The Shift to Second Hand
By Amara Fendick
Vinted is taking over the fashion industry and outcompeting major brands like Zara and H&M in France. We all know that buying second-hand is more sustainable, but is that enough to beat the instant gratification and endorphin rush that buying first-hand from shops provides? A look into Vinted’s success in France, seeing will the UK follow their lead, or are we still too reliant on fast fashion?
Rise of Vinted in France
According to the French fashion institute, Vinted is now the biggest clothing retailer in France, with 23 million users and counting. What can be attributed to the success of Vinted in France, and is it likely to spread to the UK? Vinted in France has stricter rules for frequent sellers, and if you make more than 20 transactions over a year or earn over €3,000, you must declare this to the tax authorities. However, occasional sellers who are just selling personal clothing rather than collector’s pieces are exempt from taxes on those sales. Currently, all vinted sellers are exempt from taxes in the UK, which may encourage a surge in people wanting to sell exclusive pieces before a similar tax regime is introduced in the UK. France has a bigger market for one-of-a-kind, timeless pieces, which is what Vinted offers best. The UK still sees a majority market of people looking for cheaper alternatives to fast fashion, rather than people looking for quality pieces that will last a long time. Seventeen years ago, Vinted was created with the dream for “all girls in the world to make photos of their closets so I can browse in them”, says Milda Mitkute, the co-founder. That is what the success of Vinted comes down to, the sense of girlhood (and a good bargain hunt, of course).
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A Change in Consumer Behaviour?
Main brands like Zara and M&S have faced recent controversy over marketing campaigns and, consequently, have experienced mass boycotts, which have led the wider public to re-evaluate where they are shopping and the ethics behind companies beyond just sustainability. However, is the switch to second-hand due to people becoming more ethical or due to increasing demand for more affordable clothing? Brands are now not just competing with other retailers but are also competing with a more affordable second-hand market. Affordability is a major pull for first-time Vinted users. While finding vintage pieces takes skill, it’s easy to find barely-worn fast fashion for half the retail price. It’s got to the point where people search Vinted before buying something first-hand to check they are not missing out on a steal. Sometimes that means waiting a season for the item to appear on Vinted, but at least by that time, you know you really want it and it’s not just an impulse buy. Saving money seems to be the main goal, and being sustainable seems to be the happy by-product, at least for the majority. Does Vinted lure us into a false sense of illusion that we’re saving money and being more sustainable when, in fact, we are buying and spending more than we ever would have without using it? Second-hand buying is still consumption…
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Second Hand is the Brand
While Vinted offers affordability to some, it also offers exclusivity. Suddenly, someone’s grandma is selling her vintage Coach, and now you’ve got the steal of the year. “Gucci” was one of the top searches on Vinted in 2024, and Louis Vuitton and Chanel were among the top‐selling brands across Europe. All it takes is a keen eye and some patience to spot “the big E” on a pair of Levis and earn yourself a couple hundred quid. Vinted is the online shopping for thrift-aholics. It allows you to browse and consider your options from your own bed. It also adds exclusivity to items that never had it in the first place, simply because it is second-hand and therefore not as likely to be found somewhere else. Your top could be made in the same sweatshop from the same polyester as one from Shein, but because it’s now technically from Vinted, it becomes less attainable for anyone else.
At the end of the day, wearing something one-of-a-kind is much more gratifying than wearing mass-produced clothes that will go out of style in the next few months, and nothing is more satisfying to say and more irritating to hear than “thanks, I got it on Vinted”. The second-hand movement is continuing to spread and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.