For The Future is in Our Hands Campaign, Ellie, a third-year university student in Cardiff, shares her thoughts about Depop.
Loving charity shops
I love shopping sustainably; charity shops and car boots are my favourite things.
I actually believe the reason they are thriving so much is because of me and my two friends. We simply can’t say no to a new, fun, relatively cheap and sustainably bought item of clothing… oops.
But it’s for charity, so no harm done right? Well, only harm to my bank account…
Depop or Deflop
But when it comes to buying secondhand on sites like Depop, I can’t help but wonder if it is becoming a flop.
Prices have increased, and anything with a ‘vintage’ tag has tripled in price.
I have noticed that unless you have a larger following, it can be difficult to sell and make a profit, as Depop also take 10% of all sales from you.
I personally have stopped using Depop because the prices have soared way to high for my bank account. You can find similar stuff in charity shops for much cheaper.
I feel like this is a shared experience as I don’t hear people ranting and raving about it like they use to. But hey, that might just be me.
There are positives to the website, though, as it probably is the most popular secondhand site, which is amazing. It truly shows people that secondhand clothes can be re-worn and not just thrown away. However, it is a massive shame that it comes at such a cost, so people may continue to buy ‘cheaper’ fast fashion items.
An alternative to Depop
Don’t fear. I have found an alternative, or at least something to use on the side, if you too think the Depop prices are too much.
Introducing Vinted.
Vinted came about 10 years ago, but has risen to ‘fame’ in recent years. It allows safe and secure sales, where sellers can choose the postage price and there isn’t a seller fee.
I also feel quite confident as a buyer using Vinted. When I see something, I know it’s what I’m actually going to get. Whereas before, other apps have left me feeling unsure about what is actually coming in the post… if anything’s even comes at all.
I am yet to have a bad experience with Vinted and hope this continues as I believe it can be an even more successful app than it’s competitors.
So, if you haven’t already downloaded it, and want cheap, sustainable clothes from a variety of different brands, without the high street prices, then I would defiantly give it a go!
Related Information
The blog is part of the Future is in our Hands campaign, run in collaboration with Bloedd Amgueddfa Cymru, a collective working alongside 16–25 year olds to experiment, create and innovate.
