DEPOP

I'm sure you're familiar with the platform Depop, so I just wanted to talk through my thoughts and experiences with Depop and how I feel they are future of fashion. It's really the Ebay for younger people, I wouldn't really ever shop on Ebay but this app is basically just a lot better organised and laid out to fit the younger generations.

Something I found on their website was on the about page that Depop was founded by co-founder of PIG magazine and RETROSUPERFUTURE sunglasses, Simon Beckerman. Originally a social network where PIG’s readers could buy items featured in the magazine. After realising that Depop needed a selling function, Simon re-envisioned the app as a global marketplace — a mobile space where you can see what your friends and the people you’re inspired by are liking, buying, and selling. This is such an interesting story behind the founding of business and how one idea can flow to the next and I feel they have been very successful.

One of the biggest reasons I use Depop is to help the environment and avoid fast fashion sites as the earth really needs us to slow down the production and reduce waste. It's a great place for people to sell their old clothes they don't wear anymore, which I do a lot of, so that it can get a second life and not end up in a tip. With trends changing so quickly at the minute the amount of waste people and brands are producing is ridiculous and we really need to make changes. Luckily recently there is a trend of vintage and unique styles so people are searching charity shops, thrift shops and reseller sites to find some great pieces. I love looking on Depop for unique pieces, you can really find some gems.

Of course another amazing thing about Depop is the pricing, you can get some amazing deals, I recently brought a near to perfect Champion sweatshirt for about 20% of the original price. You can buy vintage, to designer to brand new pieces for a fraction of the price.

It's also a great way to find rare, out of stock or discontinued pieces, whenever something I want it out of stock I always look on Depop and most of the time someones selling it.

You can find some deals on second hand designer pieces but it is very risky to trust, I have heard of several stories of people receiving non genuine pieces. It's also become a place where people start businesses selling fakes which I don't agree with.

However I have seen it become an amazing platform for so many small businesses to grow which is so amazing and easy for them to do.

You do meet some very odd people through the site, asking for a ridiculously low price or when purchasing they take forever to send or it comes not as its described. I've also heard many stories of peoples ordering being 'lost in the post' or similar issues and people just try and scam you out of your money. I ordered a cream bronzer from someone and they said it was brand new but when I received it, it had clearly been used and people really don't like to give you a refund. I also ordered a dress and the girl lied to me about when she had posted it. It is a bit of a risky site where you find some really bad people but there are also some amazing people and amazing clothes.

Whilst we are on lockdown many people are clearing out their wardrobes and finally getting round to putting up their clothes for sale so the content is doing well at the minute and Depop have actually made a collaboration with Hermes to offer discounted rates for pick ups so that if you sell something you can just leave it at your door and someone will come and pick it up so you don't have to worry about getting to the post office, this extra little thing really shows that they care about their customers and are willing to make this time a bit easier for them.

I've only really used the app to interact with Depop and I don't really have a deep knowledge of everything they are doing for the community, buyers&sellers or for themselves the further the company. To start my research I visited there website which immediately fills the screen saying download the app, so it's clear this is their main focus. But as I looked at the tabs at the bottom theres one which says BLOG which I wasn't aware they had so I had a look into it.

The blog is full of great content such as speaking to different artists, photographers and designers about a wide variety of topics which are very interesting and take the brand further than just being a clothes sale app. They also have a section for 'seller tips' and 'buyer tips' which is a great way for those who are trying to start a business of the platform to be successful with professional advice. The buyers tips are great for those who are new to the platform or for those who want to get more out of it. All these extras are a great way to gage a wider audience and show they are more than just a sales site and that they really care. They also keep the blog up to date on their pop up stores so its a great way to keep informed.