The simple Vinted packing trick that stops buyers scamming you and means you won’t be out of pocket
YOU’D be hard pushed to find someone these days who hasn’t tried their luck on Vinted – with some even managing to turn reselling into their entire career.
However, there are some downsides to selling on the app, such as scams when buyers say they haven’t received the item you’ve sold them.
But there’s a clever way to avoid that happening, and it’s really easy too.
Double wrapping your sales means you’ve abided by Vinted’s packaging rule, and could swing a dispute in your favour if someone claims they’ve received an empty bag.
“As a seller, it’s crucial you double wrap your items before shipping,” Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator, explained.
“Otherwise, Vinted is likely to side with the buyer, and you may end up without the item or payment.
“Vinted’s packaging rules state double wrapping, and by following them you can help tip the balance in your favour if a buyer lies about not receiving an item.”
If you’re worried that paying out for mailing bags isn’t the most environmentally-friendly approach, you can reuse packaging from previous deliveries to avoid contributing to landfill sites.
Another way you can reduce your risk of being scammed is to collect photographic evidence.
“Take a series of clear photos while packaging and shipping your packages to use if a buyer falsely claims an item wasn’t received,” Marc continued.
“Some Vinted sellers record themselves wrapping the package, ensuring visual proof of what was included and confirming that you followed the double wrapping practice.
“This can help strengthen your case for disputes.”
The photos you need to take are: the item before packaging, the item inside the package, the sealed package with the shipping label attached, and the package at the drop-off point.
If you can take a snap which shows the person’s address on the shipping label too, it helps make the package identifiable – which will also strengthen a case.
“If shipping via a post office that weighs the package, take a photo of the weight at home and again at the counter to help verify the item packaged,” Marc added.
“Mentioning to the buyer that the package has been shipped with photographic evidence recorded may help deter any scammers.”
New Vinted rules to be aware of
IF you fancy clearing out your wardrobe and getting rid of your old stuff on Vinted, you’ll need to consider the new rules that recently came into play.
If people are selling personal items for less than they paid new (which is generally the case for second-hand sales), there is no impact on tax.
However, since January 1, digital platforms, including eBay, Airbnb, Etsy, Amazon and Vinted, must share seller information with HMRC as part of a crackdown.
You’re unlikely to be affected if you only sell a handful of second-hand items online each year – generally, only business sellers trading for profit might need to pay tax.
A tax-free allowance of £1,000 has been in place since 2017 for business sellers trading for profit – the only time that an individual personal item might be taxable is if it sells for more than £6,000 and there is a profit from the sale.
However, firms now have to pass on your data to HMRC if you sell 30 or more items a year or earn over £1,700.
It is part of a wider tax crackdown to help ensure that those who boost their income via side hustles pay up what they owe.
While your data won’t be shared with HMRC if you earn between £1,000 and £1,700, you’ll still need to pay tax as normal.