A British woman has shared a cost-saving method for relocating her clothing to Australia, utilizing a loophole on the online marketplace Vinted. Beth Hackman, a 25-year-old physiotherapist, moved from Windsor, England, to Sydney, Australia, in March with her partner, Nathan Riley. Initially, she traveled with only two large backpacks but soon realized she needed more clothing for her new life.
Instead of incurring high shipping fees or purchasing new items, Hackman leveraged Vinted's platform. At the time of her move, Vinted offered free shipping on all items following its launch in Australia. To facilitate the transfer, Hackman's mother, Mel Belsdon, listed four bundles of Hackman's clothes on the app for £1 each. This pricing strategy ensured the items would not be purchased by other users.
Once Hackman purchased the listings, the four 2kg parcels, within Vinted's weight limit, were shipped and arrived in Australia within nine days. "It was such a good hack to discover!" Hackman stated. She noted that she could envision the clothes she wanted to wear from her home wardrobe and wanted to avoid spending money on replacements.
Hackman found the free shipping offer when she redownloaded Vinted with her location set to Australia. She and her mother quickly arranged the shipment, and the clothes arrived on her birthday, just over a week after the purchase. However, Vinted has since discontinued the free shipping option for items originating from the UK to Australia.
Currently, the average cost to ship a parcel via Vinted is approximately £1.50, which translates to about $3.03 AUD, still considered an affordable rate. Hackman believes many individuals possess unwanted items that could be resold for profit. "I'd just accumulated too much and hated how much was generally fast fashion," she said, reflecting on her decision to declutter before moving.
Hackman, who has sold over 600 items on the platform, encourages others to declutter, especially if saving for significant life goals. She also shared tips for successful selling on Vinted, emphasizing the importance of clear photos with a clean background, detailed descriptions, and prompt postage. She advises against overpricing items and suggests being open to negotiation to ensure items sell.
Before becoming a seller, Hackman initially used Vinted as a shopping tool, researching how items looked on real people before considering a new purchase. She used the platform to find