A Vinted Buyer Wants to Return an Item or Says It Arrived Damaged: What Sellers Can Do

When can a Vinted buyer return an item?

It depends on how the buyer paid and why they want to send it back. Vinted's Returning an item page says a purchase made with the Buy now button is protected by the Refund Policy (or the Pro Refund Policy when the seller is a Pro seller). If the buyer did not use Buy now, the purchase is not protected and any return or refund is agreed directly between the two of you.

For a protected order, the Refund Policy lists what qualifies and what does not. A buyer who just does not like the item, or finds it does not fit, can return it only if you agree or if you sold as a Pro seller.

What counts as significantly not as described?

Vinted's page on the term lists the main cases: wrong colour, incorrect size, missing parts or accessories that the listing did not mention, bundles with missing items, a stain, rip or break that the description and photos did not show, different main materials, a counterfeit, any other visible flaw that was not in the listing, and functionality that does not match the description.

The same page lists what is not covered: an item the buyer does not like or that does not fit them, minor differences that do not affect use or look (a slight colour shift from lighting, for example), and normal wear on an electronic device that the photos and description clearly showed. So an incorrect size label counts, and a correctly labelled size that is simply too short for the buyer does not.

Your listing is the reference for all of it. Flaws named in the text and visible in the photos are not a surprise to the buyer. A counterfeit report follows a faster clock, covered in Vinted's 48-hour counterfeit rule.

What happens after the buyer presses I have an issue?

The buyer presses I have an issue in the order within 2 days of Vinted's notice that the item should have been delivered. The Refund Policy calls these 2 calendar days. If they press nothing, or press Everything is OK, the order completes and the payment goes to you. Vinted says it cannot support a refund after that.

The buyer adds photos and details, such as the damaged parts of the item, the damaged packaging, or the parts that do not match the listing, and presses Send to seller. The order is suspended and the payment is held until the issue is resolved.

You then have three options on the page: a partial refund, where the buyer keeps the item and receives part of the price and the Vinted fee (not available for bundles), a full refund where the buyer keeps the order, or a request to return the item. Vinted notes the buyer should say what they want from you, and that sellers may offer a partial refund or pay for the return shipping.

If you and the buyer cannot agree, or you do not answer, the buyer can contact Vinted. The Refund Policy says support reviews the case and the available details, then decides what happens next.

How does the return itself work?

If you ask for the item back, the buyer presses Return the order and picks an option: an integrated return shipping option on Vinted, a shipping provider with a Vinted-generated label or code, or their own tracked return. For an own-label return the buyer should give you the tracking number, a photo of the item in its packaging, and a photo of the label showing the tracking number and both addresses. Once the buyer confirms an option they cannot change it or cancel the refund request.

The Refund Policy sets four conditions on a returned item: it is in the same condition as reported, comes back with all accessories, tags or labels, is packed properly, and is sent within 5 business days of your request. If one is missing, Vinted says the refund request may be disputed or dismissed. The buyer pays the return shipping under Vinted's terms, unless you cover it, for example with a Vinted-generated return label.

After the parcel reaches you, you have 2 days to confirm that everything is OK with it. The buyer's refund arrives when you confirm or when the 2 days end, whichever comes first.

For a buyer who wants to return an item for another reason, the page says it is your choice. If you agree, the return goes by any available shipping option and the buyer sends it within 5 business days of getting your return address. A Pro seller works differently: a buyer can return an item for any reason within 14 days of receiving it, under the right of withdrawal, unless the item is excluded from that right.

What does the buyer's refund include?

For a returned item, the Returning an item page lists the price of the returned item or items, the Vinted fee on them, and the shipping fee the buyer paid at checkout. If the buyer kept part of an order, Vinted recalculates the fee on what they kept. Offers, discounts and vouchers used at purchase are deducted in proportion to the price of what went back.

The refund goes to the e-wallet or account the buyer paid with, and the time it takes depends on that payment method. For you, the practical point is that the order stays suspended until the case is closed, so the money for it is not yet in your balance. Our guide to when Vinted pays you covers the normal timing.

If the parcel arrived damaged, can you claim from the carrier?

This is a second, separate route and it is last in the order. The buyer's refund is decided under the Refund Policy, where an order damaged in transit is an eligible case. Whether you are compensated is decided under Vinted's seller compensation page, and it applies only when you shipped with a prepaid Vinted-generated label and the shipping provider confirms the damage. The UK page gives a maximum of £500. If you sent the order without the Vinted label, Vinted says to contact the shipping provider yourself.

The same page says Vinted can only compensate a damaged parcel that was properly packed, and that investigating a lost or damaged parcel can take several weeks. A photo of the item in its packaging before you seal it is cheap to take, and the return flow above asks the buyer for the same kind of photo. For parcels that go missing instead, see what happens to your money when a Vinted parcel is lost.

The French Help Centre page sets amounts per carrier instead of one limit, from up to 15 EUR with DHL Express to up to 500 EUR with Vinted Go. Read the page for the country you sell in; our French version of this guide is Vinted : un acheteur veut retourner un article ou dit qu'il est arrivé abîmé.