Digital Thrifts & Finds: My Ultimate Guide to Shopping on Depop
Alright. Let’s! Talk! Depop! If you’re someone I know, I’ve probably gushed over some of my favorite finds to you, so now I’m here now to get everyone on the re-sale app train. Whether you’re a Poshmark or Mercari fan, I’m sure this guide somehow translates into those apps as well. I got Depop about 2 years ago purely for the purpose of attempting to sell my clothes. And as the title highlights: this post is not going to be about my experience as a seller on the app, but maybe that’s something for a future piece.
I’ll admit, I've probably brought in an equal (or maybe slightly higher amount) of clothes into my closet compared to how many I took out through the app. Yeah, I know, I know. I have no self-control. However, in these 2 years, I also found another easy, affordable and accessible way to shop sustainably, which has been one of my biggest fashion and wardrobe related goals. And as we all know, one of the biggest qualms surrounding shopping more ethically and responsibly is the fact that it is hard to find sustainable brands that are size-inclusive and affordable, and accessible.
My all time favorite statement booties were found at Depop, from this shop.
Because of the way fast fashion is commercialized and advertised to us, it’s hard to fight the urge to just buy from an online store that may not have the most inclusive or moral philosophy, but it is just easy…oh, and cheap. So I’ve been doing research and scrolling through buy/sell/trade apps to start finding shops that can replace the places I’ve usually been shopping at. I realized that fast fashion thrives very much within the online world, as digital commerce has become the easiest way to advertise to us and sell to us. Also —- hello, who else is addicted to that high of adding an item to their cart? Yep, they absolutely do that on purpose, and it’s one of the biggest causes of my impulsive shopping. The truth is, it’s way, way, way too easy to shop unethically.
That’s why I want to do my small part in helping to encourage more ethical shopping habits, because as hard as it can be, I’m finding small ways to make it work. Depop has led me to some amazing gems, as equally good as any thrift store, and it’s become such a big part of my wardrobe building that whenever I feel like browsing something online, I immediately turn to the app, instead of a fast fashion site. Of course, I love a good thrift trip, but the reality is, not everyone can visit one all the time, and it’s not only more convenient but also more accessible for some people to online shop.
So let’s get into it.
THREE TIPS FOR SHOPPING ON DEPOP:
MANIFEST IT // Unless you’re going on the app specifically to browse (which I talk about more on the last tip), the search engine is definitely your friend. The fact is, this isn’t exactly the same as jumping on a regular online shopping site that has uniform language throughout. One Depop and other re-sell apps, you’re buying and browsing across thousands of different people from all around the country and world and not everyone is going to use the same wording or phrasing when describing their items. So the best thing to do is to be as specific as possible.
If you look at my thrifting tips post from a while back — it’s the same kind of philosophy: go into the store with a specific idea in mind. Same with the app, search what you exactly would like to pop up. And a lot of times it’s going to take a couple tries to find what you want! For example, if you just type in “vintage blouse” with no other descriptors, that’s good for browsing, but it will spit out a bunch of random stuff (people also a lot of times tag things random things just to get exposure). So be intentional and specific - do you want the blouse to be ruffled? Floral? Is it high neck? Low neck? Mesh or silk?
NOPE 👎
YES 👍
DOUBLE YES 👍💫
FILTER THROUGH // Piggy backing after the last tip, the filters will help make your searches more specific as well. The filters allow you to weed things out a lot better by adding criteria like whether it’s womenswear/menswear, price, sizes and even brands. The two I use the most is probably size and brands. Because even if they don’t have the specific brand I’m wanting, some sellers will tag or hashtag a brand because they know that the piece looks like something that brand will sell. Also, they allow you to choose “American Vintage” brand which usually is the best way to find vintage pieces. but not too many. The size one is also a biggie too. With any online shopping, you gotta makes sure the sizing is right. But I always put 2 sizes because I’m usually an in-between, and some pieces just run smaller or bigger.
CHAT IT UP // Always message the person to make sure the item is on sale, price hasn't changed, etc (these are real people who are selling these items, and even the more established shops don't have a full staff so there could be changes happening - so I always double check, and if it's the real deal they ALWAYS get back to me soon.) This may seem like a disadvantage to buying on re-sell apps because you have to message people and well, we all have trust issues. But, I honestly do think its an advantage, because you’re talking to an individual seller or a small-business owner, so you know they’ll have more time to respond, and you get it right from the horses mouth, so to speak. With this, always look at the seller’s ratings!!! Make sure there’s no complaints about long shipping time, poor communication, etc.
BROWSE LIKE A BOSS // Lastly, here’s my take on browsing. Depop’s Made For You section has become one of my favorite things, even though I barely used it at first. Being specific with your searches is definitely good when you know what you’re looking for, but the magic of Depop is that sometimes you can find things completely unexpectedly — they find you! Just like at thrift stores!
I mean, just imagine someone followed you around (hear me out) as your personal style observer and they would keep track of what kind of things you bought at the thrift store each time you went. And then when you came back to the store the next day or week, there would be a special rack at the front with things inspired and similar to what you've gotten. That's essentially what Depop's Made For You section does. Granted you do have to first browse places and show the app what you love (try their "Things We Love, Hot Rn and Modern Thrift sections).
Also — they allow you to both save and like things. So what I like to do is like the things I’m simply inspired by or want the app to know I love (even if i can’t afford it or if it’s the wrong size, etc), and then save the things I definitely want on my wishlist. Ultimately this kind of digital thrifting helps me keep track of what I love. That's why I recommend if you find an item that you absolutely adore, but it's the wrong size or price, go ahead and like it anyway so the app knows to suggest something like that in the future.
10 shops to get your started
In addition to the tips above, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to follow as many accounts as you can! Again, you can do this through their discover pages or by searching brands or styles you like. I follow a ton and they’re all a little different — from simple minimalist to loud, colorful vintage and much more. Here’s 10 I’ve either shopped at or are on my wishlist.
These are in no particular order!
