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You’ve been selling for years without an issue, and then a notification lands: a buyer is questioning whether what you shipped is authentic. If you sell branded clothing, this isn’t hypothetical. It happens, even when you’re completely certain about what you had in your hands. Here’s the actual procedure from Vinted’s terms, and what it means for you in practice.
How the claim comes in
A buyer can report, within the refund request period, two calendar days after delivery, that an item is counterfeit and clearly not as described. Vinted investigates and reaches out to both sides to gather information.
Three possible outcomes
There are three scenarios, and which one applies determines whether you get paid, have to refund, or lose the item entirely.
No doubt about authenticity. The transaction completes, the escrowed money goes to you, minus the Vinted fee.
Not enough information to decide. The case is treated as undecided. The transaction is cancelled, the buyer is refunded, and you get the item back. The buyer covers return shipping in that case, unless you agree otherwise.
Strong indication it’s counterfeit. You’re notified and given 48 hours to prove the item is authentic. That’s up from 24 hours in the previous terms, so you have a bit more breathing room now, but 48 hours is still tight if you don’t have a receipt or authenticity details close at hand. If you can’t prove it in time, the transaction is cancelled and the buyer doesn’t have to send the item back to get their money.
The six-week retention window
If an item is determined to be counterfeit after this process, Vinted holds onto it for six weeks from the notification, so you can dispute the finding. If you don’t submit satisfactory proof of authenticity or a formal objection within that window, Vinted can then remove, recycle, or destroy the item, without further notice or compensation. This is spelled out explicitly: you irrevocably waive any right to reclaim the item after that point.
What this actually means for you as a seller
The real risk isn’t getting flagged, that can happen to anyone with a skeptical buyer or unclear photos. The risk is not being able to respond in time. 48 hours is nothing if your proof of purchase is buried in an old inbox or you’re away from your phone for a weekend.
Practical advice: for every branded item you sell, especially higher-priced ones, keep a photo of the label, the stitching, and any authenticity markers before you ship it. Hold on to receipts or old listings as proof of provenance if you have them. That costs you two minutes per item and saves you a panicked weekend if a claim ever comes in.
The short version
Two calendar days for the buyer to report. 48 hours for you to prove it’s real. Six weeks of retention, after which the item can be permanently gone if you don’t respond. Responding in time is the only thing that matters here.
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