Dissecting Depop

Mapping the online fashion marketplace

Written and illustrated by Ava McNarney, Contributing Writer

The internet’s explosion over recent decades has taken the global fashion resale market on a sudden and dramatic journey. Streetwear trends, especially amongst Gen Z, tend to gravitate towards a favorite: Depop. It’s an online marketplace with more than 15 million users worldwide, mostly consisting of teens and young adults (Lorenz 2019). To quote CEO Maria Raga, “Our community is made up of people who are creating a new fashion system by establishing new trends and making new from old. They come to Depop for the clothes, but stay for the culture,” (Cassel 2021). It originated as a platform used primarily to buy and sell clothing and other products, but it has since transitioned into much more.

As Depop evolved, it has built on the capabilities of marketplaces such as Poshmark and grown in similarity to platforms like Etsy that service small business owners and creators. Both the resale and creative markets are accessible for both buyers and sellers, and the app is a unique and efficient hybrid of many other marketplace’s best qualities. Depop’s strictly smartphone app-based platform does more than just gear it towards a younger age group by allowing for quick and easy use (Jackson 2021).

While the app is easy to use, Depop can appear daunting to the buyer at first glance. The sheer amount of shops and items to choose from can be overwhelming. Keeping tabs on some of your favorite TikTok and Instagram influencers who are on Depop’s shops, from Olivia Rodrigo to Doja Cat, is a great way to begin navigating the app. The use of effective keyword searches can also simplify the process.

You’ve probably seen some of Depop’s heavily used keywords scrawled across posts in the form of hashtags on various social media. The average user of TikTok is surely no stranger to terms like the extremely popular Y2K aesthetic. Although these types of keywords are bound to lead you in the right direction, they’re not necessarily the most helpful for finding a great deal. As the app is populated with mostly teens active on social media, some upsell their products knowing that buyers will pay a higher price if they market an item properly. It’s essential to watch out for overpriced resale sellers who are especially likely to include these easily manipulated keywords.

With that said, there are certainly less risky keywords to use with considerable benefits. Terms concerned with the structure and specific qualities of a product you’re searching for, such as the name of a brand in addition to a particular pattern or look you’re looking to find can be quite helpful. Even just including the term “vintage” in a search can increase the quality of items found.

Not only must you watch out for tricky keywords, but also deceptive sellers. Of course, they’re looking to make some money, but they shouldn’t take advantage of a buyer. Don’t shy away from politely messaging a seller and asking for a reasonably lower price. This can certainly be a little intimidating, but keep in mind that they’d rather make just a bit less than none at all.

I’m sure you’ve heard complaints about the app’s allegedly high price range. Nonetheless, when equipped with the right mentality and bargaining skills, coming across a fair deal is relatively simple. Depop’s incredibly flexible ability to provide a platform for buyers to access creators, resellers, and stylists alike is something that not many marketplaces can compete with at the moment. The influence the platform has on the fashion world is worth an even further tale. If you choose to download the app, or even if you’re a current user, of course, proceed with caution but don’t be afraid to strike a deal with the right advice in mind.

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