What is Vinted and how does it work? - Times Money Mentor (2024)

Vinted is one of the most popular online marketplaces in the world, becoming the go-to site to buy and sell your old clothes and accessories. Here we explain how it works, how to get the most out of it and what you need to watch out for.

Vinted is most commonly known as a place to flog your second-hand clothes, but there many other things that you can sell on the site too.

And it’s a win-win. The stuff you don’t want anymore finds a new, loving home and you can earn a bit of extra money too. But there are things you need to watch out for, whether you are a buyer or a seller.

In this article, we cover:

What is Vinted?
Selling on Vinted: How do I get started?
What does a bump mean on Vinted?
Buying on Vinted: How do I get started?
Is Vinted safe?

What is Vinted?

Vinted is an online marketplace, which is a digital platform that connects buyers and sellers removing the need for a physical space, such as a shop, to exchange goods. Other examples include Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, Depop and Facebook Marketplace.

Vinted was set up in 2008 in Lithuania by two friends – one of whom simply wanted to clear out some space in their closet. The platform now has 105 million users across more than 20 different countries, including 16 million users in the UK.

If you are looking to buy or sell, you just need to download the app and set up an account. There are no fees to pay as a seller, unlike on Ebay. Instead the buyer pays a protection fee as well as covering the postage of the item. Sellers can purchase extra features to try to get their item sold faster (see below).

Read more: What is Temu and is it legit?

Selling on Vinted: How do I get started?

Selling your stuff on Vinted is straightforward. You can set up an account online or via the app and sign up manually or simply use an existing Facebook, Google or Apple accounts to sign in with.

Once you have created an account, you can start listing your item by simply clicking on the “list an item” option.

Make sure that you take good quality pictures of the items that you want to sell and take shots from different angles before you upload them to the site. You then need to add a good and accurate description and post a fair asking price.

What can and can’t you sell on Vinted?

Vinted is most associated with being a place to buy and sell old clothes, footwear and accessories but there are a host of other things that can be traded on the site. According to the site’s policy, they include:

Small tech accessories, such as headphones and smartwatches
Kids’ toys, furniture, and childcare equipment
Tableware and home accessories
Books
Board games
CDs, DVDs, and vinyl
Video game consoles, accessories, and games
Pets’ clothing, accessories, bedding, and toys
Party and holiday decorations

There are a number of things that you can’t sell on Vinted. Obviously you can’t trade anything illegal, unsafe or dangerous but you also can’t sell items such as:

Medicines
Food or drink
High-tech electronics & gadgets
Stationary supplies
Music and sports equipment for adults
Hobby equipment
Furniture for adults
Paintings and drawings

Always check before you list an item that it is eligible to be sold on Vinted.

Does Vinted take a fee?

Unlike Ebay, for example, Vinted doesn’t charge you a fee for selling on the platform. Instead buyers are required to pay a buyer protection fee as a percentage of the goods that they buy. This can be between 3% and 8% of each purchase.

The fee guarantees that should your purchase be damaged, not as described, or simply doesn’t turn up, then you are entitled to a refund.

What does bump mean on Vinted?

If you want to increase your chances of selling your item or doing so more quickly, you have the option of paying for an Item Bump feature.

Purchasing a bump ensures that your item is displayed higher up in the news feeds and search results of potential buyers. It costs about £1 an item and lasts for 3 or 7 consecutive days, or until your item gets sold. You can buy as many bumps as you want.

If you want to bump your stuff, go to your profile and press the Bump button below your item. You can also choose multiple listings that you want to buy bumps for. You’ll then be able to review your purchase and be taken to the checkout screen.

What are the pros and cons of the buy now, pay later apps?

Do I have to declare my Vinted earnings to HMRC?

From 1 January 2024, foreign-based online sales platforms such as Vinted have to collect information about the earnings of the sellers on their sites and send it to HMRC. But they will only do this if you earn more than€2,000 a year (currently just over £1,700) or make more than 30 transactions.

The rules around how much you can earn from side hustles such as selling your old clothes online or renting out your parking space haven’t changed, the companies are simply being asked to notify HMRC about their customers. Anything that you earn below the £1,000 trading allowance is tax-free and you don’t have to report in to HMRC on your self assessment tax return.

Buying on Vinted: How do I get started?

Once you have created your online profile you can start browsing for what you want to buy and use the filters to narrow down your search.

When you spot what you want to buy, you can make an offer to the seller or add the item to your basket and make the purchase straightaway using your debit or credit card. An item will remain on the site until your payment has been made.

Remember that it is you, the buyer, and not the seller that pays the fees on Vinted. So in addition to the item’s price, you will also need to pay a buyer protection fee and shipping costs.

Vinted securely holds on to your payment via their payment provider until you receive your goods, at which time the money is released to the seller. If your item is different from what your order or broken, you can submit a return request and be refunded.

How does Vinted postage work?

Shipping costs are added to your order when you get to the checkout. What you can expect to pay, depends on where you live and how big your parcel is.

Sellers can offer you different shipping options and it is up to you to choose which one you would like. The more options offered to you, the more likely the item is to sell. The seller has to respect your ultimate choice or risk having the order cancelled.

The seller then has 5 working days after you purchased your item with which to send it out to you. After that time, Vinted will cancel the order. Vinted then tracks the parcel to its final destination.

Can you return items on Vinted?

If the item that you bought is “significantly not as described” on the website then you can submit a return request and be refunded.You have 2 days to report an issueand submit a refund request under Vinted’s Buyer Protection, otherwise the payment will be released to the seller.

However, if you just don’t like an item or it doesn’t fit you, then it is up to the discretion of the seller to refund you or not.

As a buyer it is your responsibility to pay for the return shipping costs unless you have agreed otherwise with the seller.

Is Vinted safe?

There are risks to using Vinted as there would be with any other online marketplace, for both the seller and the buyer.

The platform wants it top be as safe as possible to use, however. Stating: “Vinted is focused on maintaining a high standard of personal security for our members. We work proactively to create tools and policies that help our community thrive – whether you’re buying or selling.”

If someone is messaging you inappropriately, then Vinted has filters in the system that can detect this and will block their account. If it is not picked up, you can also report any issues to Vinted via the app.

Because Vinted is a third party and not the retailer, as a buyer you are not automatically covered by current UK shopping laws as you would be if you bought directly from the retailer. The buyer protection fee offers similar protections under consumer rights laws to a refund should something go wrong with your purchase.

If you are selling an item, make sure that you describe the item accurately, list any faults and take photos from every angle. That way, if the buyer complains of any faults when they receive the item, you will know – and can prove – that it originated from the buyer or while in transit.

If you have a dispute, you can get in contact with Vinted’s customer service department who will make a decision. The more evidence you have, the better.

How can I contact customer service on Vinted?

You can find theContact usbutton under articles within the sites Help Centre or via the conversation screen. If you need help, press the button and Vinted say that they will get in touch with you as soon as we can.

Important information

Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, we cannot review every product on the market.