As college girls, it’s safe to say we have mastered the art of online shopping. Shopping for a new wardrobe in the comfort of your own bed almost sounds as good as it can ever get. But as you start to virtually add things to your cart, those sweaters and boots that you’ve convinced yourself that you absolutely need can start to add up. Stop searching for online coupon codes to make that bill a little cheaper and sign yourself up for the apps “Vinted” and “Poshmark.” Shopping apps have become wildly successful over the past year for a multitude of money-saving reasons. Here is some important information on the cheaper alternative to online shopping every college girl needs in her life.
1. The Basics.
“Vinted” and “Poshmark” are apps that are available in the App Store and Google Play where you can sell, swap, and buy secondhand, gently used clothing items and accessories. On Vinted, you can narrow your search down by price, size, item, and if you find a specific seller with items that you like, you can go to their page and shop through what they currently have. Poshmark has the same concept but is known for its higher end items. If you have a certain brand you are interested in, just type in the brand name and hundreds of items will pop up from sellers across the country. When you sign up for both apps, you enter in your sizes and favorite brands so what pops up on your feed is specialized to you. You basically have your own little store with a mixture of your favorite brands right there on your phone. No, you are not dreaming. All you have to do is sign up.
2. The Buying.
Buying things secondhand tends to scare people away, but over the internet sounds even scarier. These apps put your fears to rest with their satisfaction guarantees. Both Poshmark and Vinted have sellers rate the quality of the item they are selling. Even if you are unsure on whether an item is in purchase-worthy condition, you can message the seller and ask for details on the quality. On Vinted, many times sellers will have reviews on their page where previous customers have rated their experiences. If someone is five stars, you know you are in the clear. If you do get an item and it’s not up to your liking, both apps have return options where you can send the item back and get your money refunded. Just like any clothing company, they are concerned with the happiness of their customers. And don’t be worried about buying something from a complete stranger online with your credit card. Both Vinted and Poshmark offer protection programs so the person you are buying from never comes into contact with your credit card number. It’s safe and stress-free.
3. The Selling.
Selling your clothes is half of the fun. While you are buying a whole new wardrobe on these apps, you can go through your closet and find items you are ready to part ways with. All you have to do is find what you want to sell, take a picture, give some details like the size, quality and brand and then upload it! You do have to make a decision on the price you want to sell it for and then Poshmark or Vinted will tell you how much you will get back after shipping is accounted for. Once it is posted, you can encourage people to buy your item by offering them a discounted price or offering to swap one of their items for yours. If you see something that is around the similar price range as your item, all you have to do is ask the seller if they’d like to swap and they can accept or decline. It’s a win, win for both people involved.
Now that you have the basic information, you are well on your way to discovering a whole new world of online shopping. All of your favorite brands and styles can be found at “Poshmark” or “Vinted” and all you have to do is click the download button.