Love Vinted but hate the stupid questions

[Theos]

For example, one of your photo shows the label with all the measurements on it, and then you send the person a screenshot of the sizes from the website and they still bloody ask you questions

@Fairyliz , because it is time-consuming and there's a chance of not measuring accurately. If someone asks for the length or width of something, I don't mind.
What I do mind is when someone asks for detailed measurements of a high-street or supermarket garment. Say it was a pair of Next size 10 jeans listed for £3.99, then the questions might be 'What's the exact circumference of the waistband? What is the circumference of the upper thigh? What is the measurement from the top of the waistband to the widest part of the hip?' or something like that. For a Tu size 12 dress, it might be something like 'What's the pit-to-pit measurement? What's the shoulder to pit measurement?'. These people never bid anyway.

I’ve got quite an unusual body shape and need to try clothes on. Size labels these days are pretty much meaningless. The only way I can tell if something is going to fit me is if the seller includes an approximate hip measurement. Therefore I will ask for one.
Given that you can’t return anything on Vinted, and each purchase costs at least a fiver by the time you include postage, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for measurements. Otherwise I could easily spend £30 on multiple items that don’t fit.
A lot of people shop on Vinted because they can’t afford to buy new. Those people can’t afford to waste £30.

Yes, but if you’ve only got £3 plus postage to spend on trousers surely you accept that you’re not getting a John Lewis personal shopper experience on a high volume peer to peer selling site? It’s not the seller’s problem that you’ve got long legs/wide shoulders/small waist etc.

In my experience good quality well priced items sell too fast on Vinted to bother asking for measurements.

@Helenahandkart , if you have an unusual body shape and are skint, you'd probably be better off going to a charity shop or a shop that sells heavily discounted clothes. You'd probably get something on a Primark sale rail for less.

I'll answer one question, but after that I can't be bothered for a dress I've listed for £2.00!

I always put measurements (pit-to-pit and length, or waist and length), but that's because I'm plus sized and plus sized clothing is far less reliable in fit, even within the same brand, than clothing in standard sizes. But most sellers doing plus sized on Vinted seem to know that and do the same.

If you have the time to photograph the item, you have the time to put a tape measure against it. The length of the item and the width (pit-to-pit) are standard and basic measurements. Almost everywhere you can buy a t-shirt online has these two measurements.

If ebay sellers can do it, so can Vinted ones. It's crazy that you "want" to sell an item but can't be bothered to facilitate the sale in any way. We all know as customers that sizing varies wildly.

Sadly charity shops are full of polyester rubbish these days because everyone sells their decent stuff on eBay or, increasingly, on Vinted.
Just because my body’s a slightly unusual shape doesn’t mean I want to wear crap quality clothes.
Also, I try to only buy secondhand clothes for ethical reasons.

I don’t think anyone’s expecting a ‘John Lewis personal shopper experience’. If I go to any charity shop/ car boot sale/high street shop I can measure the clothes and/or try them on.
Given how unreliable size labels are now I wouldn’t have thought it was that unreasonable to ask for a couple of basic measurements.
If, as a seller, you can’t be bothered to do that then fine, I won’t buy your clothes. But for the OP to start a thread moaning about people asking for basic information about the non-returnable item they’re selling is a bit odd.

Oh I quite like the questions! I've 'met' two lovely people on there in the last 2 days, bought from one and sold to one!

I don't mind questions in general, and gladly reply. It's the very detailed ones that bother me.

It might just be me, but if something is listed with an irrelevant adjective in the title I'll swerve. The item hardly ever is 'gorgeous', 'stunning', 'beautiful' or 'lovely'.

The opportunity cost of going to a car boot/charity shop is also way higher than sitting at home browsing Vinted on your phone. You can turn up and find nothing and there’s your morning gone/wasted.

People need to accept that the ease & instant purchase on Vinted means you’ll get some duds occasionally. Well priced good quality clothes sell very quickly. I’ve netted around £1k over the last few months decluttering my pre Covid/pre pregnancy wardrobe. There’s plenty of straightforward buyers around who know what they want at what price, so I’ve never bothered with buyers who want detailed info.

It's not just buyers, sellers do it too!

Received something today, it had a previously unmentioned hole, front and middle!

Gave the seller 4 stars, because clearly there's a bloody hole so five isn't appropriate, but did say 'hole in garment that wasn't mentioned, may have been a washing machine nick that the seller missed', which I thought was fair. Trying to be nice and give benefit of the doubt.

Got a barrage of messages from her asking why I'd marked her down, that she's a good seller, that's she's never even worn the item (why listed as very good quality not excellent then?), blah blah blah.

Eventually sent her a pic of the hole, and a screenshot of the ad in which you can see it if you know it's there (only if you know though, given the pattern) and she's shut up. Infuriating.

Today’s Guardian think it’s ok to ask questions!

“If you’re buying from a resale site, like Depop or Vinted, ask the seller to send you these measurements – but remember that some fabrics stretch more than others.” Bust, waist, hip and inseam measurements are also handy.

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/sep/15/why-womens-clothing-sizes-dont-measure-up

@Helenahandkart , read the thread title and OP. Asking sensible questions is fine.

Read the rest of the thread where posters refuse to entertain anyone asking size-related questions, or spend 30 seconds getting a tape measure out.

@Helenahandkart , OP was asking about stupid questions.
I have had a question today, and it's badly worded. I could make a guess as to what she is asking. As to it only taking 30 seconds - I need to locate the item, then measure it carefully, compose the reply and replace the item. That will take more than 30 seconds.

Maybe measure stuff when you list it, then you don’t have to handle it twice.

I don't mind generally but I did have one woman asking me if it was suitable for this or that occasion etc. I would rather though that they asked and then were happy with what they bought. I tend to sell items at the 15 to 20 pound mark though so it seems fair enough. If it was 2 pound I would see it as more annoying!

I’ll be honest, I don’t always answer questions if it’s a cheap item. I can’t be bothered. Someone will buy it eventually anyway!

I'm selling a pair of bnwt cropped trousers.

Someone messaged me saying they are 5ft5 in height and asking me how long they would be on them?

@Helenahandkart , that would be the best way, but it still adds time to the process. OP mentioned that she got the questions even if she included the measurements.
If I'm listing lots of items in one weekend, I really CBA to measure everything, so don't mind if someone asks about the length of a dress or something. Some garments (e.g. fitted, structured dress) are difficult to measure without them being on a mannequin or person. If it was something like a pair of cropped or hemmed jeans, I'd measure it.
As I pp, it's the stupid questions that are annoying, not the sensible ones.

By stupid questions, I mean things like 'Are the blue trousers grey like they look in photo 7 of 12 photos' or 'What's the actual measurement of the 36" chest Barbour jacket?

@SunflowersAndSmellyTrainers , Someone messaged me saying they are 5ft5 in height and asking me how long they would be on them?
I'd say that was a badly-worded question but if you change it to 'What's the inside leg measurement' it is a sensible one.

@KirstenBlest ahh yes of course 🤦‍♀️

The Guardian article called the inside leg measurement inseam.
Some clothes might be described as W26 L32 but are intended to be cropped, so the actual inside leg might be 27" or something.