How to Sell on Depop in the UK [2024 Guide]

This innovative peer-to-peer e-commerce site facilitates a global community of buyers and sellers looking to find the next best thing to wear and improve their style.

Best of all, it was founded in London and allows Brits to sell any item they no longer wear. Even those looking to start a reselling empire can start with Depop.

So if you want to know how to sell on Depop in the UK, read on below!

What Is Depop in the UK?

Put simply, Depop is an e-commerce site with social elements as it brings traders and customers from English-speaking countries together. That said, it has an expanding global presence, and its reach has been increasing since Etsy bought it in 2021.

Most of the items found on this site are used and repurposed pieces of clothing or vintage pieces that were not mass-produced and are timeless and stylish. Moreover, you can also find jewellery, beauty products, and various art and home products.

Gen Z shoppers love Depop (90% of users are younger than 26)  as it allows them to navigate its inventory via an Instagram-type of interface straight from their phones. Also, now and then, celebrities sell their pieces on the platform for charitable causes.

Do I Owe Tax on My Depop Sales?

If you are an individual selling the occasional item after wearing it for a while, you won’t typically be required to pay tax. After all, the main motivation to sell in such cases is not profit but getting rid of something you are no longer using since you’d be selling at a loss.

However, if you are intent on building a profit-making business, you have to be aware of certain regulations put forward by the HMRC. For instance, under the Trading Allowance rules, you can claim up to £1,000 tax-free if you are self-employed in the UK.

Also, iud you are not currently working and trying to sell on Depop as a hobby, you won’t pay income tax if you are making less than £12,571 per year.

Several considerations also apply to whether or not you owe taxes, including the conditions of the items you sell, your sale frequency, and your income regularity.

How to Sell on Depop in the UK?

So what does it take to sell on Depop? Well, apart from some items to sell, you need to create an account, fill out the necessary details, set up your shop, and list all your products. Don’t worry, though, here we take you through the entire process step by step.

Step 1: Create Your Depop Account

You can’t sell on Depop without a valid account, and getting one is extremely fast. You only have to install the Depop app (iOS and Android) or navigate to the depop.com signup page. Then, you’ll be asked to provide a phone number and email address for verification purposes. Once you confirm your account, you can customize your profile.

Step 2: Set Up Your Shop’s Profile

Next, you’ll have to provide a few details for your shop’s profile, including picking the right username and photo and writing up a catchy bio describing you and your items. After all, your visitors will be greeted by this info when they visit your store.

Step 3: Connect Your PayPal

Without a PayPal account, you cannot currently sell anything on Bebop. Therefore, you must open a PayPal account (if you don’t have one) and connect it to your Depop account. You can do that by navigating to ‘Settings’ → ‘Preferences’ → ‘Selling’ → ‘PayPal’.

Step 4: List All Your Products

When starting out, Depop recommends you list at least four items to lend some credibility to your shop, and the process of doing that includes a few steps:

• Taking high-quality photos—you need at least three or four photos of the item from different angles and under good lightning to showcase its condition;
• Writing a detailed description—you also need to tell everyone just how good your fashion items are and what they are getting exactly if they buy from you;
• Choosing competitive pricing—your items won’t sell if they are not priced right, so you’ll have to check the pricing of similar items and undercut them.

You can boost your reach by connecting your shop to your social media accounts so you can spread the work of your fantastic offerings and get more customers.

Step 5: Ship Your Items

Did you just make a sale? It’s time to ship the items, then! You can’t dally at this point. Remember to package the items well and choose a reliable shipping company that provides tracking numbers. Make a good impression with a thank-you note too!

How Much Does It Cost to Sell on Depop?

 For using the platform’s services to find customers, Depop charges a constant 10% fee per sale, which is deducted automatically after the buyer presses ‘Buy’.

Therefore, if you sell an item for $100, you will only receive around $90 since you also have to pay a payment processing fee imposed by PayPal and Depop Payments.

Depop mostly uses these sale fee proceeds to protect its buyers and sellers and pay its employees who keep the app updated and running smoothly.

Many users also wonder how to avoid the Depop fee. While it’s possible to circumvent the platform’s payment system by requesting the payment directly via PayPal, users won’t be well protected in such cases, and you can lose your seller’s account.

Tips for Selling on Depop

Both one-off and regular business sellers can improve their Depop selling techniques and increase their reach and profits by following a few tips and tricks:

• Use high-quality photos—try to capture appealing, well-lit, and high-resolution photos of your items that showcase the item’s condition and details;
• Write up detailed descriptions—thorough and accurate descriptions, including measurements and materials, also help make a sale;
• Price your products competitively—research the market and set competitive prices for your items by considering the brand, condition and rarity;
• Promote your listings on social media—leverage the power of social media to promote your listings since your followers are often your best buyers;
• Offer bundle discounts—encourage customers to purchase multiple items by offering bundle deals, which helps you sell faster and get repeat customers;
• Provide top-notch customer service—boost your reputation with reliable customer service and quick responses to any concerns and issues; 
• Obtain positive reviews—ask your customers to leave you positive feedback and reviews on your page if they were satisfied with your service.

Remember: strong attention to detail, consistency, and responsiveness are key to boosting your sales on Depop and any other marketplace. Persist but always improve!

Bottom Line

Hopefully, this comprehensive and up-to-date resource will prove helpful for both one-time sellers looking to offload clothes they are no longer using and up-and-coming entrepreneurs trying to start a reselling business on Depop. You only have to follow the step-by-step instructions, and your items will be available to sellers everywhere in minutes.