Why selling kids clothes is worth it

Kids grow out of things in months. That $40 jacket gets worn a dozen times before it stops fitting, and most of us have a cupboard full of good pieces that are too nice to bin and too good to donate for nothing.

Selling them does a few things at once:

• Gets money back on barely-worn pieces you already paid for.
• Funds the next size up, which there is always a next of.
• Clears space for the clothes that actually fit right now.
• Keeps good clothes in good homes instead of landfill.

The catch is where you sell. If you want the short path, you can sell your baby gear on Lhoop, or read on for how the options stack up in 2026.

Facebook Marketplace

The default for free local selling, with reach no one else can match. If you want quick cash from someone in your suburb, it does the job.

The downsides are the ones every mum knows. Buyers who lock in a time and ghost. Meetups with strangers for cash. A steady stream of "is this still available?" that goes nowhere. No protection if something goes wrong, and no real way to describe a size or condition properly. Fine for prams and furniture. Hard work for clothes.

Vinted

Vinted, Europe's biggest fashion resale platform, officially landed in Australia in July 2026 with Australia Post handling the parcels. Payments are protected, sellers pay nothing, and you can sell Australia-wide, which already puts it ahead of Facebook for posting clothes.

It's built for fashion resale, though, not parents clearing a nursery. Kids' clothes sit in with general fashion, prams, carriers and sleep gear aren't allowed at all, your money auto-releases to the seller two days after delivery whether you've checked the item or not, and support is famously not a human. Good if you like the hobby of fashion selling. Less good if the job is a whole-cupboard clear-out.

Gumtree

One of Australia's oldest classifieds. Plenty of people still know and trust it, and listings are free. It works for local sales, especially bigger items like cots and prams.

For clothes it has the same problems as Facebook, with a clunkier feel and a shrinking crowd as people drift to newer apps. A fallback rather than a first choice.

Lhoop

We'll be upfront: this one's ours. Lhoop is an Australian marketplace built for parents passing on the good kids' and baby stuff, made for mums who want selling to be quick, safe and actually worth it.

What makes it different:

• No seller fees. You keep what you price it at. Buyers pay a small fee for protection.
• Listing in seconds. Snap a few photos and we draft the description, brand, size and a fair price.
• Protected payments. The money's held until your buyer has the parcel. No cash, no meetups.
• Real Australia Post shipping. Buyers pay shipping at checkout; you post it and the postage comes back in your payout.
• Bundles. A buyer can take several pieces from your closet in one go, on shared shipping.

It's best for parents clearing baby and kids' sizes who'd rather spend the saved evening on anything else. Lhoop is live now at lhoop.com.au.

Tips that work on any platform

Take clear, well-lit photos

Your first photo decides whether anyone taps in. Shoot in daylight near a window, lay the item flat or hang it, and show the whole thing plus any details and flaws up close.

• Plain background. A white bedsheet is perfect.
• Front, back, and any special detail.
• One photo of the sizing tag.

Be honest about condition

Honesty saves you the dispute later. If there's a tiny mark, say so and photograph it. Buyers trust the seller who points out the flaw, and they leave better reviews for it.

• New with tags never worn, tags on.
• Like new worn once or twice, no visible wear.
• Excellent worn a few times, no flaws.
• Good normal wear, maybe slight fading, no damage.
• Fair visible wear or a small mark, clearly described.

Price it sensibly

Have a look at what similar pieces, in similar condition, from similar brands are selling for, and how fast they go. There's a guide to numbers below.

Reply quickly

Buyers message a few sellers at once and usually buy from whoever answers first. Turn on notifications and reply within a few hours where you can.

Post fast, with tracking

Once it sells, send it within a day or two and always use tracked post. Australia Post tracking gives both of you peace of mind, and on a protected platform it's what releases your payment.

What to charge

For example: a Country Road baby dress that was $45, in excellent condition, sells around $18-22. The same dress with a bit of fading sits closer to $12-15.

Staying safe

For local pickups (Facebook, Gumtree)

• Meet somewhere public, like a shopping centre car park.
• Bring someone with you, especially after dark.
• Don't hand out your home address before you've met.
• Trust your gut. If it feels off, walk away.
• Count the cash before you hand anything over.

For posted sales (Lhoop, Vinted)

• Always use tracked post.
• Keep your receipt until the sale's done.
• Photograph the item before you pack it.
• Stick to platforms that hold payment until delivery.
• Keep the conversation inside the app's messages.

Pick what fits your life

Selling kids' clothes online here is easier than it's ever been. It mostly comes down to what you've got and how much time you can spare:

We built Lhoop for that last one, because it's where we kept getting stuck ourselves: flaky buyers, listings that ate the evening, unsafe meetups, and fees that took the joy out of it. No seller fees, listing in seconds, protected payments, and a community of actual parents.