To despair of Vinted/eBay/charity shops?

[madeinmanc]

This is just a moan really, I'm so upset today all sparked by the fact that I bought a hand-knitted cardigan on Vinted which I was really looking forward to opening. I thought It would be a dainty crochet look; it was listed as a 10, but even when I got the parcel I realised that couldn't be right just from the size of the bag. Anyway it's more like a size 16 and doesn't look right on me even worn as loose, but it turns out even if I can return it I'll have to pay postage so I'll be about 10 pounds down for nothing. I can't afford that.

Plus so many things arrive smelly, sprayed with Febreeze or stinking of fabric conditioner that won't even wash out 😞 I left a skirt like that on a pile of new clothes and the smell has "infected" the other stuff! With Vinted it's more likely something will smell than not, even if listed as new 😕

I replied to someone's thread about spending 1000 on clothes and was thinking how amazing it would be to pick out clothes that didn't smell!

I do charity shops, Vinted and Ebay.

Vinted and Ebay have proved a let down on a few occasions, such as clothes not in described condition or size, but a vast majority of purchases have been tip top.

Remember charity shops can only sell what they are donated plus they have utility bills, rent, some staff are paid (low wages). I've bought some great items from charity shops, tags attached (so new) for less than 1/4 of the cost new

I buy tons of kids' clothes on Vinted but I'm getting nervous about bed bugs because I buy loads of stuff from France and there's an absolute plague in Paris atm 😬
Agree that quite a few things are a bit stinky.

I really have never had this experience. But I’ve bought jackets, shoes (new) and handbags. All fine. I wash whatever I receive straight away anyway.

Got some lovely dresses from charity shops near me too. Maybe it’s the luck of the draw.

There is a saying in my house which is 'it stinks of Vinted'. I have bought I many items but also cannot stand everything smelling so perfumed, it's horrible!

I have been pretty lucky. Nearly all my sellers have packaged stuff up beautifully. I would not give 5 stars if they didn't. I do buy at the higher end though on Vinted after a couple of cheap purchases. Now I buy new shoes (box usually pictured/sent), new clothes with or without tags and nearly new bags in known brands, with the dustcover etc.

I don't buy cheap and cheerful on Vinted as it's as you say, not ideal. If I spend more than £10 and I don't like it, I just resell straight away- I've lost a few pounds but nothing more, even on more expensive items as they hold their value and are often in immaculate condition.

That said, charity shops do not wash stuff, they steam it out the back and shove it on the shelves so it's not that clean.

Also, around our way the charity shops don't carry the more expensive brands anyway, they all resell on Vinted or EBay so if you only go to charity shops, it limits what you can get. If you know your brands, then lots do pop up on Vinted, and the type of people buying Cos coats that are practically brand new in their wardrobes tend to keep their things pristine.

Charity shops all the way for me too. Last good buy was an All Saints coat still with the pockets seen and never worn for less than £30. It’s last years version of one of their icons and costs at least ten times the price. It’s a wool/ cashmere blend and a bargain.

Been getting loads of baby stuff on Vinted and it’s been amazing for me so far.

I use Vinted a lot and have never had anything that smells horrid. I do however read the previous buyers reviews and see what they say. I've been lucky with sizes too but I do stick to brands that I know.

Ugh, that fabric conditioner/Febreze smell 🤢I guess I should be using it on the stuff I sell as I had some CF send something back because it apparently stinks. I use eco detergents without strong smells, however she contaminated my garment with her stinky fabric conditioner just by trying it on!

I love Vinted but never spend more than £10 including postage. I don’t spend what I can’t afford to lose and then I don’t lose any sleep if something doesn’t arrive or doesn’t fit. Overall I’ve been very pleased.
I know what I’m looking for though as haven’t much changed my style for over thirty years (as far as I’m concerned it will always be the early nineties!) and I know exactly what will suit me. I stick to brands that are good quality but not well known and I know what size I am in each brand.

I haven't had any problems. Sometimes I can smell their laundry products on things, but it will wash out easily enough.

I have had great luck with Vinted and have completely updated my wardrobe with it. There were a couple of duds, but not due to the seller's fault. Just didn't fit great. I do buy the lower priced stuff and it's fine.

I like being able to sort by size and colour for exactly the thing I want. Like I wanted a navy trench raincoat. It was easy too find exactly what I wanted and it was great.

I volunteer in a charity shop so I do get a lot of stuff there. But I don't find a ton of stuff that suits me. I am at the point of only buying specifically what I want, not just buying something because it fits. I have so many clothes now that I was able to donate a lot of my older stuff to the shop.

I'd love it if Vinted had an option to not show certain brands. Would be great to have all brands apart from Shein.

I've deleted the app because it's all such raggy crap from Shein and Primark.

I've been pretty lucky with Vinted - had a couple of brand new jackets that I can tell were unworn.
Boots have been a bit hit and miss - fabulous condition but fit isn't quite right. I've never had anything stinky but I do only buy new, with or without tags and good condition

I think Vinted does have an option to show certain brands - I am after a very specific vintage dress that was a collab and I get suggestions for it all the time. Again these are specific things.

I really wouldn’t buy just anything I could get from the high street off Vinted as I feel like for the money you spend, it should be on something special rather than something you could have bought anyway with just a few quid off. If you see what I mean.

Interesting how everyone is concerned about the bedbugs now. Whenever I buy any secondhand clothes I leave them in the bag for a week before I open so that there are no scabies mites still wandering about. Don’t people worry about those?

I buy and sell on vinted. HATE the smell of strong fabric conditioner/febreeze etc. I soak clothes that arrive in that state in soda crystals and white vinegar. Only thing that clears it.

I pack all my clothes in white tissue paper, washed in non scented wash and ironed. Popped in reused bubble wrap, and into a Jiffy bag. I’m also appalled at the state clothes arrive in, scrunched up in a mess, smelly, un-ironed. Grim.

Agree! I always thought this about eBay too. I know the brands I wouldn't buy but I don't know all the brands I might be interested in, and it's irritating that you have to actively list the brands you like with each search.

Remember charity shops can only sell what they are donated
I say this all the time @gotomomo

I only buy stuff on Vinted in brands where the sizing is consistent and I know my size. In the past fortnight I’ve bought 4 dresses BNWT all of which fit perfectly and arrived in perfect condition and thankfully not smelling of air freshener! I’ve got £250 worth of dresses for £40. I’m delighted!

This works in eBay and probably Vinted too. Say I want a navy trench coat but there are brands I don't want to see. In the search box type e.g.:

Navy trench -(shein, Primark, next boohoo)

In the brackets list the brands you want to exclude.

Me too, I've thought this when trawling through crappy primark and supermarket stuff. It would be a really good feature of the app.

For the people concerned about moths- you can kill moth larvae by freezing them. Put your new vinted item in a plastic bag, then put in the freezer for 2 days.

Thanks, I wonder if freezing would lessen smells, too? 🤔