The Depop Girlies Have Gone Too Far
Sorry hun, no refunds xx
In order to criticise the limits and pitfalls of the free market, you don’t have to look much further than Depop — the beloved app that lets users buy, sell, rent, and swap preloved garments.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Depop addict: I love the thrill of finding the rogue wishlist item you’ve been searching for everywhere to no avail, negotiating down the price or finding a bargain, the community spirit, and re-homing quality pieces so they don’t end up in landfill or overwhelming volunteer thrift store staff members.
So it comes from a place of love, and having seen it all over the years, that regardless if you’re a buyer, seller, or voyeur, I can officially report that the Depop girlies have gone too far.
A Teenager Will Likely Flat Out Extort You
Sometimes scarcity determines value — a designer item hard to get your hands on might have a hiked up price tag. But it’s an absolute joke when the Kmart brand tank top is slapped with an unreasonable cost.
Depop is great for circumventing fast fashion by allowing you to buy second hand, but when a Shein dress is still on their site, and a seller marks up the value for more than it deserves then you’ve been done dirty. Yes, Depop stores have to make a profit and cover the loss of shipping and fees, but always do you research to know if you’ve been scammed.
Nobody Wants Your ‘Y2K’ Garments
Yes, yes, style is subjective, but you and I both know that some trends were a mistake. Subjectivity comes with reasonability, and demand is important to consider too.
Nobody wants the neon Billabong top you wore to your Year 6 disco a decade ago. Fashion cycles around but a Smiggles zipper pencil case shouldn’t be listed to wear as a quirky purse. Nobody can make these look good or pull them off. And please, the low waist should never come back anyway.
vintage bts pic.twitter.com/oOPXIsoySW
— Depop Drama (@depopdrama) June 15, 2021
You’re Going To Get Ghosted At Least Once
There’s only so many “Hey Babe! What was the tracking number?” or “It’s been three weeks, have you sent this out yet?” messages you can send out before you crack.
Where’s your package gone? Unclear! Some sellers are lazy, others inactive, but every so often you will flat out be ignored for absolutely no reason. Thank god for Depop’s buyer protections which last for 30 days after sale, or 180 days if you paid through PayPal. But do not get tricked into direct transfer or taking the sale off the app! You will regret it. Communication is key, baby.
Some People Are Just Plain Rude
Manners! Where are they? Not in the Depop message inbox, that’s for sure. Much like Facebook Marketplace, navigating PMs on Depop is like politely telling a guy who’s pursuing you that you’re no longer interested, and them replying that you’re an “ugly bitch anyway”.
The delicate dance of dialogue — the back-and-forth of negotiation, compromise, and setting boundaries — is thrown out the window at least one interaction out of every five. Maybe everyone would benefit from a nice, fun game of ‘Yes, And‘ to push the convo along. *End Scene*
Lordy, The Drama!
While the above is a pretty legit list of expectations, the admins of dedicated Instagram page @DepopDrama remind time and time again that your experience will never be as bad as what some users have gone through.
The horror stories are endless: people pretending they’re related to/or are celebrities to fang a discount, pickup lines, sheer cyberbullying, some elaborately outrageous excuses, or the equivalent of throwing hands via keyboard. What keeps me up at night is how sellers send out their garments with some mystery treats, like worms, and used tampons thrown in for fun. Oh Depop, never change.
Photo Credit: Depop Drama and Reddit