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Have you ever scrolled through Poshmark and found an item that you’d like to buy, only to discover that small yellow ‘Reserved’ flag branded onto the image? If so, you may be wondering what this means.
Does the ‘Reserved’ flag mean that the item has already been sold?
In this article, we will discuss all you need to know about the ‘Reserved’ flag on Poshmark. And, whether or not it means that the item in question is no longer available to purchase.
What Does the Yellow ‘Reserved’ Flag Mean on Poshmark?
So, you are scrolling through Poshmark, checking out another person’s closet in search for some new clothes.
A particular item stands out to you right away, and you think that you’re in luck. You have found something that you want to buy.
However, just as you are about to select this item, you notice the yellow colored flag with the word ‘Reserved’ sprawled across it.
Or, perhaps you were scrolling through your own closet, checking which items were still up for sale. Upon doing so, you notice a ‘Reserved’ flag on one of your own items, and you don’t remember seeing it there before.
What does this mean? Why does this yellow flag appear on some items? What does Reserved mean on Poshmark?
As some of you may have guessed, this flag indicates that an item has been reserved by another user.
Reserved on Poshmark means that a user has already clicked on that particular item, and reserved it for themselves. Meaning, they have added it to their own basket in order to purchase it themselves.
Since Poshmark does not yet have a reserve feature, there is no way to manually add a Reserve sign to a listing or make an item reservation. It is an automatic process that tells buyers the status of a listing.
Yet, the user has chosen the ‘Purchase Now’ option. This indicates that they are in the process of making a purchase, which is why the ‘Reserved’ flag is showing up.
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Does the ‘Reserved’ Flag Mean that an Item Has Been Sold?
The words ‘reserved’ and ‘sold’ do not share the same meaning. One means that something has already been purchased, while the other means that something is on hold, and may be purchased in the near future.
Similarly, that is how each of these terms are used on Poshmark. If you notice an item on Poshmark that has the ‘Reserved’ flag on top of the image, that means that the item has not yet been sold. It is, however, in the process of being sold.
When a person clicks ‘Buy Now’ on Poshmark, they are transferred to a checking out page and they start the buying process.
During this time, the user will have to fill in their personal information, such as their credit card details, as well as their name and their address.
While they are doing this, the yellow Reserve banner will appear on top of the item they are purchasing in the seller’s closet.
The reason for this is simple: if the ‘Reserved’ flag was not placed on top of that item, another user may decide that they want that item. They will then click on the item, and select the ‘Buy Now’ option, which will also take them to the checkout page.
If they fill in their details faster than the previous person, who is also filling out their details, they would be able to snatch that item away from the person who had clicked on the item first.
In order to make the purchasing process fair on everyone, the first person who decides to buy that particular item gets the opportunity to fill out their details without another person trying to take it beforehand. First come first serve!
The ‘Reserved’ flag, in a nutshell, lets the other Poshers know that this particular item is in the process of being sold.
However, if that user decides that they no longer want that item, and they click away from the check out page, the ‘Reserved’ flag is removed. They must complete the purchase to keep it and if they don’t it will once again be up for sale to anyone else interested.
So, no, the ‘Reserved’ flag does not mean that an item has been sold. It means that it is being reserved for the time being! And, reserved listings could potentially become available again.
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How to Reserve an Item on Poshmark
As we mentioned earlier, there is currently no manual ‘reserving’ feature available on Poshmark. It is almost impossible to save an item so that you can purchase it at a later time.
Therefore, if you leave the app and return at a later time, there is a high possibility that the item will have been sold by the time you click back on the app.
The only way that you can reserve an item on Poshmark is by selecting the ‘Buy Now’ option. This will transfer you to the checkout page, where you are expected to purchase that item at that exact moment.
While at the checkout page, the item that you are looking at will become branded with the ‘Reserved’ flag on the seller’s closet. This tells buyers that this item is in the process of being purchased.
If you leave the checkout page at that time, the ‘Reserved’ flag is removed almost immediately. This then gives other poshers the option to buy that item instead.
It may be possible to contact the seller, and ask if they would be willing to put that item on hold until you are able to pay them. Some sellers are open to this, but others are not, as it prevents them from selling that item to another user within a faster amount of time.
So, you may get lucky, but this is not a method that you should bank on. If you want something it is best to just click the buy button.
And, if you are a Poshmark seller, you can mark a listing as “not for sale” is you want to hold it for someone.
Can I Buy Something That is Reserved on Poshmark?
If something is marked as “reserved” on Poshmark then you cannot buy it. It is in the process of check out for another buyer.
However, if that buyer bails on the checkout process, then it may go out of the reserved status and you can purchase it.
The reserved flag automatically appears once a buyer clicks to start purchasing something, but if they stop then it will automatically disappear and you can take it instead. There is no way for a buyer to manually reserve an item and hold it indefinitely.
How Long is an Item Reserved on Poshmark?
An item will stay reserved for no longer than 10 minutes. When a posher clicks “Buy now,” they have ten minutes to fill out all their purchasing information and complete the buying process.
The yellow reserve banner and reserved label automatically appears and stays on a listing while someone is completing their purchase.
If they bail on the process or take longer than 10 minutes, you can possibly jump in and buy it yourself! So keep watch on any reserved listings you want as you may still have a chance.
How Do I Reserve an Item on Poshmark?
There isn’t a way to manually reserve an item on Poshmark. If you are a seller and want to hold something for a buyer, you can mark the item as “Not for sale.”
You just need to click the edit button on the top right corner of the listing and change the listing availability. If you have repeat customers and someone contacts you about an item this could be helpful.
Final Thoughts
The ‘Reserved’ flag does not mean that the item has been sold, but it does indicate that it will likely be sold within the next few minutes.
When this flag appears, it means that another user is in the process of buying that item and you may have missed your chance.
In some cases, that user may decide that they no longer wish to purchase that item. If they click away from the checkout page, the ‘Reserved’ flag will disappear, and will be available again for purchase.
So, if there is an item you really want on Poshmark that says reserved, keep watching and refresh the page to make sure the purchase is completed!
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