Providing a great Depop customer experience

Please note: Whilst we are able to share our top tips for seller success on Depop on the basis of our experiences and the feedback we get from our sellers, we do not make any guarantee or representation or accept any liability in relation to the sales or revenues to be gained as a Depop seller.

Defining a great customer experience

What makes a great customer experience on Depop? It’s all about doing everything you can as a seller to leave your buyer happy with their purchase and their time shopping with you. Great communication, courtesy and kindness, and shipping on time can all help you get started straight away.

Why does a positive customer experience matter?

It’s not complicated: keeping buyers happy can have a positive impact on your reviews and repeat sales. It makes our community a better place, and it can help make buyers want to come back to your Depop shop and buy from you again. Shopping online can involve a lot of browsing through different items and different shops. But sellers who provide great customer experience for their buyers can stand out - so it can help your shop succeed.

There are a few essential things that you will need to apply to raise the bar for your shoppers on Depop. Here are our top tips for creating a good and seamless customer service experience for all of your Depop buyers.

Best Practice Customer Experience Tips

1. Get your listing right

A best-in-class customer experience starts with your listings. This is your customer’s first interaction with your shop, so it’s important to get it right. You want to make sure that your buyer has all the relevant info about the item they’re purchasing. So remember to include as much detail as possible and be accurate about your item. Add measurements for garments and describe the item’s condition. Choose clear photos  that show the item honestly. Finally, put your estimated shipping times at the end of the description, so your buyer has an idea what to expect once they’ve purchased. Read our listing tips blog for further info.

2. Communicate clearly

Communication is everything. It’s an easy way to create trust between you and your buyer. Buyers might message you with questions about your item. Make sure to reply to these messages quickly - missing a message can make buyers less likely to buy from you. We recommend setting aside time each day to check in on your messages and follow up on any questions you’ve received from buyers. Turn on notifications to make sure you don’t miss an important message - you’ll find this under Profile > Settings > Push notifications.

Don’t forget: Speaking in a friendly, open tone in your messages can help improve your customer experience, too.

3. Making the sale

Once you’ve got a buyer interested in your item, it’s all about sealing the deal. Being open to offers can help you make the sale. Buyers can use the Make Offer feature and we’ll notify you when you receive an offer. You’ll find offers in the Selling Hub, where you can accept, reject or ignore any offers you’ve received. Be sure to respond quickly - offers expire after 24 hours.

4. Ship quickly

Making the sale isn’t the end of the customer experience. Shipping quickly is another opportunity to keep your customer happy.

Start by dropping your buyer a message to say thanks for the purchase and to let them know when they expect to receive it. Keeping them in the loop and letting them know of any potential delays is another way to build that trust with your buyer. And remember - happy buyers will often leave positive reviews and recommendations.

Then it’s time to ship. Make sure your item is packaged well so it arrives at its destination in one piece. 

Get your item shipped quickly. Shipping times are often mentioned in buyer reviews, so it’s a chance to impress your buyer. Try to ship within 3 days and let your buyer know if it’ll be longer than that.  Your shipping options depend on where in the world you are so check out our full shipping guide for further details.

And remember: whichever shipping option you choose, make sure you send your item tracked. Untracked parcels aren't protected under PayPal or Depop Seller Protection, because without tracking, you won’t have proof that you sent it to your buyer. If something goes wrong (like if the buyer claims the item hasn’t arrived), you must have proof that you shipped it off properly.

5. Mark as shipped and stay in touch

In addition to messaging your buyer once the item is sold, make sure you don’t forget to mark the item as shipped once you’ve posted it. Drop them a message once it has been shipped, too. This way they’re up to date on what they can expect from you.

Add your tracking number to the sales receipt by clicking ‘Mark as shipped’. This keeps your buyer informed so they won’t need to message you to find out when they can expect it.

6. Solving problems

Sometimes things don’t go entirely as planned. In these cases, buyers might message you with questions or raise the issue in the Resolution Centre after you’ve sent the item. If the item gets lost en route or isn’t as described, the transaction is covered by Buyer Protection.

Always try to resolve issues directly with the buyer first - don’t wait for it to be escalated to the Depop team. Doing this will hopefully avoid the complaint being escalated. If this happens, make sure you respond quickly to Depop requests, so buyers don't need to wait too long for a resolution. Otherwise, if your buyer is due a refund and this is delayed, Depop may cancel the sale and refund on your behalf from your balance. Explore our help center article for more info on how to refund a buyer.

The easy way to avoid situations like this is to keep buyers happy throughout the purchase.

Best customer experience examples

Now you know the steps you can take to give your buyers a great sales experience. But what does this look like in action? We asked @Beatron, one of our sellers, to share their best customer service stories and their helpful tips for achieving a positive buyer experience.

Please note: We asked real Depop sellers about their experiences of selling on Depop for the specific purpose of including their feedback in this blog. All quotes and testimonials included below were provided in response to that request and represent the seller’s own opinions.

@Beatron

@Beatron

@Beatron

@Beatron

Follow these top insights and tips and you will be well on your way to creating the perfect customer experience for your shoppers. List now!