Vinted makes algorithm change to shopping feeds leaving customers fuming
Social media forums have been flooded with comments from Vinted sellers who say their listings are suddenly getting no views and their sales have dropped dramatically.
One seller complained they hadn't sold anything in weeks.
"I've sold nothing since 10th of May! Literally nothing!!!! The price is ok and affordable," they said.
Another wrote: "I've gone from 500 views and really fast sales within a couple of hours listing to 5 views and no sales. I've reduced my prices significantly and still no takers. It's a junk yard."
Someone else said they had gone from selling £200 worth of items in two days to selling only one item in a week.
Vinted was approached by The Sun but did not confirm whether any particular changes had been made.
It has said it will sometimes test and trial changes or new features and will often ask users for feedback on them.
However Vinted users have suggested the algorithm may have changed - and they've also spotted changes to the app's layout.
Vinted is one of the most popular marketplace platforms in the UK, where you can buy and sell unwanted clothes.
More than 16million people in the UK are currently signed up to the site.
The app has a main newsfeed on its homepage where users are shown listings from sellers that they might be interested in.
I've made £200 on Vinted in 24 hours - the 9 items that are flipping FAST & the retro product to always pick up
Buyers can either browse items here or they can search for specific things they want.
Users recently noticed a change to the main newsfeed.
The home screen had previously shown buyers different sections including popular items, items they had favourited and items from different brands they had shown interest in.
Now it's been replaced by a large Recommended for You section.
Users can still scroll down to find their Favourites but the other sections have disappeared.
The Favourites section is also still visible on your user profile.
It's not clear whether the change to the newsfeed will have had any impact on sales for sellers.
But they say they're struggling to make sales because their items aren't getting enough views any more.
Some are blaming a possible algorithm change as well as the new layout.
One person complained: "Things that would get at least 20 views within a day are getting zero or stagnating at low views. Cant tell you how many times I've retaken photos/reuploaded and still NO CHANGE!"
Another said: "Had the same experience, has some things up for a few days that have 0 views."
While a third wrote: "Yes happening to me too, getting hardly any views and no favourites on items that normally gather likes quick. My items are not getting viewed… currently prioritising EBay …"
Other Vinted changes
Meanwhile, buyers claim the items they're being recommended by Vinted's algorithm are no longer items they would be interested in.
Some said their feeds were "weird" and showing them the same items repeatedly.
One person said: "I'm a buyer not a seller but recently the vinted algorithm went funky and has been showing me loads of stuff I've never searched for and am not interested in."
Another said their recommendations were "being flooded with s***** ornaments and homewares", adding that they hadn't bought or sold anything in weeks.
Vinted's algorithm looks at users' account preferences, history and interactions with listings to decide what items to recommend.
According to its website, it ranks where to show items on your newsfeed using factors including:
How recently an item was uploaded
The number of clicks and favourites it's had already
Where the seller is based
Price
The item's condition.
How to boost your Vinted sales
If you've noticed a dip in your sales, you should try these tricks from top sellers.
Long-time Vinted seller Melanie Monchar (@melaniemonch on Vinted), has more than 400 five-star reviews and has been selling for four years.
The mum-of-three told The Sun her checklist for making more sales:
Photos "stop the scroll" when buyers are looking so it's important they are clear, taken in natural lighting and show off the item. Iron any creases and make sure they look clean. Use a nice background.
Find the best title. Use keywords that buyers are searching for.
Price it right. Look what items sell for on Vinted and elsewhere. You can do this by looking on eBay using the 'sold items' function. Use the 'show only' filter on the left-hand side of the screen and then select 'sold items'.
Timing is everything. Think about the time of year you're selling - make sure your listings are seasonal. Melanie recently sold give summer dresses within an hour of them going live as hot weather hit the UK.
Use the description. Make sure you have a detailed description of each item, and include any flaws for transparency. Melanie likes to include measurements and fabric type, and she'll also use relevant hashtags in all her listings.
Another top seller, Chloe Chandler, has cashed in more than £4,000 through Vinted.
She says another common mistake people make is leaving items active for too long.
"After a month, say even three weeks, remove the item and re-upload it, especially during payday weekend," she says.
"I work at Vinted - my five ways to shift your items fast"
WANT an insider's tips to selling your items fast? Natacha Blanchard from Vinted has exclusively dished her secrets to selling success.
Time it right. If you upload just before the weekend it will maximise your chances of getting a sale because the weekend is the most popular time for people to browse Vinted. Bank Holidays are another great time to list items.
Sell complementary items at the same time. If you're selling a few items that work well together as an outfit, mention them in your description and point people towards your other items.
Mention trends. If your item fits into a certain fashion trend or style you should mention in the description. For example, "Y2K", "boyfriend jeans" or "quiet luxury".
Make your photos look their best. Your first photo should clearly show the entire item from the front. Photos are best taken against a plain, white or neutral background. With lighter-coloured items, use a darker background to create contrast. Capture multiple angles and take close-ups of details, including of any flaws. The more photos you take, the better.
Make sure the price is right. A good rule of thumb is that for items "new with tags" or "new without tags", a good suggested price is 60-80% of the retail price. For "very good" condition, try 40-60% of the retail price. For "good" or "satisfactory", go for 20-40%.
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