Vinted reverses delivery changes after backlash

Second-hand clothing app Vinted has abandoned an update to its delivery options after users felt it would make selling more difficult.

One of the reasons Vinted is so popular is that it offers a wide range of courier services, allowing sellers to opt out of options they don’t like – for example, if a company wants them to print a label and they don’t have a printer.

But this week, users reported that the shipping options list had disappeared from their profiles and vented their anger on social media.

Vinted told the BBC that the in-app shipping options had been reverted to previous settings after the company listened to user feedback on the change.

There are more than 16 million Vinted accounts in the UK.

Olivia Lott, who lives in rural Devon, said she had previously disabled InPost as a delivery option because her nearest drop-off point was a 30-minute drive away in Exeter.

“(This week) a shopper asked me if I could do InPost and I said that would be fine, but I went into my settings and couldn’t turn it on,” she said, because the list of couriers wasn’t there.

While Olivia said the change was inconvenient for her, others expressed frustration.

TikTokker Kerry said: “I’ve had to cancel five orders which is really upsetting. These were £60 worth of orders.”

Some, like Theodora Philcox, hoped it was a glitch.

She posted on Xformerly Twitter: “@Vinted Please fix the shipping settings bug. I’ve had to cancel sales and others are doing the same. This will ruin your platform if it’s not fixed quickly. A huge number of people don’t have a printer – you’re making it impossible for a seller to use Vinted.”

Users in certain areas may not have access to all delivery options – for example, InPost does not operate post office lockers in Northern Ireland.

Abbie, 25, from Yorkshire, said she was unable to use InPost or Yodel to send parcels because there were no drop-off points near her.

“Plus, Royal Mail post offices are only open when I’m working, so they’re not an option for me,” she told BBC News.

Vinted told the BBC that the change was made on Monday.

In a statement, the company said: “We regularly test and experiment with different things to further develop Vinted.

“We recently made some changes that resulted in a different experience for some of our members when managing their shipping options.

“We have heard the feedback and confirm that shipping options have been reverted to previous settings. No further action is required from members.”