online consign like a pro: the vinted special

This is the second in a series of blog posts about online consignment (here is the one on ThredUp). This is featuring my favorite of the apps I use to sell and buy clothes, shoes and accessories...VINTED

Oh and also featuring the bright pink wall I have been dying to take pictures in front of.

Pink wall was slightly disappointing, the ground sinks and then there was a faint smell of dumpster or dog doodoo and the color was NOT doing anything for my complexion

How it Works (Seller Side):

• Vinted has both an application for smartphones/tablets and a website for computer use, it is free to sign up, all you need is an email address and bank/paypal information

• The website and app are both extremely user friendly, when you want to sell you begin by taking good pictures of the item you want to sell (this is the key to selling in my opinion, great pictures)

• Once you have your pictures uploaded you can describe your item, categorize it by size, type, color, etc and give it a title, and use hashtags to try and identify your items in a search as many ways as possible

• Your post will be confirmed and then you wait! Sometimes if your pictures are really good and your item is in season and trendy it will get featured on the main page, this is great because it will be viewed by more people 

• Each item you upload makes up your closet, other users can choose to follow your closet and favorite your items 

• Once an item has sold you are responsible for sending it in a timely manner but Vinted provides the shipping label so all you need to do is package it and drop it off at a designated pick up location for USPS

• As a seller you receive 81% of the profit (on higher priced items they cap the selling fees at $5)

• You can receive feedback on your purchases and sales (kind of like eBay)

• Vinted accepts many things, women's clothes, shoes, accessories, and even beauty supplies now. Men's and children's apparel is also accepted which is great because not all platforms have that option

• There is a forum where you can reach out to other users and a section where you can see what people are looking for, which if you are motivated and engaged will help you make more sales

• If you get tired of the app but want to return at some point, or if you legitimately go out of town there is a "vacation" mode which will hide your items and prevent you from getting in trouble if someone buys your item while you are unavailable to send it 

• Swapping/trading is always a safe and basically free option to get rid of items in exchange for something you love if the other party agrees, this feature is another one that puts Vinted a cut above the rest in my opinion

 

The Shopper Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• A HUGE selection on everything you could possibly think of, though the children and men's sections are still growing (they were recently added features) there are a variety of styles, price ranges, and sizes available 

• There is a way to personalize and filter based on sizes and brands in your "feed" (which is the home page so to speak)

• Searching for specific items is easy and you can use filters much like your feed, and then you can easily add them to your favorites list by clicking on a small heart icon

• There is a messaging feature for each item to contact the seller to try and ask questions about it, make an offer, try to swap or simply buy the item

• You can make offers on an item which you want at a cheaper price, create bundles of several items from a single closet 

Cons:

• The only con I have found is that you do have to pay for shipping as a buyer which can sometimes be high, and as a seller you are at the mercy of others to purchase your items. I can say with experience that you pretty much get out of it what you put in, if you put work into your closet you will be rewarded with increased interest in your items.

All parts of the outfit except accessories are from Vinted and cost well under $5 each. I often tie my button up shirts with tight high waisted items to give it a laid back and retro look.

Final Recommendations:

I cannot recommend this app enough, it has honestly changed the way I shop and try to recycle my wardrobe. About 2/3 of my current wardrobe was either swapped through there or bought off of there and I have gotten rid of over 200 of my own items. I love that I am not only getting a great deal or giving someone a great deal on something I don't love anymore but that I am saving the planet by doing so. The community on Vinted is great too, it does make a difference if you enjoy interacting with awesome people.

 I hardly ever buy anything new anymore, typically I only do so if I have received a gift card, and I try not to ever throw anything out because the clothing industry is a major pollutant. 

Today is Vinted Day! Get out there and make your account and go buy, sell, and trade to your heart's content :) 

online consign like a pro: the thredup special---devenir pro de l'occasions en ligne: spécial thredup

Hello everyone! I have recently found myself with a little extra time on my hands what with the flooding going on in my town and subsequent road, school, and business closures...so I gladly bring you the first of a special series on online retail and consignment :) 

All items seen in the pictures are from ThredUp. These are not the only items which I own that came from there, just a snapshot. I unfortunately do not have pictures of items I have sold to them. 

One of the topics I get asked about frequently is online consigning: buying and selling clothing which is lightly used (sometimes new!) through apps or websites. This is what would I consider to be one of my hobbies and something I have gotten relatively good at over the years and it is something which I thought would be best tackled in separate posts to truly do justice to all the companies out there.

 I will attempt to list out only important basics and let you decide how to use that information as you play around with these apps and websites and find your groove and form your own opinion. I want to note that though these companies are not paying me currently to write about them, I am not against the idea of partnering with them at a future date.

Today's focus is on ThredUp.

If you are familiar with the classic consignment store business model, ThredUp does this with a 21st century twist.

How it Works (Seller Side): 

• ThredUp sends you a free giant bag in the mail to fill with your gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories (they currently only accept women's, juniors', and children's items...sorry dudes). Keep in mind they prefer certain brands but will really accept anything in good condition that could still be considered "in style". 
• The company assesses the potential value of your items and offers you a price should you accept it (there is an option where they send you back all your stuff if you are unhappy with their offer).
• You get a payout even before your items sell and you are guaranteed a payout which is something that I consider to be a HUGE plus to doing business with ThredUp.
• You also have the option of cashing in your offer for a higher amount of store credit, which leads me to discuss some things I have noticed as a shopper there

The Shopper Pros/Cons

• Pro: a wide selection, this is great if you are looking for anything from basics to that killer pair of aztec print jeggings (as seen above)
• Pro: great ways to filter by size, style, color, etc...basically anything you can think of
• Pro: merchandise is easy to see, all pictures are well lit with a neutral background,and pertinent information about each item is listed as the workers are meticulous when assessing the clothing coming in

• Pro-Con: depending on your tastes and life stage this observation of mine can really be either. When ThredUp had just begun I feel like their selection and styles available reflected more of what I personally like (funky, eclectic stuff), as it has grown I have noticed that it now tends to favor a more mature and somewhat preppy style. That is not to say you can't find some awesome boho/edgy/funky stuff, you just have to have patience and know what you're looking for.
• Pro-Con: you do have to pay for shipping if your order is under a certain monetary amount. However, the shipping is not unreasonable at all, and for the minimum amount (last I ordered it was $75 to get free shipping, in the past it was $50, I think it might also depend on what deals they are running) you can get quite a haul of good stuff, think, several outfits.

• Con: a wide selection. I know this is also listed in the Pro section, and bear with me, sometimes you just want to narrow stuff down and it becomes impossible when you are looking through heaping mounds of clothes. Some people get overwhelmed by the hunt, I live for the thrill of it...just know that there is a TON of stuff to sift through on here. 
• Con: I have noticed lately that sometimes the price points are not as desirable as I feel they should be for consigned clothes. A lot of the stuff on here is designer and therefore retains its value. This I feel is also subjective based on personal circumstances, but the prices have gone up over time as a general rule with ThredUp. 

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

• I highly recommend sending in items when you know you have a lot to send in and you are just overall cleaning out and you don't mind not receiving a huge payout for it. The positive here vs other websites where you put up a classified for each item is that you are guaranteed a payout and it is immediate.
• I recommend subscribing to their emails so you stay informed on the deals they are running
• When shopping look for items that are name brand/quality/designer and look for it in the lower price range areas (they have a "basement" section which is like their clearance, a "last chance" section, and a filter for price range and brand). I usually don't care at all about brand, but keep in mind that if you're paying for something at what I consider a mid-range consignment price plus a shipping fee you may as well make it something that might last a little more than the Forever21 graphic tee (I love them, just saying...). 

Have you ever tried ThredUp? Did you love it? Which online consigner would you like me to feature next?

Mes amis et lecteurs francophones, malheureusement le site web dont je parle dans cet article n' existe pas encore en dehors des États-Unis. Profitez-donc des photos et renseignez vous auprès des directeurs de l'entreprise pour savoir s'ils veulent aggrandir leur business et l'amener au Canada ou en France :)