77 Brands To Look for While Sourcing

Learning Brands

9 Minute Read

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran, or just jumping into the reselling world, learning new brands is always a must. Personally when I started out, I found it incredibly useful to carry along a small list that I could reference. I would watch lots of YouTubers, read a bunch of blogs, and then jot down a handful that I thought were worth remembering.

Today, I feel that I’ve gained enough knowledge to be able to now share some of these brands myself! It’s crazy to think about how quickly time passes us by, but I relish in the fact that I have learned so many new things in this time. I’ve been a reseller for almost 2 years at this point, and I’ve discovered which brands work best for my business. (Know that this may not be the same for everyone and their business, these are just my opinions).

Below I have put together a list of 77 brands to look for while sourcing, and placed them into specific categories in case you might just sell a certain one. (I sell a little bit of everything, so my closet/store is more of a hodgepodge, but that’s how I like it! You may have a more curated closet, and that works certainly fine as well! You do you! That’s what makes our stores unique.)

I hope that after reading through these brands that you have a broader range that you’re able to keep an eye out for when you’re out and about in the wild. (It may even help to copy and paste the list into Word or something similar, so that you can print it out and take it with you on the go!)

Everyday / Bread & Butter / “Mall” Brands

Everyday brands as I like to call them, are often referred to as the “bread and butter” of your business. These “mall” brands are the pieces that you find that will fill in those days that aren’t giving you higher sales. They’re called bread and butter because these are the dependables, that may be a little lower in profit margins or sale price, but that are consistent in providing sales for your business.

Mall brands are often a good investment if they can be found for a low enough cost, AKA, COG (cost of goods), because they will most likely flip faster for you since people often know exactly how these fit and how they feel. They’re those everyday items that we all reach for when we want to feel comfy and know exactly what we’ll be getting.

A lot of times, these brands will have a “sister brand,” or another line that was created by the main brand, that is similar, but may reach a slightly different audience. I find that some of these are worth looking out for as well, but that may not always be the case. However, in some circumstances, I find that only a specific item or category may sell best in this brand, (I will list this next to the brand if so). Read on to check out the first list!

• American Eagle Outfitters
• AEO Soft & Sexy
• Victoria’s Secret
• Victoria’s Secret Sport
• PINK Victoria’s Secret
• J. Crew
• J. Crew Factory
• Ralph Lauren
• Polo Ralph Lauren
• US Polo Assn.
• Hollister
• Steve Madden
• Converse
• Chico’s
• Talbots
• Mudd (The Road-Trip Tee)

Athleisure / Athletic Brands

These brands are the ones you will most commonly see at the park, the gym, etc. They are the go-to workout wear that most think about when starting out a new sport or athletic venture. They’re usually comfortable, but stretchy or flexible, and can be worn for activities or just lounging around the house. A lot of times these are even great to style with jeans or for a casual date with a friend.

Some brands can fetch a higher dollar value, and sometimes the market may be a bit saturated with them, so you’ll need to check comps, (comparisons), and price your items accordingly to make the sale. This is more of a competitive market because these brands are usually more sought after and can turn over quickly if you’re being picky with what you find, and pricing your items fairly.

They are most often spread amongst clothing and shoes, which means you have a higher percentage of finding these gems. Just be sure to always double and triple check your items before leaving the store to avoid any unknown flaws that may be hiding in that not so great thrift store lighting.

• Adidas
• Champion
• Under Armour
• Lululemon (Pants do best, tanks will sell but have been slightly saturated)
• Fabletics (I’ve also had more success with pants in this brand)
• Umbro
• Fila
• The North Face (This brand can also be applied to the “Outdoor” category)
• Nike
• Speedo (Check those vintage items!)
• Reebok (Also good for “Vintage” category)
• New Balance
• Athleta
• Brooks
• Asics

Outdoor / Hiking Brands

Brands such as these will most often include a higher price point, so be prepared when you find them to pay a little more per piece. When you resell, cheap is not always better (even though it may be suuuper tempting!) because it is sometimes necessary to “pay up” for an item, if you know you will be increasing your profit margins. (“Paying up” refers to spending more on an item that is normally past your pay-per-piece price point).

I have found that these brands are a little harder to find and are usually a little more beat up given the wear and tear they receive as opposed to everyday items. So once again, make sure you are always always always checking your items the best you can.

A lot of times, items in these brands can also commonly be more heavy that other categories. Think wool sweaters, coats and heavy jackets, boots, thick jeans, or rubber soled shoes. This is something that you’ll have to take into account especially if you’re an Ebay seller, or find yourself paying for shipping on a different platform. (Poshmark is the exception to the rule here, since it has an agreement with USPS to use priority boxes and flat rate shipping. A lot of times the $7.11 flat shipping cost is a hinderance, but in this case it can be a huge help).

• Land’s End
• L.L. Bean
• Columbia
• Eddie Bauer
• Levi’s
• O’neill
• PGA Tour (Golf wear)
• Woolrich
• Free Country
• Merrell (Hiking shoes)
• Kamik (Winter boots)
• Cabela’s
• Patagonia
• Snozu
• Quiksilver

Work Brands

This is a smaller category I wanted to add in after the Outdoor brands, just to name a few that I didn’t really think about when I first started selling. A lot of times I would pass these up, but have since noticed there is money to be made on things passed over such as these.

A lot of times these are also a little heavier than your everyday tops and tees, so be sure to take that into consideration when adding in shipping fees. Normally these types of brands sell pretty quickly for me as long as they’re priced competitively, and quick turnover is always a win in my book.

Everyone works, but many times these brands are often forgot about in the reselling world since they are not cute fashion or fancy jeans. I often find them with scuffs, small stains, or slight tears, but these are the brands that people know will get the job done. They sell either way, because the quality is often what people know, love, and actively search for.

• Dickies
• Mephisto (Shoes)
• Tyndale (FR Jeans, (Flame-Resistant)
• Wrangler

Vintage Brands

When saying vintage, I mean that I often look for the older items from these brands. Some of them may still be around, but others may not. Certain styles in these brands often do well on platforms such as Depop, since there is a different market and demographic on there. (I sell on multiple different platforms, so I actively search for many different styles. This may not work for you, but I like to keep my options open. Therefore, I try to be as knowledgeable as possible in every category so I don’t feel that I’m missing out on anything. I recommend only taking one category on at a time however until you are comfortable with it; it can get to be pretty overwhelming at times!)

Selling vintage items comes with a few perks! Most often these items are one of a kind’s, unique, or handmade. There’s probably not a bunch of them floating around online, which means you can usually ask a little more for them. Just be sure to disclose any flaws in your description upfront. (Most buyers in this category will understand and be okay with the fact that a 1960s silk robe will have a snag or two that it’s gained over the last 60 or so years).

I love selling in this category because I get super excited when I think about the life of the piece and saving it from a life in the landfill. These are all usually very different and cool in their own way, so you have to be prepared to wait for the right buyer. This takes patience, but it is so worth the feel goods!

• Bebe
• Bebe Sport
• Juicy Couture
• Guess
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Lee (Especially good for Mom Jeans!)
• Skechers
• Aeropostale
• Liz Claiborne
• Liz Golf
• l.e.i.
• Mudd (Repeating in this category due to it’s awesome vintage style and bags!)

Miscellaneous Brands

Brands such as these ones don’t really fit into a specific category, in my opinion. They can be found pretty commonly, and are often quite reliable sellers. A few are a little more high end than others, but all can usually be found in most stores.

These are brands that I pick up on a regular basis, and can stand behind for helping keep my store alive and well.

• Lucky Brand (Shoes)
• Muk Luks
• Harley-Davidson
• Disney
• Marvel (Hoodies & Sweatshirts)
• Calvin Klein (Blazers)
• Banana Republic (Also good for blazers)
• Express (Let’s give it up for those blazers again!)
• Chase Authentics (Race wear)
• Salvatore Ferragamo
• Born
• b.o.c.
• Dockers (Leather items, i.e. shoes or belts)

Kids Brands

There are only a few of these that I can reference at the top of my head that I always look for. Here and there I’ll find a really cool kids piece or some super cute toddler booties, but a lot of times the basics is what sells quickly for kids items.

New parents are not usually looking to unload a car payment on clothing or shoes, so kids items normally sell for a little less. Unless you come across a rare, expensive item, you probably won’t get much more than around $15 for most kids pieces.

I just started selling on Kidizen, (a platform specifically for moms and kiddos!), and find that I really like to cross-list things here from my other platforms so that they get a better set of eyes on them. Check it out if this is your niche! It’s a super easy platform to get started on.

• Justice
• Children’s Place

Thank You!

A giant thanks to everyone that has supported me this far into my journey! I greatly appreciate you returning to read my posts hope that you will continue to drop by in the future.

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Happy selling friends!

Platforms

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     Please feel free to drop any comments below that you would like to add! I am always open to advice, suggestions, or even hearing related stories of your own! I stay as active as possible in the comment section, therefore I will reply to any questions asap.

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