Depop, and the Science of Thrifting

Depop is an online selling portal that revolutionized the thrifting game in 2019 through their marketing strategy and the free rein given to sellers on the app. But how does it compare to traditional shopping methods?

Hello everyone, and welcome to my final blog post! Today, I'm switching it up to talk about a type of shopping that many often overlook: thrifting! Read along to find out if Depop is worth it, and what to look out for if you ever plan on buying from them.

What is Depop?

As stated, Depop is an online thrifting portal that allows sellers to make an account, upload pictures of the items they wish to sell, and start attracting buyers from all over the world!

Much like an Instagram page, Depop will have a page that allows you to scroll through clothing items like they are posts, liking and commenting on the items you like, and scrolling past the ones you're not interested in.

Is Depop Legit?

Because Depop is unlike a traditional company, where the shipping and handling are done by an actual manufacturer, many people have valid concerns of it being a scam. Sometimes, users on the app are simply there to lure in customers, have them purchase an item, and then never ship it out to them, meaning that their money is essentially gone. However, staying weary of accounts like these will allow you to have a positive experience on the app, and other than this, yes, I would say Depop is legit.

Personally, I have bought from the app, and while my experience was rocky at best, don't let that sway you too much! I've still had many friends that say that they love their thrifted items and would definitely go back to purchasing. Nevertheless, I'm going to tell you about my experience.

My Experience:

I had planned to buy an item I saw on Depop, so I first went to the seller's page. Her profile showed that she had previously sold many items, and the customer reviews left were quite positive, so I decided it was safe to proceed. I sent her a private message to ensure the item was still available for purchase just in case, but I didn't get a response, so I assumed she just didn't check it, as some sellers do. So, I decided to make the purchase and forgot about it for a couple of days.

Well, in no time, a couple of days turned into two weeks, and I had still heard nothing about my order being shipped out. I got super worried, so I attempted to contact Depop's customer service in hopes of getting ahold of the seller. One week later, they ended up telling me that the seller had deactivated her account, and had no idea about my purchase! I requested a refund on the order as I was not going to be receiving the item anymore, but Depop told me that since the money had already gone to her account, there was nothing they could do anymore. I ended up losing $42 that day, with the cost of the item and the shipping fees included.

Now, keep in mind, that my experience happened a while before the company had gotten extremely popular, so there were not as many security procedures in place, including buyer/seller protection and the ability for a buyer to request an order cancellation. The company has since then implemented these as well as more safety precautions, but still be weary for scammers on the app!

Affordability and Quality:

Since there's such a wide variety of items you could thrift on the app, this question is a little hard to answer. In all seriousness, you can find luxury items like a Gucci belt ranging from $200-$750 one minute, and then customized Nike AF1 shoes for $75 the next.

Above are images of items taken directly from Depop's website!

However, the variety goes on for ages, and many clothing items will go from a mere $6 to $30, meaning that affordability is pretty consistent with a normal thrift store.

In terms of quality, it normally depends on the seller. Sellers are often required to list what the item is, where it is originally from, and any flaws or damages it has. If you see an item that you're interested in but they don't have this information, simply message them or comment on their post asking for additional images of the item and more information, before you make your purchase! If you follow this simple guideline, your shopping experience on Depop will be a breeze.

Final Review:

Overall, I would give Depop a 5/10. The app is super easy to navigate and there is such a wide variety of items that you could score for low prices, that it's hard for many buyers to choose traditional stores over Depop. However, there have been many fail stories with the app, including my own, which makes me say that there are still a lot of malicious sellers on the app that simply wish to harass you and extract money, rather than making your shopping experience a breeze.

Hopefully, my review was helpful in ensuring that people have a positive experience with the company, and if you've had any experiences with Depop that you'd like to share, I'd love to hear them down below. Thanks for reading!