Early Sunday morning, I got home late after a night out. Curling up on my bed, I opened my phone, checking for notifications one last time before going to sleep. At the top of the email list, Depop had sent me a message that read something along the lines of: “A user has sent you a special offer.”
I immediately clicked on the link embedded in the email. The Free People sweater that I had saved earlier that day was discounted from $16.45 to $11.20. I bought the sweater right before peacefully drifting off to sleep.
I’d say that I consider myself to be a Depop addict. And I would recommend that any online shopping lover get on the Depop train too. It truly brings a whole new world of cheaper and better possibilities to shopping. So, here are some of the top tips for getting the most out of Depop.
1. Treat it like Pinterest
Depop runs on an algorithm. This means you need to start feeding it information about what you like if you want it to keep giving you good recommendations back. Think of it like slowly curating your Pinterest page. You begin by saving and liking a couple of items that you really like, and the algorithm begins to show you more of that. According to Depop, “Our recommendation systems learn your interests quickly from the listings you view, like, add to bag, and buy. So the most effective thing you can do is browse Depop and engage with listings you might want to buy.” You continue the process of liking and curating until your Depop feed becomes perfectly adapted to your preferences. I would recommend checking into your Depop at least twice a day. It takes time and commitment, but it’s worth it.
2. Start by searching keywords and brand names
To get started finding items you like, try using certain keywords in the search bar. The trick is to think about how a seller would describe their items. Searching words like “y2k”, “preppy”, “cottagecore”, or “boho” will help you find unique pieces. Additionally, you can start off by finding pieces by searching for specific brands. Some of my favorites are Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Fitch, Banana Republic, and Free People. Over time, your algorithm will learn what you like and start to recommend a variety of items that fit your style. Pro tip: when searching for clothes, try purposely misspelling brand names in the search bar (for example, “Levis” instead of “Levi’s”) to get listings of sellers who made a typo that might not have shown up otherwise.
3. Always check the original price
Be sure to verify that the original price of the item being sold is actually higher than what you’re paying for. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to neglect the price of shipping and other surcharges on Depop. These can tack on a lot of extra dollars to the price! Each time you’re looking to buy something, make sure the total price is actually a good deal.
4. counter the price
If you’re interested in an item, it’s often worth making a lower offer than their proposed price—I usually do about 15% off. The time to avoid counter-offering is when the seller specifically states that the price is final in their product description. However, for other items, it’s usually worth sending an offer. Typically, the seller will send you some type of counter-offer somewhere in the middle, and you can negotiate from there. There are several strategies to get a seller to agree to a lower price: buy several of their items with an overall discount, offer a lower price on an item that they’ve had posted for a while (it’s likely that they want to get rid of it), or provide a reason why a lower price might be justified.
Of course, it’s essential to be respectful of sellers, their offers, and their time. Always try to find the best price for both parties. Plus, when you establish a good relationship with a seller, they may be more likely to give you a good offer the next time you buy from them. This leads into my final tip.
5. Establish a good rapport with sellers
Always be respectful and conscientious of the seller you’re interacting with. This includes communicating clearly, making reasonable counter-offers, thanking them for their time and effort, and leaving positive reviews when they’ve earned it. This practice will not only leave everyone involved happy, but it will also set up a good foundation for future transactions. If you’ve already established a good rapport with a seller, they may be more likely to sell you a highly demanded item or accept a counter-offer.
Depop is one of the best platforms out there for fashion lovers. Knowing how to use it well will bring tremendous benefits in the long run. When you make the most of Depop, not only do you spend significantly less on fashion items, but you will also find a wider variety of unique and high-quality pieces to add to your collection. That’s why I highly recommend starting your Depop journey if you haven’t already. It’s sure to bring you great things.