How to Find the Good Stuff on Vinted
A Vinted How-To Guide featuring my tips and tricks to source the coolest pieces
For the past year or so, I’ve been a pretty avid Vinted user. Some of my best thrifted finds have come from the platform. But it took me a while to get there. Vinted has the same kind of chaotic energy as your average in-person thrift store: it’s messy and overwhelming until you figure out how to find what you’re looking for.
In this guide, I’ll break down the tips, tricks, and search words that make the site worth your time, so you can spend less time scrolling and more time finding the stuff you actually want.
Tip #1: Add your sizes
Start by adding your sizes to your profile: Profile → Personalization → Categories and Sizes. It’s a simple step, but a major timesaver. Once your sizes are saved, Vinted will automatically prioritize listings consistent with your sizes. If you’re primarily shopping for true vintage pieces on Vinted, be sure to add one or two sizes above your normal size, as vintage clothing sizes are notoriously inconsistent.
Tip #2: Inconsistent listings might be cheaper
Vinted is a bit of a mess when it comes to how sellers list items: wrong sizes, mislabeled brands, and miscategorized listings are pretty common on the site. On the plus side, if you do find a listing that has been sized incorrectly or has a misspelled brand name, it has probably been available for a while. That means the seller might be able to accept a lower offer to get it off their hands.
Tip #3: Save your searches
Then, start saving your searches by clicking the little bookmark icon in the top-right corner of your search results. That way, new listings that match your specific search criteria will appear on your feed as soon as they’re posted.
Tip #4: Know which brands to search for
The easiest way to find pieces you love on Vinted is to know which brands to search for. If you’re not sure where to start, look through your wardrobe for labels on secondhand items you already love. There are also communities on TikTok and Reddit that share keywords, brand recommendations, and hauls. You can easily find them by typing in “brands Vinted” or “Vinted haul” on either platform.
Some of my personal favorites include: Anne Fontaine, Intimissimi, La Perla, Cop Copine, Esisto, Joseph Ribkoff, and Marella.
Tip #5: Be specific, but not too specific
When you’re typing a brand name into the search bar, don’t click on the “Women,” “Men,” or “Kids” auto-suggestions. Vinted’s search engine excludes a lot of listings when you add categories to your search bar. Instead, click on the suggestion with the brand name alone, or search for the brand manually: Women → Clothing → All → Brand.
Tip #6: Scroll down to “similar items”
This feature is usually hit or miss, but occasionally, there’s gold in the “similar items” section of a listing. Keep that in mind when you find a listing you like. :)
Tip #7: Tweak the algorithm
My last, but arguably most important tip, is to tweak the algorithm. The algorithm seems to learn from everything you do on the site: which keywords you search for, which listings you look at, but skip on, and especially which listings you favorite. Vinted’s algorithm also seems to prioritize your favorited listings over your search history and your viewed listings. So, I tend to save everything I’m even remotely interested in under my favorites to get better suggestions in my feed. The one caveat of doing this is that the number of messages and notifications you get will skyrocket. If you can ignore that, the payoff is worth it!
Happy shopping!
Emma xx