Online marketplace Vinted sparks outrage among sellers as it ushers in new postage option changes

Vinted, an online marketplace for secondhand clothes, has recently implemented changes that have upset many of its sellers. The platform has altered its settings so sellers can no longer deactivate specific postage options.

Before this change, sellers had the flexibility to select preferred postage options when listing an item for sale.

For instance, a seller could choose to avoid using Yodel and opt for InPost and Royal Mail instead.

Now, the choice of postage provider is solely at the buyer's discretion, a shift that has caused significant discontent among the seller community.

Social media backlash

The change has led to a surge of complaints on social media platforms, with users expressing frustration and confusion.

One TikTok user, May Jorga, posted a video showing a screenshot from Vinted with the caption, "Vinted vs being painfully against sellers. Why would they even think this is a good idea?"

The screenshot appears to show a message from Vinted's customer service, stating, “Unfortunately, there is no possibility to deactivate shipping providers. If it happens that you can’t ship the item, we recommend to talk with the buyer and cancel the transaction with a mutual agreement.”

The video by May Jorga has garnered numerous comments from other sellers sharing similar experiences.

Nat commented: "I noticed mine did this today. Had to find a Yodel store even though I had this option turned off. My sister’s still gives her the option to turn off postage options tho," suggesting that the change is being rolled out gradually.

Another user, Jess, shared: "I noticed this yesterday, had a buyer that chose InPost but I had this turned off."

The frustration among sellers is palpable, with many worried about the potential impact on their sales.

Lisa, another user, commented on a different video, "It is just going to be a nightmare. Some people don’t have certain drop-offs in their area, so they are going to have to cancel sales and ask people to re-buy. This is going to lose people sales."

As sellers voice their frustrations on social media, it remains to be seen how Vinted will address these concerns moving forward.

UPDATE: Vinted has now abandoned this update.

In a statement, the company said: "We regularly test and trial different things to evolve Vinted.”

"Recently, we made some changes which meant some of our members had a different experience with managing their shipping options.”

"We heard the feedback and confirm the shipping options have returned to their previous settings, there are no further actions needed from the members."

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