Pre-loved might not be that cheap. New research has revealed that consumers could be paying up to 467% more for secondhand popular fashion items.
Comparing Three Top Pre-loved Sites
The study run by UK leading savings site, VoucherCodes.co.uk has revealed that consumers could be paying up to 467% more for their popular pre-loved items, depending on where they shop. The experts analysed the prices of 20 popular branded fashion items across three pre-loved resale platforms: Depop, eBay and Vinted. The website analysts picked fashion staples like Birkenstocks, Carhartt dungarees, Levi's 501 denim and Jacquemus bags reaching an unexpected conclusion.
eBay vs Vinted vs Depop
Overall, eBay is the cheapest resale platform of those analysed, with the total average price for all 20 pre-loved fashion items on the shopping list amounting to £980.74. Vinted is the second cheapest, with the same items coming to £1084.36, and Depop is the most expensive, with the 20 pre-loved must-haves costing £1177.96 in total – 20% more than the total cost on eBay. Comparing prices of the 20 items of clothing individually, 12 are priced lowest on eBay, compared to five for Depop and just three on Vinted.
Across all 20 fashion favourites, the cost increase between the cheapest and most expensive platforms is greatest for pre-loved Carhartt dungarees. Vinted, the priciest platform, lists them for £37.45, whereas best value eBay lists them at just £6.60 – a price gap of 467%. Nike Air Jordan 1s are the second highest price increase, with costs varying by 315% between eBay and Vinted, the cheapest and most expensive options respectively.
Ted Baker’s French Bulldog mini tote bag has the third highest price increase at 287% between its lowest listing on Depop, and Vinted, the most expensive. Rounding out the top five items with the greatest price increase across the three platforms is the highly coveted Jacquemus Le Grand Bambino bag as seen on the likes of Dua Lipa and Molly-Mae Hague, and the Yeezy Slides. The celebs' must-have bag is 245% more expensive on eBay than it is on Vinted, the cheapest platform for this item. Fans trying to get their hands on the sold-out sliders from the collaboration between Kanye West and Adidas will find second-hand options costing up to 192% more depending on where they shop.
Average cost of 20 pre-loved fashion items on three resale platforms
|
Categories |
Depop price |
eBay price |
Vinted price |
Price difference ££ |
Price difference % |
|
Levi 501 jeans |
£3.50 |
£3.60 |
£3.85 |
£0.35 |
10% |
|
Rat & Boa maxi dress |
£47.50 |
£43.03 |
£42.70 |
£4.80 |
11% |
|
New Balance 550 |
£59.00 |
£41.43 |
£46.17 |
£17.57 |
42% |
|
Stone Island jumper (crew neck) |
£33.00 |
£33.88 |
£54.65 |
£21.65 |
66% |
|
Dior saddle bag |
£260.00 |
£152.97 |
£166.89 |
£107.03 |
70% |
|
Nike jumper (crew neck) |
£2.88 |
£4.34 |
£2.54 |
£1.80 |
71% |
|
Zara Polka Dot midi dress |
£6.50 |
£4.67 |
£8.05 |
£3.38 |
72% |
|
Ralph Lauren Varsity jacket |
£32.50 |
£17.21 |
£21.83 |
£15.29 |
89% |
|
Supreme Box Logo t-shirt |
£25.00 |
£25.95 |
£53.20 |
£28.20 |
113% |
|
Mulberry Darley satchel |
£320.00 |
£151.95 |
£344.58 |
£192.63 |
127% |
|
Crocs (classic standard) |
£13.00 |
£5.64 |
£11.20 |
£7.36 |
130% |
|
Nike Air Force 1 |
£5.00 |
£4.10 |
£9.63 |
£5.53 |
135% |
|
Birkenstock sandals (standard single strap) |
£11.00 |
£4.27 |
£10.15 |
£6.73 |
158% |
|
Converse Chuck Taylor Hi |
£13.75 |
£5.27 |
£7.53 |
£8.48 |
161% |
|
90's football shirt |
£10.80 |
£11.68 |
£29.18 |
£18.38 |
170% |
|
Yeezy slides |
£39.38 |
£16.08 |
£47.00 |
£30.92 |
192% |
|
Jacquemus Le Grand Bambino Bag |
£240.00 |
£426.73 |
£123.84 |
£302.89 |
245% |
|
Ted Baker French Bulldog mini tote bag |
£4.80 |
£10.42 |
£18.59 |
£13.79 |
287% |
|
Nike Air Jordan 1 (high/mid tops) |
£22.75 |
£10.92 |
£45.33 |
£34.41 |
315% |
|
Carhartt dungarees |
£27.60 |
£6.60 |
£37.45 |
£30.85 |
467% |
|
TOTAL PRICE |
£1177.96 |
£980.74 |
£1084.36 |
£197.22 |
20% |
The Most Honestly Priced Pre-loved Item
A good note here, especially if you like jeans and styling denim on denim: consumers hoping to make a saving on Levi 501 jeans will not find much difference across the three platforms. The staple denim jeans have the smallest price difference at 10%, or £0.35. Vinted lists the most expensive pair (£3.85), followed by eBay (£3.60), and Depop (£3.50).
The Saving Expert Says
Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented: “When it comes to buying pre-loved fashion, thorough research and shopping around is always the best way to make sure you’re getting the most value, particularly for some of the more ‘cult’ items analysed in VoucherCodes’ research. The time of year you shop secondhand can also have a huge impact on the price you pay. For example, items like sandals or swimwear will be cheaper in the winter, so if you’re happy to wait to bag the piece you’ve been coveting, you could grab a real bargain by shopping out of season. Many platforms also allow you to set up price alerts or set budget limits, which can help to ensure you’re not tempted to go over the amount you were originally prepared to spend if you are buying something second-hand. Many people also don’t know that you can use discounts on items sold through resale platforms. VoucherCodes has great discounts for the likes of eBay, and whether you’re shopping first-hand or pre-loved, all of our codes are hand-tested to ensure you get the deal you’re promised.”
This study has the pro of showing how shopping secondhand can be thrilling, yet pricey. lesson learnt: as you would carefully pick and scrutinise clothing and accessories in stalls and thrift stores in real life, so you should do it online before clicking to check out.
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