Vinted is now one of the UK's biggest second-hand marketplaces, particularly for clothing — and it has one crucial advantage over eBay that most sellers don't realise until they try it: sellers pay no fees. No listing fees, no selling fees, nothing. Buyers pay a buyer protection fee on top of your price, but that comes out of their pocket, not yours.

Here's a complete guide to getting started, listing well, and actually making sales.

What sells on Vinted?

Vinted's audience is younger and more fashion-forward than eBay's. The best-performing categories are:

  • Women's clothing — especially branded, vintage, and Y2K styles
  • Men's clothing — streetwear, branded basics, sportswear
  • Children's clothing — huge demand as parents constantly need the next size up
  • Shoes and trainers — particularly branded: Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Dr Martens
  • Bags and accessories — branded handbags, belts, jewellery, scarves
  • Homeware and gifts — growing but slower than clothing

Electronics, books, and games are available on Vinted but tend to sell faster on eBay, where buyers search more specifically.

Setting up your account

  1. Download the Vinted app (iOS or Android) or go to vinted.co.uk
  2. Sign up with email, Google, Facebook, or Apple
  3. Upload a clear profile photo — listings from profiles with photos get more trust from buyers
  4. Write a short bio: what you sell, your sizes, how quickly you ship
  5. Set your location to your city or general area — buyers can filter by distance

Taking photos that actually sell

Photos are the single biggest factor in whether something sells on Vinted. A mediocre item with great photos will outsell a great item with bad photos every time.

  • Use natural daylight. Position near a window during the day, not under a yellow ceiling lamp. Natural light shows colours accurately and looks far better.
  • Clean background. White or neutral — a clean floor, a white wall, or a plain sheet works fine. Messy backgrounds distract buyers.
  • Multiple angles. Front, back, and any important details. 5 photos is ideal: front, back, label/brand tag, any flaws, and a close-up of fabric or texture.
  • Show flaws clearly. If there's a small mark, stain, or worn area, photograph it. Buyers who can see the flaw before buying are far less likely to open a dispute after.
  • Flat lay or hanger. For clothing, both work. Flat lay on a clean surface is cleaner; on a hanger is quicker. Avoid bunched-up or wrinkled presentation.

Writing your listing

Title

Vinted titles are shorter than eBay — aim for 40–60 characters. Lead with the most searchable detail:

  • Brand first: "Nike Air Max 90 trainers size 10 white"
  • Style first for vintage or fashion pieces: "Y2K cargo trousers baggy fit khaki"
  • Include size, colour, and key descriptor in the title where possible

Description

Write 3–5 casual, honest sentences. Vinted buyers respond to a human voice more than formal eBay-style copy. Cover:

  • Exact brand and model or style name
  • Size and any fit notes ("runs small", "relaxed fit", "fits like a Medium")
  • Condition in plain English — "light wear on the cuffs" is more helpful than ticking "Good"
  • Any flaws specifically — "small fading on the back panel, not visible when wearing"
  • Why you're selling ("wardrobe clear-out", "bought two sizes", "no longer fits")

Hashtags

Vinted uses hashtags in its search and recommendation algorithm. Add 10–15 that are genuinely relevant:

  • Start with brand and item type: #nike #trainers
  • Add style and colour: #airmax #white #sneakers
  • Add size and condition: #size10 #uksize10 #goodcondition
  • Add broader category tags: #mensfootwear #sportsshoes

Writing good hashtags for every listing manually takes a while. FlipIQ generates them automatically when it produces your Vinted listing — along with the title and description.

Condition

Vinted has five condition options. Be honest — buyers can leave negative feedback and open disputes if the item arrives in worse condition than described.

ConditionWhat it means in practice
New with tagsLiterally unworn, original tags still attached
Like newWorn once or twice, no visible wear
GoodNormal light wear — minor signs of use only
SatisfactoryClear signs of wear, fading, or minor flaws — described in the listing
PoorSignificant wear — sold as-is or for parts

Pricing

Before setting your price, search for similar items on Vinted and filter by "Sold" to see what buyers actually paid. Vinted buyers expect prices significantly below high street and below eBay — typically 25–40% lower than eBay for the same item, because eBay buyers are more research-led and specific.

Starting slightly below market rate speeds up your first sale and gets you early reviews, which improves your visibility on the platform.

Shipping on Vinted

Vinted offers integrated shipping with InPost, Yodel, Evri, and other carriers. When you enable Vinted labels, the buyer pays for shipping on top of your item price, and Vinted generates a prepaid label for you to print or use via QR code.

This is the simplest approach for most sellers. You drop off the parcel, Vinted handles the tracking and buyer communication if anything goes wrong.

You can also offer to ship yourself, but Vinted's buyer protection only fully applies when using Vinted labels. For your first sales especially, use Vinted labels.

Packing tips:

  • Fold clothing neatly and wrap in a poly bag to keep it clean
  • Use a padded bag or small box — it doesn't have to be fancy
  • A short handwritten note ("thanks for your purchase, enjoy!") consistently earns better feedback

Getting your first sale

Your first sale is the hardest — you have no reviews and no track record. These steps help:

  • Price slightly below market for your first few items. Once you have reviews, you can move to market rate or slightly above.
  • List 5–10 items at once. More listings means more chances to appear in search. A single listing rarely gets traction.
  • Respond to messages quickly. Vinted ranks responsive sellers higher in recommendations.
  • Bump listings once a week. Vinted allows one free bump per listing every 7 days. This pushes the item to the front of category search and can restart views on a stale listing.
  • Use the bundle feature. If a buyer enquires about one item, message them about others in your wardrobe — Vinted has a bundle feature that lets buyers purchase multiple items from you with one shipping charge.

Vinted vs eBay — which should you use?

The honest answer is: for active resellers, both.

Use Vinted forUse eBay for
Clothing and accessoriesElectronics, games, books, collectibles
Items where you want no seller feesHigh-value items with more buyer trust
Fashion-forward or branded itemsItems where buyers search by specific model
Fast movers in good conditionNiche or hard-to-find items

For clothing especially, Vinted buyers are more fashion-focused and move faster. eBay buyers tend to be more research-led. Listing the same clothing item on both platforms and seeing which sells first is a common approach — just remember to take it down from both once it sells.