How to sell on Vinted
Vinted is an app-based marketplace where you can both buy and sell pre-loved and new items. Read on for our top tips on maximising your profit and what to look out for.
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Vinted is a great app for selling any unwanted items you have lurking in your cupboard or attic. The app allows you to sell a whole range of items, from clothes and shoes to tech and toiletries.
The whole process is made super easy by the Vinted app. It gives you pointers along the way and lets you see similar items (and what they're selling for) before posting, so you can price your item competitively.
Better still, selling on Vinted is completely free. The buyer, rather than the seller, is charged for postage as well as a protection fee.
So, it's time to declutter your house and make money – it couldn't be easier.
How does Vinted work?
Vinted is a free platform where you can buy and sell a whole range of items, including clothes, accessories, shoes and cosmetics.
As a seller, you're able to set the price you want for your item. However, buyers can also offer you a price directly.
If you accept their price, you'll just need to wait for their payment – but be aware that even if you accept the offer, the buyer doesn't have to purchase the product. They can still pull out of the transaction if they want to.
The postage of the item is paid for by the buyer. They'll choose which service they require, and Vinted will provide the seller with a pre-paid label once they've paid.
Once the buyer has received their goods, they'll be able to mark their item as received. At this point, you should be able to withdraw the funds from your sale to your bank account. Voila.
How does Vinted make money?
Unlike other online and app-based marketplaces, Vinted charges fees to the buyer instead of the seller.
So, while there are no fees for sellers on Vinted, buyers have to pay a 'Buyer Protection Fee' of between 3% – 8% (plus an extra 30p to 80p) to Vinted with each purchase.
This means it's free for you to sell and you get to keep all of the profit! Result.
Tips for selling on Vinted
Here's what you need to know to make money on Vinted:
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What can you sell on Vinted?
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Vinted's policy states you're able to sell a whole range of things, including the following:
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Accessories
- Cosmetics (new and unopened only)
- Furniture
- Toys
- Phone cases
- Gadgets, headphones and smartwatches.
The majority of items allowed on Vinted can be sold second-hand. There are just a few that can only be sold new and unopened for hygiene reasons, such as cosmetics and underwear. You can check Vinted's rules for a full breakdown of prohibited items.
So really, you're able to sell anything in your home that you don't use to make money on the side. Which moves us on to our next point.
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Sort through your old items
If you're keen to get started with your Vinted selling journey, we suggest having a look through your wardrobe for old clothes.
A general rule we use is: if you've not worn it in over a year and you're unlikely to wear it again soon, you don't need it.
A good way to check this is to hang all of your clothes on a rail facing the wrong way. Every time you wear an item of clothing and put it back, face the hanger the right way around. After a while, you'll be able to see what you wear regularly, and what you don't.
It's also an idea to go through your childhood toys and other items in your bedroom to see if there are any items you can sell. Have a think about gadgets you may have lying around, or any accessories you don't use anymore.
We've all bought fancy dress for a uni social, but if you're never going to wear them again and they're in reasonable condition, consider selling them.
We've listed a load more ideas on things you can make money from selling right now in our guide. -
How to list an item on Vinted
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Once you've found some items to sell, you'll need to create an account so you can list them on Vinted. Once you've done this, head to the 'Sell' button at the bottom of the screen.
You can list up to 20 photos of your item, which is great in terms of showing all angles. We suggest taking these photos before listing your item, so you have a chance to capture them in the best light. Remember to make your item look appealing!
After you've added your photos, give your listing a title and description. Make sure it contains all of the relevant information a buyer will need when they're looking at the item, including the RRP, the condition of the item and a description of faults (if any).
Remember to categorise your item and add the brand too, as this will help buyers find it.
Once you've entered all of this information, Vinted will go through listings similar to the information you've supplied. When it comes to setting a price for your item, this will let you see what similar items are listed for.
Vinted also has some recommendations for what price you should list items at on its site:
- New with or without tags – 60 – 80% of RRP
- Very Good – 40 – 60% of RRP
- Good / Satisfactory – 20 – 40% of RRP.
We do suggest listing your item for a higher price than you want (or than what Vinted suggests), as this will allow buyers to make you an offer or haggle.
If a buyer is able to haggle with you on an item, it may sell faster, as they'll feel as though they've got a good deal by negotiating a lower price. You also win, because you'll have sold the item for the price you wanted!
Finally, before uploading your item to Vinted, you'll be able to choose your parcel size to determine the correct shipping costs. Keep reading for more info on how postage works on Vinted.
Hannah Williams, Content Editor at Save the Student, loves selling on Vinted:
It's such an easy, no hassle process. Once you've set up your account on Vinted you can just add stuff as you go along.
If I come across anything in my wardrobe that I know I'm not going to be wearing or using again, I just take a quick photo and upload it to the app later whenever I have time. It takes minutes.
There's something very satisfying about making money from something you no longer use. And the whole postage process is super simple.
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What does bumped mean on Vinted?
Vinted offers a couple of paid-for features on its app that let you boost all or some of your listed items to other users.
For a small cost (usually a couple of quid or less, depending on the price of the item), you can use Vinted's Bumping feature to boost individual items. You can choose which items you want to bump and for how long (either three or seven consecutive days).
Showcase (formerly Wardrobe Spotlight) is another feature you can use to boost all of your listings' visibility if you have five or more items listed. It lasts for a consecutive seven-day period, and the cost will be shown at checkout.
When Showcase is active, Vinted members will be able to see five items from your wardrobe in their newsfeed, with at least two matching their preferences and catalogue filters. As such, you may reach the right members for the type of items you're selling and gain a decent number of followers for future sales.
For the fee, Vinted will also provide you with stats, showing you how many people saw your items and interacted with them.
Vinted's Showcase (formerly Wardrobe Spotlight) may not be worth it unless you're selling a lot of items. It may be cheaper to bump individual items, or even relist them so they're nearer the top of the search page.
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How does postage work on Vinted?
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Don't worry about postage eating into your profit – your buyer will pay!
If you opt for a postage method directly through Vinted, the buyer can select and pay for a label from Royal Mail, Evri, Yodel, InPost, Relay, DPD or AnyVan. All you have to do is check for a nearby drop-off point.
If you don't have one or more of those drop-off points nearby, you can make them unavailable to your buyers by going to your profile, heading to the settings and then clicking on 'postage'.
Don't worry about buying any fancy packaging; it's completely normal for sellers to reuse packaging or boxes from past deliveries. Not only does this work out cheaper for you, but it's also much better for the environment.
You'll need to head to a drop-off point and send your item within five business days of selling the item. If not, the sale will be cancelled.
You can print labels at some of the parcel shop drop-off points if you don't have a printer, but check that your local is able to do this for you. If so, all you have to do is show the QR code at the counter.
If you use Royal Mail as your primary postage option, use their Click & Drop service online to save on postage costs (compared to the prices you pay at the Post Office). -
Activate your Vinted Balance
So you've made your first sale and posted off your items, it must be about time to get paid.
You won't get paid on Vinted unless you activate your Vinted Balance. This is a secure wallet where all your payments go when you sell an item. Just head to your profile, select 'balance', then 'activate your balance'. Once this is done, any earnings you make will be stored here.
You can then choose to either withdraw your earnings to your bank account or use the funds to buy other items on Vinted.
Now, if you want to declutter and make some money on Vinted, this is the point where you'll need to show some self-restraint. To take away the temptation, we'd suggest withdrawing the money from your Vinted wallet immediately so you're not tempted to spend it.
Transferring it straight into a savings account is a great option, so you can really see how much you've made and earn some interest on it too.
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Vinted bundle discounts
Once you've got started on Vinted and listed a few items, you may want to set up bundle discounts for your closet. You can add a bundle discount on Vinted under settings, where you can choose the percentage of discount you want to offer if a buyer buys two, three or five items.
This is a great tip for making more sales as it encourages buyers to check out other items in your closet and buy more than one piece. Not only are they getting a discount for buying more than one item, but they also won't usually need to pay any extra for the postage. It's a win-win!
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Send offers on Vinted
Another way to encourage sales and entice people into buying your stuff is to send offers on Vinted.
When a buyer likes one of your items, you'll get a notification. You can then send them an offer, reducing the price to make them feel like they're getting a bargain and hopefully tipping them over the edge to buy.
The item will still be listed at the original price on the site. The offer will just apply to the buyer you've sent it to, and will expire after five days if they don't take it up.
Vinted FAQs
Can you return items on Vinted?
There are some instances in which you're able to return items on Vinted.
First and foremost, if the buyer doesn't believe the item is as it was described, or looks different to the pictures, they'll have two days to report an issue.
Vinted will then open an inquiry and investigate. They'll start by looking at the evidence provided by the buyer and will compare this to the item listing made by the seller, to check for discrepancies between the photos.
If the item was damaged during delivery, the buyer should also provide photos of the outer parcel damage, and Vinted will assist with the issue.
And what if the item doesn't fit the buyer, or they simply don't like it and want to return it? In this instance, the decision lies with the seller, and there's no obligation to take it back.
If the seller decides not to accept a return, the buyer can always re-list the item on Vinted themselves and try to sell it to someone else!
Is Vinted safe?
Generally speaking, Vinted is safe. But keep in mind that it will have the same risks as any other online marketplace.
If you're a seller on the app, make sure that you list your item as accurately as possible. This will mean taking photos of your item from every angle and also listing any faults with the item.
Doing this should cover your back in case your buyer alleges any faults with the item upon arrival. If they do, Vinted's customer service team will intervene and decide whether the item was listed fairly.
Vinted can also detect if someone is messaging you inappropriately and can block their account. However, if they don't pick this up, you can report members, chats and even inappropriately listed items on the Vinted app.
If your package is lost in transit and not delivered to the buyer, you can contact Vinted, and they will help you to sort it out. As long as you have used a Vinted-generated shipping label, and the shipping provider confirms the package is lost or damaged, you could receive up to £500 in compensation.
What is Vinted Pro?
Vinted Pro is a service designed for sellers who want to sell large quantities of items via the platform.
Unless you're planning on setting up your own business selling second-hand items, this isn't something you need to worry about, as you can continue to use a standard Vinted account.
However, if you're looking for a more formal, professional presence for your reselling business, you can set up a Vinted Pro account. You'll need to have a registered business and will only be able to sell items from specific categories.
Looking for other online marketplaces? Check out the best places to sell clothes online.
