Fall Quarter is finally here, and with a change of season comes a change of wardrobe. I know those Shein and Princess Polly discount codes can be tempting, but while we face an ongoing climate crisis, it is extremely important to shop sustainably.
Apps like Depop are the easiest way to shop affordable, sustainable fashion. I am an avid Depop user. Here are some of my tips and tricks to navigate the app and get the most out of your experience.
Tips for buyers
curating Your “Suggested For You”
The “Suggested For You” section of Depop can be found on the home page of the app. When you first download the app it’s going to look pretty barren. But don’t let these initial suggestions discourage you. The best way to curate this section is to start liking items. I would start by searching the names of your friends and your fashion inspirations. For example, if you love a certain influencer’s style, find their Depop profile, click on their liked items and just start liking their likes! This will tell Depop what kind of items you’re looking for, and the app will begin to curate your suggestions better.
Finding Specific Items
Depop is a great resource because you can find items that may not be sold online/in stores anymore, vintage pieces, or items that are sold out. If you are looking for a very specific item you can always try searching it up. Sometimes you will find the item right off the bat. If not, chances are you just need to try researching it in a different way. For example, here’s what to do if you want to find this dress:
Photo sourced from IAMGIA
Try ALL of the following searches before giving up hope that it isn’t on Depop:
- IAMGIA Rosanna Mini Dress
- IAMGIA Pink Dress
- IAMGIA Cowl Neck Dress
- IAMGIA Off the Shoulder Dress
If you feel like you’ve searched the whole app and still haven’t found what you’re looking for, try posting an ISO post.
What’s An ISO Post?
ISO stands for “In Search Of”. In order make an ISO post, screenshot the item you are looking for and list it as an item for sale. Set the price to an extraordinarily high price, and make sure to put in the caption “ISO, DO NOT BUY.” Then, in your caption include the name of the item you’re looking for, the brand, the size, etc. It is very important to include hashtags in ISO posts, so make sure to put hashtags for the brand and item name. With enough circulation, Depop users will see your post and reach out to you if they have the item you’re looking for!
Making Offers
Making offers on Depop is an art. You don’t want to lowball the seller, because then they will disregard your offer completely, but you want to try and get it as low as possible. A key strategy to remember when making an offer is to check how long the item has been for sale. If it’s only been for sale for a week, keep your offer pretty close to the original price. But, if the item has been sitting on their account for over a month, you can go a little lower. If a seller rejects your offer, don’t worry. Try going a few dollars higher and see what they say.
How to Detect a Scam
Scammers are everyone’s greatest fear when using Depop. My best tip to avoid scammers is to read all the seller’s reviews. If there are any bad reviews concerning unreceived, damaged, or incorrect items, I would avoid buying from the seller. If the seller does not have any reviews, do not buy from them. Luckily, if you do get scammed on Depop (and if you paid through Depop payments), Depop will refund you. So, if you never get your item, just file a complaint with Depop and they will refund you completely.
Tips for sellers
Payments
I have sold lots of my old clothes on Depop, and the biggest piece of advice I have is to avoid PayPal at all costs. The Depop app allows you to receive payments either directly to your bank account through the Depop app, or through the PayPal app. In order to receive money from PayPal through Depop, you have to jump through a ton of hoops, including registering yourself as a business account. PayPal has restricted my money multiple times. I would recommend always using Depop payments. You can ask buyers to purchase only through Depop by adding it in your item’s caption.
Pricing an item
Determining a price for your item is a tricky part of selling on Depop. However, there is a general rule of thumb that one can follow:
- If the item is just an old piece of clothing you’re looking to get rid of (i.e. an old pair of Abercrombie jeans), consider pricing the item $15-20 lower than what you bought it for.
- If the item is a brand new piece of clothing that is still sold in stores/online, consider selling the item for $5-10 lower than what you bought it for. This helps incentivize buyers to purchase the item from you, rather than through the store or online.
- If the item is a relatively new piece of clothing that is no longer available online or in stores, consider pricing the item for $15-20 more than what you bought it for.
- If the item is a brand new piece of clothing that is no longer available on line or in stores, consider pricing the item for $20-30 more than what you bought it for.
- If the item is a vintage piece of clothing that you thrifted, search similar pieces/brands on Depop, eBay, Vinted, etc., to get an estimate of the value of your item, and price it accordingly.
It is always important to remember that buyers can always offer you less, but they will never offer you more. So don’t lowball your item’s worth!
I hope this guide gives you the confidence to shop/sell sustainably through Depop!