Vinted: How dropshipping is blurring the promise of circularity

In less than a decade, Vinted has established itself as a go-to for millions of Europeans. However, behind the stated ideal of a shared wardrobe, a more ambiguous reality is emerging. Disguised commerce is taking hold, with new ultra-fast fashion stock saturating virtual wardrobes. This article analyses a system being tested by its own excesses.

When the promise of circularity begins to crack

Buying and selling second-hand clothing, extending product lifecycles and consuming differently are the platform's core principles. It was built on an ambition as intuitive as it is effective: to make second-hand fashion a central pillar of the circular economy. However, beneath the apparent simplicity of peer-to-peer exchanges, the lines are blurring.

An ambiguous space has been created where occasional reselling merges with structured commercial practices. An investigation by the Dutch daily newspaper NRC Handelsblad has highlighted the scale of this phenomenon. Sellers on Vinted are offloading large volumes of new products from ultra-fast fashion brands, notably Shein or Temu, presenting them as second-hand items. This shift is not trivial; it questions the platform's ability to preserve the integrity of its model.

Second-hand that looks like organised commerce

Regular users have already noticed the trend. Certain accounts display "wardrobes" containing hundreds, or even thousands, of identical items—often new, sometimes without tags, but clearly sourced from low-cost industrial supply chains. These sellers are not clearing out their personal closets; they are operating as full-fledged retailers. In practice, these activities face few operational hurdles. Listings remain online, high volumes are not systematically penalized, and the line between personal use and professional activity is blurring. As one industry observer puts it, "the platform sets the rules, but their enforcement appears inconsistent."

For its part, Vinted reiterates that it strictly prohibits listing multiple copies of identical products. The platform states it has precise rules outlined in its terms and conditions, as well as automated systems designed to detect content and behavior that contradict its model.

"Vinted is a C2C marketplace, where the vast majority of members are individuals. A very small proportion consists of professional sellers identified as Vinted Pro. Members are specifically not allowed to offer items purchased in bulk or low-resale-value dropshipping products," a spokesperson specified.

Anatomy of a workaround: how to spot 'fake accounts'

The dropshipping mechanism is well-known in e-commerce. The seller does not hold the product; they wait for an order, then purchase it from a third-party platform which ships it directly to the buyer. For the user, the challenge is learning to detect these invisible supply chains.

Several recurring signs help to identify these disguised commercial accounts: listing volumes incompatible with personal use; systematically new or standardised products; visuals taken from catalogues or generated artificially; and a lack of purchase history coupled with automated responses. Taken together, these clues point to a structured business exploiting the environmental credibility of second-hand fashion to offload mass-produced textiles.

The structural ambiguity of "Vintage"

The economic incentive is equally clear. An item bought for a few euros on an ultra-fast fashion platform can be resold for three or four times its price under the "vintage" or "rare" labels. While the term "vintage" is not legally protected, its use creates an implicit expectation for the buyer: that of a product that has already had a life. When these codes are used to sell new products in bulk, the ambiguity becomes deceptive. This situation highlights a central, albeit rhetorical, tension: what defines "second-hand" when an item has never been worn, was bought solely for resale, or comes directly from an industrial production line?

Vinted emphasizes that the misleading presentation of an item is a direct violation of its rules. "We use advanced detection tools and moderation teams to remove non-compliant content, including instances where sellers incorrectly label items as 'vintage.' Although these situations represent a small fraction of activity, we encourage members to report any suspicious content via the app," the company stated.

Position of the DGCCRF: no legal ambiguity

To clarify the framework, it is necessary to consider the position of the DGCCRF, the French General Directorate for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control. This French administrative authority, responsible for ensuring fair trading practices and consumer protection, was contacted for this article.

Contrary to popular belief, dropshipping is not illegal, but it must operate within a declared professional framework. A seller using this model must be a registered business and comply with all obligations under the Consumer Code. These obligations include transparency on identity, contact details, prices including VAT and withdrawal procedures.

The problem, therefore, lies in applying this model to a platform designed for private individuals. The DGCCRF is explicit: “Falsely presenting oneself as a consumer or providing false information about the essential characteristics of the product is likely to constitute a misleading commercial practice.” In short, an individual can become a dropshipper, but they then legally cease to be a private individual. Failure to comply with this status is heavily penalised, with penalties of up to two years' imprisonment and a 300,000 euro fine.

Platform responsibility and citizen reporting

With the entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA), marketplaces have seen their responsibilities strengthened. Notably, they must be able to identify professional sellers and remove listings reported as illicit.

However, the European regulation distinguishes platforms based on their size. "Very Large Online Platforms" (VLOPs), which exceed 45 million unique monthly users in the European Union, fall under the direct supervision of the European Commission in the event of an infringement. For other players, national authorities remain competent and can forward reports to the Member States where the companies are headquartered.

When contacted for this article, the DGCCRF (the French Bureau of Fraud Control) noted that it cannot comment on specifically identified companies that may be the subject of complaints or investigations. Nevertheless, it specified that platforms must have effective detection and removal mechanisms, while sellers remain responsible for any misleading presentation of products.

For its part, Vinted indicates that it is subject to DSA obligations but is not classified as a VLOP. The company highlights strict rules governing sales practices. "Vinted is a C2C marketplace, where the overwhelming majority of members are individuals. A very limited portion corresponds to professional sellers identified as Vinted Pro. Users are not authorized to offer items bought in bulk nor low-resale-value dropshipping products," a spokesperson clarified. The platform further asserts that it relies on automated tools and moderation teams to detect and delete content contrary to its terms of use, and invites its community to report any suspicious behavior.

Beyond internal moderation, users have a proactive role to play. In the event of suspected disguised commercial activity or deceptive practices, it is highly recommended to file a report on SignalConso. This public platform allows citizens to officially notify the administration of a breach, thereby facilitating targeted DGCCRF investigations to clean up second-hand platforms.

Critical risk for second-hand fashion

Beyond legal penalties, the very coherence of the model is at stake. By tolerating this mix of reuse and disguised commerce, Vinted is undermining its most valuable asset: the trust of its community. The danger lies not so much in the presence of fast fashion as in the erosion of sincerity in the act of buying second-hand. If these lines continue to blur, what was once an alternative to the mass market could become just another distribution channel, distorting the very spirit of responsible consumption.

Editor's note: Despite several follow-ups from our editorial team with the HR and marketing departments, none of the fashion brands and houses contacted for this article wished to respond to our inquiries at the time of publication.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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