The dos and don'ts of social secondhand shopping

It’s no secret that the fast fashion world is crippling our climate. Whilst there are loads of small, sustainable clothing businesses, the prices can rarely compete with the monthly flash sales of mainstream, tax-avoiding retailers. If you’re adamant on living more sustainably, secondhand marketplaces like Vinted and Depop are a great ethical option! Secondhand shopping sites like these can be hard to navigate at first and can be very daunting as refunds aren’t an option. As someone who has become familiar with these apps, with Vinted being my new Asos, here are some tips for a successful secondhand shop.

Firstly, always like and favourite items that you are interested in. The majority of the time, sellers will see that you have favorited their item and will send you a discount. If not, you will get notified when the seller drops the price of the item that you have favourited. This will also help Vinted and Depop cater to your taste – the algorithm will work out the type of items you are interested in and will recommend more products that are similar to your style. Also, if the seller doesn’t contact you, don’t be afraid to reach out to them! Most sellers will accept offers you request as a lot of them are more concerned with getting rid of the item rather than how much they can get for it. The same applies for requesting bundles! Pay particular attention to how old the listing is – if there is an item you like that has been up for quite a while, the seller is more likely to accept a lower offer.

Getting the sizing right is another aspect of secondhand shopping that puts most people off. My tip is, if you’re unfamiliar with the brand of a certain item you like, try to go into the store of a brand or even order some of their clothing to find the right size. When you know your size, you can return it, and then find a heavily discounted version on Vinted. Although, do keep in mind that with pre-loved clothing, and particularly with items like jeans, they do tend to shrink over time.

The final fear of shopping on secondhand marketplaces is getting scammed or ripped off. The likelihood that this will happen to you is very rare, but always check the reviews. An indicator of a good seller is if they have a lot of pictures of the item from multiple angles, making it clear that they are not hiding anything. Transparency is key, therefore sellers who openly draw attention in their pictures and description to a stain on the item, or if they mention that it runs smaller than the size that the label says are generally trustworthy. Always check the descriptions of items too; I often find that if the seller stresses that it’s vintage, and spams the description with #y2k or #fairycore, then they are usually exploiting a current trend and aesthetic, raising the price to much higher than it’s worth. 

My last tip is to trust middle-aged mums! Not to stereotype too much, but I’ve always had the best experience buying from them as they have been the most informative and genuine sellers that I’ve interacted with on Vinted.

Happy secondhand shopping!