Meet a Seller: TikToker Kendall VanGilder Quit Her Fashion Job to Sell Full-Time

Young, fashionable, and up-and-coming eBay sellers turn to Kendall VanGilder on TikTok when learning the ins and outs of reselling. A 29-year-old content creator who loves to share her thrift store hauls at @thestylesecondhand, she's part of a new generation of eBay store owners with a curated selection of top brands and unique apparel.

A savvy thrifter who began reselling part-time as a hobby, Kendall left her job at a global activewear brand when she realized the profits from her eBay shop could support her full time. Now she owns her own business, and has the flexible lifestyle and dream wardrobe she's always wanted.

In her own words, here's the story behind Kendall's eBay shop, Style Secondhand:

From weekend thrifter to full-time reseller

My passion for fashion started when I began working in retail. I've always loved well-designed clothing, and I decided to make a career out of it. I ended up working at a luxury activewear brand for five years, most recently as an assistant manager of operations.

I started thrifting with my husband for fun on the weekends, and I realized that I could find a lot of the labels that I love for way less, as well as some cool, one-of-a-kind pieces. I began to resell my finds on eBay in December of 2022 to make a little extra cash, from activewear brands like Lululemon and Vuori, to fashion brands like Free People and Reformation.

After just six months, I realized I could support myself from the profits I was making reselling. So I quit my job in April of 2023, and hit the ground running as a full-time eBay seller. And now I'm making just as much money, if not more, than I did at my retail job.

Sharing her hauls and tips on TikTok

I started posting on TikTok @thestylesecondhanda few months after I started reselling because I wanted to share some of my best fashion finds with other people. I'd come home from the thrift store with my husband and we'd be giddy with excitement over the things that we were digging up. It was such an adrenaline rush and I had nobody to tell.

So I posted my first TikTok and began slowly sharing the great stuff I was uncovering, and that grew into sharing how to resell and best practices for selling on eBay. Now I have a ton of exposure and a whole community on TikTok that gets excited to see my hauls and has been learning from me. We've been on this journey together because they've been there from the beginning.

Thrifting with quality and profit in mind

Working at a high-end luxury activewear company has really given me an edge when searching for pieces at the thrift store, because I can feel an item and know right away whether it's quality. I pay close attention to the fabric and the care label - is it silk, wool, linen? Often the more premium fabrics will increase your profits.

One of the coolest sales that I ever thrifted was a Philipp Pleindesigner studded leather jacket. It actually sold to an international customer, so I was able to use eBay International Shippingand ship it out with peace of mind knowing that eBay will handle any return that may arise from that sale. I also found and sold a two-tone colorblocked leather jacket by the brand Diesel.

Finding a flexible lifestyle in fashion

Reselling on eBay has impacted my life immensely. I'm now able to go home for the holidays. I have a flexible schedule, and I'm able to work when it works for me. That has been a huge change from a retail job where I had to be there nights, weekends, and holidays. It's just given me a lot of flexibility back. Plus, I pretty much have my dream wardrobe at this point.

What keeps her inspired and motivated

I'm a self-motivated person, and I always want to do better than my best. I'm constantly on social media seeing what other sellers are picking up at the thrift store, and learning from their successes and failures. I use their content to fuel me because I know in this business, the sky's the limit. I can get out of it what I put into it. So following other sellers for motivation is key.

Reflecting onthe future of fashion reselling

I see fashion reselling just continuing to grow in the future. With sustainability efforts and being able to find such fun and trendy clothing on eBay, I think that more and more people are going to be shopping secondhand. It's good for the environment and it's good for the wallet. So I plan to be part of it and to keep offering stylish pieces to my buyers at an affordable price.

Her top advice for would-be resellers

The advice that I give to fashion resellers just starting out is to do your research. Before I even started reselling, I was watching YouTube videos and TikToks and learning from other sellers as much as I could, so that when I went to a thrift store I'd have a leg up and know what to look for. Also, you'll want to research on eBayto see what comparable items are selling for.

I often encourage sellers to shop in sections of the thrift store they aren't familiar with. If you're uncomfortable with the men's section, shop there and get to know the latest trends and brands; otherwise, you're leaving money on the table. Menswear sells very well in my store, especially golf wear, such as polo pants and shorts.

Lastly, I remind new sellers not to fear returns. People tend to be afraid of returns, especially when listing clothing. Remember: You can get the item back, relist it, and sometimes sell it at a better price the second time around.

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