Recently, the secondhand clothing platform Vinted has sparked user discussion due to a shift in its platform style. Vinted is a Lithuanian resale platform founded by Milda Mitkute in 2008, and has now become a "unicorn" company with over 120 million users worldwide, including 18 million in the UK. The platform was initially known for its community atmosphere and ease of use, encouraging individuals to photograph and upload secondhand clothing, while prohibiting the use of official product images, making transactions feel more authentic and vintage. In recent years, Vinted's profits have grown substantially, with profits soaring 61% in 2023, and it has won numerous awards. However, many users report that the platform is losing its original "vintage charm," with more and more fast fashion items flooding in and prices being artificially high. Summer, a 19-year-old user, pointed out that the platform has frequent ads, a high proportion of fast fashion brands, and sellers often lose tags, making it feel like an "overpriced Primark" and losing its advantage of offering low-cost opportunities to try things out. Meanwhile, Eric, a 71-year-old postman, praised Vinted from an environmental perspective for its role in reducing carbon emissions, although the increase in parcels has also added to his workload. Vinted allows online resale, weakening the profits of large companies and to some extent reducing clothing waste. However, the platform faces issues such as buyer protection fees, refund difficulties, and optional promotion costs. Perhaps Vinted's changes are a response to the cost-of-living crisis and the harsh realities of the job market, attracting more sellers to cash out, but this is alienating some longtime users. Still, some believe that even with the changes, Vinted has made a huge contribution to environmental protection. For the industry, platforms need to find a balance between commercial growth and their original positioning in order to retain the trust of both buyers and sellers.

Source: Has Vinted lost its vintage? - The Mancunion · Originally published on 2026-08-24