How to shop on Vinted..
If you follow me on Instagram then you’ll have noticed that I have been extolling the virtues of buying second hand from Vinted lately. Not only can you find some great bargains on there, but it’s also good for the planet, giving unwanted clothes a second chance rather than being sent off to landfill. You do have to be careful though: as with all these things, Vinted has become an outlet for scammers selling fake designer stuff, and businesses sell their clothes on there too. Not all of it is therefore pre-loved and “sustainable”.
If you do go onto Vinted, and start to look for a denim shirt for example, the other issue is that you’ll probably be given 500+ options to sift through, which is not only time consuming but also incredibly tedious, or worse, mind boggling.
Another issue is that if you buy something, but then find it doesn’t fit when you receive it, you can’t just send it back. Your only option is really to try to re-sell it, which is then a hassle and might be at a loss!
So with that in mind here are my top tips for finding great buys on Vinted!
know which brands work for you. This is essential. If you know that Levi jeans are a good fit for you, then put that into the search box. Or if you love the general look or quality, or fit of Me &Em, but usually it’s too expensive, search for that brand. Vinted will show you results for the brands you search for, and the algorithm will also then suggest similar brands for you to consider. This then sets up your search to reflect how you like to shop.
Don’t buy brands you don’t know, unless you are willing to get items, which potentially won’t fit, or you don’t like the quality of. I tend to stick to brands, which I’ve at least tried on, so that I know what size I am. Sizing varies wildly between different brands, so a size small in Sweaty Betty for example, is more like a Maje medium.
Look at the type of photos uploaded. Do they look like they are someone’s own clothes? I look for items hanging on a hanger in someone’s bedroom, or slightly crumpled - not too perfect. If you are looking at website stock photos only, or the item is really beautifully staged and looks brand new, it’s likely to be a fake, or it’s a shop using Vinted as a new selling outlet. That’s fine if that’s what you want, but if you are wanting to shop more sustainably, buying pre-loved items, then beware of this
Be sure to look for photos specifically of the size label and the fabric content label, as well as brand label. The description can be deceiving - I bought a shirt that had been called ‘silk’ in the description, only to find it was 100% polyester on receipt. Similarly Vinted interprets the sizing into size brackets such as 10-12, which can be really confusing. It’s best to look at the actual size label in the item - if there isn’t a photo, you can message the seller to ask for one
Don’t be afraid to make an offer on the price, although if you put in an offer really far below the asking price, you’ll probably annoy the seller. If I am selling something at £20, I get annoyed if someone then offers £10. But I will consider and often accept an offer of £17.
Be careful as it can become addictive, and you can end up buying loads on Vinted just because it’s cheap, but also because once an item is sold, that’s it, it’s gone! So if you like something, you can get corralled into the mindset of needing to buy it before it’s sold to someone else. Try to maintain a sense of discipline about it, and remember to ask you if you really need it, is it a good buy, will you wear it enough to warrant buying it?
Look on Vinted for occasion dressing - it’s a brilliant place to find beautiful, barely-worn dresses. So many people have bought dresses and suits for special occasions, and then never worn them more than once or twice - you can find so many of these on Vinted. Why spend a small fortune on a special dress if you can find one that has been barely used, for a fraction of the cost? Have a look through, it’s amazing what you might find.
I have often found clothes on Vinted, which I saw and tried on in shops, but didn’t buy because of the cost. I then have found them a year or so later on Vinted in perfect condition! A Reiss pleated skirt was £25 (originally over £100 in the shop - check it out in the photo) ; a pair of Pinko trousers, which I had loved in the store but couldn’t justify buying, were then listed for £50 (originally almost £200). Keep in mind things you wished you’d bought but didn’t - you might just find them again!
If all of this seems a bit daunting and difficult, I do offer a service for sustainable, pre-loved shopping, so that you can access my expertise in navigating the millions of listed items, to find just what you are looking for! Check it out on my services page.
Otherwise, I wish you happy hunting, and let me know if you find anything amazing :)
Iona
x
