Depop vs Vinted: which side hustle actually pays the rent?

If you’re a reformed hoarder looking to declutter or an entrepreneur wanting to make some money reselling items, Depop and Vinted are go-to sales platforms for uni side hustlers. Both are easy to use on your phone, and they make it straightforward to run a business between your studies.

You might have already bought items from them, but if you’re just getting started with selling, which option should you choose?

Vinted: the pros and cons

Having started as a clothes reselling platform, Vinted is now used to flog everything from books to home appliances and phones. This gives you plenty of scope for your reselling business, whether you’re thinking of creating your own products or second-hand items.

It’s worth noting that people tend to use Vinted to sell items quickly and cheaply. This could mean your sales spike whenever you start listing, but you’ll need to get the price right to attract buyers. Bargain hunters are the ones browsing most often, which is likely to limit the profit margin you can make.

It’s easy to list an item on Vinted, with no fees or restrictions on the number of items, though you need to make sure you meet their Catalogue Rules. Note, if you decide to register your business, then you’ll need to switch to a Pro seller profile to meet Vinted’s rules. You also can’t brand your own profile, giving you less control over how items are presented.

If items aren’t selling, there are also lots of ways to get noticed. You can ‘bump’ items, use the Showcase feature or make an offer to someone who has favourited your item. Once sold, postage is easy and cheap too, as the buyer pays for your fees and selects the shipping method. All you need to do is attach the printed label to your package and drop it off at a Post Office or parcel locker.

Once received, payments simply drop into your Vinted balance. But buyers have to confirm the item has arrived and they’re happy with it before this happens, which could delay payment. Buyers can also rate your profile, which can affect future purchases, so you need to make sure their experience is as smooth as possible (in other words, respond to messages quickly!).

Depop: the pros and cons

Still a fashion-first platform, Depop is a great place for makers, vintage lovers or second-hand stylists to resell clothes and accessories. This also means if you have plans to expand and sell other items under your business banner, another platform might be better.

Buyers head to Depop to find higher-quality, unusual items they might not get elsewhere, which gives sellers greater scope for profits. To attract these, though, you need to focus on creating top-notch listings with attractive photos. But fear not, the app does help you out by giving AI-generated tips and descriptions.

If you’re struggling to sell items, there’s little you can do other than relist them with new descriptions, photos and prices. You can’t contact potential buyers, but you should look to respond to any messages quickly if they reach out to you. You can also get a ‘Top Seller’ status by meeting certain criteria, which can help boost trust and sales.

It’s also important to note that buyers pay a marketplace fee, which is up to 5% of the item purchase price. So you need to build this, plus the payment processing fee you’ll pay, into the item price. You can choose whether the buyer pays for shipping or if you include it in the price.

When shipping, there are a couple of options for sellers. Either you pay for and arrange it yourself via a chosen provider, or opt in to Depop Shipping, which uses Evri. Depop Shipping makes the process easier, but it means you can only use Evri to send your items.

Once your item is delivered, you’ll receive payment in your Depop balance within a few days, which is then automatically transferred to your selected bank account.

Tips for selling on Vinted or Depop

Whichever platform you choose, here are some tips you can follow to boost sales:

• Focus on quality photos of your item: take them on a plain background in good light and from multiple angles
• Add details to your description: be honest, accurate and specific about your item, its condition and features
• Price correctly: look at similar items to see what they’re selling for and make sure yours is competitive
• Give a great buyer experience: be responsive and polite in messages and ship quickly to get good ratings
• Use other social media platforms: to get more eyes on your items, be sure to post regularly on TikTok and Instagram, as well as interacting on Depop or Vinted

Which resell platform earns more money?

There is no evidence that choosing either Vinted or Depop will help you earn more money. By following the tips above, you can make a success of your side hustle by spending as little as one hour a day on either platform.

If you are earning money from reselling clothes or other items, then it’s important to be aware of UK tax rules. Side hustle incomes of more than £12,570 per year will be subject to tax. In this case, you’ll need to fill out a tax return each year and budget some of your earnings so you’re ready to pay the right contribution to HMRC.