Walking through Costco can feel a little like treasure hunting with a shopping cart. One minute you are grabbing paper towels, the next you find a $14 designer hoodie that sells online for three times the price. For resellers, that giant warehouse can quietly become a side hustle goldmine.
Costco clothing is especially interesting because shoppers trust the store. People know the items are usually good quality, brand name, and priced lower than traditional retail. That creates an opportunity for people willing to spot deals, bundle items, and resell them online.
Here is how people are making money reselling Costco clothing and what you should know before diving in.
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Why Costco Clothing Resells Well
Costco carries a rotating mix of clothing brands that often include recognizable names like Calvin Klein, Eddie Bauer, Nautica, Puma, Buffalo, Lucky Brand, Hurley, Tommy Hilfiger, and Adidas. Inventory changes constantly, which creates scarcity. Once an item disappears, shoppers sometimes turn to resale platforms to find it again.
Many buyers are willing to pay more online because:
- Their local Costco sold out
- They do not have a Costco membership
- They want a specific size or color
- They missed seasonal inventory
- They prefer online shopping convenience
The sweet spot is usually new-with-tags clothing that still looks current and trendy.
Best Costco Clothing Items To Resell
Not every item will flip for profit. Some categories perform much better than others.
Jackets and Outerwear
Coats, puffers, and branded outerwear often have the best margins. Seasonal items can spike in demand when temperatures suddenly drop.
Lightweight packable jackets also do well because they are inexpensive to ship.
Name Brand Hoodies and Sweatshirts
Branded hoodies from athletic and outdoor brands tend to move quickly online. Neutral colors like black, gray, and navy usually sell fastest.
Matching Lounge Sets
Two-piece lounge sets and pajama sets are popular on platforms like Poshmark and eBay because buyers love affordable comfort clothing.
Kids’ Clothing Bundles
Parents are always looking for deals. Multipacks, seasonal pajamas, and bundled kids’ outfits can sell surprisingly fast.
Seasonal Clothing
Think Christmas pajamas, fleece-lined leggings, swimsuits, or holiday sweaters. Costco rotates seasonal inventory quickly, which can create urgency online.
Where To Find Costco Clothing For Resale
Most people think you have to buy directly from Costco to resell Costco clothing, but there are actually several sourcing options.
Shop Regular Costco Clearance
The simplest option is shopping markdowns directly inside Costco warehouses. End-of-season clearance can create surprisingly good margins, especially on jackets, pajamas, and branded basics.
Some resellers regularly check multiple locations because prices can vary dramatically between stores.
Buy From Costco Liquidation Stores
Costco liquidation stores and bin stores sometimes purchase truckloads of overstock, shelf pulls, and customer returns from major retailers. That means you can occasionally find Costco clothing for pennies on the dollar.
These stores are especially useful for finding bulk quantities of clothing at deep discounts. Some resellers build entire online stores around liquidation inventory sourced this way.
The downside is inventory can be unpredictable. One week may be loaded with apparel while the next looks like a blender graveyard and a mountain of yoga mats had a yard sale together.
Buy Costco Return Pallets
Some experienced resellers buy Costco return pallets from liquidation marketplaces or local liquidation warehouses.
These pallets may include:
- Customer returns
- Overstock inventory
- Shelf pulls
- Seasonal clearance items
- Mixed apparel lots
Clothing pallets can be profitable because apparel is usually lightweight and easier to ship compared to furniture or electronics.
However, buying pallets carries more risk. Some items may be damaged, missing tags, stained, or incomplete. Beginners are usually better off starting with individual clearance items before jumping into pallets.
Where To Sell Costco Clothing
Different platforms work better for different clothing types and price points.
Poshmark
Poshmark is one of the best platforms for Costco clothing because buyers there already shop heavily for discounted fashion. Name-brand hoodies, lounge sets, and jackets tend to do especially well.
The platform also encourages bundle sales, which can help you move multiple lower-profit items together.
eBay
eBay works well for basics, outerwear, and harder-to-find sizes. Buyers often search very specifically there, so detailed titles matter.
It is also useful for selling multipacks, workwear, and practical clothing items that may not feel trendy enough for fashion-focused apps.
Mercari
Mercari is popular for quick flips and lower-priced inventory. Listing items is simple, and many buyers browse casually looking for deals.
Smaller Costco items like leggings, kids’ clothing, and casual tops can move quickly there if priced competitively.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is great for avoiding shipping costs and selling locally. Clothing bundles, kids’ lots, and seasonal inventory can perform especially well.
Some resellers even run porch pickup businesses where local buyers purchase multiple Costco clothing items at once.
Flea Markets and Pop-Up Sales
Local vendor events can be surprisingly profitable for Costco clothing, especially if you bought inventory through liquidation stores or pallets.
Many shoppers love seeing brand-name clothing priced below retail without waiting for shipping. A folding table full of $5 leggings and hoodies can attract crowds fast.
The Secret Is Clearance Timing
The biggest profits usually come from clearance racks.
Experienced Costco shoppers watch for markdown patterns. Clothing often drops in price toward the end of a season. A jacket that originally sold for $29.99 may eventually hit $9.97 or lower.
That is where margins get interesting.
Some resellers visit multiple Costco locations because markdowns vary by store. One warehouse may still have full-price inventory while another is aggressively clearing items out.
Learn Costco Price Codes
Costco price tags have hidden clues that many shoppers overlook.
- Prices ending in .97 usually indicate clearance
- An asterisk in the corner often means the item will not be restocked
- Manager markdowns can sometimes end in unusual numbers like .00
Those little price tag details can help you spot better resale opportunities before other shoppers notice them.
Watch Out For These Mistakes
Reselling Costco clothing is not automatic money. There are a few traps that catch beginners.
Buying Too Much Inventory
It is easy to get excited and overbuy. Trends change fast, and clothing takes storage space.
Start small until you learn what actually sells.
Ignoring Fees
Platforms like Poshmark and eBay take a percentage of your sale. Shipping supplies and returns can also eat into profits.
Always calculate your true profit before buying inventory.
Chasing Every Brand
Not every recognizable brand flips well. Some Costco clothing is made specifically for outlet or warehouse distribution and may not command high resale prices.
Research completed sales before buying large quantities.
Tips To Increase Your Profit
A few small tricks can make a big difference.
Take Better Photos
Bright lighting and clean backgrounds help clothing sell faster. Wrinkled inventory tends to sit longer.
Use Keywords Carefully
Include brand names, sizes, colors, and descriptive phrases buyers actually search for.
Example:
“New Costco Puma Fleece Hoodie Men’s Large Black NWT”
Bundle Similar Items
Selling multiple pieces together can help move slower inventory while saving on shipping.
Shop Off-Season
Buying winter coats in spring or swimsuits in fall can lead to deeper clearance discounts.
Is Reselling Costco Clothing Worth It?
For many people, yes. It can be a flexible side hustle with relatively low startup costs. Costco already attracts bargain hunters, and online buyers are often willing to pay a premium for convenience or sold-out items.
The key is treating it like a business instead of impulse shopping.
Successful resellers learn pricing trends, understand platform fees, and focus on items with strong demand. Over time, even small profits per item can snowball into meaningful extra income.
Costco may look like a warehouse full of bulk snacks and giant mayonnaise jars, but tucked between the sweaters and seasonal displays is a surprisingly active resale market waiting for sharp-eyed shoppers.
