Those that know me personally will know that I have been going a little Depop/eBay crazy as of late, having both a large clear-out of my own as well as finding a few unique pieces to add to my wardrobe. Admittedly, I'm no professional when it comes to these two platforms but, what with business gaining a fair amount of traction at the moment, I thought it may be helpful to compile a few tips from an average Sally's perspective. Today's educational recommendation is The Guardian's "Today in Focus" podcast, which can be found on Spotify. I must say, I have really been enjoying getting a concise news round-up that lends itself to discussion and debate, thinking about the wider picture than the information we receive at face-value. Without further ado, I hope you find this post informative and be sure to let me know if there is something that I have missed in the comments section below.
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Don't be afraid to use more than one platform.
One of, if not the biggest, contributors to my recent increase in sales is the fact that I have begun to list my items on both Depop and eBay simultaneously. The reason for this, I believe, is the difference in user demographics. On a general note, Depop users tend to be a little younger than those on eBay and so that will be reflected in the items that people are interested in. By way of example, items from Oh Polly or Brandy Melville are likely to gain more traction on Depop than they are on eBay. This difference is also reflected in the style of the listings themselves; while the vast majority of listings on eBay just feature the item, many successful listings on Depop feature the seller modelling the item. Be conscious of how the platforms are different and do not be afraid to try your luck on both. That being said, you must closely monitor your items so as to not sell them twice; to combat this issue, I sometimes mark the item price on Depop by two and clearly state so in bold capitals in the caption.
Take the time to perfect your photos.
Depop in particular is very visual in the way that items are sold. For that, it’s all the more important that you take the time to create visually pleasing photographs of your items. This includes: creating a bright, clean background; ironing and lint-rolling all items of clothing; styling the items wherever possible; checking for any faults and editing your photos if necessary. Granted, that may sound like more work than you were perhaps expecting but I can assure you, the extra sales will be worthwhile!
Write detailed, informative descriptions.
Nothing is more frustrating as a buyer than an unmistakably vague description. You may have stated that you are selling a size 10 jacket from Zara, but is it true to size? What is the condition of the item? Is the fabric thick, or is it thin? Since buyers do not have the option to feel, try on and, often, return items, they want to know as much as possible! This is why writing detailed, informative descriptions seems to work wonders. In writing these descriptions, make sure to use as many keywords as you can to help your items storm the algorithm in addition to using hashtags. Some people like to tag a variety of popular brands, such as Oh Polly, on Depop to help their item gain exposure; having spoke to various other people about the matter, however, I would advise against doing so as it is rather irritating and if people are interested in the item you are selling, they will find it as is intended.
Do some market research to help you price items.
Before I sell any item, both on Depop and eBay, I check to see if there are any other identical items being sold at the moment and at what prices; quick tip: you can actually filter items on eBay to show only those that have been sold! You do not want to overprice your items, but you do not want to sell yourself short either; as a general guide, you should not be asking for anything above half price of the original item if it has been used and is not rare/collectible/vintage. The reason I say this, is because I didn’t even realise that I had a rare pair of trousers lying around in my wardrobe and if it were not for other listings, I would have charged half of what others were charging! If your item does not sell for a considerable amount of time, the wise thing would be to lower the prices and/or accept offers from potential buyers
Don’t be afraid to re-list items.
An item may not have sold the first time that you listed it, but that does not mean that a potential buyer is not looking to make their way over to you - many a time have I had a few weeks with little to no activity and, out of nowhere, an item that I listed a month or so ago sells! Unlike eBay, where items that are not sold by the listings’ expiry are automatically re-listed, Depop re-listing has to be completed manually - although it really is as simple as putting a few space bars into your description and clicking the ‘done’ button. From personal experience, I would recommend re-listing every few days (preferably at non-awkward times!) or whenever a few items have sold and your shop begins to look cluttered.
Alternate between including postage in the price and having it as a separate charge.
In regards to Depop specifically, users can filter their searches by price and by whether or not that includes free postage. For that, when an item was not doing particularly well for me, I alternated between including postage in the price and adding it separately to increase my chances of being included in several filters. I cannot vouch for the efficacy of this method on its own but, combined with some of the other tips that I touched upon, it has helped me to sell various items.
Ship quickly and provide a generally good service.
Recently, I have been shipping my items with the Hermes Contact-Free Delivery service; not only is it cheaper at the moment, but my courier always comes to collect my parcels the next day which in turn encourages me to pack and ship my items as quickly as possible. Let’s face it, nobody likes to wait weeks upon weeks for their parcel to arrive and so it’s important to act with speed to make sure you get good feedback; this is crucial as it makes buyers trust you, and thus more likely to purchase! Be sure, however, to still ensure that items are still packaged protectively and neatly as well as to communicate every step with your buyers - i.e. thanking them for purchasing and telling them when you are going to ship, followed by a tracking code when you do so.