15 Most Common Vinted Selling Mistakes (And How to Fix them)
I have been using Vinted both as a seller and a buyer for a couple of years now, and it is fair to say that even though I was a well established eBay seller at this time, the platforms are different in several ways, meaning that I have definitely made some rookie Vinted selling mistakes at the beginning of my journey.
In this post, I will address the main Vinted selling mistakes I see on the platform as well as how to fix them to maximise your chances of getting the sale.
Vinted Selling Mistake number 1: Pricing your items too high
This is definitely one of the most common Vinted selling mistakes new sellers, including myself, make. This is also why I recommend that anyone new to the platform explore it as a buyer for a few days (even if you don’t buy anything) so you get a feel for the pricing and general etiquette of the platform.
Vinted in general is cheaper for preloved clothing than eBay. This is because buyers pay the postage as well as the fees, which are between 3-8% of the item’s sale price. As an example, this £5.00 skirt actually works out to be £8.24 for the buyer after fees and postage.
Even with premium brands such as Ted Baker and French Connection, the prices can be surprisingly low. Take a few days to explore the platform and see what sort of prices the items you plan to list are going for.
This Crew Clothing dress is unlikely to go for £30, plus fees and postage, when the one next to it is £2.50!
Vinted Selling Mistake number 2: Pricing too low
On the contrary, it is still possible to price your items too low. When you first upload an item, Vinted will give you a selection of similar items and their prices. From experience I have learnt that these are the lowest prices of anywhere on the platform.
Of course, Vinted wants your pricing to be as low as possible, so it can get more sales. Make sure you have a look through the existing listings for similar items to see what a fair price will be.
I was caught out with this when selling my daughter’s Joules quilted gilet. Vinted suggested selling it for £3.00, based on other children’s gilets but not the specific navy quilted one I had. I went along with it and it sold within minutes! I then realised that most other sellers were successfully selling this item for about £8-12. Oops!
Lesson learned, but at least my buyer got a great bargain.
Vinted Selling Mistake number 3: Using a close up photo as image 1 on the listing
It is really important to remember when listing on Vinted how the potential buyers will see your item in their feed. Unlike eBay, the titles of your listings do not show up. All that appears is the brand, the size and the price along with the first photo from your images.
Therefore it is important that this first photo is not a close up of the label for example. While it is good practise to include a range of photos for each listing, if this is photo 1 it will be difficult for potential buyers to even know what your item is – remember the title is not there in the feed.
There is no indication as to whether this item is a dress, top or trousers! Many buyers will just scroll past and not bother to click through and find out more.
How to fix it
This is a simple fix – if you already have several photos on the listing already, just go to the listing, click the 3 dots at the top left corner and select Edit. From there you can click and drag to rearrange the photos, add more or delete. Ensure the first picture shows the whole item.
Vinted Selling Mistake number 4: Poor lighting
It is important to take clear and well-lit photos of the item to showcase its condition and authenticity. Using natural lighting is recommended to avoid any distortion or discolouration of the item.
Remember to place your items opposite a window rather than against it as this will produce poorly lit photos. If using an electric light source, ensure there is no glare from the light reflecting off the item. (This is more common on shiny objects than clothes).
If you already have a ring light, this can come in handy but there is no need to buy one especially for selling on Vinted.
When reviewing your photos to upload, you can adjust the lighting using the built in filters or editing tools within your phone’s photo app. Just be mindful that the photos need to show the true colour of the clothing so don’t use filters that distort this.
How to fix it
You may need to retake new photos for your listing, or adjust the existing ones using your phone’s photo editing tools.
Vinted Selling Mistake 5: Only providing one listing image
Even if your image is clear and shows the item in full, it is better to provide a range of images showing the item from different angles, a close up of the brand label and washing instructions, and any flaws.
There have definitely been times as a buyer when I’ve been put off buying because there is only one photo and it is not enough to make a decision about the item. It is even worse if the only photo supplied cuts off the bottom of the clothing so you can’t see the item in full!
How to fix it
Take extra photos and upload to the listing, ensuring image one shows the item in full
Vinted Selling Mistake 6: Uploading a blurred photo
You would imagine that this one was obvious, but I have definitely seen blurred photos on Vinted! Aside from putting buyers off because they can’t see the item clearly, it also gives the impression as a seller that you can’t be bothered, or may be unreliable when it comes to sending.
How to fix it
Stating the obvious again, but new photos need to be uploaded and any blurred ones deleted.
Vinted Selling Mistake 7: Adding “styling” accessories into the photo
On some selling platforms it can be popular to “style” the listing photos with other items such as jeans, shoes and a bag when selling a tshirt, to show the clothing’s full potential. While this can create appealing looking photos, it is best avoided on Vinted as when buyers are scrolling their feed it can become confusing what is actually for sale.
If you really like doing this, at least ensure you are only using a styled photo at the end of several other photos of the item on its own, and never as the main listing image.
Remember, the listing title is not displayed in the user’s feed, only the size and the brand so it may be confusing to know just what is for sale.
How to fix it: Ensure you are providing a range of images of the item on its own alongside a styled photo.
Vinted Selling Mistake 8: Using a photo of you wearing the item for sale as the main listing image
While it can be good to include a photo of the item being worn in real life, again this should not be used as listing photo one for the reasons already outlined in this post. It will be difficult for potential buyers to know which item is actually for sale and photos from parties and events often have poor lighting, like the example above.
How to fix it
It’s fine to include one if you wish, just not as image 1.
As before, edit the listing and rearrange or add more photos to ensure image one shows the item on its own.
Vinted Selling Mistake 9: Using stock photos from the brand, not your actual used item
This is crucial especially if you are selling a used item. Buyers will not trust that the professional stock photo from the brand’s website will be a fair representation of your used item. Aside from this, you can run into copyright issues if you don’t own the rights to the brand photos.
How to fix it
Upload images of your actual item, being sure to include any flaws or marks.
Vinted Selling Mistake 10: Photographing against a cluttered or busy background
Avoid using a cluttered or busy background for your listing photos, such as against a mirror that is reflecting back a messy room, or a busy patterned wall. Remember that your item needs to stand out as potential buyers are scrolling through their feed.
How to fix it
As a casual seller, there’s no need for elaborate backdrops or tailor’s dummies if you don’t have access to these. Using a decent coathanger against a plain white door or wall is sufficient. Wooden coathangers like these tend to look better than plastic or wire.
Vinted Selling Mistake 11: Photographing your item when it doesn’t look its best
There’s nothing more off putting than seeing a photo of an item that looks wrinkled or a mess. It can seriously put off potential buyers and gives the impression that you can’t really be bothered.
While you may not need to iron each piece of clothing especially, if an item looks untidy or wrinkled it may be worth tidying it up to create more attractive listing images. Most things look better hung on a coathanger rather than laid on the floor or a bed, so this is something else to consider.
Vinted Selling Mistake 12: Leaving the listing description blank or very sparse
While this wouldn’t put me off as a buyer if the listing photos are good, providing as many details as possible about the item will help potential buyers make an informed choice. The item description should include the brand, size, colour, and any defects or wear and tear that the item may have.
If the listing photos are poor and the description is blank, it is unlikely the buyer will have enough information to make the purchase.
Vinted Selling Mistake 13: Not mentioning flaws in the listing description or photos
It is always important to be honest and transparent about the condition of the item to avoid any potential issues with the buyer.
Some people sell damaged items at bargain prices to appeal to someone who may have the skills to mend them. As long as this is stated clearly in the listing then you are covered as a seller.
Personally, I wouldn’t sell ripped or stained items but I have sold my daughter’s outgrown shoes that have some wear and tear.
Vinted’s buyer protection policy states that the buyer is entitled to a full refund if the item is “significantly not as described”, (SNAD) so it is important to list any flaws to cover yourself if nothing else. There is a section towards the end of this post covering in detail what constitutes SNAD according to Vinted’s terms.
Vinted Selling Mistake 14: Accidentally uploading to the wrong size or category
Ensure you upload the listing into the correct size is also important. Confusingly, some of the sizing categories on Vinted don’t always match up with traditional sizing.
For example, UK women’s size 12 is classed as “Large” on Vinted. This is fine if you are uploading a size 12 item, as it will be displayed as 12/L. However, outside of Vinted, women’s clothing that is simply labelled as a Large is generally a size 16-18. This means that a size “Large” women’s t-shirt could be uploaded as a size 12.
An item being listed as the wrong size constitutes Vinted’s definition of Significantly NOt As Described (SNAD), so it’s vital to get this right to avoid headaches later on.
Vinted Selling Mistake 15: Selling 2 unrelated items together
This was one of the Vinted selling mistakes I made a couple of years ago. While bundles are a popular category on Vinted, particularly for children’s clothing, unless you have several items to list together under the “clothing bundle” category, it is usually not helpful to put 2 items together unless they are part of a set.
For example, I listed 2 pairs of girl’s trousers together. One was leggings with a tutu, the other was a pair of jeans. My thinking was I could command a higher sale price while combining postage, however the listing did not perform well.
I also did a similar thing with 4 baby summer dresses but at the time I didn’t realise there was a bundles category and they were uploaded under the girl’s dresses section.
Neither listing sold, and when I got a couple of messages asking if I would sell one of the items separately, I realised the items were probably better off being listed individually.
I can’t remember how long it took, but they did all sell individually eventually.
What I realised was if a potential buyer is looking for a bundle of clothing, they are going to be more interested in larger bundles of 7 or more items. If they are not looking for a bundle, it is unlikely they will want to buy all of the items you have in your listing.
If they do, you can turn the “bundles” feature on in your seller’s panel to allow buyers to purchase several of your individual listings and combine postage.
How to fix this
Bundle together a larger collection of same size / gender items and ensure you are listing under the bundles category. List everything else individually and turn on the bundles feature in your seller tools to allow buyers to buy multiple items from you of their own choice.
What is Vinted’s Refund Policy?
Under their Buyer Protection Terms, Vinted states in their help centre that they can assist a buyer with a refund if the item is significantly not as described (SNAD).
What is considered SNAD by Vinted?
- Wrong colour
- Incorrect size
- Missing item parts
- Bundles with missing items
- A damaged item (stained, ripped, broken or damaged in any other way) that wasn’t detailed in the description or photos
- Different main materials from the listing
- Counterfeit
- Any other visible flaw that wasn’t in the listing
This is why it is crucial that any flaws and the correct sizing are including in both your listing description and photos. If you have stated flaws and the buyer has not read them, then Vinted will probably choose not to refund them.
The following features are not considered SNAD:
- Items you don’t like or don’t fit you (sizing correct as listed)
- Minor differences to an item that don’t affect its use or look
This means that a buyer is not entitled to a refund if the item doesn’t fit but it is listed in the correct sizing, or they don’t like / don’t suit the item. You are not obliged to refund them in these cases, but you may choose to do so depending upon the circumstances.
If a buyer chooses to return an item, they must pay for the return postage. Due to the low selling prices, the cost of the postage may often negate the refund option for a buyer. Occasionally I have bought items I didn’t like, but I knew this is not the fault of the seller and instead I chose to re-list them myself or donate them to charity.
About the Author
Melissa is a working parent who left behind a senior management salary for a better work/life balance. Following her own money saving and money making strategies she was able to clear debt and live a life she loves. Blogging, selling digital products on Etsy and selling preloved items on eBay are her favourite side hustles. Read her story here.
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