When you open your closet and drawers, you will certainly see a bunch of mixed clothes: trendy ones you recently bought, some classics or staples, and the rest, bundles of old ones that you barely wore for the past six months or so. If you take them out, you will likely have ample space for that flirty dress, sleek jumpsuit, or chic jeans you have been eyeing on.
What can you do with these old clothes and accessories you no longer wear? Sell them. Now, you may be thinking there are hundreds of selling platforms out there like e-commerce giants eBay, Amazon, and even Facebook Marketplace. But with the tough competition, you would prefer somewhere else with a good interface, a community, and of course, higher chances of getting something sold.
Vinted is an international online marketplace where you can sell secondhand items without fees. Even better is that the buyer pays for shipping, so all you have to take care of is marketing, selling, and packaging your items.
Currently, Vinted is selling to Belgium and France, giving you a wider reach, especially if you are from the US.
You may also be thinking, how do I start selling on Vinted? What kind of items do potential buyers look for? Here is a guide on the easy steps to join the community of sellers.
Create a Vinted profile
The first thing you need to do is to install the Vinted app. It is available for both iPhone and Android users. You can also log in directly to their website.
Once you have entered the app or website, set up your profile by adding your name, photo, a short but catchy bio, and review your security settings. You can verify your account by linking it to your Facebook, Google, and similar.
You must also register your banking details because, unlike other e-commerce apps that require transactions via PayPal, you can directly withdraw your earnings from Vinted itself. This is more convenient and doesn't deduct from your profit through the transaction fees.
Choose a method of shipping.
The logistics of selling may be confusing or overwhelming for some, but here is an effective tip: select the postage which is more convenient for you. For some users, Hermes Parcelshops is nearer to them and even cheaper than Royal Mail.
Vinted takes care of sorting the shipping labels. All you have to do is print them off, tape them on the package, and drop them off at the post office. Make sure to take and upload photos of it to your buyers, so they are assured that their purchased items are waiting for them to be picked up. Giving excellent customer service earns you trust from existing and future potential customers.
The catch is you have limited postage options--albeit they have added UPS. If the nearest branch is far from you, you cannot switch off this option, so you have two options. The first would be to cancel the transaction and message the buyer to do a different shipping service. And second is you can emphasize on your bio that you don't accept UPS at all, so potential buyers will know to avoid choosing that option when purchasing your items.
What to sell?
On Vinted, you can sell almost every secondhand items you can get. This covers clothing, shoes, accessories, childcare and children's toys, home furniture and materials, tech and gadget accessories, and books with ISBN codes.
Of course, you can also sell new items. This includes cosmetics, beauty products, perfumes, and other "hygiene" essentials. However, you cannot sell other personal items such as intimates, beddings, piercings, and towels.
Medicines, prescription products, sports, and music equipment, items for pets, kitchenware, food, and drinks are also NOT allowed to be sold on the platform. You can see the complete list here.
Sourcing your items
When you list items on Vinted, product name usually matters. So, it is best to label your clothing items so people can easily find the brands they are looking for, especially if you sell them.
Where do you source them? You can check out your wardrobe, ask family and friends for their closet item giveaways, a trusted thrift shop, a yard sale, or even scour other online destinations. From eBay to Craiglist to the Facebook Marketplace, you are sure to find wearable ones and can be washed or steam-ironed as if they are new.
Other vintage pieces may turn out to be great finds for others. You can visit yard sales and estate sales for these. They have an extensive selection of home accessories, materials, and other knick-knacks that you can sell on Vinted. You attract diverse buyers with more selection since you have different types, styles, tastes, and sizes.
Take note that before you visit these sales, research the value of items you are interested in. You can go to other websites and marketplaces to compare prices. After all, this gives you an idea of how much an item costs on the market, especially old ones. Once you have an estimate, this helps you negotiate the price in the yard sale and calculate the price you will set up for your items.
Prepare your items
The most important part of selling is listing them down on your account. Simply taking and uploading photos and writing generic descriptions are not enough to market your garments. Like Instagram, good images and proper descriptions make or break a potential purchase. Here are several tips to help you.
Take attractive photos
Once you have sorted all the secondhand clothes and accessories you want to sell, take each one and take several photos of it. The key is natural lighting that shows off the colors, details, textures, material, and other elements of the item.
For clothes such as tops, pants, skirts, dresses, you can lay them flat on the bed or a surface; hang them up; or wear them as if you are a model. In this way, potential buyers can better visualize how the garments look.
Take close-up shots as well. You can zoom in on the design, details, strap, logo, and design. People prefer to see as much of the item or product as possible. It helps them in gauging whether to buy them or not.
You don't need a professional camera to do all this. Your iPhone, Samsung, or any other smartphone can do it well. Just make sure the images are crisp or clear and free of unnecessary details, then you're all set. A pro-tip: go to Pinterest for inspiration.
Use proper labels
Having appealing photos are not enough if you have incomplete and/or incorrect descriptions. Take note that Vinted's categories are general, so when you have a pair of jeans and simply list it as such, your item may get drowned by thousands of other jean listings. The search engine results direct people to every item with that exact word or phrase.
This is why you need to be specific as much as possible—selling Steve Madden shoes? Better to include "Steve Madden" on the label. People like to buy branded items, so the first things they typically look for are their favorite designers, brands, or labels.
Maximize the use of hashtags. Like Instagram, these work as additional tools for people to come across your listing. When you have an authentic Lacoste shirt, you no longer want, creating the hashtags #Lacosteshirt, #Lacoste, and #authenticLacoste will help users direct to your listing.
Take note, however, that you must be careful in indicating the size in the description. Some labels, especially if they are produced from different countries, carry varying measurements. Better for you to research first to be accurate or precise as much as possible. This helps your potential buyers to know if your items will fit them.
When all the details are complete in your listing, you can add recommendations on how to wear or use the items, especially if they are not common household ones. People would visualize how these would fit well into their lifestyle.
Set the price
In placing the cost of your items, do the research first. Look up the product's original price on its official website (if available) or visit other marketplaces on how much they cost. It will give you an idea of setting up the price. Of course, consider any flaws on your items, especially if they are secondhand ones. Lower the price accordingly as it is no longer good as new.
Set up your listings
Once you have everything prepared, click on the "Sell" button on the bottom of the Vinted website or app screen. This directs you to the page where you can list up to 20 photos of your item. Make sure to write complete descriptions and sizes.
You must also select the category, brand, and condition of the item. What is good about Vinted is they show you similar items that you can base your item's price and category on. This is helpful if you are a beginner and/or uncertain of doing it right.
Ways to sell fast
Offer discounts
People love getting discounts, so seeing a price drop on your listings is attractive for them. Be smart in doing discounts as you don't want to lose your profits or earnings. You can do bundles (group together similar products) and/or consider other items that have been sitting for a long time on your account. You have to evaluate whether you can still sell it for a high price or it is better for you to completely let it go.
Prepare to receive offers from potential buyers as well. Again, research and be smart about negotiations so you wouldn't end up getting the short end.
Promote your wardrobe
Sharing your items on social media platforms helps you tap into other possible customers. Your existing followers will see that you are selling things they may also want, so you can redirect them to your Vinted account.
Branding is crucial as well. When you are posting the items, be consistent in the overall look. This gives people an idea about your "aesthetic" and general "taste." If it is similar to theirs or you think your items look good overall, you will most likely gain followers and more potential buyers.
You can also "bump" your listings on Vinted, but this costs almost $1. "Bumping" your listings means these will get on the top of the "News Feed" of the website or app. More users will see what you have in your account, and if they like what they saw, they will go to your listing and possibly, make a purchase.
However, this doesn't guarantee that you will immediately sell. It is all about being strategic in paying for bumping fees.
Use other marketing tools.
If you are not doing this full-time, you need to use different online tools to help you. An app like OneShop helps you relist your listings across other marketplaces like Poshmark, Mercari, and other marketplaces that the team will integrate soon.
It also automatically delists an item once you have sold it on a website. This helps you avoid reselling items they have already bought on multiple platforms.