With the second-hand online retailer hitting a $5bn valuation, is the future of fashion thrifty? For The Drum’s fashion and beauty focus , Designwerk’s Emma Dunipace investigates. What's the secret to Vinted's stratospheric rise? There’s nothing quite like the thrill of securing a bargain when you’d happily have paid full price. Unearthing a great find, combined with the guilt-free pleasure of heavily discounted purchases, is profoundly satisfying – smugness-inducing, even.
Online second-hand shopping is nothing new, of course, so how is Lithuanian ‘unicorn’ Vinted becoming our go-to for pre-owned items? Vinted’s stratospheric rise started somewhat under-the-radar. Trading since 2008, the brand has played a long game that is now, finally, paying off. Despite operating at a not-so-insignificant loss between 2020 and 2021 (reportedly due to a strategic push in ad spending), the company posted net profits of $17.
8 million in 2023. Following that, a share sale put its value at $5 billion. Central to that valuation are the marketplace’s 75 million users across 16 markets.
We now all either are, or know, avid Vinted users – buyers and sellers alike. Despite financial challenges, the brand now finds itself at a new peak. So, why now? Is it lucky timing, great UX, or something deeper? Features, features, features In short, there are countless reasons to use Vinted and very few reasons not to.
Vinted’s user experience (UX) is genuinely user-centric, and its funct.
