The 5 worst types of people you can find on Vinted

When, a few months ago, opening the doors of my closet and seeing a stack of t-shirts, pants, and dresses that I hadn't worn in at least two years, a little voice made its way into my head, a mantra that is impossible to escape: "You're not wearing it? Put it on sale!", on Vinted, of course. And so began my humble adventure as a seller on the app of second-hand and used clothes, knowing that with the revenue generated by the sales I wouldn't be able to buy a house, but at most a dinner. 

Although the app was created more than 10 years ago in Lithuania, Vinted's growth has been portentous in recent years - in 2019 it recorded 1.9 billion euros in gross merchandise value -, reaching today 50 million users in 15 markets. Landed in Italy at the end of 2020, the app is very popular in Germany, Spain, and especially France: this is to say that there's a lot of competition and that for the most part, you'll be dealing with foreign users (Google's in-app translator feature will save you from diplomatic mishaps). The app encourages users to communicate, to interact before making a purchase, to ask questions, and request photos, while for the most desired items the winner is whoever places the winning bid first. In general, the price point of the products on sale is pretty low, so no, it's not the right place to sell those Dunks you only wore once, or that Arc'teryx jacket you don't like anymore. 

A few months of use later here I am with an honest account of my experience, starting with an assumption that should not be forgotten: dealing with people remains one of the biggest stumbling blocks to a happy existence, as well reported by the Instagram pages @les_pepites_de_vinted and @lesperlesde_vinted, which collect the worst products and the worst interactions on the platform. So, to save you the trouble below is a summary of the five worst types of users you can meet on Vinted. 

1. The (Alleged) Deal Makers 

There's nothing wrong with bargaining, in fact, it's not only allowed, but it's also recommended, but let's face it, we are not talking about huge prices, we are not on Grailed or StockX. It's perfectly fine to haggle, make offers, raise money, but to start arguing for a euro or two of difference, even not to buy something if the price does not go down by three euros, seems excessive. "Can you lower the price a little bit, there is also shipping" or "Do you know how much shipping costs?" are the typical phrases of most of these bargainers, who I am sure have learned all their tricks from the reality show Storage Wars. Shipping is the real sticking point that can make the price of a product fluctuate, especially if the buyer doesn't live in Italy. Your desire to deal with these people depends only on how much you want to get rid of that item. 

2. Those who ghost

I thought, or actually, I hoped, this practice had disappeared, or that at least was relegated to relationship matters and dating apps. Instead, to my surprise, I found out that it's still a very strong habit even when it comes to shopping on Vinted. The user ghost is used to ask questions about the item for sale, in many cases asks for some additional photos, the bravest ones even make an offer, and by the time you accept it they have vanished, disappeared. As on Tinder, better to stay away, there is no chance to conclude any deal.

3. The Salesmen

They're a bit like those who on Tinder ask you for your phone number or to go out at the second message. On Vinted, to trigger this mechanism, all you need is a simple like, an innocent little heart under an item for sale to make them show up in your DMs in no time at all, asking you if you are really interested, assuring you that they are willing to lower the price, making you understand that they want to close the deal. You won't have the heart to confess that it was a meaningless like, a volatile interest resulting from the night scrolling, and embarrassed, you will leave that item there, forever, unsold. Every now and then good people ghost too. 

4. The Inquirers

Don't get me wrong, it's legitimate to ask questions, to ask for some more product info, but there's a limit to everything. Conditions? When did you purchase it? How much did you use it? Is it really black? It looks blue to me. When can you ship it? And most of the time they are ready to question your answers, pointing out how much that shoe looks used, how much that t-shirt hides a flaw so you have to lower the price. Okay the friendliness, okay the community, but you're still buying a pair of used adidas, not an apartment downtown. 

5. The Shameless Ones 

Scrolling through different types of products, I stumbled against my will in those users without restraint, those (in)famous sellers who, as in The Wolf of Wall Street, would be able to sell you even a pen. Black leather boots, which at one time may have been beautiful and of undoubted quality, sold for €60 when it's clear that they have been worn for decades; sneakers labeled as new but clearly chewed by the dog; vintage Balenciaga bags defined in excellent condition, oh yes, except for the tear in the back; white terrycloth socks inseparable companions of every PE class. I saw lunchboxes, vases, pencils, batteries, phone cards, hangers, ceramic angels for sale on Vinted, and it was like finding myself in any flea market, crammed with stuff and looking bad. Every once in a while, the junk bucket has its uses.