable. The item may be out of style or oversaturated on the market.

Or, it can mean the items are priced too high, and no buyers are interested at that price point. Alternatively, buyers may be interested at first look because it is new and exciting to them, making first time fresh listings more desirable. 

Whatever it may be, you will have to evaluate each piece to see why it has not sold yet. Maybe you need new pictures, and updated description, or a decreased price. 

Whatever it may be, you can make the relisting process so easy with Vendoo. Vendoo offers the feature to delist and relist with a click of a button - cutting out the hassle of copying listings manually on Poshmark. 

If you're new to Vendoo, you can save 25% off of your first month subscription!

4. RePosh Items 

Poshmark offers a RePosh feature to keep items in circulation. If you purchase an item and get your use out of it, you can navigate to “My Purchases” and click on the “Reposh Now” button. 

This creates a new listing using the original sellers photos (as long as the seller gave permission in their settings), which makes this a really quick process. Luckily, the data also supports RePoshing being a powerful tool.

Per Poshmark’s reported data, items that were RePoshed sold on average 30% faster than items that were brand new to the site. This is encouraging news for multiple reasons.

First, I love to see items being continually recirculated throughout the secondhand and reseller community. After all, we are all after the same mission to save money while also helping save the environment. 

Second, this is confirming evidence that if you purchase an item from Poshmark, you can recoup your investment, and you can do it fast!

5. Offer Likers

Sending offers to likers is one of the most important strategies to implement if you want to have success with the Poshmark algorithm. Luckily, there is a tool that can automate this task for you!

That’s right, you don’t have to waste any more of your precious time by manually sending offers to likers. By using PosherVA, you can have offers sent to likers at a set interval. Just set up the parameters once, and the software will do the rest. 

But don’t just take my word for it, the data shows that sending offers to likers significantly increases sales. Poshmark took sales data from a 52 week time frame and found that 67% of sales were made with offers.

That is over half of all yearly sales on Poshmark being the result of a buyer or seller sending an offer. Less than half of items are purchased outright with the buy it now method.

So, if you’re still manually sending offers on Poshmark, give PosherVA a try with a free trial period. It is a must have tool for my business, and I know you won’t regret it!

6. Respond To Offers

Now is when we talk about the dreaded low ball offers. As a general rule of thumb, Poshmark defines low ball offers as one where the buyer asks for over 50% off the listed price. We all get them, and they’re never going away. 

Receiving a low ball offer can be extremely frustrating. At times, it can make the seller bitter and outright decline or even block the buyer. If that is you, I’m here to try and help with a new perspective backed by data.

Out of all low ball offers in this study, data from Poshmark showed that 30% of low ball offers resulted in a successful sale if countered by the seller. 

Can you imagine the impact of having 30% more sales added to your business numbers? So, next time you receive that low ball offer, leave your feelings aside. Well, curse them out in your head if you have to. 

But the moral of the story is that I want you to try countering. Offer your lowest (or somewhere in between) and see what happens. At the end of the day, this is not personal. This is business. And it’s all about making those sales.

7. Timing Matters

Catching your buyer at the right time is also another important factor in making sales and being in good graces with the algorithm. The same Poshmark study we have been referencing also found that about half of all sales happen within 1 day of the buyer finding the item.

Further, a whopping 80% of all sales happen within a week of the buyer discovering the item. That means it is even more important for those offers to be sent out within a timely manner once you have the potential customer’s eyes on your inventory.

So, this is more confirming evidence that offers should be sent out, and you need to send them out fast! You have a small window to close a buyer. 

This also means it’s important to address comments from potential customers. Yes, the “can you add measurements?” or, “can you add a picture of xyz?”.

Respond to them, and make every effort to respond within a day, and no more than a week if you really want to close the sale.

8. Seasonality Matters

Lastly, there is evidence that seasonality matters. If you examine the chart below, you will see the trends for both jackets and coats, along with swimwear and shorts.

Notice the trend that coat and jacket sales start picking up in August with a peak in November. Conversely, if you look at the summertime wardrobe data, you will see sales start trending up in February with a peak in July.

Use this data to make an informed decision about the optimal time for sourcing, listing, and relisting specific items to catch the greatest number of potential buyers.

Notice I said optimal time- this is not to say you should never source and list coats and jackets in June or July since that is their slowest time. 

All seasons will sell all year round, it is just a matter of increased chances of selling due to increased buyer demand. This just means you may have to hold onto your out of season items a little longer as you wait out the optimal time.

And with that, we are finished going over 8 super easy, super actionable, and super data driven items to implement or improve within your reselling business.