Where to buy and sell vintage online, or OH MY! There are so many places to shop for or sell vintage online!
Let’s start with the basics. The tried and true websites that most shoppers have been using for years: eBay, Etsy, Amazon (yes Amazon!) Facebook Marketplace, Instagram and TikTok. These are the big players, although there are loads of others. You can now shop online directly through multiple social media sites including WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, SnapChat, Pinterest, YouTube, None of these sites cater specifically to vintage buyers and sellers, although with some persistence you may be able to find or sell amazing vintage and antique pieces.
If you prefer to shop exclusively for vintage and antique items, you’re in luck, as vintage sellers have been selling online almost as long as the internet has been around. The oldest online antique and vintage marketplace is TIAS, short for “The Internet Antique Shop.” They have been in business since 1995. That’s over 30 years! Ruby Lane is another marketplace filled with antique and vintage shops; the site has been in business since 1998. Antiques Boutique is a vintage and antique marketplace based in England and specializing in home goods, furniture and art that has been in business since 2004. For highly curated vintage check out Vintage Keepers, a small collective of curated vintage shops with fabulous photography. Of course the shops of Vintage Unscripted are always recommended!
There are loads of stand alone shopping sites with a mix of new and older items., WhatNot, Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, The Real Real, Vestiarie, Chairish, and Vinted, are just a few. You can often filter and search for vintage on many of these sites. Resale shopping sites cater to an eclectic mix of vintage and newer resale items. Some are geared towards home goods while others have lots of clothing, shoes, and accessories.
Many of the live and video centric sites tend to serve a younger group of shoppers. Many of the online marketplaces now also include live shopping. Most of these sites are auction style or buy it now, as the items tend to be one offs. Some offer bundle buying as well. Interestingly, live shopping has been popular in China for several years, while in the US it’s beginning to catch on mostly with younger buyers.
Tips for shoppers:
- Keep a list of items you are looking for.
- If you’re shopping for clothing, know your measurements.
- When searching, remember to search for misspelled words.
- Be flexible.
- Make reasonable offers to sellers, be respectful, someone has put their time and effort into finding and listing, be mindful of their efforts.
- Use Google alerts for hard to find items.
Tips for sellers:
- Take good photos. Describe your item well.
- Include sizing.
- Be flexible with pricing within reason.
- Figure shipping costs in advance and be clear with them.
- Respond to potential shoppers in a reasonable amount of time.
- Pack and ship within the specified date.
- Thank your buyers.
Whether you’re buying or selling vintage online, there are a plethora of sites and apps that can be helpful. There are sites and apps for specific items including clothing, athletic shoes, sporting goods and more, as well as apps to help determine values and pricing, track inventory and cross post on listing sites. Do some research to find the apps and websites that work best for you.
