Genius Depop Shopping Hacks For Finding The Best Vintage Pieces

I am a self-professed fashion history nerd and I get absolutely giddy whenever I’m able to breath the same air as an iconic designer piece. Recently, a sales associate at my favorite vintage shop informed me that the oldest piece in the store was a Charles Frederick Worth original and I almost passed out. However, unfortunately, my patience for hunting down vintage pieces does not match that energy.

Any thrift shopper knows, there is a meticulous art to finding a diamond in the rough. The idea of sifting through racks of unorganized vintage does not appeal to me. And as a plus-size girlie, the lack of size identification makes it difficult to locate second-hand items that fit curvy bodies. So when I’m in the mood to unearth a vintage treasure, I turn to Depop.

But like in-person shopping, there are tricks to the trade — secret hacks, search strategies, and more that will help you uncover the best items for the cheapest price. Ahead, I chatted with the Depop team, got tips from the most dedicated Depop shoppers, and added some of my own expert hacks for finding great sales. That and more, right ahead.

Utilize The Filters

Searching a brand name or style is likely to bring you thousands of results. For me, narrowing down by size cuts the search down significantly, helping to find exactly what I’m looking for without aimless scrolling. Adrienne Reau, a content creator famed for her vintage finds, says she utilizes the filter feature to find low-price gems.

“If I’m looking for something sort of specific — say, a vintage coat — I’ll type that in and take advantage of the price filter option. I always set the toggle to $15 and under, and you’d be surprised at how many amazing pieces you can get for cheap,” Reau told Bustle. “I think people [are] shocked to see that cute clothes don’t have to cost an arm and a leg!”

Take Advantage Of The Depop Community

I love shopping my favorite influencers’ closets (shoutout to Tess Holliday’s Depop shop), because you already know the items will be tasteful. I also recommend looking at what said influencer has been favoriting. This typically takes me down a shopping rabbit hole, pointing me to new sellers. Depop’s Instagram page is also a great resource to find sellers you vibe with.

Reau says she likes to utilize the app’s suggestion feature. “I always start by looking through my ‘suggested for you’ folder to find gems, because Depop finds similar items based on your previous likes and saves. I always find so many good pieces this way,” she explained.

“I also love looking through random peoples’ likes folders — I’ll just find an item I like, click on a random user who also liked it, and go through their likes folder. Maybe this is maniacal, but it’s a good way to find items you may not have ever found.”

Get Creative With Your Offer

Reau says getting inventice with her offers has led to some great bargains. “Don’t be afraid to make an offer — 95% of the time, the seller is willing to slash the price just because they want the item gone,” she explained. “You can also message the Depop seller if you’re interested in two or more items from their shop and ask for a bundled rate, or for discounted shipping.”

Depop’s spokesperson also highlighted a new feature that makes haggling much easier, stating: “Our ‘make an offer’ feature allows you the opportunity to directly connect with a seller to find a price that both parties are comfortable with — it really is a community in that sense.”