SPENDING ON SECONDHAND stores such as Vinted has surged by 200% in just a year.
Data released by AIB on its customers’ debit and credit card spending showed a 9% drop in clothes shop sales over the same period – indicating a switch from new to secondhand may be underway.
There’s no doubt that the popularity of Vinted is surging. The company has been valued at €8 billion. Google data shows a sharp climb in Irish searches for the Lithuanian online marketplace since late 2024. It’s currently in the top 10 most downloaded apps for both Apple and Android phones in Ireland.
So what can you buy on Vinted?
Home-ware, electronics and books are all available – and indeed seem to have been identified as growth markets by the company, as it is pushing them a good bit.
But for most shoppers Vinted is synonymous with clothes.
Women’s, men’s and kids fashion are all available, and there’s a special category for designer goods also, if that’s your thing.
Is it like Depop?
It’s the same basic idea – an app for selling clothes you’re no longer wearing, or buying something someone else is finished with.
As with Depop, sellers are responsible for posting the item, and as with Depop the platform takes a cut on each purchase. Both platforms offer buyer protections if an item does not arrive.
Vinted has some advantages over Depop which are likely to have contributed to its popularity.
Its algorithm is very good. A straw poll of secondhand fans in The Journal newsroom reached a consensus that Vinted’s algorithm is much better at pushing stuff you might actually want to the top of your feed than other platforms. This helps sellers too, as it means clothes can be sold more quickly.
On the other hand, Depop’s algorithm prioritises items available here in Ireland – which means the item is likely to be with you much sooner than if you buy from abroad.
Vinted has connected the Irish and French markets – which hugely broadens out the range of what is available, but also means you can wait longer for things to arrive. Vinted notes on its Irish website that international shipping usually takes 4-7 business days – and that’s after the seller has packaged and posted the item.
Both Vinted and Depop give you the option to save your clothes and shoe sizes to make it easier to find items that will fit.
The clothes for sale on Vinted tend to include more slightly upmarket options than Depop – although that’s not to say there isn’t a vast amount of polyester clothing from cheap shops such as Shein, Asos and Zara on both platforms, often priced at less than €5 per item.
This may be a contributor to Vinted’s popularity. The economics of buying a €3 Shein top on Depop and paying €5 postage have never really made a huge amount of sense. You could buy the same top new on Shein for only a little more and have the option to return it if you don’t like it.
How much does it cost?
Big discounts are available. For example, women’s Levi’s jeans which would cost €90-120 new are available from about €15 (in “very good” condition, which means it has been used a small amount and may have minor imperfections) and for €40-60 for new items with tags on. Haggling is facilitated.
Buyers must cover the cost of postage and pay a “buyer protection fee” – so a pair of €45 Levi’s from an Irish seller will cost €51.04 when the buyer fee of €2.95 and shipping to a post office for collection at €3.09 are included.
The buyer protection fee is proportionately higher depending on the value of the item and postage from France is more expensive. So a €110 leather handbag delivered from France will cost €123.49 including €7.29 shipping and a €6.20 buyer fee.
There are optional charges for sellers to “bump” their item within the algorithm. The “bumping” fee depends on how long you choose this option to last for (three or seven days), the price of the item and whether you want to push your item in Ireland or internationally.
Is it safe to buy on Vinted?
When you buy an item, the money does not go to the seller straightaway. Rather, it is held by Vinted until you’ve made it clear you’re happy with your purchase.
If the item doesn’t arrive or is damaged or significantly not as described – say if it’s not in the condition promised, or is not in the right size – you can apply for a refund.
You have only two days from the item’s delivery to raise an issue. If you miss that window, the seller will get the money.
With many expensive brands for sale, counterfeits are obviously a risk.
Vinted says it will investigate if an item turns out to be counterfeit and pay a refund if it is, but it’s up to sellers to provide proof that this is the case. Photos of the suspicious parts of the item, its care labels and serial number are all looked at. Vinted says it takes action against sellers who repeatedly sell counterfeit items.
What are the pros and cons of shopping on Vinted?
In the old days of shopping for secondhand clothes in charity and vintage shops, there was definitely an element of randomness and luck that online marketplaces are now eradicating.
Vinted’s search engine is very effective. You may be able to find the exact item you want from a particular brand, and you can save a search so you’ll be notified when the item comes in.
Whether you see the end of trawling the secondhand rails for a great find as a good or bad thing is probably a personal choice.
One likely downside for many people is that scrolling on your phone – and shopping on Vinted involves a lot of scrolling – is pretty dreary.
The minor life admin burden of having to go the post office or a local shop to drop or collect a package is also a bit of a drag.
If you’re picky about fit and other aspects of your clothes, the fact that you can’t return things that don’t suit is definitely a major downside.
You can always relist them for sale yourself, if you’re OK with the slight hassle involved (taking photos, uploading a description, negotiating with potential buyers and then packaging and posting the item). If space is at a premium in your wardrobe, it’s worth bearing mind that clothes may take a while to sell, and you may not be lucky enough to make the price you’re hoping for.
A certain amount of patience is involved in buying and selling clothes online. Sellers on Vinted have five business days to ship an item. Add to that the up to seven business days it could take for something to arrive from France and you could be waiting a while for your item.
Irish people throw out tens of thousands of tonnes of clothes each year, most of which ends up being incinerated or sent to landfill.
The widespread availability of ultra-cheap fast fashion means we’re buying more clothes than ever, with half of young adults buying new clothes at least a few times per month. - The aftereffects of Ireland’s fast fashion habit can be seen in the reams of Shein and Dunnes items for sale on Vinted, as fashion addicts who have wasted money on clothes they don’t need attempt to extract some residual value from them.
If we have to buy clothes, there’s no question that secondhand is better than new. But the most environmentally friendly option will always be just wearing what we already have in our wardrobes and eschewing purchases we don’t need – which might be easier to do if we put down our phones.