Guide: Are You Having Problems Buying or Selling Items on Vinted?

If you want to trade on Vinted, it is essential that you familiarise yourself with the platform’s terms and conditions and follow its rules and instructions carefully. Vinted does provide a certain level of protection for its users, but only if you comply with its guidelines.

Always Comply with Vinted’s Deadlines

When you buy from another private individual on Vinted, Vinted’s own rules and deadlines apply. This means that you are generally not protected in the same way as when purchasing from an online retailer, although Vinted does offer protection if you follow its procedures. If you wish to make a complaint, it is therefore important to act quickly and within Vinted’s specified time limits. For example, buyers must report and document defects within 48 hours of receiving an item, after which the seller has 48 hours to respond or dispute the claim.

If you fail to meet the deadlines, you may lose the opportunity to file a complaint. We therefore advise you to reach an agreement within the applicable deadline—for example, regarding a refund or replacement—and at the same time submit a complaint to Vinted if you are not satisfied. Remember to document the entire process, for example by taking screenshots.

Parcels, Shipping and Delivery

Whether you are sending an item you have sold or returning an item you have purchased, you must follow Vinted’s packaging instructions. As a general rule, damaged items will not be covered if they were not packed according to Vinted’s guidelines. We recommend documenting the packaging process with photos and/or video.

When sending or receiving a parcel, you use Vinted’s shipping label and delivery service. This means that Vinted, rather than you, has the contractual relationship with the shipping company. If a parcel is lost, delayed or damaged, Vinted must therefore submit the complaint to the carrier. This can make the process longer, as you first need to complain to the platform, which must then forward the complaint to the shipping company. If you have difficulty contacting Vinted, we can often help you submit a complaint.

Remember to Update Your Bank Details

We receive complaints from consumers whose Vinted balance has been paid out to the wrong bank account because they had not updated their details. Therefore, remember to update your information if, for example, you change banks. In many cases, it is possible to recover the funds afterwards, but the process can be lengthy.

Be Aware of Know your customer checks

Vinted regularly conducts so-called “Know Your Customer” (KYC) checks. These are spot checks designed to prevent money laundering and fraud. If you are selected for such a check, it is important that the information you provide matches the information on your profile. Problems can arise, for example, if a minor is the main user of the account. In such cases, a parent’s information is often used to create the profile, and it is therefore the parent’s details that must be provided during the verification process.

If the information does not match, Vinted may permanently close your account, and you will generally not be able to create a new account using the same details.

Complaints Can Take Time

When you contact Vinted with a complaint, you will often initially receive automated responses and interact with a chatbot. This can make the process less flexible and more time-consuming. If communication comes to a standstill or it becomes difficult to reach a customer service representative, we at Forbruger Europa can often assist you.