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The reality of living in Toronto is that sometimes you aren’t going to make rent. The city is expensive and I myself was faced with that harsh truth recently.

Most 20-30 somethings residing in Toronto live paycheque to paycheque just to be able to enjoy some of the benefits the city has to offer – and I’m one of them. But I usually budget myself well enough that I don’t cringe with the passing of the first of each month. However, somewhere along the way I had spread myself too thin one month and realized I wasn’t going to make my rent. Not by much, but I was still going to come up short. So I needed to find a way to make some extra cash and fast.

That’s when I started selling my stuff online through Carousell. From old Kate Spade totes to Michael Kors bags, to Tiffany jewelry and designer shoes, I started selling my preloved clothing and accessories. And in just two short weeks, I was up $800 and a lot less stressed financially.

For those who don’t know, Carousell is a mobile classifieds app that makes selling your preloved goods easy. Carousell originally started in Singapore but has now spread to over 19 cities around the world, including Toronto. With over 57 million listings and counting, Carousell has quickly become one of the world’s largest and fastest growing marketplaces.

In today’s fashion industry, we are routinely pushed towards a culture of consumerism and “fast fashion.” We often buy things that we don’t need on impulse and very quickly find that there are clothes, jewelry, electronics and other items we no longer use or need. By buying pre-loved products, we engage in a more responsible and sustainable way of consumption. When we sell used items, we prolong the lifespan of said items while reducing waste and pollution.

Consider Carousell a mobile flea market. All you have to do it take a picture of what you wish to sell, post it, add a description and price-tag and then wait for offers. But while it all seems very simple to execute, there are tricks and strategies you can use to become a top seller. Here are a few tips I learned along the way to make $800 on Carousell in just two short weeks.

Know what the profitable items are

According to Carousell co-founder Marcus Tan, the most profitable items are fashion, beauty products and electronics. But the great thing about Carousell is that it caters to a wide variety of buyers with a variety of different interests. From die-hard Lego fans to comic book collectors to sneakerheads to purse addicts and more, there’s a good chance someone somewhere wants your used stuff.

Spend time taking good photos

The photos are the most important part of your Carousell ad. If the product doesn’t look good in the picture, I guarantee buyers aren’t going to make offers on it. If you take the time to make your photos aesthetically pleasing, buyers will take note of them while browsing and you’ll see your ads get more traffic.

Get creative with product names

Aesthetics aside, you can also make your post stand out with a clever name and description. Buyers are looking for information on whether or not to buy, so be cheeky and give them a reason to. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and think about what would make you want to buy your product.

Write exact details of your products

If you want to make as much money as you can as quickly as possible, it’s important to provide details on the items you’re selling. This includes product brand, item condition, defects, sizing and any other relevant information. In providing lots of detail, you’ll avoid having to answer multiple inquiries and see offers come in much faster.

Price your products well

Consider reviewing your prices if you aren’t getting any offers and remember to be reasonable. These are preloved goods so people aren’t going to pay retail value for them. It’s less about gaining a profit and more so about getting rid of the stuff you don’t need or use anymore. As long as I get the item out of my apartment and receive a decent price for it, I’m happy – and so is the buyer.

Be flexible with meet up times and places

If you can only meet up at one spot at one time on one day each week, you probably won’t have the best luck selling. Give buyers a few options for potential meet ups so you can find a time and place that works well for both parties. Chances are the buyer wants your item as badly as you want to sell it, so try within reason to be accommodating.

Take part in the Carousell campaigns

Carousell hosts a variety of campaigns each month including “Newest Items,” “Highest Rated Sellers,” “Fall Essentials” and “11.11” (items for $11 and under.) These campaigns usually see a huge surge in user activity so be sure to take part in them. During these periods, sellers have the opportunity to move many more items while buyers get to score some great deals.

What do you think about Carousell? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image: Instagram/@carousell.ca

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In a retail landscape where brands are vying for your every dollar, an online promotion really can go a long way with price conscious consumers! What was once thought of as a perk for surpassing a minimum spend threshold, ‘free shipping’ is now considered a necessity in order to shop online. With an increasing amount of retailers waiving or lowering the minimum spend to qualify for no-cost shipping, the question should be asked: what does ‘free shipping’ really mean? Keep reading to find out how retailers are still making money off of your online purchase while offering free shipping.

By Building the Shipping Cost into the Product’s Price

Just because you aren’t paying for shipping, doesn’t mean that the retailer gets to skip out on their fee to the delivery company. In order to offset this expense, most online retailers will take the cost of shipping and factor it into each product’s purchase price so that they never lose out. The staggering cost of shipping revealed at the time of checkout can leave many online shopping carts abandoned. As a result, savvy retailers are going the ‘free shipping’ route to entice shoppers to complete their online orders.

By Offsetting the Cost of Shipping with More Shopping

Ever shop online and find it impossible to hit the minimum spend and stick to your budget? For example, you qualify for free shipping with a minimum $30 purchase, however every item online is priced at $25, so you end up buying $50 worth of merchandise. Retailers are very strategic when it comes to pricing and will find any way to get you to spend more than you may have intended in order to cover the costs of delivery (and then some).

By Inflating Shipping Fees for Other Shoppers

Didn’t reach a minimum spend threshold to qualify for free shipping? Rest assured, you’ll be paying more than usual to ship that parcel your way. Many retailers inflate the cost of standard and express shipping for less price-conscious customers (those not looking for a bargain,) to compensate for the expense of offering other customers free shipping.

By Implementing Stricter Exchange and Return Policies

If there’s a cost associated with shipping an order to a customer, you better believe that it’s even more expensive to also pay for their return shipping! A ton of online retailers offer inconvenient exchange and return policies in the hopes of you keeping your online purchase after its been thoughtfully picked, packed and shipped to your doorstep. Those retailers offering free exchanges and returns in-store are taking advantage of getting additional foot traffic into their traditional retail stores in the hopes of you buying another item that catches your eye.

What does ‘free shipping’ really mean to you? Which retailer does it best?

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Our friends south of the border have been using Instagram to shop their favourite brands for over a year now, and the feature is finally coming to Canada. Business in the U.S. that had an eCommerce platform was able to tag their products in Instagram photos giving users the ability to scroll, tap and explore a brand’s products through the various pictures on their Instagram page.

The new feature is now live in Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Austrailia, and the UK.

Candian brands with business accounts will not be able to showcase products on organic posts, giving a product description, price and a direct link to the product’s website.

Source: Instagram

For those of us that like to find our style inspiration through Instagram, this is a game-changing feature.

For more information check out the details through Instagram’s web portal.

You can find more information on the newly expanded feature on Instagram’s web

Fashion Nova fell onto my radar six months ago after I had developed a major girl crush on Instagram star Tammy Hembrow. She had posted a clothing haul from the e-comm store, and I immediately started surfing the online.

I’m fairly short, 5 feet to be exact, with a petite frame. I typically wear a size 25, so finding denim in the right length and size isn’t always easy. I decided to put Fashion Nova to the ultimate test and start my shopping spree with a search for the perfect denim, skimming through 25+ pages to find the right pair.

To be honest, I was a bit hesitant because Tammy Hembrow’s booty is substantially larger than your average, so I wasn’t sure how the fit would work for me. But with other influencers like Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian sporting denim from the website, I was determined to find out if the hype was real.

The prices are all in US dollars, making the cost superficially low — when shopping, remember to add about 30% onto your order for conversion. Shipping to Canada is free if you spend $75, though you might incur duties depending on how much you spend. The shipping is also very fast; my order came in less than 7 business days, which works out well if you’re shopping for a special occasion!

Fade Into You Jeans, $39.99

fashion nova review

Quality/Fit: Great! I decided to go with a black ripped denim in size 1. The quality is good; they have a ton of stretch which allows for more than a singular body type to look flawless in them. The jeans are a cotton and rayon blend, with a bit of Spandex, making them super easy and comfortable wear. Pant legs are always long on me, so that was to be expected, but they don’t bunch too much at the bottom, giving me the option to leave them as is, or fold them for a different look. The front and back pockets are real, which I love because where else do you put your phone when you’re having a no purse moment?

Dark Distress Jeans, $39.99

Quality/Fit: These jeans were such a good purchase. I wear them all the time because they are tight and hug my body quite nicely. This pair is a size 1, as well. One issue I typically notice with different styles of high waisted jeans is that they squeeze your body too tight, leaving you with a faux pregnancy bump (not a good look). These jeans seamlessly hold me in without suffocating me to death. While the high waist on these jeans is a bit excessive, I think it’s merely because my measurements are not ideal for adult clothing… unless I’m buying a t-shirt to wear as a dress.

Have you ever shopped on Fashion Nova? How did you like it?

Featured Image: Instagram/@fashionnova

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Those who know it, know it well, and those who don’t… well, they’re probably dying to try it.

Cult beauty brand Glossier recently revealed that they’ll soon begin shipping internationally with Canada the first country on its docket. If all goes to plan, Canadians will be able to shop Glossier’s website later this month, though, no exact date has been announced yet. Unfortunately, Quebecers will have to wait a little longer while Glossier completes their French website.

For those who don’t know the brand, Glossier got its start back in 2010 as the beauty blog IntoTheGloss.com; reviewing and interviewing all things and people beauty related. Later, Into The Gloss, which still exists, grew into a line of skincare and makeup “distilled from years of recommendations from the coolest girls on the planet.”

A post shared by Glossier (@glossier) on Jun 19, 2017 at 6:25am PDT

Since its inception, Glossier has amassed a band of loyal beauty geeks who swear by the cruelty-free products, including celebrities like Karlie Kloss and director of fashion partnerships at Instagram, Eva Chen. And if that’s not testament to its excellence, just last year, Glossier’s lipsticks and concealers had a combined waitlist of 30,000 people.

But don’t take our (or Eva Chen’s) word for it. Sign-up for Glossier notifications and try the brand for yourself when it launches in Canada later this month.

Are you excited for Glossier to launch in Canada? Sound off in the comment section.

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably binge watched Girlboss on Netflix by now. And if you haven’t, you totally should. The show is based on the rise of Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso, who went from dumpster diver to eBay extraordinaire to owner of the fastest growing company in 2012. While Nasty Gal hit a rough patch late last year, they’ve since been acquired and will continue to outfit cool girls for time to come.

Amoruso’s story is just one of many that retailers can relate to. The industry has its ups and downs, but one of the biggest challenges, by far, is just getting a business off the ground. While Amoruso favoured eBay, many makers today turn to Etsy, a marketplace where shoppers can support global and local entrepreneurs, finding whatever their heart desires.

To create an e-comm store is simple, but to make it stand out in an oversaturated online world is a totally different story. We spoke to 10 strong Etsy sellers for their advice on how to build a successful online store. Take a look at what they had to say below and get ready to embrace your entrepreneurial side.