Using a online marketplace such as Ebay or Depop is so beneficial to help get rid of unwanted items and make a little extra cash on the side. I have a lot of clothes that I don’t wear or even worse, even taken off the tag. I use both Ebay and Depop to sell my stuff.
This post is for those interested in selling their items online.
I’ve made a similar post on tips to help getting rid of clothes and successfully selling them which you can view here.
Having sold on Ebay and Depop for the past few years, I felt I was qualified to share my experience with each platform and weigh the pros and cons and determine which platform is better suited for you.
Functionality of the app
Winner: Ebay
Both apps make it very easy to post your items. Ebay allows you to edit and crop your photos but Depop does not so bare that in mind.
Ebay allows you to make an auction as well as a normal listing. The auction is an exclusive feature to Ebay. You can customise how long you want a listing to go on for and I find it helps increase demand because it’s like don’t wait – buy today or you’ll miss out. If you make a listing, Ebay also can help pre-fill information based on similar items which can be really helpful and less time-consuming.
Personally, I don’t like Ebay’s interface. It’s quite dated to me. Sending a message on Ebay feels like sending an email. However, you can be notified when someone does send a message which is super helpful. You can send photos on Ebay. This is especially important if you want to send receipts and proof. You can’t send photos on Depop so I’m giving the win to Ebay.
However, Depop does have more of a community feel. If you like a person’s vibe, you can follow them so you can see more of their listings. If you are creative and have a strong following and fanbase, Depop actually might be your winner.
Customer Service
Winner: Depop (by a tiny margin)
I haven’t had too much experience with customer service because I’m just that amazing of a seller I guess. Ebay definitely favours buyers over sellers. There have been countless times where someone has bid on something and doesn’t make the payment and Ebay is just like oh soz. As a seller, it is really frustrating because we have to relist the item and it’s just a waste of time.
I also had an incident where the buyer sent the item back to me because of a stain whilst I knew there was nothing wrong with the top. The buyer was really unresponsive and in the end, I had to refund her whilst I had my top back so I paid shipping for nothing. That pissed me off.
When they have been issues on Depop, I have talked to the buyer personally so it has never gone to Depop. I’ve had to use Depop’s customer service to reset my password so there’s that haha. If you’re looking for some fun, have a look at Depop Drama on Instagram and you can see some sellers and buyers can be nasty.
Seller Fees
Winner: Depop
Both Ebay and Depop have Paypal fees. However, Ebay has a range of extra fees which you can view here. You get a free amount of listings per month and anything else is extra known as an insertion fee of around 35c per additional listing. You also get charged a final value fee of 10%. I definitely feel that I get more success on Ebay but the added fees every month do hit hard especially when it is a month where I’ve sold well. The Ebay fees get charged per month so I get slapped in the face with an email. Depop fees are taken out immediately so it feels less in your face.
Depop also takes a 10% commission over your item which is equivalent to Ebay’s final value fee. However, you are not charged over the amount of listings you post. It is for that reason, I prefer Depop and only post selected items on Ebay.
Easiness of Selling
Winner: Ebay
I definitely prefer the auction styled listings that Ebay is known for. I feel that it garners more attention and I like how it provides analytics like how many people have viewed and are watching your item. However, I can get disheartened when the item doesn’t sell especially when so many people have viewed and watched.
People can bid but they also give you a best offer which you can accept or counter. I usually accept if the price is reasonable because let’s be honest, I just want the item gone so I can make a bit of money. I’ve realised that $2 isn’t going to make a difference in the grand scheme of things.
The process on Ebay is more automatic. You can’t bid on Depop items. If you want to negotiate you have to directly message the seller. I have had mixed experiences with buyers. Some people are responsive and some people just never reply to you. Rude.
However, I do like Depop because you can make custom listings when someone wants to buy multiple items off you. Buyers can easily negotiate with you and say that they want multiple items off you which helps you save in shipping fees woooo.
Best Place to Sell Luxury, Branded & Vintage Items
Winner: Depop
Depop is filled with people selling Y2K and vintage items. Depop has a younger demographic compared to Ebay. Ebay is better for items that are rare or hard to find and there doesn’t seem to be a specific age demographic that Ebay caters to. As long as it’s a good deal or a rare find, you’ll do well on Ebay.
I don’t sell luxury items but I probably would prefer another platform to sell luxury that has lower seller fees as both Ebay and Depop take seller fees of 10% +. If the item is highly valued, you will lose a decent amount of money just for selling it on Depop or Ebay so bare that in mind.
Branded clothing does so well on Depop. Whether it’s Brandy Melville, Nike or I AM GIA, people will search for highly coveted brands. Also trendy pieces does well on Depop. I sold a cow print shoulder bag and it sold like instantly.
However, I would be really careful buying Y2K and vintage items on Depop. The reason why is because people will use popular hashtags and brands to gain attention to their listings. You’ll see a Brandy Melville top (or worse a dupe) being sold for twice the price it retails for. The audacity.
Items may not be in great condition but they’ll label it as vintage. If you’re interested, I recommend watching Jordan Theresa. She made a video about the ‘gentrification of Depop’ which is very much worth the watch as are all of her videos.
So where should I sell my stuff?
So there you have it. I made 5 categories so there would be a clear winner and it’s Depop. Depop caters to a younger demographic perfect for Gen Z and Millennials like me. I also definitely like using and navigating the Depop app more.
However, as a seller, I feel I have more success and have made more money on Ebay. I think because of the auction styled listing, it can be quicker and easier to sell. As I mentioned before, if you have a strong following and fanbase, Depop might actually be better suited for you. People can follow your feed and I’m not going to lie, I am drawn into creative photography and when people model for their Depop it looks really good. If you do have a lot of great vintage items and you love showing your personality, Depop might be for you.
Have you used Depop or Ebay? What are your experiences with these resale sites?
Interesting to see the differences between the 2 platforms! I’ve only ever used both as a buyer and not a seller, but will keep this in mind if I ever do decide to sell 🙂
I definitely recommend giving it a go – it’s a great way to get rid of your stuff and make a bit of money. It can be a lot of luck and hit and miss though.