Are you a savvy fashionista with an eye for luxury brands? Then look no further than Vestiaire Collective, an online marketplace for buying and selling designer fashion.
Vestiaire Collective draws a global audience of fashion lovers who discover new and pre-loved luxury items from those who are selling their own beloved pieces. This platform offers a vast variety of items and brands, a thorough authentication process, and a community-driven approach.
As someone who has been buying and selling on the platform for years, I have some major pros and cons of this online resale platform.
In this post, we will go over my in-depth Vestiaire Collective review as an experienced buyer and seller. We will discuss the advantages, drawbacks, and key features for both buyers and sellers.
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What Is Vestiaire Collective?
To start out our Vestiaire Collective review, let's first discuss the basics of the platform.
Vestiaire is an online resale platform specializing in designer items and luxury fashion for men, women, and children. The platform boasts a user base of over 23 million members.
Their large user base has much to do with Vestiaire Collective’s acquisition of another luxury resale platform, Tradesy, in March 2022. Ever since the acquisition, Vestiaire has continued to grow.
This platform offers a web-based version along with an app for shoppers and sellers to have ease of use.
Vestiaire Collective offers a large marketplace for buyers, along with a platform and audience for luxury fashion sellers. So let’s get started going into the specifics for both unique groups: buyers and sellers.
Vestiaire Collective For Buyers
If you’re looking to add to your designer collection, look no further than Vestiaire. As a buyer, you can find a wide variety of items ranging from clothing and shoes, to purses, along with other accessories.
Peace Of Mind
First, it is important to note that buyers can have peace of mind when shopping on Vestiaire. This platform has an inspection process for all new listings on the platform.
Each item has to be cleared by the Vestiaire team before it is posted and able to be seen by potential buyers like you. The team must first ensure the item has accurate photos and descriptions.
Authentication Process
In addition to the first layer of buyer protection, the listing review standards, Vestiaire also has a rigorous authentication process. As a buyer, if you want peace of mind that the item you are buying is authentic, you can pay for this service.
Physical authentication costs $15 per item. As a buyer, if you choose this method, the seller will send the item to Vestiaire Collective directly for them to authenticate the item.
If there is an issue with the quality of the item, Vestiaire will notify you and give you options on how you would like to proceed. If there is an issue with the authenticity, the sale will be canceled and you will be refunded.
However, authentication is not always necessary. I purchased a white lace Bronx and Banco dress from the platform, and I felt confident in my ability to ensure that it was the real deal.
So, it is totally up to you whether you want it authenticated or not.
Shipping Options
At this time, buyers always pay the shipping on Vestiaire. The price of shipping depends on the item price along with the seller’s location.
For a seller living in the United States, for an item price of up to $1,000 USD:
- A buyer in the US or Canada will pay $9.95 USD for shipping
- A buyer not located in the US or Canada will pay $21.95 USD for shipping
If the seller lives in the United States, and the price of the item is over $1,000 USD:
- A buyer in the US or Canada will pay $15 USD for shipping
- A buyer not located in the US or Canada will pay $35 USD for shipping
If you feel confident in the item, or if it is not an item that is typically replicated, you do not have to pay the $15 authentication fee. You can choose to have the item shipped directly to you with an expectation from the prices above.
However, there is one caveat. All items coming from an international destination must first go through Vestiaire, warranting the $15 authentication cost.
When Can I Expect To Receive My Item?
When it comes to the shipping timeline, buyers have up to 7 days to ship your item. Plus, if you choose the authentication route, this timeline can increase. Vestiaire will check over your item within 2 business days after they receive it.
From there, the buyer can expect to receive it within 7 days after Vestiaire’s approval of the item. Therefore, make sure to shop easily and have patience when shipping on Vestiaire Collective.
Saved Searches
If you have a specific brand, style, or item that you are on the lookout for, you can set up a saved search and get notified when an item comes up. To do this, follow the steps below:
- Search for an brand or item.
- In the top bar under the search bar, enter a modifier. Either select the condition, brand, or set a price range.
- In the top right corner, tap “Create an alert”.
Now, you will receive push notifications when a qualifying item meets the search criteria.
Payment Options
Vestiaire Collective offers many ways to pay for your item. You can use a credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal, Klarna, Affirm, or Alipay.
When you are checking out, confirm that your address is correct and that you are paying with the right payment method.
Returns and Refunds
As confusing as this can be, when it comes to returns, it depends. Vestiaire has two different types of sellers: Individual and Professional.
When purchasing from an Individual Seller, you are not able to return the item. You can only recoup your money by relisting the item. If you relist the item within 72 hours of receiving it, you can avoid paying seller fees once it sells.
However, if an item arrives not as described, that does not mean you are stuck with it. Vestiaire will investigate the issue for you to see if a refund is warranted.
Important: make sure to report it within the first 72 hours. They may require you to send pictures for verification.
On the other hand, if you purchase from a Professional Seller, you are able to return the item for a full refund within 14 days of receiving the order. Vestiaire will provide you with a free shipping label.
Buyer Fees
In general, buyers can expect to pay shipping and applicable state taxes. There may be additional fees for the authentication process, and/or customs fees for international purchases.
Vestiaire Collective For Sellers
Next up in our Vestiaire Collective review: the sellers.
Seller Types
On Vestiaire Collective, there are two tiers of sellers: Individual Sellers and Professional Sellers.
Individual sellers are just that, casual to serious resellers who have their own pre-loved items they are looking to sell. Professional Sellers are those with registered reselling businesses specializing in pre-loved fashion.
Listing Form
On the Vestiaire Collective listing form, there are 6 quick and easy steps:
- Information
- Including these fields: Subcategory, Material, Color, Print, and Size
- Photos
- Description
- Seller details (address)
- Condition and price
Plus, there is other optional information that you can input. This includes stating if the item is vintage, the proof of origin, measurements, and a serial number, if applicable.
Photo Guidelines
When it comes to the photos section of a Vestiaire listing, there are very specific guidelines to follow. First, Vestiaire does not allow the use of stock photos. The listing will be rejected if they notice any stock photos during the review process.
Vestiaire allows sellers to add up to 10 photos, and encourages users to use the limit to the fullest of their ability. It recommends that buyers include a quality cover photo on a contrasting background, a clear photo of the brand label and/or tags, if any packaging will be included (dust bag, box), and close-ups of any flaws.
Sending Offers and Making Sales
As with most resale platforms, sending offers is vital to making sales. Once a buyer favorites your item, you are able to send an offer and chat with the potential customer.
From there, the buyer can either accept, decline, or counteroffer. If the buyer accepts the offer, they have 24 hours to actually purchase the item.
And yes, this can be highly frustrating for sellers, because many times the sale ends up falling through. However, if the sale does fall through, Vestiaire offers the seller the ability to display the listing at the accepted discounted offer price to all users for a short period of time.
This is an effort to draw more attention and hopefully make the sale once again, and actually get paid this time. If you don’t have any luck displaying the discounted price, the price will go back to normal (in 24 hours), and you’ll be ready for your next sale.
Shipping Policies
On Vestiaire Collective, the buyer will pay for shipping on all sales. They will also pay any applicable customs fees on international sales.
Buyers can also pay for expert authentication from Vestiaire themselves. If this is the case, when Vestiaire sends you your prepaid label, you will see their address.
This means you are sending the item off to their hub for authentication and quality control before it heads to the buyer.
Once the item sells, you must confirm with Vestiaire that you still have the item and want to sell it. After that, you have up to 7 days to ship out the item.
If you do not ship it, the sale will be canceled, and you may receive a defect on your account.
Seller Fees
The next topic in our Vestiaire Collective review is seller fees. The amount of fees paid depends on the country of origin of the seller, along with the price of the item.
Sellers in the United States:
- $12 USD flat rate fee on sales below $80 USD (plus a $3 USD processing fee)
- 15% fee on sales between $80 USD and $13,000 USD (plus a 3% processing fee)
- $2,000 USD flat rate fee for items over $13,000 USD (plus a 3% processing fee)
Sellers in Canada:
- $18 CAD flat rate fee for items sold below $120 CAD (plus a $4 CAD processing fee)
- 15% fee on sales between $120 CAD and $20,000 CAD (plus a 3% processing fee)
- $3,000 CAD flat rate fee for items over $20,000 CAD (plus a 3% processing fee)
Payouts
In order to determine your payout timeline, it depends on the shipping method chosen. If the item is sent to Vestiaire for authentication, the payment will begin to be processed as soon as Vestiaire sends it off to the buyer.
If the item is shipped directly to the buyer, the payment will begin to process 72 hours after the delivery of the item, as long as no problems are reported.
Sellers can expect the payment to reach their bank account within 5 business days after the payment is processed. It will appear as "Hyperwallet System Miscellaneous Credit" in your account.
If sellers use PayPal for payouts, it is a quicker turnaround, taking only 24 hours from the beginning of payment processing.
Returns and Refunds
The last topic in our Vestiaire Collective review is about returns from a seller's standpoint.
As mentioned earlier and in the buyer section, the ability for the seller to return depends on the status of the seller. Individual Sellers will not have to handle returns, but Professional Sellers will.
So, Professional Sellers must be aware of one serious downside to returns. This involves an item being sold with authentication and then being returned.
When this occurs, Vestiaire will attempt to keep the item with them as the middleman. This becomes an issue for multi-platform sellers and crosslisters (like on Vendoo), as it is not okay to have your inventory tied up in one platform.
If this happens to you, and Vestiaire notifies you that the item has been returned to their headquarters and that they will be keeping it until it sells again, reach out.
Let them know that you would like your item back. I have heard of success with other resellers doing this and receiving their item back with no problem. After all, it never hurts to ask.
Conclusion
And with that, we will wrap up our Vestiaire Collective review. Overall, Vestiaire Collective is a high-class online marketplace. There are safeguards put into place for both buyers and sellers, allowing peace of mind and fairness for both parties.
Buyers can shop, browse, and find great deals on designer and luxury fashion items. This is all while sellers can make some money off of their own new, pre-loved, or sourced items that they are flipping for a profit.
Both types of users are supporting the mission of sustainability, circular fashion, and evergreen finds.
We hope your found this Vestiaire Collective review helpful! Do you buy or sell on Vestiaire Collective? What has your experience been?
Comment below!
FAQ
Vestiaire Collective is a legit site for both buyers and sellers. There are safeguards put into place for both parties including listing reviews, quality control, and a rigorous authentication process. Customer support can be reached via chat, email, or phone if issues arise.
Buyers can expect to receive their items in, at most, 7+ days when choosing direct shipping and 14+ days when expert authentication is chosen.
Vestiaire Collective sells authentic bags, along with clothing items, shoes, jewelry, and more. Vestiaire offers an expert authentication service for an extra charge of $15.
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