Do you want to make cash by selling stuff online? Do you want to clear out your cupboards of things you no longer use?

When it comes to the best marketplace for sellers, eBay and Vinted are the top contenders. Vinted has 21 million users globally, while eBay boasts a staggering 185 million. But now, with eBay scrapping seller fees, the competition just got a whole lot more interesting for those looking to maximise their earnings!

When it comes to choosing couriers for shipping second-hand clothes, we’re here to help - with prices starting from just £1.99 exc VAT!

Let's take a look to see which is the best online marketplace in 2024!

 

What is the Difference Between Vinted and eBay?

 

 

So, is Vinted better than eBay? Obviously both marketplaces have their pros and cons, but let’s see what sets them apart.

What products can you sell?

You might know that Vinted is well-known for second-hand clothing. If you’ve got vintage pieces loitering in the back of your wardrobe, then you can swap or sell those items and get yourself something new.

But Vinted isn’t just about selling clothes you’ve fallen out of love with. You can sell things like electronics, home accessories, pet accessories, books, and video games. Also, the items you’re selling don’t have to be pre-loved—they can be new with tags, but there are some rules about how many of these you can sell.

The list of products you can sell looks very similar for eBay. Although there are also some items you can sell on eBay that you can’t on Vinted, such as furniture. You can sell new and used items on eBay, and can set up your own shop.

If you want to sell cheap clothes quickly to free up wardrobe space, Vinted and eBay are great options. But if you want to get rid of designer labels or expensive games consoles, you might be better off sticking to eBay’s auctions.

What are the selling options?

eBay is famous for its auction style listings, but that’s not all it offers. Sellers can also opt for fixed price listings and can even show ‘buy it now’ prices on auction listings to tempt customers.

This is great for flexibility and can help your listings sell for higher prices. Of course, there’s always the chance a buyer will get a bargain unless you set a reserve price on your auctions.

With Vinted, you will need to do some research into your prices before you list your products as they only offer fixed price listings. You’ll need to choose a competitive price too—if it’s too high or too low, Vinted could consider your listing an auction and remove it from the site.

Who are you selling to?

With any successful business, it pays to know your audience, and with eBay and Vinted those audiences are quite different.

While Vinted might not just be about selling old outfits, its customer base is fashion-focused and most people who shop on the app are looking for bargains on second-hand clothing.

eBay is one of the biggest online marketplaces and can give you access to a huge number of customers shopping for a diverse range of products. eBay customers tend to search for specific items which can help you plan your product ranges.

 

Vinted vs eBay Selling Fees

With eBay's recent announcement to scrap selling fees, they join Vinted and other popular marketplaces in making it easy for sellers to maximise profits for their sales. And with eBay's massive customer base and range of products available, it makes it a very strong option when you start selling online.

However, you will still need to pay for shipping. Unlike Vinted, where the buyer would pay for shipping, eBay leaves it up to you to pack and ship your items - but don't worry! That's where Parcel2Go can help.

By partnering with leading parcel couriers, we provide you with the most competitive rates for both UK and international deliveries. Simply connect your eBay account with Smart Send to get access to a range of reliable delivery services as well as sending features to make marketplace selling a breeze.

 

Pros and Cons of selling on Vinted

Pros:

• No selling fees!
• Vinted is one of the most user-friendly online marketplaces. Super-easy to set-up and use, you don’t need to be very tech-savvy to get to grips with their app.
• You can sell or swap your items.
• The app is sociable and easy to interact with your customers.
• Buyers pay for postage, and all parcels are tracked free of charge.

Cons:

• Limited shipping options
• Sellers will sometimes need to wait up to seven days to be paid for their sale.
• Selling prices can be lower on Vinted than on other online marketplaces, and customers can haggle over prices.
• Offering too many brand-new items with labels for sale could cause your account to be suspended - Vinted really is for pre-loved items.

For more hints and tips, see our guide on how to sell on Vinted.

 

Pros and Cons of selling on eBay

Pros:

• No selling fees.
• It’s easy to create listings and start selling your items.
• You can choose fixed price or auction style listings, as well as setting reserve prices and time limits for auctions.
• One of the largest online marketplaces with a huge audience.
• You can sell almost anything on eBay.
• You can integrate your parcel delivery with Smart Send, our free shipping solution, which helps you book couriers in minutes and manage all your orders in one place.
• You can sell to customers all over the world and send your items with our cheap international delivery.

Cons:

• With a big audience comes big competition. It can be difficult to stand out from the crowd on the eBay platform and competition can be fierce within your product niche.
• You’ll need to operate within eBay’s strict rules on returns, refunds, and customer service.
• Auctions can be time consuming to monitor.
• It can be difficult to build strong relationships with your customers.

Become an expert eBay seller by reading our how to sell on eBay beginner's guide.

 

The verdict: is Vinted better than eBay?

 

 

Both marketplaces have their pros and cons, but what you want to sell may ultimately help you decide which marketplace will work best for you.

However, eBay stands out with its recent announcement to scrap selling fees, making it an attractive option for sellers who want to maximise profits without added expenses. This means you can access eBay's massive global customer base and diverse market, from casual shoppers to dedicated collectors, all without worrying about additional selling costs!

Integrate Smart Send With eBay

If you sell with Vinted, the buyer will arrange the postage, but if you choose eBay, you can choose services from the UK’s most trusted couriers at competitive rates.

You can also use Smart Send to make things even easier for you!

Our free shipping management solution, Smart Send will help you streamline your eBay deliveries and boost your customer rating. You’ll also get access to free eBay parcel tracking.

If you’re shipping over 25 parcels a week for your business, you can ask us about further discounted shipping rates with a Parcel2Go Business Account. As well as access to special discounts, you’ll get a 2-hour collection slot for your parcels—no more waiting around for your sold items to be collected.

See if you’re eligible to open a business account. Or get a free instant quote for your parcels today.