How does Vinted work: things to know before you start selling.

What is Vinted and how does it work?

Vinted started its humble beginnings in 2008 when Milda Mitkute and her friend created a website to help clear her wardrobe. Fast forward to today, the platform has 16 million users and is the first Lithuanian ‘unicorn’ (a startup company worth over $1 billion).

Vinted is a selling platform similar to Depop, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace. Not only does it free up space in your wardrobe, but it also helps to contribute to a circular economy. The platform is open to everyone who believes in extending the life of the clothes we already own.

Selling on Vinted is straightforward, fun and as good for your bank balance as it is for the planet. It’s free to list your preloved items, and you’ll be asked to upload good-quality images and a description – the more detailed, the better.

You can pay extra to ‘bump’ your listing – but it’s not compulsory. The buyer then pays for postage and an additional Buyer Protection fee.

What are you allowed to sell on Vinted?

The world’s your oyster when it comes to selling on Vinted. After all, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. While most known for buying and selling clothes, shoes and accessories, you can also sell:

• Technology - like smartwatches and headphones
• Books
• Board games
• Pet clothing and accessories
• Tableware and home accessories
• Party decorations.

If you need some inspiration for clothing items you can sell, take a look in your wardrobe to see if you can pass on any:

• T-shirts
• Vests
• Jumpers
• Skirts
• Dresses
• Jeans
• Coats
• Boots
• Trainers
• Sandals
• Scarves
• Gloves
• Hats
• Bags
• Belts.

What are you not allowed to sell on Vinted?

While almost anything can be sold on Vinted, there are some restrictions against certain items. Anything illegal or dangerous must not be sold, as well as:

• Medicines
• Food and drink
• Stationery
• High-tech gadgets
• Music gear
• Sports equipment
• Hobby accessories
• Adult furniture
• Paintings or drawings.

How do you price items on Vinted?

If you’re just setting out on your reseller journey, it can be tricky to know how much to sell your items for. If you’re selling something designer, have a quick search to see how much the item might be available for in the platform. You can also check other apps too, like Depop or eBay.

When you go to list on Vinted, it’ll prompt you with similar items that are already for sale on the app. This will give you some idea on suitable price points. But you don’t necessarily need to follow this – you can set your own price.

Buyers can also send you offers, so you may want to price with this in mind. There’s a fine balance between setting your price with room for negotiation or choosing a lower price to lock in sales. But you’ll get the hang of it!

How do fees work on Vinted?

All selling platforms have slightly different rules when it comes to fees. In some cases, sellers must pay to list their items – but this isn’t the case with Vinted.

It’s free to list on Vinted – as the fees are covered by the buyer rather than the seller. The fee is called Buyer Protection and is an insurance policy for buyers, which means they can get a refund if the item doesn’t arrive or is damaged when it does.

This fee is a set price based on the value of the item sold. For more information, check out Vinted’s price list.

How do you get paid on Vinted?

So you’ve sold an item – success! You’ll immediately get a notification from the Vinted app, and you’ll see the money appear in your Vinted Balance as a ‘pending balance’.

Your money is pending until the buyer receives the item. They have two days from the delivery date to declare that ‘Everything is OK’, or to report ‘I have an issue’ and submit a claim. This process is extended for professional sellers. In this instance, the buyer has 14 days to report an issue, or the order is automatically completed.

If everything is fine, or any issues are resolved, the funds are released and can be withdrawn to your bank account – or kept in the app to spend on future Vinted purchases.

Thanks to no selling fees, the price you set for the item is the same as you’ll receive for the sale. This transparency makes things easy as a fashion seller.

Can buyers request returns on Vinted?

Buyers are able to request a return on Vinted as part of the Buyer Protection and Refund Policy offered by the platform. However, this only applies if the item is significantly not as described (SNAD).

If the item simply doesn’t fit or the buyer has changed their mind, they might message you directly – but it’s up to you whether you agree to a return and offer a refund. In this case, you’ll also need to agree who will cover the cost of postage.

To minimise any issues, you should try to make sure your listing is as accurate as possible with any flaws clearly shown. Keep all postage receipts, evidence that you’ve sent the item and any messages that say the package has been delivered in case it’s needed in the future.