A Beginner’s Guide to Depop
Written by: Flora Breitbard
Depop is a goldmine for cool, one-of-a-kind pieces, but let’s be real—it can also feel like sifting through a never-ending digital thrift store. The dream? Scoring that perfect unique piece that makes it look like you just stumbled upon the coolest vintage boutique. In a world where fast fashion dominates and everyone’s wearing the same five trending items, there’s something exciting about owning clothes no one else has. But Depop isn’t always as effortless as it seems. Between overpriced Y2K tops and sketchy sellers, it can be a little overwhelming. Here’s my guide to Depop as a seasoned shopper and occasional seller.
Step 1: Curate your feed.
Curating your feed takes dedication but is so worthwhile. My biggest advice isto spend time just liking, saving, and interacting with items that fit your aesthetic or interest. Even if it’s not your size or there’s not an occasion to wear it, drop a like on the item anyway. This indicates to the algorithm to send more things in that same vein your way, and hopefully some are things that you might buy!
Step 2: Search terms and tags.
Maybe you have an exact vision for something, or maybe you don’t, but knowing the right tags and search terms to type in will help narrow your results down and sometimes real gems will turn up! For me, that might be ‘vintage Victoria’s Secret,’ ‘Polo Ralph Lauren,’ or ‘Rampage.’ For both selling and buying, knowing the popular tags is of the utmost importance, leaning into TikTok and other popular trends (even if you think they’re cringe) when selling. You can literally sell your mom’s old tank top if you market it as “vintage, unique, and coquette.”
Step 3: Message the seller.
It’s super important to be in touch with the seller before making a purchase you’re not sure about. If a seller is credible, they should respond to your message in a timely manner, so messaging is also a good way of making sure it’s not a scam. Also, double-check that sizing, shipping, etc works for you! Because a lot of the items on the app are actually vintage or thrifted, sizing varies. Make sure the seller has posted or will tell you exact measurements so you know it’ll fit. It’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t! There’s always re-popping, selling at your local vintage shop, giving to a friend, or donating.
Step 4: Utilize outside resources too.
While Depop is far easier to navigate and curate, sellers often take advantage of this and upsell their items. If the app brings you to your dream top but it’s being sold for around the original price, despite being worn, note the brand, tags, name (if there is one) and copy and paste these into another site. eBay, Poshmark, and ThredUp are all great second resources, with generally lower prices.
Step 5: Have fun with it!
At the end of the day, Depop is all about the thrill of the find. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect piece or making some extra cash off your old clothes, the key is to enjoy the process. Some days you’ll score an insane deal, and other days you’ll scroll for hours with nothing to show for it—but that’s just part of the game. So curate your feed, learn the best search tricks, message your sellers, and don’t be afraid to cross-check prices. With a little patience (and maybe some negotiating skills), you’ll have a closet full of unique, affordable pieces in no time. Happy thrifting!
Edited by Hana Razvi, Olivia Ruetten & Sim Khanuja
