If you're reselling in the UK in 2026, three platforms matter — eBay, Vinted, and Depop. They look similar from the outside, but the fees, the buyers, the categories that work, and the speed of sale are all wildly different.
Use the wrong platform for your item and it'll sit unsold for months. Use the right one and it sells the same evening you list it.
Here's the honest breakdown.
The headline differences
| Platform | Best for | Fees (private UK) | Audience size | Avg sale time |
| eBay | Almost anything | 0% (private), 10-13% (business) | 27M UK users | 7-14 days |
| Vinted | Fashion, women's clothing | 0% to seller (buyer pays) | 16M UK users | 14-30 days |
| Depop | Trendy/vintage fashion, Gen Z | 10% | 30M global, ~3M UK | 14-60 days |
eBay — the workhorse
Strengths: - Zero fees for private UK sellers since September 2024. You keep 100% of the sale. - Largest UK marketplace — 27 million active buyers - Sold-price data is searchable — you can know what something is actually worth before you list - Sells almost any category — electronics, tools, collectibles, fashion, books - eBay Authenticity Guarantee lets you list trainers, watches, and handbags with buyer trust
Weaknesses: - More effort per listing (better photos, descriptions, postage setup) - Business sellers pay 10-13% FVF + a flat per-order fee + regulatory fee - Returns are buyer-favoured
Best for: - Anything that has a barcode (scan it with ScanJunki to check sold prices) - Electronics, tools, Lego, video games, designer fragrances - Vintage cameras, watches, collectibles - Tickets, gift cards (with caution)
Vinted — the fashion machine
Strengths: - Zero fees for sellers — buyer pays a "buyer protection fee" (~5-10%) - Built-in postage labels — print integrated with InPost/Evri/Yodel - Female-skewed audience that's used to buying secondhand - App-first experience — easy to list from your phone in under a minute - Bundling discounts are built in
Weaknesses: - Mostly fashion — listing electronics, tools, or random goods gets very few views - Lower price ceiling than eBay for similar items - Buyers expect rock-bottom prices - Pricier "non-trendy" items sit for weeks
Best for: - Women's high-street fashion (Zara, ASOS, H&M, M&S) - Children's clothing in bulk - Handbags (designer authenticated separately) - Shoes - Cosmetics (if rules allow) - Anything under £40 that fits in a small parcel
Depop — the trend-led storefront
Strengths: - Premium prices on hyped vintage, Y2K, trendy items - Gen Z audience that pays for aesthetic - Strong for archive fashion — vintage Stüssy, Dickies, designer - Visual storefront — your shop is your brand
Weaknesses: - 10% selling fee + PayPal fee = ~13% gone - Niche audience — wrong vibe and your stuff doesn't move - Cult buyer culture (expect haggling and DMs) - Less popular outside London / cities
Best for: - Vintage and "archive" fashion (90s, Y2K, 00s) - Streetwear (Supreme, Palace, BAPE, Stüssy) - Designer (Maison Margiela, Comme des Garcons, Issey Miyake) - Aesthetic / cottagecore / dark academia / coquette items - Original art, prints, zines, handmade jewellery
When to use each — by item type
Lego, electronics, tools, games, collectibles → **eBay every time.** Bigger audience, established category, zero fees for private sellers. Use ScanJunki to check sold prices before listing.
Modern high-street women's clothing → **Vinted first**, eBay backup. Sells faster, no fees to seller.
Vintage and trendy fashion → **Depop first** if you have time to wait for the right buyer at the right price. **Vinted** if you want it gone fast.
Designer items (authenticated) → **eBay** with Authenticity Guarantee for trainers, handbags, watches. **Vestiaire** is even better for luxury but takes a bigger cut.
Books, DVDs, low-value bulk → **eBay or Music Magpie.** Don't bother with Vinted or Depop.
Children's clothing in lots → **Vinted bundles.** Easiest sales platform on earth for this.
Trainers (hyped, deadstock) → **StockX, Goat, or eBay Authenticity Guarantee.** Depop only if it's a vibe pair.
Multi-listing — yes or no?
Yes, with conditions.
You can list the same item on eBay and Vinted simultaneously to maximise reach. Just:
- Pull both listings the second one sells
- Be honest about condition in both
- Don't list on eBay AND Depop — too much overlap, same audience
The fastest UK resellers cross-list everything and pull listings on sale. Just stay organised.
Fees comparison: same £50 sale
Selling a Lego set for £50:
| Platform | Seller fees | Postage paid by | Net to seller |
| eBay (private UK) | £0 | Buyer or you | £50 (or £45 after £5 postage) |
| Vinted | £0 (buyer pays protection) | Buyer | £50 |
| Depop | £5 (10%) + ~£2 payment fee | Either | ~£43 |
For Lego, eBay or Vinted are the obvious winners. Depop is just for fashion.
The bottom line
- eBay for everything except modern fashion. Use [ScanJunki](https://scanjunki.com) to scan barcodes and see exactly what items sell for before you buy.
- Vinted for fast women's high-street fashion sales.
- Depop for trendy / vintage fashion with personality.
Multi-list where it makes sense. Pull listings the moment one sells. And whatever you do, know your numbers before you list — that's the actual difference between profit and waste of an evening.