To avoid paying for shipping out of pocket, make sure you charge the buyer for shipping costs when listing the item.
Shipping prices are based on the size of the item and how far it has to travel. Since you don't know where it will be going when listing, it's best to guesstimate following this general guide based on USPS rates for US and Royal Mail for the UK (2nd class signed for):
- Dresses: $7 - 10 / £4
- Tops: $5 / £4
- Tees/tanks: $5 / £4
- Outerwear: $10 -15 / £15
- Jeans: $8 / £4
- Shoes: $10 - 12 / £4
- Jewelry/makeup/small items: $5 / £2.30
Depop does not provide shipping labels at the moment, so it’s up to you to pack, label and ship your item in a safe and timely manner.
To help you with the task, we’ve put together a list of tips for a top notch shipping experience.
1. Prepare the package and ship the item as soon as possible. Make sure this is done within a few days. To make sure your items arrive in one clean piece, pack your items well with bubble wrap and/or tissue paper. Including a handwritten thank you note, stickers, candy, business card, and other personal touches is also a nice way to show your buyer that you appreciate their business and inspires them to shop with you again.
2. Follow up with the buyer on shipping details. Clear communication in all of your interactions with the buyer is key to getting a great review.
3. Ship using a tracked and signed for delivery method. We recommend you use tracked and signed for shipping whenever possible for peace of mind on both sides of the transaction. This is also required in order to be eligible for Seller Protection. Tracking numbers aren’t always free, so remember to take that price into consideration when setting shipping prices.
You can schedule a pickup with your shipping provider, or bring the item to your nearest post office or store.
4. Only send the item to the address shown in your sold items list to be protected by Seller Protection. If the buyer asks you to ship to another address, tell them you will have to refund them, ask them to update their Depop address and then buy the item again. If the address isn’t visible, it may be because the buyer picked the option 'Meet in person'. Be aware that this option is not covered by Seller Protection.
5. Keep your proof of postage. This way, if something goes wrong with the transaction you will be able to prove the item was sent. Keep in mind that, in order to be valid, your proof of postage needs to contain the buyer’s address and date of shipping.
6. Follow up. Make sure that the buyer has received the item and that they're happy with it. It's a nice thing to do, plus it gives you peace of mind that your shipping efforts were worth it.
Here is a list of services that offer tracked shipping:
United Kingdom
Collect+
MyHermes
Royal Mail
Parcel2go
ParcelBright
Parcelforce
United States
USPS
FedEx
UPS
These third-party shipping suppliers can handle shipping for you for an additional charge:
United Kingdom
Weengs
United States
Shyp
Stamps.com
Ship Yonder