Last Updated on November 21, 2020 by Stiletto Socialite
Are you trying to make a decision if eBay vs Depop is the right place for you as a reseller to post or cross list your items?
I think you will agree with me that sometimes picking a platform and waiting to see if it will work for you can get a little tiresome.
Well it turns out that you can successfully cross list items to both eBay and Depop but you just have to choose the right merch and today I will show you how!
eBay vs Depop
eBay is the default place for a lot of people reselling vintage and the available good on ebay is so vast you have to be strategic about what you post here.
Why?
Because otherwise you may have several other sellers posting the same thing and there may be volume sellers selling more items for WAY less thereby undercutting your prices because they are taking the Walmart approach–sell more for less.
However, from my experience and looking at eBay sold listings there is still an opportunity to sell vintage clothing on eBay and make that money until it starts making itself!
I love the fact that with eBay once you list your item then the search engine brings you the customers. Yet, I know that this leads to issues depending on the search engine for customers. However, it is nice sometimes to not have to engage in the app so much.
Especially with us with busy schedules, like me, who don’t have as much time to devote to constantly editing your listings like you have to do with Depop.
How quickly do I get my money on Depop vs eBay
Once your PayPal account is verified as a legitimate account then Depop will start releasing your funds immediately for your sales. Please note, I had already had an established PayPal account from buying that dated for years.
Even though, I had an established selling history on Depop with PayPal, I still had to wait for PayPal to vet me for eBay before I started to receive immediate payments. Depop never withheld my payments received via PayPal I’ve always received my payments immediately from the jump.
Researching comps on eBay vs Depop
There is no convenient way to see what sold on the Depop app that I am aware of. On eBay, you can easily go to the “sold” listings and this is a huge advantage when you can see what on average an item sold for. eBay will automatically default to a 60-day history, this will also show you how often the items turnover in general.
This is very valuable to access because eBay has such a voluminous amount of customers so this can help you access the general public’s concept of what the item is worth. However, the general public’s concept of vintage might be different from the niche customers you see on Etsy and Depop.
Just because something is cheap on eBay doesn’t mean that it will resell cheap on Depop. As a matter of fact, some people source undervalued items on eBay to resell on vintage platforms such as Depop, Etsy, etc where the overall vintage aesthetic may be more valued.
Offers on Depop vs eBay
I love the eBay option wherein you can set the minimum you would take on the offer. This helps you from getting lowball offers you would never consider. So for example, if I list an item for $50 I can put that the minimum offer I will be willing to accept is $35 on eBay.
Additionally, eBay has the ‘best offer‘ button which allows the customer to send offers. With Depop offers are sent via direct messages. I have learned that any time a function of an app/platform is more transactional offers tend to be lower. For example, when somebody sends me an offer with eBay it comes as a notification on my app and an email. A customer can hide behind their offer a little bit more.
On Depop they have to actually send me a message so I think this changes the offers slightly. However, overall I think the offers I receive on eBay are fair even with the offer button vs. direct messages on Depop. I definitely have way more stuff with Depop listed but with the items listed on eBay I’ve sold several things outright with no negotiation or I accepted a “best offer.”
eBay Fees
eBay has a calculator that is very helpful for calculating eBay fees. There are insertion fees you get 50 free per month then after that its like .35. There is a final value fee which is like 10%. Then Paypal fees which are per transaction and are the same as Depop, 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (US).
Depop Fees
Depop fees are pretty straight forward you pay 10% of the sale price (not including shipping) for domestic sales and then you have the PayPal fee which is 2.9% + .30.
Here is the Depop fee breakdown:
DEPOP FEE BREAKDOWN
The Depop fees are 10% + Paypal fees
Paypal fees are 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (US)
Doing the math, if you sell an item for $25.00
Shipping (paid by the customer is $9.00
Total Cost $34.00
The Depop fee is 2.50 (10% of 25.00)
Paypal fees are Total Cost $34.00 (2.9%)=.986 +.30=1.29
Here is the Depop calculator to calculate Depop fees.
All in all Depop fees are more straightforward than eBay.
Depop or eBay Shipping
Depop has pre-paid labels with flat rates based on the weight via USPS. USPS is the only option for domestic shipping with Depop. eBay has calculated shipping which will automatically figure out the rate from you to the destination address. On average I find the calculated shipping gets to be more expensive for the customer once the package is a priority package (1lb plus) with USPS, which is the only vendor I use.
With Depop, they offer a large shipping label for $12 for up to 10 lbs this can be great for bundles as having calculated shipping for extra items/weight goes up pretty quickly. Overall, I feel Depop’s pre-paid labels are more reasonable as they are not taking into account any zip codes.
For example, packages that are in my geographic region-Eastern US vs. packages that go to the West Coast, have different rates for me with calculated shipping with USPS. On the other hand, with Depop, this doesn’t matter as much where I ship as long as it is within the US I am good. eBay does have more flexible options as they have calculated shipping for UPS and FedEx. I never use UPS or FedEx as USPS is the most convenient option for me.
Depop or eBay Shipping Internationally
You can sell and ship internationally for both platforms. Depop you are on your own for shipping internationally as there are no pre-paid Depop labels available. There are certain criteria that have to be met before you can start selling on eBay internationally such as having an eBay account in good standing, PayPal verified, earned a certain amount of feedback points, etc.
There appears to be no such criteria for shipping internationally with Depop especially since my first international sale occurred only a few weeks of opening my shop and was my sixth item sold on the app. eBay offers a global shipping program that you ship to eBay global shipping center and they will handle the rest of the transaction if you are into that sort of thing!
Depop is an Instagram like shopping platform that is pushing the idea of uniqueness, community and promoting the idea that thrifted items are better for the environment. The eBay customer is all over the price they are not really interested as much in you as a seller if you have what they want the eBay customer is buying it.
However, with Depop, people can follow you so you have the potential of repeat customers and some people who dig your style, but maybe you don’t have their size in something, that person may follow you today and then not buy from months, but as a result, you can build your clientele base better with Depop. With eBay its more one and done, if you have what I want I am buying if you don’t NEXT!
Which is better for selling thrifted vintage clothes eBay vs Depop?
When I have collectible, rare items that has a legacy attached
I have a reseller acquaintance that is constantly bragging about how much she can get for thrifted vintage clothing on eBay, but when I look at the sold listings and when I have tried to cross-list my items I am not quite getting what I am looking for. Overall, when pulling comps on eBay they are coming up short on the vintage market vs. Etsy and Depop.
Even in the reseller groups, they are complaints about how there appears to be a preference for NWT vs. thrifted items on eBay. However, there are times when eBay has come through for me and its best shown by the types of items.
I was having a hard time selling this pair of thrifted vintage Andre Agassi shorts on Poshmark and Depop then I saw the “sold” listings on eBay going for an average of about $65 and I posted them and the sold within a week for about $75-$80.
For those Gen Y and Baby Boomers, they can appreciate the beast that Andre Agassi was on the tennis court and I think on the Millennial based Depop + Poshmark they couldn’t appreciate this 90s icon as much. However, this is a piece that has some history behind it with a legacy name attached to it, so it moves more into the collectible type of vintage clothing instead of the ubiquitous.
I saw a consistent theme when checking vintage items that sold well and designer vintage labels consistently yielded decent prices. I have sold designer vintage on Depop but I feel that price plateaus at a lower margin vs. eBay, the perceived value of the designer item really gives you extra credit on eBay.
On eBay, you have a lot of “brand” conscious people who want vintage designer only, and due to rarity of the item being “vintage” but also designer vintage puts the item on another plateau. The fact that the item has name recognition like a “Dior Jacket” or “Gucci belt” that has stood the test of time can make it a highly coveted item.
I posted these classic Red Vara shoes and they sold within two days, I took a best offer of $100, which I gladly accepted since I only purchased for $1. I also had a pair in black that sold as well on eBay.
Brands that defined the decade or a genre
Coogi Sweaters for the Biggie Smalls 90s Hip Hop look, or ostentatious or garish clothing that is so extra that it looks like a costume–the key is the uglier the better. For example, regular vintage Tommy shirts/sweaters don’t do as well, but add if its flashy and ugly pretty then it will sell.
Research is so very important when listing items on eBay vs. Depop. There are times when items might go for more on Depop, then other times items might go for more on eBay. To me overall the pricing I get on eBay is favorable. However, if you want to know what is selling for good money on eBay it’s so easy.
All you have to do is study the “sold” listings for items priced 75-200 for clothing vintage items. Study the brands that yield high returns and these are the ones you should look to source for eBay. Make your own BOLO list that you can use to help you source adequately for eBay.
eBay or Depop what’s best for you?
It is undeniable that eBay has been in the game a long time, there is a lot of sellers but also buyers and to be able to seen in this crowded room will take persistent and strategy to figure out the BOLO for high-profit margins and source accordingly, if you are willing to do that eBay can be a good compliment to Depop that you do not have to constantly touch.
Overall, Depop is a good place to have the majority of your vintage thrifted items because this is what this app pushes. eBay is every man’s land so vintage clothing is not the sole focus of the app, and for that reason, I think it can be complementary to your Depop shop.
