It's not a splurge—it's an investment.
As the sharing economy gains steam and consumers become more comfortable buying used fashions on the Web, online consignment store thredUP has compiled a list of brands that earn consumers the best return on investment when they want to sell their designer duds.
The list of high-end brands is full of the usual suspects: Gucci, Burberry and Chanel are some of the names that can earn resellers about $90 to $100 an item. But James Reinhart, co-founder and CEO of thredUP, said that mainstream brands are also leaving their mark on the site.
"I'm just always surprised at the brands that I don't think about as necessarily premium brands that you would be buying used," he said. Reinhart pointed to fast-fashion brand Zara as one of the most-searched labels on the site, a distinction also held by J.Crew and Lilly Pulitzer.
Mainstream retail brands typically bring in about $8 to $10 for resellers, according to thredUP's data. Brands such as Zara, which have a lower original price tag, typically sell for about $5.
ThredUp scanned its database of nearly 19,000 labels sold on its site in 2014, and pulled together a list of the contemporary brands—those that target a younger shopper and are less pricey than true luxury items—to see which give sellers the most bang for their buck.
Determining factors in a brand's performance include its original selling price and how in-demand it is among shoppers.
To see if your favorite brand made the list, click ahead.
—By CNBC's Krystina Gustafson
Posted 20 April 2015
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 12 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $30
Michael Kors is still riding the wave of its namesake designer serving as a judge on "Project Runway." But Reinhart said it's not just the brand's popularity that scored it a place on the top 10 list.
"It's their ability to kind of stretch the brand," he said, pointing to its lower-priced Michael by Michael Kors line as well as its reach across handbags and apparel.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 13 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $40
Talk about staying power. Forty years after inventing the iconic wrap dress, designer Diane von Furstenberg's label is still a shopper favorite.
While members selling von Furstenberg's styles on thredUP earn an average $40, buyers are also reaping the benefits. The average resale price on the site is $73—a fraction of the average retail price of $359.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 13 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $30
It's not all about apparel.
High-end boots from American boot maker Frye—some of which sell for upward of $1,000—also made the list for giving shoppers a lot of bang for their buck.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 13 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $35
Synonymous with feminine dresses that are perfect for special occasions, Alice + Olivia offers one of the highest resale values—perfect for partygoers who wouldn't be caught dead in the same frock twice.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 14 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $40
Rag & Bone makes designer fashion look effortless—but often at a steep price.
Fashionistas who feel guilty for shelling out upward of $200 on a tank top can find solace in knowing that the brand has one of the top resale values.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 15 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $70
With an average retail price of $900 for a handbag, buyers can save big on the Marc Jacobs brand by buying it secondhand.
Though the average $70 sellers will receive is only a fraction of what they originally paid, it nonetheless delivers one of the highest returns on investment.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 16 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $30
Handbag maker Dooney & Bourke doesn't only score one of the highest resale values among contemporary brands. It's also one of the fastest-selling labels on thredUP, ranking behind only Lululemon and Toms.
"We can't sell enough handbags," Reinhart said.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 17 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $45
Tory Burch fanatics are notorious for wearing the designer's branded ballet flats. The shoes are so popular that a pair listed on thredUP was sold within five minutes.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 18 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $45
Kate Spade's empire runs the gamut from accessories to apparel. But the brand is best known for its handbags, the fastest-selling category on thredUP last year.
Average percent you'll earn of original spend: 22 percent
Average amount you'll earn: $55
Rebecca Minkoff built a reputation as a leader in technology among high-end brands. These innovations include connected stores, which feature touch-screen mirrors that allow shoppers to request another size without leaving the dressing room.
The brand is also the top performer on thredUP, delivering resellers the highest percentage of their original spend.
