Vinted, a major secondhand marketplace operating across 26 countries, faces growing complaints from sellers who say they have been unfairly penalized or banned from the platform with inadequate explanation or appeal processes.
One Oxford seller reported being refunded by Vinted despite providing photographic and video evidence of properly packaging a necklace, while another seller lost her account after Vinted deemed her authentic Birkenstock shoes counterfeit, even after she submitted receipts and photographs. A third seller, who operates a professional resale business through the platform, has experienced approximately 12 account suspensions in three years, including one permanent ban due to alleged fraudulent activity that was reversed five hours later as a false alarm. That incident resulted in 42 cancelled orders.
A survey launched by one affected seller collected over 6,400 cases of users reporting negative experiences with Vinted’s dispute resolution process. Consumer expert Martyn James indicated he has received numerous complaints about account freezes and money holds for alleged counterfeit sales, stating the issue has persisted for some time. He attributed part of the problem to automated systems handling disputes, arguing that while artificial intelligence can assist investigations, the process requires human review, particularly when financial consequences are involved.
James also noted concerns about the lack of meaningful appeal mechanisms, stating that the platform appears to act as judge and jury without adequate oversight. Vinted stated that all appeals are reviewed by human moderators and that 98% of transactions complete without requiring support intervention. The company emphasized its commitment to community safety and rule enforcement against counterfeit and dangerous items, while maintaining that users can appeal decisions. However, sellers have expressed frustration about the opacity of evidence presented against them and the difficulty in obtaining meaningful reconsideration of rulings.
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