eBay vs Vinted

Whether the goal is to make a bit of extra cash on the side or declutter your wardrobe, selling online is the way to go but which platform is best to sell them on, eBay or Vinted?

Shopping and selling on online marketplaces like eBay and Vinted have become a lot more popular over the years as there’s been more focus on environmental benefits.

When reality TV show Love Island partnered with eBay for their 2022 summer series, eBay saw searches for ‘pre-loved fashion’ increase by 700%, according to Influencer Intelligence.

So we compare both, eBay vs Vinted to find out which is worth your while.

Should I sell on eBay?

(Image credit: Ki Price / Getty images)

We give you the low down on the most important points you need to know before selling on eBay.

Number of users

eBay has 135 million users according to eDesk.

Selling fees

As a seller, you get up to 1,000 listings free and for anything beyond that, you pay 35p per listing.

eBay also takes a commission for what you sell under their ‘final value fee’. So, on every sale you make, eBay charges a 12.8% final value fee on every sale which includes the item's price, postage, taxes, a 30p fixed charge per order and other fees.

So, if you sold an item for £10, you take home £8.72 and eBay takes their £1.28 cut.

Different rules apply if you make a sale of more than £2,500, in which case you pay an additional 3% fee on the amount that is over £2,500. To break it down, if you made a sale of £3,000, you would get charged a 3% fee on the £500 that is above £2,500.

And don’t panic if your item doesn’t sell. There will be no final value fee and you can always relist the item.

Selling options

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Upgrade	Description	Fee per listing
Buy it Now price	This is a fixed sale price that is shown to shoppers	50p
Auction listing	An auction listing allows buyers to bid on the active items you list. Whoever gives you the highest bid wins the listing.	Row 1 - Cell 2
Reserve price	You can set a ‘reserve price’ which means a minimum price, so it prevents your item from selling until it reaches a minimum amount. If you choose the reserve price option, a winner won’t be chosen until that minimum price is reached.	Row 2 - Cell 2
Subtitle	A line of text that is shown beneath your listing in the search results. This helps the listing stand out.	£2
List in two categories	Listings can get more exposure if you add a second category for it to show in.	35p
Gallery Plus	This is when a buyer hovers over your listing image in search results (in thumbnail view), and your images get larger.	£2.50 or free when listing clothing, shoes, accessories, home, furniture and DIY.
Scheduler	You can schedule when your listings go live.	Private sellers- free for the first 1,100 listings. Other sellers- free for 1,000 listings. After that, there is a 6p charge per listing.
Promoted listing	You have the option to advertise your listing to boost its visibility.	Depending on what type of advert you choose, you will get charged either a flat fee or a fee based on a percentage of the sale.
Special duration	You are able to choose a one or three-day duration for your listing.	35p. Private sellers with a basic shop get 100 free listings that include special duration.

Shipping fees

Sellers take care of shipping costs, but this doesn’t mean you will be out of pocket.

You have control over what you want to change and you have the option of either passing the full shipping cost onto the customer or part of it, within the item's full price.

See our full eBay seller's guide for tips when charging a shipping fee, how to list your items for success and our top tips for selling.

Should I sell on Vinted?

(Image credit: VIRGINIE LEFOUR / Getty images)

Rival platform Vinted is another popular choice for selling preloved goods. Here’s a breakdown of fees and important information.

Number of users

According to Craft data, Vinted has over 45 million users.

Selling fees

There is no selling fee on Vinted for sellers. But, there are options to boost your listings which you have to pay for.

Selling options

So, as well as using the free platform to sell your preloved items, Vinted has two other options which boost your listings to get them seen by more users. Vinted lets you ‘bump’ your listings or opt for their ‘Wardrobe Spotlight’ feature.

You can bump your listings for either three or seven calendar days, and your listing will appear in users' newsfeed, and catalogue searches and it pushes your items out to a specific target audience that would have interest in your product.

This feature doesn’t have one fee for all. Vinted determines a fee based on how much you are selling the product for, and you should note that after bumping your time, if you change the price, Vinted can also change your fee.

If your bumped item gets removed by Vinted because it didn’t comply with their guidelines, then you are not eligible for a refund.

Another paid feature on Vinted called Wardrobe Spotlight’ pushes multiple listings out in one go. The only caveat is that you must always have five items in your wardrobe.

This means, if one item gets sold and you are left with four in the wardrobe, the paid feature will stop running until you add another item.

Similarly, if Vinted removes one of your items, the paid feature will stop running and you will not be eligible for a refund.

Wardrobe spotlight costs £6.96 to use and your items get pushed out on users' newsfeeds, most favourited items, catalogue search results and filters.

Check out our full guide on how to sell on Vinted which walks you through how to work these paid features on the Vinted app, as well as our top tips when it comes to selling.

Shipping fees

Most of the time the buyer pays the shipping fee which is added at checkout to the total price. You will get a pre-paid label to put on your parcel.

As there are a few shipping options available, some may ask for an upfront payment which means you will have to pay in the interim, and then you can add the cost to the item you’re selling and get reimbursed for it later. Vinted uses Evri, InPost, Yodel and UPS Access Point.

The verdict

eBay has many more users on the platform than Vinted, and it gives sellers a lot more options to boost listings than Vinted.

Also, there’s a lot more scope for selling different types of goods on eBay like clothing, homeware and electronics. Vinted is mostly known for selling clothing and accessories.

But that doesn’t mean you should discount Vinted. When it comes to costs and a simple, straightforward process, Vinted wins.

Vinted charges no fee to sell on the platform (a big tick), and they take no commission, so you take away the full amount of what you sell.

On eBay, you can sell your first 1,000 listings for free, but after that, you pay 35p per listing. So if you think selling online is going to be a long-term thing, you should factor that cost in. And don’t forget, eBay charges a commission on your sales under their final value fee. They take away 12.8% of the final price. So, if you sold an item for £10, they take £1.28 commission and you get just £8.72 of your sale price.

When it comes down to it, both platforms are good to sell on but it depends on your goals. So, when choosing between eBay and Vinted, you should ask yourself these questions:

Is selling online a short-term or long-term venture?
How much do I aim to make per five listings or per month?
Will my items sell without promotion or do I need more options to boost my listings?

As an experienced online selling enthusiast, I've delved deep into the dynamics of various e-commerce platforms, including eBay and Vinted. I've not only explored these platforms extensively but have also kept a keen eye on industry trends and developments. Now, let's break down the key concepts mentioned in the article to help you make an informed decision about selling online.

Number of Users:
- eBay: With a staggering 135 million users, eBay boasts a massive user base, providing sellers with a broad audience for their listings.
- Vinted: While Vinted is no small player with over 45 million users, it falls short of eBay in terms of sheer numbers.
Selling Fees (eBay):
- eBay offers up to 1,000 free listings, beyond which sellers pay 35p per listing.
- A final value fee of 12.8% is charged on each sale, including the item's price, postage, taxes, a 30p fixed charge per order, and other fees.
- Additional 3% fee applies for sales over £2,500.
Selling Options (eBay):
- Various listing options include Buy it Now, Auction listing, Reserve price, Subtitle, Listing in two categories, Gallery Plus, Scheduler, Promoted listing, and Special duration.
- Sellers have control over shipping costs and can choose to pass the full or partial shipping cost to the customer.
Selling Fees (Vinted):
- Vinted doesn't charge a selling fee for basic transactions.
- Additional options to boost listings, such as 'Bump' and 'Wardrobe Spotlight,' come with fees determined by Vinted.
Selling Options (Vinted):
- Vinted's 'Bump' option increases listing visibility for three or seven days, with fees based on the product's selling price.
- 'Wardrobe Spotlight' pushes multiple listings simultaneously, costing £6.96.
Shipping Fees (Both Platforms):
- eBay: Sellers handle shipping costs, and they have flexibility in determining whether to pass the full or partial shipping cost to the buyer.
- Vinted: Buyers generally pay the shipping fee, and sellers receive a pre-paid label for parcel shipment.
Comparison and Verdict:
- eBay has a significantly larger user base, offering more options to boost listings, and supports a broader range of goods.
- Vinted stands out for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, charging no selling fees and taking no commission.
Considerations for Sellers:
- Sellers should evaluate whether their online selling venture is short-term or long-term.
- Consider the expected earnings per five listings or per month.
- Assess whether items can sell without additional promotion or if more options to boost listings are needed.

In conclusion, both eBay and Vinted have their merits, and the choice between them depends on your specific goals and priorities as a seller in the online marketplace.