Last Updated on November 7, 2021 by Stiletto Socialite
How much does it cost to ship with Depop?
For the United States, Depop uses USPS as their vendor for shipping within in the app.
This article will cover domestic (US) shipping and international shipping as well.
The cost of shipping depends on the weight/size and Depop gives you examples of items that you should be able to fit with each size, however, these are not exact. As soon as you can, consider investing in a postal scale, I got one for like $22 on eBay. Here is the current Depop Shipping Cost Chart with suggested items that are listed on the app at the time of this writing.
DEPOP SHIPPING COST CHART (US USPS ONLY)
| Package Size | Price | Weight Allowance |
| Extra-Small | $4.05 | (First Class – less than 4oz) |
| Small | $5.05 | (First Class – less than 8oz) |
| Medium | $7.05 | (First Class – less than 1lb) |
| Large | $11.75 | (Priority Mail – less than 2lb) |
| Extra Large | $15.75 | (Priority Mail – less than 10lb) |
Here is a tip with shipping first class with Depop, on the Depop app it states that shipping is .5lb ( half of a pound) or 8 ounces for a small, however according to USPS first class shipping allows packages up to 15.99 ozs and I have confirmed with my local USPS that as such the first-class Depop shipping label will allow up to 15.99 ozs. The ability to ship up to 15.99 ozs for only $4.75 as a flat fee is great because it can really expands what I am able to ship. This can help to alleviate some of the strain of shipping costs, as higher shipping costs can be a deterrent from purchasing and getting the sale for some people.
NOTE: If you are wondering why I didn’t mention using the $5.05 (4 oz label) label it is due to the following:
Back in the day, Depop did not have an option for a $5.05 shipping label there was no extra small option. When they updated to extra-small I didn’t bother to go back to update my older listings.
The ability to ship up to 15.99 ozs for a $5.05 label will enable you to ship jean shorts, t-shirts, and even some lightweight sweaters. The cost savings to the customer can help to boost your sales.
One word of caution, every now and then you may get a post office worker who tries to state you owe extra if they see the 8 oz label and your item weights more than 8 ozs however I’ve been told via a USPS management directive these commercial labels (i.e. Depop, Poshmark, eBay, etc) are not supposed to be refused and that they are to accept as is.
Please note, with USPS, as with any business there may be inconsistencies as to how information is disseminated and how individual employees carry out actions. So here is my tip when dealing with postal office workers be kind, courteous, respectful, even when they are not.
Alternatively, you can avoid counter service altogether. I don’t really don’t do counter service anymore these days I drop all my packages at dropbox and I have never had a return for a Depop package because the label says 8 ozs and the item I shipped was over (8 ozs). Overall, I have found the overwhelming majority of post office workers are very helpful and can help gain insight into how to process items in the most economical way possible. This is less of an issue with Depop shipping but can be a key factor if you are choosing to ship on your own.
Do you want to sell on Depop but don’t have the time?
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Is Depop shipping too expensive or should I arrange my own shipping?
I find that shipping with Depop is not too expensive and that their shipping tiers (extra-small, small, medium, large, extra-large) are reasonably priced. One of the key reasons I like shipping with Depop is the time I save. When a sell comes through, because I am shipping with Depop the label is automatically generated for me and all I do is print the label, apply it to my package and drop it off at a USPS dropbox. If you want extra proof just take a quick video on your phone as your proof until tracking is updated in the app and/or the package is successfully delivered then delete the video.
As a part-time Depop seller, I have to streamline my activities and anything that cuts a step out or makes me more efficient is saving me money in the long run. The only time I don’t ship with Depop is when I ship internationally I make my own label and process my transaction using USPS counter service.
More about shipping internationally later, however, if I wanted to process shipping online to me that just extra steps and since time is money I try to forgo these extra steps. Another reason I like shipping with Depop is that the shipping fee is a flat rate regardless of the distance the package is traveling.
For example, I ship a lot of items to the west coast and if another platform charges by the distance I notice for priority the price is around $12.44, and then if I ship within my time zone the price is like 10.24 for the same size priority package.
However, with Depop it doesn’t matter what the distance is, all that matters is that if the item is under 2 lbs you will get a priority label and then you can ship domestically within the United States. I do occasionally sell on Etsy and Ebay, but honestly, Depop’s shipping to me is not expensive and has me majorly spoiled because it’s so simple, Depop does all the work for me and all I do is click and print.
Admittedly USPS rates have changed over the years and post-pandemic prices have gone up. However, for the most part, I find USPS to be a dependable shipping entity and I have had zero misdeliveries or lost packages, etc after shipping thousands of packages.
Even as Depop’s rates have increased the same would be for me as an individual because I would be shipping as an individual from USPS and would not be privy to any commercial pricing that Depop has. Shipping rates have gone up in the past and I have not noticed a decrease in sales but the closer a package (more than 50% of my shop items need a priority label) gets over the $10 mark the scarier it gets for charging for shipping because that is a big chunk of shipping costs for some customers to swallow.
Depop Shipping First Class Shipping vs. Priority Shipping
If your item weighs over 1b or 16 ozs then it moves into the priority category which means that you can use priority boxes that are free to use. Here is the USPS link to order your free priority boxes.
Please note, if you want to order FREE USPS PRIORIRTY TAPE you must call 1-800-275-8777 and swear on your life that you are not going to misuse it by tapping priority tape on a priority box.
Be prepared to get asked a lot of questions. However, LTS, priority tape is supposed to be used ONLY if you are using it as a plain box think ole school brown boxes (that doesn’t state that its priority) because if it states its priority then there is no need to use the tape.
However, I can tell you that I have seen PLENTY of USPS employees use priority tape on priority boxes, just saying. It seems it’s only the call center who make an issue about this.
When does Depop offer Free Shipping?
Depop offers free shipping at different times throughout the year. Usually, there is a minimum amount that a buyer has to purchase in order to qualify for free shipping. Lately, the minimum purchase has been a minimum purchase order of $25-$50 in order to qualify. As a seller, you must update your account that you are shipping with Depop to qualify. The free shipping for U.S. sellers is for domestic shipping only, no international shipping.
This is another reason I ship with Depop whenever there is a free shipping promotion I don’t have to go back and update all the listings that I am shipping with Depop so I can take advantage of the promotion. There are several times throughout the year that Depop has offered free shipping. Whenever it happens it’s a nice surprise and a good boost of sales especially with selling bundles.
Who pays for Depop shipping and is it included in the price?
Rather Depop shipping is included in the price depends on the individual seller. Some sellers include the shipping and if they do include shipping they usually will state that on their listing that they offer “free shipping.”
There are pros and cons to offering free shipping automatically.
On one hand, people like to get a good deal and free shipping could be the enticement they need to close the deal, this article discusses the psychology of free shipping and it can be a very powerful tool to “get the sale.” However, sometimes even with free shipping people still want to negotiate the price further down and if you already offered free shipping you may not have much-negotiating room for more offers.
Finding the right balance to marry shipping with product pricing and still make a profit will end up being a preference thing for most sellers. If you are still not for sure you can always try free shipping then test not doing free shipping, many sellers just build their Depop shipping in the price of the item.
One thing when offering free shipping please be aware that the 10% Depop fee comes off the item price except when shipping internationally. Below is a simple chart that shows how it works
For example, if you have an item that costs: $25, but you offer free shipping for a $4.75 label this is how it will work:
Item Price: $25
Shipping: -$4.75
Depop free: -$2.50
Total: $17.75
Please note, that the PayPal fee is NOT included in the $17.75 total in the example.
Depop International Shipping
Shipping with Depop internationally vs. domestically is different in a few ways. First, Depop cannot provide you with a prepaid label and so you will have to either go to the counter to process you can do one online if using USPS.
You can always consider changing vendors like Fed Ex and UPS, however, when I checked these rates in the past, there were not as economical for First Class USPS shipping.
I usually take my custom shipments to the counter service for times when I am dropping off other packages so I can be as efficient as possible with my processes.
You will have to fill out customs forms clearly and concise and remember you are not responsible for any fees/charges that an individual country may impose. You can always consider processing your international shipment online, where you can click and ship and schedule a pickup.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when shipping with Depop Internationally with USPS
1. You need to make sure your package is sealed tightly and ready for a longer trip and more handling
2. First Class International Shipping is usually up to 4 lbs, after that you move into the priority category which can be a huge jump in pricing
3. The tracking number will track packages until it arrives into customs and not necessarily when it arrives at the customer’s specific location
4. The Depop fee will come off the total so keep that in mind for lower priced items it may come into your profit margin if you are not careful. Use the depop fee calculator to make sure you have your desired profit.
5. The USPS international shipping calculator can help you gauge your pricing
Make sure to check out the International USPS shipping guide for more details.
Depop Package Size & Shipping Size
Don’t forget when shipping that your box size cannot be over 108′ inches in length and girth combined. True story, I wasn’t aware of this and I actually had a package returned because I was shipping a pair of thigh high boots as pictured and I didn’t want to risk creasing so I shipped in an extra-large box and the counter service took the box but it was later returned back to my address while I was out of town (ouch!!) it was a big hot mess!!
So if you are not using a priority box that you know is within the guidelines then you will have to break out the measuring tape, and it’s really easy to calculate or try this calculator that does it for you.
Depop’s USPS Shipping Insurance
Although USPS states priority shipping insurance is included for $50, according to the Depop shipping section in the app it appears to be up to $100. Note: I confirmed in an email to Depop that USPS does indeed provide up to $100 insurance for Depop packages.
