Vinted, the leading second-hand fashion marketplace in Europe, has triggered a wave of anger among its UK user base after implementing a significant and unannounced overhaul of its sizing categories.
What Changed in the Vinted Sizing System?
The update, which applies exclusively to users in the United Kingdom, has completely transformed how sellers list clothing and how buyers search for items. The platform has moved away from its previous system where single dress sizes like 8 or 12 corresponded to a single letter size like Small or Large.
Under the old guidelines, a UK size 12 was classified as a 'Large'. This specific mapping had long been a point of contention for many users who argued that a size 12 should not be categorised as large. The new system aims to address this by making each letter category encompass a broader range of dress sizes.
The most dramatic shifts are seen at the extremes of the size spectrum. For instance, the 'Small' category, which was previously just a size 8, now covers sizes 8-10. Meanwhile, 'Medium' has expanded from a single size 10 to include sizes 12-14. The most substantial change is for the largest option, 9XL, which has jumped from a UK size 30 to an enormous UK size 52.
Frustration and Backlash from the Vinted Community
The abrupt nature of the change, delivered without prior warning, has left the community reeling. Sellers have been instructed to manually update the sizes on all their existing listings, a tedious and time-consuming task, especially for those with large online shops featuring hundreds of items.
Lucy Pollard voiced her frustration on TikTok, stating that platform bosses are 'ruining the app'. She expressed confusion over the decision, saying, 'I don't understand why they're not thinking about their users. It's just a mess.' Her sentiment was echoed widely in the comments, with one user noting they now have to amend 134 listings, while others lamented the lack of notice and the overall confusion caused.
The update also poses a significant problem for buyers. Shoppers who habitually search using generic terms like 'Small' or 'Medium', rather than specific dress sizes, and who are unaware of the new ranges, are now at high risk of purchasing items that do not fit.
The disruption has been so severe that some dedicated sellers have felt compelled to pause their activities. Hannah-Abby, a 35-year-old from Devon, told BBC News that she was forced to put her account into 'holiday mode', halting all sales, because she lacked the time to update her entire inventory. 'I think the whole thing just wasn't clearly thought through,' she remarked, adding that most of her friends have done the same. She is unlikely to return unless the update is reversed.
Vinted's Justification and a History of Unpopular Updates
In response to the backlash, a Vinted spokesperson told The Daily Mail that the update was designed to 'make sizing more accurate across international brands' and to align the platform more closely with others. The company stated that UK members were notified via a message in their Vinted inbox and can find full details in the Help Centre.
This is not the first time recently that Vinted has angered its users. Earlier this year, the platform infuriated sellers by introducing a new rule that could lead to bans for a once-common practice: deleting and re-listing unsold items. This 'hack' was a popular method for sellers to bump their items to the top of search results and attract fresh interest. The crackdown, intended to prevent spam and ensure a fair marketplace, was met with similar frustration from the community, with some content creators claiming the rule 'doesn't seem very fair'.
For now, the Vinted sizing update continues to dominate discussions among UK users, many of whom are questioning their future on the platform amidst the ongoing upheaval.
