SECOND-HAND shopping app Vinted has seen a huge rise in popularity as Brits look for extra ways to make cash.
The digital platform made a profit for the first time in April and has expanded rapidly across Europe, amassing around 16million users in the UK.
Vinted first launched in the UK in 2014 but only became a household name after the pandemic ended.
It’s free to sign up and there are no fees for sellers. Instead, buyers have a fee added to their purchases and pay for postage on top too.
We spoke to Vinted “super-sellers” to get their little-known tips on how to maximise your profits on the app.
Vinted told The Sun that its members are most active over the weekend – so you might want to think about uploading your items then for maximum visibility.
Shopping often happens on Sunday evenings and sellers are most busy listing on Saturday afternoons.
Meanwhile, the best-selling items were both women’s and men’s clothing, dog equipment within the pet care category, and books within the entertainment category.
Additionally, the most popular colours in the UK were black, white, grey, brown, navy and pink.
Sam, the self proclaimed 'saving queen' behind the thriftplanenjoy.com blog told us how to make you profile stand out on Vinted.
How long have you used Vinted?
I have used Vinted since April last year as it was recommended as a side hustle by another blogger.
What are your top tips to make a sale?
Take good quality images, with a lovely background. And also promote your Vinted shop elsewhere. For me I promote on my blogs – thriftplanenjoy.com, mummyconqueringanxiety.com and roaringpumpkin.com.
I also had the most success with sales when promoting on the Facebook Vinted selling groups. Replying to other people’s posts where they requested certain items.
How can you make your profile standout?
Use a profile picture and if you can, have a catchy name. Especially if it relates to what you’re selling.
Has it helped you make some extra income?
Yes, it has helped me make a little bit of extra money and it’s also great to get rid of things we no longer need in the house.
I also regularly buy items from Vinted, as I refuse to spend a lot of clothing for a 5 year old. I also often find the items we need for a cheaper price.
A recent example was the Zoggs larger swimming goggles. Retailing at £21 and I managed to get them in a bundle, with 4 other items for £15.
According to one pro in the online group Vinted Bargains UK, using more photos can help boost your chances of getting of making a sale.
The regular user said to post a variety of images from different angels and to include images of the clothing tags and the quality of the item.
Vinted allows you to upload 20 pictures per item you are choosing to list.
It is recommend that the first picture you use feature be one where you can see the item in full view.
You can then go on to show the item’s authenticity, particularity if you are selling a clothing piece which is well known.
If you are selling an item which is slightly defected it is also important that you include that in one of your pictures also.
“I make sure the products are displayed in natural lighting, says Rio Saltonstall, a 29 year-old PR executive, from Yorkshire.
The working mum has made a whopping £400 over the last year by selling everything from unwanted Christmas gifts and her daughters old clothes.
If [you are selling] clothes, hand them up for full view and make sure any wear or tear is visible on images.”
She told The Sun: “I mostly sell mine, my boyfriends and daughters clothes which sell so quick as I sell hers as bundles.
“But I’ve also sold unused jewellery, curtains, and unwanted gifts from Christmas.”
“My earnings to date is £401.87 and just love how easy it is to sell on the app.”
“What I don’t like is this Vinted culture of offering the lowest you can, it’s a £40 dress with tags on for £10! Just buy the thing if you’re interested.”
When you upload an item to Vinted you have to fill out a description box.
This includes describing what brand the product is from, the colour, size and material.
Sellers on Your Vinted Bargains UK recommend making this as detailed as possible to ensure your chance of a sale.
They also recommend using key words as they will appear when people search.
Like Facebook and Instagram, Vinted also uses an algorithm.
Vinted’s ranking algorithm takes into account several factors, such as item attractiveness, query relevance, and a customers user history, according to the company website.
Vinted shared with The Sun some of the most popular items on the app:
When you put an item up for sale on Vinted you choose how much you want to sell it for, but buyers can ask you to sell it to them for a lower price.
You do not have to accept a lower offer, however you are given the chance to message the person who wants to buy the item and bargain with them.
MoneySavingExpert also recommends messaging buyers who favourite your item with an offer.
It said: “Vinted alerts you when someone ‘likes’ your item – you can then reply with a discount.
“Though avoid repeatedly messaging that “you’re just off to the post office”, as this tends to annoy.
“Alternatively, reduce the item’s price a fraction, and all watchers will get an alert.”
Lucy, a 27 year old operations executive from London, switched to selling on Vinted from eBay after finding the app easier to use and made a whopping £268 by moving.
“Its user experience is really accessible so it makes it easy to sell and buy,” she told The Sun.
For those hesitant to take the plunge, Lucy says the protection you get as a buyer is what made her fall in love with the app.
“The best thing [about Vinted] is the buyer/ seller protection so as a seller you are protected,” she said.
“The buyer also pays for delivery so you don’t have to worry about randomly losing money because you didn’t charge enough for postage.”
You as the seller then have to post the parcel to the buyer. There are a few ways you can do this.
People mostly use a prepaid Vinted-generated shipping label to offload their goods.
On the Vinted website when a buyer checks out using the “Buy now” button and chooses one of the integrated shipping providers available on Vinted, they will purchase a shipping label for the seller to send the order.
There are four shipping providers for this method:
But you might not live anywhere near a DPD store for example, so you can turn off sales from certain providers in your settings.
The Sun’s Head of Consumer Tara Evans, said: “I live near an InPost box, whereas the shop to post Yodel and DPD parcels is a 20 minuite walk away.
“I changed my setting so that I only accept InPost parcels. It hasn’t affected my sales and it makes posting items much easier.”
It is important to remember that once you have posted your parcel or agreed on a sale the money you made will not go into your account straight away.
Once the Vinted order has arrived to the seller you’ll receive your earnings within 2 days in your Vinted balance.
You then have to transfer your earnings from your balance to your bank account.
SINCE January 1, digital platforms, including eBay, Airbnb, Etsy, Amazon and Vinted, must share seller information with HMRC as part of a crackdown.
You’ll only be affected if you sell a certain number of items or earn over a certain amount across one financial year.
Firms now have to pass on your data to HMRC if you sell 30 or more items a year or earn over €2,000 (the equivalent of £1,700) – check now if this applies to you.
This is because anyone selling items online might be liable to pay tax if they earn £1,000 or more.
If the money a member makes on online marketplaces over a year is less than the amount they paid for the items they are selling, then there is no tax to pay.
But those “trading” for profit might need to pay tax.
But new rules introduced at the beginning of January mean marketplaces must now pass on seller’s earnings directly to HMRC.
It is part of a wider tax crackdown to help ensure that those who boost their income via side hustles pay up what they owe.
This isn’t a new tax. Those who earn over £1,000 have always had to declare income and fill in a self-assessment tax return, but it gives the taxman greater visibility over what you earn.
