Brussels – No more automatically added fees to purchases or misleading advertisements that give the impression that purchases are free of charge. Vinted, the widespread online platform for selling and buying second-hand clothing returns to the fold after being reprimanded by the European Commission.
In line with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which as of February 17, 2024, has tightened the screws on the security and reliability of online platforms, Vinted has changed its website and mobile app to better inform consumers about the total price of products offered and how to claim a refund if a purchase does not arrive or is counterfeit. In making the announcement, the EU executive points out that it has received “numerous complaints” about Vinted in the past, including “one regarding the automatic addition of a fee to the purchase at check-out without informing consumers in advance.”
The alignment with Brussels’ demands by the platform founded in 2008 in Vilnius, Lithuania, completes the dialogue with the European Commission and the Lithuanian Consumer Rights Protection Authority that began in December 2021. In addition to more information about the automatic addition of the buyer protection fee and procedures for requesting any refunds, Vinted has improved transparency in verifying the identity of members and the mechanism to calculate average user ratings and reviews approved.
“The second-hand sale of goods between consumers becomes increasingly popular, and both the seller and the buyer need to understand how online marketplaces work and what their rights are when things don’t go as expected,” said European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová. Vinted alone now has a community of 65 million users.
Jourová praised the “success of the coordinated efforts of national consumer authorities.” However, some of the European Commission’s demands went unheeded, particularly regarding the need to inform consumers that the prices displayed do not include delivery charges. The EU executive and the Lithuanian State Authority have urged Vinted to address the issue, assuring that they will continue to monitor Vinted’s website and app “to make sure that the implemented changes meet the company’s commitments.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
