'I make hundreds on Vinted - this one hidden loophole could see sellers lose out on cash'

A Vinted user has cautioned others about a loophole that could result in sellers losing out financially.

Annabel Arkless, from Wales, was left gutted when she missed out on a sale after someone appeared to tamper with the packaging. She now wants to warn other Vinted users after discovering their hidden terms and conditions left her with no protection.

The app provides a second-hand marketplace for sellers and enables buyers to purchase clothing and other items at reasonable prices. Its goal is to stop thousands of unwanted items from heading straight to landfill, whilst reducing our dependence on unethical fast fashion brands.

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Whilst most users find the app straightforward to use and happily buy and sell without problems, there have been some loopholes reported that could see buyers or sellers miss out or lose cash.

Annabel told WalesOnline she has enjoyed using Vinted for a long time with no problems, so she was shocked when a buyer raised an issue with an item.

Annabel said: "I [sent] off a parcel wrapped in a standard black/grey plastic bag that everybody uses for sending stuff through the post.

"It was a jumper and so I didn't wrap it in tissue paper, I just put it in the bag and sent it off.

"Everything was fine and I got all of the usual delivery notifications. Then I got a message from our buyer saying she had just picked up the parcel with a picture showing that the parcel had been slashed right across the top and nothing was in it.

"It had obviously happened during transit. She picked it up, told me and then got onto Vinted. She got her money back via the buyer's protection scheme."

Under the scheme, purchasers on Vinted pay what is termed a "buyer protection fee". According to Vinted's website, the charge exists so "you can shop with peace of mind if your item doesn't arrive, arrives damaged or is significantly not as described."

The platform additionally pledges: "We'll issue a refund if your item doesn't arrive, arrives damaged, or is not as described."

Annabel said she contacted Vinted and hoped she would also receive compensation for the jumper.

The purchaser had forwarded a photograph of the package and it was evident that the parcel had been deliberately cut open, rather than damaged due to poor packaging.

"Vinted said 'it was not properly packaged' and in that case it doesn't qualify for any refunds.

"I checked Evri, the company that delivered the item, and they said the packaging used is even in line with what Evri recommends. Evri recommends using plastic bags for clothing, and I used a standard courier bag which had come with something else in it, one a commercial company had used.

"I went back to Vinted they said: 'Sorry we have already said no.'".

Annabel revealed she reached out to Evri's customer service but was met with a brick wall. She was told to lodge her complaint via Vinted, despite the shopping platform refusing to escalate the issue.

After scrutinising Vinted's terms and conditions, Annabel conceded that it does advise sellers against using bags without padding. The terms clearly state: "Don't use bags without padding inside."

However, she expressed her disagreement with the app's selling guidance, suggesting it could potentially trip sellers up.

She explained: "On one hand it's fair, it does say to use padded packaging, so what they said to me was in line with their Ts and Cs. On the other hand, it is not in line with Evri's policy.

"Vinted also told me that I needed photographic evidence of the package before I sent it, but it does not state on the app that sellers need to do this. If they expect people to take a photograph then it should say that really clearly - asking people 'Have you taken a photograph?' You should be asked this before sending the item.

"I think it's Evri's problem as Evri was transporting the item. I think if I purchased the label [directly through Evri] I would have got my money back from Evri. But because I went through Vinted I feel caught out.

"I think Vinted's expectations are written in such a way to trip people up and absolve them of any responsibility."

What's worse is that Annabel isn't convinced that Vinted properly looked into what caused the problem.

Whilst she doesn't suspect the buyer in this instance of damaging the parcel herself and pretending it occurred during delivery, Annabel acknowledged this remains a possibility.

Despite Annabel saying she trusts her buyer, other sellers facing similar circumstances have voiced worries that some purchasers have deliberately opened parcels and claimed they arrived in that condition.

This means the fraudulent buyer would essentially receive the item without paying thanks to Vinted's buyer protection policy whilst the seller is left out of pocket.

Annabel said: "The buyer seems very lovely but I have no idea if she has a history of slashing bags she picks up. I don't think that is the case at all, but Vinted hasn't investigated."

She added: "At the end of the day I've lost what was a really nice jumper that I was umming and ahhing over whether to sell. I got a good price for it so decided to sell it. This wasn't a £1 item."

Annabel later received compensation after lodging another complaint. A spokesperson for Vinted stated: "The vast majority of transactions on Vinted take place without issue and our teams work hard to ensure a smooth trading experience for all our Vinted members.

"When an issue does occur between a buyer and a seller our teams will mediate - working closely with our delivery partners. In this case the seller has been compensated and informed."

A representative from Evri added: "We're investigating and supporting Vinted to resolve this with the customer."