Postage tips for Vinted, eBay and Etsy sellers

If you sell on Vinted, eBay, Etsy or Depop, postage can quietly eat into your profits – or put buyers off. These tips will help you price postage correctly and send items for less.

Use the platform's built-in labels where they're cheaper

Vinted and eBay both offer discounted labels with partner carriers, often cheaper than buying direct. On Vinted the buyer pays the postage, so your job is to choose the right package size when listing. On eBay, compare the eBay label price with buying direct – and with the options in our calculator.

Know the size bands and pack to them

The biggest saving is keeping items in the smallest size band:

• Large Letter (35.3 × 25 × 2.5cm, 750g): t-shirts, thin tops, leggings, slim books and games. 2nd Class from £1.55.
• Small Parcel (45 × 35 × 16cm, 2kg): most clothes, shoes, books. Tracked 48 online from £3.75.
• Medium Parcel (61 × 46 × 46cm, 20kg): anything bigger. Compare couriers – Royal Mail is often not the cheapest here.

Fold clothes flat, use grey mailing bags rather than boxes, and squeeze out the air. A t-shirt in a box costs a parcel price; folded in a bag, it's a Large Letter.

Always use tracking

If a buyer says an item never arrived, tracking is your proof of delivery. Both eBay and Vinted rely on tracking to settle disputes. Royal Mail Tracked 48 bought online is now cheaper than untracked 2nd Class at the counter, so there's rarely a reason to skip it.

Charge postage accurately

• Weigh and measure items packed, before listing.
• Round up slightly to cover packaging costs.
• On eBay, consider "free postage" with the cost built into the price – it often improves search ranking.

Keep a packing station

A set of digital scales, a tape measure, bulk mailing bags and a thermal label printer will save you time and money if you sell regularly. See our packaging supplies page for what we recommend.

Drop-off options that fit your day

InPost lockers are open 24/7 and need no printer – ideal for posting on the way to work. Evri ParcelShops are in many supermarkets and corner shops with long opening hours. Royal Mail lets you drop pre-paid tracked parcels in many postboxes.