I work at Vinted – my 5 insider secrets for getting designer pieces for cheap and how to make sure you NEVER get scammed
A VINTED employee has shared her insider tips for finding genuine designer items for bargain prices on the re-sell app.
With the rise of second-hand sites like Depop and Vinted, fraudsters are finding it easier to flog ‘Dolce & Banana’ and ‘Luis Vuitton’.
In the UK, it is a criminal offence to sell fake or counterfeit goods - but that doesn't stop cyber criminals.
Luckily, there’s still hope.
You can find designer handbags and clothes at budget prices on Vinted with the right skills, an employee for the online marketplace assured.
May Berthelot is in charge of anti-counterfeit and authentication at Vinted, where she tops fraudsters from selling counterfeit clothes on the app.
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Her first tip can be deduced to the acronym KYP: Know Your Product.
“When buying second-hand designer pieces, go the extra mile with some research,” May advised.
“Check how the product, first-hand, looks like (there are unlimited resources online and offline!) and what its price is new.
“Don’t forget to visually memorise the product and the realistic second-hand price according to the new price.”
She also urged buyers to get to know the seller of a designer item before handing over their cash.
“Check the seller’s profile and recent reviews,” May said. “They can give you a good indication of their trustworthiness.”
And it may go without saying, but you should always ask for proof of authenticity.
It’s already Vinted policy to check the proof of authenticity when approving listings of designer items, but you can still ask to see a receipt or authentication certificate yourself.
“We encourage buyers to proactively ask for proof of authenticity, like the logo, labels, stitching lines, patterns and more,” May added.
“Zoom in on some of the details, check that the logo shape is correct and that there are no imperfections in the seams and finishing of the product.”
May’s fourth tip was to look like a hawk for misspellings on logos and design details on luxury items.
“Counterfeiters usually make mistakes on the packaging by using the wrong font, colours, etcetera,” she said.
“Misspellings are quite frequent, especially in French and Italian, so keep an eye out!
“This principle also has to be applied to the details such as the inner label, engravings and zippers.”
The anti-counterfeit expert finally urged second-hand shoppers to “be wary of bargains”.
Because if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
“On Vinted it’s possible to find true gems at great prices,” May said.
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“But ‘that’ item from the last season of your favourite brand will not likely be offered at half of the price, same for sought-after and sold-out pieces.”
May’s skills have a personal context too; she’s a luxury fashion expert and super passionate about shopping second-hand online.