Depop top sellers Sooki Sooki Vintage and Mini’s World share their best tips on how to optimise photos and listings

By Alma Fabiani

Updated Dec 22, 2020 at 12:16 PM

Reading time: 3 minutes

If you’ve read our previous Level Up on How to sell on Depop: from starting an account to optimising your listings tutorial, then you already know how the app works, which is a pretty good start. But you’re not yet a master seller, and who better to take advice from than two Depop top sellers? For this Level Up, we collaborated with Sooki Sooki Vintage and Mini’s World and asked them to share their best tips on how to optimise your photos and listings on the app. Hear their advice in the following Level Up class:

How to take good Depop photos

Keep in mind that although expensive equipment is not necessary in order to take good pictures of your items, you’ll need to make sure that your phone has a good enough camera. Don’t worry about spending money on lighting equipment, simply use natural light during the day if you can.

The same can be said about your set-up: utilise what’s around you, whether that is a simple bedsheet or shooting in an outdoor space. Get a friend involved if they’re up for it, which will make the whole experience even more fun. Create unique pictures that truly express your vision.

 

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

 

Une publication partagée par MINI 🌸| Online Vintage Store (@minis_w0rld)

 

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

 

Une publication partagée par Sooki Sooki Vintage (@sookisookivintage)

How to optimise your item's description

Once you’re done taking pictures, select a few of your favourites and see which ones work best together as well as with your item’s description. Start by adding a clear photo followed by a picture of the back of the item, then a zoomed-in picture and finally, a full-length photo of the outfit. Now, on to the description of your item!

In order to avoid spending too much time on each description, Mini’s World recommends using a set template: “You can now copy a listing on Depop, which means that you can start with a description of your item, then I usually add the size of the item in capital letters, so it’s really clear to people which section they’re on and what information they’re getting. Then I add the condition of the item, which is very important. Just communicate with potential buyers and let them know if it has any imperfections or faults. Underneath goes the information about the postage—I make it very clear how I ship. I then add some keywords, tag Depop in every post and use specific hashtags.”

How to optimise your photos and listings on Depop: top sellers Sooki Sooki Vintage and Mini's World share their best tips

Simply use Mini’s World’s template above for your own listings and make sure you always go through the same steps the top seller goes through. Write them down, save your usual keywords and hashtags, and create your own identity as a seller both through your photos and listings.

To really make her descriptions stand out from the crowd, Sooki Sooki Vintage explains that she likes to use “really obscure and weird names.” This not only allows her to express her creativity through her descriptions, but it also helps her highlight the potential of a specific item. Let’s say you have a red jacket that you’d like to sell on Depop. If you simply describe it as a red jacket, potential buyers won’t feel inspired by your caption and probably won’t think twice about your item. But if you get creative and describe it as a ‘red velvet cake vintage jacket’ for example, buyers will feel drawn in if not more enticed to buy it.

How to optimise your photos and listings on Depop: top sellers Sooki Sooki Vintage and Mini's World share their best tips

Big Depop no-nos

Spam tagging is probably one of the most annoying things one Depop seller can do on the app, which consists of using the wrong tags for items that don’t match the description included in a specific tag. For example, adding the hashtag #blacktrousers at the end of your item’s description when you’re actually selling a white top would be spam tagging. This would result in your white top appearing as a search result for someone looking for black trousers—not cool.

How to optimise your photos and listings on Depop: top sellers Sooki Sooki Vintage and Mini's World share their best tips

As Mini’s World told Screen Shot, adding spam tags will not help you on Depop. On the contrary, you might end up getting flagged for doing it in the first place, which could result in your profile being shadowbanned on the app.

Something else that our top seller Sooki Sooki Vintage says is not well received on the app is drop shipping, which is when a Depop seller buys their stock from big (and usually very cheap) wholesale sites only available in other countries and sells them back through their account for a higher price. Because the users who drop ship usually sell items before they even have received them, they also take a very long time to send them to their buyers. “They’ll say ‘give me a window of 2 to 4 weeks to send you your item’ when really they’re waiting for the items to come to this country so that they can send them out to you. Who wants to wait four weeks for an item when you can look fabulous in three to five working days, you know?”

To conclude, don’t forget that expensive equipment is not a priority when taking pictures of your items—just make sure you don’t compromise on natural daylight. Create your own universe through your shop using both your photos and descriptions. Don’t be shy, ask your friends to get involved! And finally, make your life easier, use a template for your descriptions.

Keep On Reading

By Abby Amoakuh

Self-swab DNA kits by nonprofit Enough hit with backlash for claiming it could end rape in universities

By Abby Amoakuh

First ever porn app launches on iOS devices to coincide with iPhone’s 18th birthday

By Abby Amoakuh

Vogue and Gigi Hadid face backlash for producing a Hairspray homage without plus-sized models

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance was a masterclass in political shade, hidden messages, and Black History month symbolism

By Charlie Sawyer

Not only are BMI scores sexist, racist and anxiety-inducing, they’re also massively inaccurate

By Charlie Sawyer

Here’s why the internet is convinced that Trisha Paytas’ third baby will be the reincarnation of Pope Francis

By Charlie Sawyer

President Trump and JD Vance angry over the DNC setting up a taco truck outside RNC headquarters

By Charlie Sawyer

Trump administration announces plan to offer US immigrants $1,000 to self-deport

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Could the next pope be Black? Peter Turkson’s papal bid could rewrite over 1,500 years of Vatican history

By Abby Amoakuh

BLACKPINK’s Lisa faces backlash after wearing civil rights icon Rosa Parks on her crotch at Met Gala

By Charlie Sawyer

Why has the new sculpture of a Black American woman in Times Square prompted mass outrage?

By Abby Amoakuh

What is taskmasking? Inside the TikTok trend that shows Gen Zers how to disguise their laziness at work

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Elon Musk’s grandfather’s far-right ties: Exploring the roots of the billionaire’s radical beliefs

By Abby Amoakuh

Sydney Sweeney calls wedding off and consciously uncouples from fiancé Jonathan Davino

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Unmasking exploitation in Africa: My undercover journey into Kenya’s Chinese seafood factories

By Abby Amoakuh

Tiktoker gets slammed by dermatologists for promoting dangerous caveman skincare regime

By Abby Amoakuh

Only at Coachella can you be caught saying the N-word and still perform without question

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

ICE under fire for allegedly deporting people identified by Jordans,  tattoos, and Nike gear

By Abby Amoakuh

Trying to manifest your dream partner for 2025? Influencer-backed app To Be Magnetic says it can help

By SCREENSHOT

Is Drake gay? Let’s unpack all of the online evidence