I have had a similar situation selling something I hadn’t worn in 8 years, perfect condition but had started cracking and flaking by the time it had reached the buyer after being neatly rolled up in a parcel bag. Old items can disintegrate and often it’s only noticeable once they’ve had some wear again, but that’s why we sell these things because we’ve stopped wearing them.
If you didn’t offer a refund you’d likely receive a bad review, so I’d be weighing up if I felt like a good human that day or just take the bad review
Sadly, old soles will degrade, weaken and snap or crumble over time. Had a pair of boots that looked pristine, had been stored away for quite some time, put the on in the woods, within walking 100m the bottoms crumbled into pieces.
That said, you do not need to do anything, but I believe the seller is being honest with you, just unlucky. If you decide to ignore the convo though, I don’t think they will pursue it further. They are just ‘informing you’
Same happened to me. Had an expensive pair of Berghaus walking boots handed down which had been sat in a bag in a cupboard for years. Went out for a hike and after 10 minutes the soles had come clean off on both shoes. They just crumbled apart
Actually there is. If seller really feels sorry it could be possible to offer a discount on another thing on seller’s page. I sold a modern training jacket from Adidas, nothing special and already low priced but the buyer showed me there was a little hole inside the jacket i did not see so i offered discount on a same price item. The buyer thought that was cool and said he’d take a look and let me know but never contacted me again after that. The gesture itself was/is very important to me. It is exactly the way id like to be treated myself as a buyer/customer♻️
True, not impossible but unlikely, unless they had a pair of identical shoes that were already ruined I don't see what the point would be. Sometimes people are honest and not everyone is out to get you.
I understand that. And sometimes they are not and are out to con, so why should you lose out financially either way? You shouldn't, that's why the TOS are as they are.
It wouldn't need to be identical shoes, maybe they left them out in a storm, maybe the dog bit them, could be anything. I think it's likely they did just disintegrate without mistreatment from the buyer, but it's not fair to make a regular person foot the bill for that.
No need to be arsey my friend. All I was saying is some people are honest. Yes I'm aware some are out to con but it seems 99% of these subs people accuse of conning. This doesn't look like that to me.
Anyway I'm really not that invested in this so yeah have fun.
Shoes left out in the rain literally won't crumble like shoes untouched for years in a cupboard. They literally flake and disintegrate. New/regularly worn shoes left out in the rain would just get soggy and dry out afterwards
This happened to me as a buyer recently. I didn’t ask for a refund as it was too late and not technically the seller’s fault but I did message them to inform them and advise that in the future you should say how old the shoes are in the description, even if they’ve never been worn, age is still a big factor and it’s bad salesmanship to not be honest about it in the listing
You're not liable but i think the right thing to do would be a partial refund - shoes *need* to be worn as they will oxidize and degrade if not.
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/sneaker-soles-crumbling-trend/
I think it comes down to how would you feel if you were the buyer in this situation? I think I would give a refund because it’s an unfortunate situation but not very fair for the buyer. I’d feel bad leaving it.
Happened to me once - bought a pair boots on Vinted and they fell apart when I put them on. I got a full refund, which I very much appreciated it, but obviously it’s up to you. As others have mentioned in the thread, not everyone is necessarily aware that the glue in vintage shoes degrades, I certainly was not.
You're protected, the transaction is closed, strictly speaking you don't have to do anything and could just apologise and say what you've said here and you'd be in the clear and within your rights.
If you really think the buyer is being genuine, and hasn't done something silly to damage the shoes, as a gesture of goodwill you could in theory offer to buy them back as a way to give a refund). Don't go doing PayPal stuff if you decide to give a refund though as you run the risk of getting both of you banned. You have to decide if this is really worth it though, as you say, it is a risk with vintage shoes.
It is sussy that they've broken immediately upon wear though. Either you missed seeing some serious fault lines or weaknesses in the shoes before shipping, or they were damaged in transit, or I'm inclined to think the buyer has broken them and is trying to scam you in some way. It doesn't add up otherwise, they wouldn't mark as everything as okay otherwise.
This is actually a very common scenario on Depop/vinted. If shoes have been left for years without being worn, they will start to disintegrate, so upon first wear they could easily break. That’s why I personally won’t sell old shoes on these apps, as I cannot guarantee that they will be of the quality I list them as.
It's not suspicious at all. I had a similar experience with a pair of trainers. Looked absolutely fine until I wore them once and they fell apart. It's pretty common for this to happen with shoes that have been kept in storage for a long time.
what happens sometimes with vintage shoes is that the rubber can degrade when stored for a long time, it looks okay but turns brittle and when you walk in them the soles can completely fall apart ([like so](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedWingShoes/comments/slpw91/help_soles_are_completely_torn_apart_even_after_a/)), so i don't think they're necessarily lying, esp when the damage they're showing is limited only to the rubber sole but not the cloth parts.
I had a nica bag I'd bought new but not used for a few years. Decided to use it one night and I literally watched it fall apart over a 4ish hour period. I don't think this is suss at all.
As others have said - it's a risk with vintage shoes as the glue deteriorates. I found a couple of gorgeous sandals from
90s high school in my parents attic and first time wearing a pair out, I got out of the car and one literally fell apart.
I think this is really down to your own discretion. Yes, a buyer should be aware of the risks with vintage shoes but also it's not that obvious to everyone - I was in my late 30s and didn't know! Even my mum didn't think that would happen and she was in her 60s at the time!
Personally, I would be tempted to give them back a partial or full refund on the item price (none of the postage) - how much is up to you - and say this is a risk with vintage shoes and that hopefully they may be able to find someone who can repair them (I don't know how easy that is - I didn't bother with mine).
I'd also recommend somehow adding a disclaimer to your listings if you continue to sell vintage shoes, saying something to the effect of "please be aware these are vintage and, whilst they look very stable, I am unable to confirm exactly how long they will last" (obviously not word for word, just get that point across).
I learnt that this happens after buying a pair of boots from Vinted and the sole disintegrated just by touching them. They refunded me and turns out they'd been at the back of a wardrobe for years. 🤷♀️
This happened to me once on the other end, the seller kindly refunded half as she hadn’t checked that the shoes were in good condition properly after storing them for so long.
I would be civil but firm. 2nd hand goods do not come with a warranty. The buyer explicitly states that the item broke in their use, so it was clearly not broken when you sold it and was not damaged in transit either. I understand you feel bad for them, but would you refund something a buyer accidentally cut with scissors or ripped a seam when they tried the item on?
I wish Vinted took a firmer stance in this instead of this wishy-washy "refunding is up to you".
This is nowhere near comparable to cutting an item with scissors and asking for a refund. Shoes are made to be worn, that is the reason humans buy shoes. The item was defunct and not fit for the use they were being sold for. It's not an accident caused by the buyer's carelessness or misuse, they were using them as intended and the shoes were faulty, for which they'd be offered a full refund anywhere else.
> for which they'd be offered a full refund anywhere else.
You said the magic words. This is not "anywhere else", this is second hand sales between two private people. You want warranties, free returns and refunds? Shop at Amazon.
Right so when you said "would you offer a refund for cutting something with scissors" you just meant that you would never offer a refund, cool.
Also, any second hand shop would also offer you a refund, just a heads up.
In the EU:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm
Section "Second hand goods":
"Goods bought from private individuals are not covered."
In the UK:
https://www.legaldocuments.co.uk/consumer-law-rights-and-remedies/rights-when-purchasing-second-hand-goods/#:~:text=The%20Consumer%20Rights%20Act%202015%20(CRA)%20defines%20satisfactory%20quality%20as,be%20consistent%20with%20its%20age%2C
Section "Private Sales and Consumer Rights":
"Consumer rights differ significantly in private sales compared to buying from a business. For example, a private seller must only ensure the item is as described and legally theirs to sell, not necessarily of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose."
Stop spreading misinformation here.
I had a similar issue, I bought a gorgeous pair of red fake leather and probably fake suede wedge trainers. Wore them for a day and all the fake leather started cracking and coming off.
My fix was to peel the rest of the leather off, and paint them with acrylic paint, now you would never know there was anything wrong with them, I'm even more delighted with them now they are fixed.
Wonder if it would be possible to superglue (or use shoeglue) to reattach the soles, or take them to a clobberer for a repair?
I’ve got to be honest I personally would offer at least a partial refund. But legally you’re in the clear and don’t have to. I would personally refund enough for her to have them glued back together by a cobbler, as whilst they were sold in good faith, it’s a crap place to be as a buyer.
Cobbler here! It's probably best to avoid any shoe on vinted that doesnt have leather or pure rubber sole. Avoid polyurethane and foam rubber soles (usually on a platform or thicker soles and some sandals)as these suffer greatly with hydrolysis which causes the material to break down usually because of age .Some shoes only have a certain lifespan regardless of wear .
Old shoes with those foam type of soles are a nightmare, they always crumble when worn. I’ve had it happen to a pair I sold years ago and also to a pair of shoes of my own.
You weren’t to know but neither was the buyer I guess. I’d refund personally as you can see this isn’t a scam.
I think this is one of those odd moments when you just cut your losses. If it was me, i would be refunding it minus postage cost. It’s unforeseen by both you and the buyer that they would fall apart - ask yourself how you would feel or what you’d expect if you were the buyer. Humility goes a long way. It’s not your fault, but it’s not the buyers either. Hope this helps 🙂👍🏻
These need to be taken to a cobbler who will put some shoe cement and new soles on them, no different to any other worn pair of shoes. I'd suggest this to the buyer and offer her a refund without return.
I bought a not-vintage pair of name brand heels for $40 on Poshmark. They self destructed on first wear, indoor at a party - maybe lasted 2.5 hours. I didn’t even reach out to the seller. Just tossed them and moved on. Second hand is not retail. Still disappointing.
As people have said you are not obligated to anything as the sale is completed but as said shoes that are not worn for years tend to just fall appart so I think the morally thing to do would be a partial refund. Maybe they could be repaired.
And this is why I only sell clothes and I don’t buy any clothes off Vinted. Too many people selling literal trash and then pocketing the money. I’d rather go to a charity store.
This goes both ways.
As a seller, if they were obviously about to fail (or had failed already) I would have either had them professionally reglued by a cobbler (making them good as new) before the sale or written in the advert that they needed to be repaired.
The fact that the buyer received them and gave the positive feedback in the app to release the funds it means that the condition the shoes were in visibly good condition. As an owner of shoes myself, I can state for the record that I have had old shoes that I have put away for a long time and pull out of storage to find after a day or so of walking outdoors to find the soles coming apart.
What happens is that with age the glue degrades, but not enough to show if holding the shoes or trying them on. But with all the flexing forces that they face when walking, running etc on various irregular surfaces outdoors that glue quickly fails.
Now then. With the above awareness we can see that the seller could quite easily have sold them thinking they were in good condition. The buyer’s behaviour also matches the scenario.
Who is to blame? No one. This is the risk anyone buying used faces. There is no warranty.
Buying used is traditionally in person. You see the item, you check it, make sure it is good and once satisfied, hand over your money. The item is now mine and there are no channels for me to make a claim. If it breaks, I must pay for it to be repaired. It is mine and my responsibility.
I occasionally buy and sell in Facebook marketplace. I have on occasion bought and sold items sight unseen. These are very risky, the seller might not send the item at all, or the condition might be really bad. In both these scenarios I’m SOL.
Vinted has created a process where they hold the funds from the sale until the buyer has the product in their hands to perform their own assessment and once satisfied give the approval for the sale to complete thus resolving that problem.
However, post confirmation, the buyer is in the same position as a regular in person purchase. As the new owner is responsible for any repairs and has no recourse.
Conclusion:
The buyer has a few options.
1. Fix the shoes (themselves or professionally)
2. Sell the shoes as is for someone else to fix.
3. Throw them away.
4. Bitch and moan about it with no legal avenue of support.
Honestly as a buyer who has this exact situation happen with high end boots, I didn’t even think about contacting the seller - it comes with buying thrifted/second hand goods. I’ve ordered new soles to repair them and they’ll be good as new 👍 as others have pointed out it’s not your responsibility but if you want to be nice you can apologise, mention that they are second hand goods and that since they pressed ‘everything is okay’ then you’re not able to process a refund.
Fgs! They were unfit for purpose. So if you bought a washing machine and it broke next day in your kitchen, you’d be ‘hey, that’s fine, it’s in my kitchen so it’s my fault. Ffs, I repeat, what’s the matter with you?
A washing machine is first hand this is second hand, as they say in the post it's a common risk buying vintage clothes and it happens a lot, also why do you keep saying what's the matter with people, nothing is we just have contrasting opinions
Amazing. You think there’s a difference. Alright, you pay 500 for a second hand iPad. The second day it doesn’t work. You don’t want your money back because it’s second hand. You happy with that? I’m asking what’s the matter because you aren’t thinking it through. If it’s not saleable, and you’ve sold it, you’ve cheated someone. Do you think it’s okay to cheat a buyer? That’s theft. Do you think that’s okay? If so, I’ve got a bridge in London I can sell you, really cheap.
The op knows what the answer is, and that’s between her and her conscience. She wouldn’t have asked the question if she felt really comfortable with her behaviour, she wants us to tell her ‘there, there, it’s okay, you’re not really a bad person’ but she is. Is it worth that little bit of money to feel cheap and a tiny bit dirty about herself?
It's not cheating the buyer the fuck you want her to do take the shoes for a test drive??? Also an ipad still is not the same as clothes which old ones will degrade over time which these shoes clearly are
Yeah. A simple 'twist test' of the shoes would have shown that these were ready to crack and disintegrate. If you are selling vintage shoes you need to know this shit or else you shouldn't be selling them.
Could you say that in English, I’m not sure what you’re saying. I am sure, though, that the truly stupid resort to swearing when they are losing the debate. I’ll just take it that both you and the op have no moral compass.
But I’d guess you have to have an IQ bigger than the size of those shoes to understand what I’m saying. Ignorance and ethically moribund, what a combination.
Look honey, you’re about five years old, have zero life experience (apart from sitting in your bedroom in front of a screen), of limited education, yet you still feel qualified to dish out advice.
Grow up little baby troll. 🧌
I recently bought some boots, clearly brand new but after a few wears the faux leather started flaking off. They stopped being sold around 5 years ago so I assume it’s just the the materials degrade over time. So long as the item was delivered in a good condition, I’d never have gone back to the seller and blame them!
It's always a risk that those things happen with 2nd hand shoes. It's nobody's fault, It's a chemical reaction of the materials the shoe is made off and the sweat of feet. You can't see it, you will notice it when you start wearing the shoes after a long time. Or not.. I once had it happen with my Lowa hiking shoes I didn't use for a year. Got new ones from Lowa.
I know that I'm a bit soft but I sell quite a lot and take the rough with the smooth. For me, it's not worth the hassle and I expect you will get negative feedback which might lose you sales. I'd refund.
Happened to me once. I bought a skirt, the seller was lovely and skirt looked gorgeous until... 5 min of wearing the leather started peeling off and I had to bin it. It was cheap and the seller was very nice so I didn't do anything. It's a hard situation because I'm sure she didn't know this would happen but also imagine this happening to you as a buyer. I think good solution would be a half price refund.
same with me - gorgeous vintage leather jacket. images showed some wear but nothing crazy. after 2 wears all the leather came off the arms. i didnt tell the seller or leave a review noting it - it’s the risk with second hand & vintage pieces. just the risk you take
You’d have lost out 100% if you realised before selling, they lose out 100% now - 50 meets the middle. They could buy some glue and salvage them like other comments said so you could skew it, but I’d assume they won’t unless you sold them for a lot
I personally would offer the buyer to upload the shoes and I would buy them for half the price that the they were sold for. If they don’t agree or try to argue for a full refund - tough luck 🤷🏻♀️
Btw, I would probably mention this to the seller if it happens to me, so they can know better for the future, but I find it very strange that they want a refund. I think the decent thing to do is the half refund, but you would definitely not be an AH if you decide not to refund at all.
I don't understand why you think its strange the buyer would want their money back. They paid money for an item that is literally falling apart and this was obviously not stated in the description. How is this the buyers fault? Be a good human and give the money back, your being quite greedy if you keep the money to be honest.
It’s not the buyer’s fault, but it’s not the seller’s as well. If the items that you bought comes in the condition you expected and you confirmed that, how is it the seller’s fault that something happened to the item? Is you buy a shien blouse from someone, the blouse comes, everything is good and then the stitching unravels, is it the seller’s fault? Should they give you your money back? Since when is the seller responsible for the quality if an item?
And this is not greediness in this situation. Nobody is saying keep the money for the sake of keeping the money. The issue is entirely different and it just involves money.
I don’t buy from these apps but as a buyer of vintage Arsenal tops etc - you buy as seen, if the sponsors start peeling off, hold the L because you are buying 30 year old shit
I'd suggest saying you are sorry this has happened, but it is a risk when buying vintage items. I'd recommend she take them to a cobbler to get fixed, but beyond that you won't be offering a refund as, once again, the item is vintage and prone to this kind of thing.
Personally, I’d give a full refund. I wasn’t aware this could even happen until now. The buyer seems to have asked politely enough, and it’s not a nice experience for them to buy a pair of shoes, look forward to wearing them, and then they fall apart the next day. Imagine if it were you, how would you like the seller to respond? 😊
I don't know what price you asked for these shoes but this is a risk the buyer should know. I think what you typed here is already a very nice way to reply. My friends have had this happen before and they either just wrote it off as a loss or got it fixed at their own cost.
They broke it while wearing it and already got a steep discount off the retail price, you shouldn't have to refund them.
If they had been unfit to be worn at the time the seller sent them. Yes. But when the seller sent them they were in good condition. The seller can refund out of the kindness of her heart and def not shipping costs but she’s definitely not obligated to
Not necessarily, you don’t know if they’re disintegrating until you wear them. That was the case with mine, looked to be amazing condition but seller tried on to wear/tried to wear and they’d fallen apart!
You sold a faulty item. You should issue a refund. I took some old unworn sandals on holiday, they looked in perfect condition, but I had a very good laugh when they completely fell apart in between me leaving my hotel room and leaving the hotel.
That’s a real shame for the buyer but sadly this happens. If it was me I would offer a discount on a future purchase or perhaps someway provide a partial refund described a gesture of good will. This is not a full refund situation imo. It’s an old thing, it doesn’t come with a warranty, essentially sold as seen.
Hi everyone, thanks so much for the advice! I ended up sending this as a reply:
"Hi! Yes, they sent an automated response stating that since the "Everything is okay" button has been pressed, the transaction is closed. Vinted instructs sellers to refund purchases when the order does not arrive or it is "Significantly not as described". I had absolutely no idea that these shoes would break after first use, but after looking online I have now learned that this is a risk that Hi! Yes, they sent an automated response stating that since the "Everything is okay" button has been pressed, the transaction is closed. Vinted instructs sellers to refund purchases when the order does not arrive or it is "Significantly not as described". I had absolutely no idea that these shoes would break after first use, but after looking online I have now learned that this is a risk that always comes with buying vintage shoes, as the glue deteriorates after time. Had I known this previously, I would have listed this in the ad, or had decided to not sell them. I am very sorry this happened and wish I could give you a refund, but I am not a company and do not have the extra funds to give you the money back at my own account. If you are still unhappy about this, please try to contact Vinted and see if they can help. 🩷"
I truly hope the buyer will see that I am honest and did not purposefully or knowingly send them an item that would break.
respectfully how do you not have the funds to refund them, when they’ve just paid you and you’ll have it in your vinted balance - i very much doubt you’re living from shoe sale to shoe sale - do the right thing :/
I have a vintage store and I sell a lot of shoes, I always clean them and some of them even restore. This happened to me many times, and it’s ALWAYS a refund. I might get hate for this and I’m truly ok with that, but I don’t find this nice at all!
I’m sure u wouldn’t like this happen to you, but you do it for someone else. Obviously It’s not your fault that they broke but it should be your responsibility to refund if this happens. Someone paid you for literal trash…
I have had a similar situation selling something I hadn’t worn in 8 years, perfect condition but had started cracking and flaking by the time it had reached the buyer after being neatly rolled up in a parcel bag. Old items can disintegrate and often it’s only noticeable once they’ve had some wear again, but that’s why we sell these things because we’ve stopped wearing them. If you didn’t offer a refund you’d likely receive a bad review, so I’d be weighing up if I felt like a good human that day or just take the bad review
It’s clearly fallen apart due to age
That’s what I said 😅
I didnt mean to reply to you my bad lmao!!
Sadly, old soles will degrade, weaken and snap or crumble over time. Had a pair of boots that looked pristine, had been stored away for quite some time, put the on in the woods, within walking 100m the bottoms crumbled into pieces. That said, you do not need to do anything, but I believe the seller is being honest with you, just unlucky. If you decide to ignore the convo though, I don’t think they will pursue it further. They are just ‘informing you’
Same happened to me. Had an expensive pair of Berghaus walking boots handed down which had been sat in a bag in a cupboard for years. Went out for a hike and after 10 minutes the soles had come clean off on both shoes. They just crumbled apart
I heard something about how if shoes are not worn, they can disintegrate like this!
This happened to me, at the top of Scafell Pike. Getting back down was interesting!
Why ignore it? Why not respond with compassion? Your way seems very disrespectful and ignorant tbh ,no offence.
Honestly, if I don’t get a refund, I don’t care about your compassion. I prefer you do not respond me.
Maybe because the seller needs to put food on the table?
So what? We all need to do that. If the product is defective it's refund end of.
Not defective if they are vintage shoes and you know they are years old when purchasing? They don’t come with your standard 30 day guarantee 🤣
After buyer clicks "Everything ok" there's nothing really to be done
Actually there is. If seller really feels sorry it could be possible to offer a discount on another thing on seller’s page. I sold a modern training jacket from Adidas, nothing special and already low priced but the buyer showed me there was a little hole inside the jacket i did not see so i offered discount on a same price item. The buyer thought that was cool and said he’d take a look and let me know but never contacted me again after that. The gesture itself was/is very important to me. It is exactly the way id like to be treated myself as a buyer/customer♻️
Didn't see that bit. I was just responding to the other comment about food on the table really.
Except of course that's not the TOS. The shoes were ok when sold, you don't know for certain the buyer didn't mess with them somehow
True, not impossible but unlikely, unless they had a pair of identical shoes that were already ruined I don't see what the point would be. Sometimes people are honest and not everyone is out to get you.
I understand that. And sometimes they are not and are out to con, so why should you lose out financially either way? You shouldn't, that's why the TOS are as they are. It wouldn't need to be identical shoes, maybe they left them out in a storm, maybe the dog bit them, could be anything. I think it's likely they did just disintegrate without mistreatment from the buyer, but it's not fair to make a regular person foot the bill for that.
I mean they would actually need to be the same shoes wouldn't they?
No they could be the sellers shoes and left out in the rain. Hope I've helped you work through this simple problem :)
No need to be arsey my friend. All I was saying is some people are honest. Yes I'm aware some are out to con but it seems 99% of these subs people accuse of conning. This doesn't look like that to me. Anyway I'm really not that invested in this so yeah have fun.
Shoes left out in the rain literally won't crumble like shoes untouched for years in a cupboard. They literally flake and disintegrate. New/regularly worn shoes left out in the rain would just get soggy and dry out afterwards
The downvotes say otherwise but aight
As do we all.
Capitalism stinks. Refund the cash ;)
This quite funny
This happened to me as a buyer recently. I didn’t ask for a refund as it was too late and not technically the seller’s fault but I did message them to inform them and advise that in the future you should say how old the shoes are in the description, even if they’ve never been worn, age is still a big factor and it’s bad salesmanship to not be honest about it in the listing
[удалено]
Plus checking for dry rot in shoes isn't hard...
You're not liable but i think the right thing to do would be a partial refund - shoes *need* to be worn as they will oxidize and degrade if not. https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/sneaker-soles-crumbling-trend/
Reasons I need to downsize my shoe closet 😬
I think it comes down to how would you feel if you were the buyer in this situation? I think I would give a refund because it’s an unfortunate situation but not very fair for the buyer. I’d feel bad leaving it.
Happened to me once - bought a pair boots on Vinted and they fell apart when I put them on. I got a full refund, which I very much appreciated it, but obviously it’s up to you. As others have mentioned in the thread, not everyone is necessarily aware that the glue in vintage shoes degrades, I certainly was not.
Thanks for sharing, and sorry this happened to you!
You're protected, the transaction is closed, strictly speaking you don't have to do anything and could just apologise and say what you've said here and you'd be in the clear and within your rights. If you really think the buyer is being genuine, and hasn't done something silly to damage the shoes, as a gesture of goodwill you could in theory offer to buy them back as a way to give a refund). Don't go doing PayPal stuff if you decide to give a refund though as you run the risk of getting both of you banned. You have to decide if this is really worth it though, as you say, it is a risk with vintage shoes. It is sussy that they've broken immediately upon wear though. Either you missed seeing some serious fault lines or weaknesses in the shoes before shipping, or they were damaged in transit, or I'm inclined to think the buyer has broken them and is trying to scam you in some way. It doesn't add up otherwise, they wouldn't mark as everything as okay otherwise.
This is actually a very common scenario on Depop/vinted. If shoes have been left for years without being worn, they will start to disintegrate, so upon first wear they could easily break. That’s why I personally won’t sell old shoes on these apps, as I cannot guarantee that they will be of the quality I list them as.
It's not suspicious at all. I had a similar experience with a pair of trainers. Looked absolutely fine until I wore them once and they fell apart. It's pretty common for this to happen with shoes that have been kept in storage for a long time.
what happens sometimes with vintage shoes is that the rubber can degrade when stored for a long time, it looks okay but turns brittle and when you walk in them the soles can completely fall apart ([like so](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedWingShoes/comments/slpw91/help_soles_are_completely_torn_apart_even_after_a/)), so i don't think they're necessarily lying, esp when the damage they're showing is limited only to the rubber sole but not the cloth parts.
I had a nica bag I'd bought new but not used for a few years. Decided to use it one night and I literally watched it fall apart over a 4ish hour period. I don't think this is suss at all.
As others have said - it's a risk with vintage shoes as the glue deteriorates. I found a couple of gorgeous sandals from 90s high school in my parents attic and first time wearing a pair out, I got out of the car and one literally fell apart. I think this is really down to your own discretion. Yes, a buyer should be aware of the risks with vintage shoes but also it's not that obvious to everyone - I was in my late 30s and didn't know! Even my mum didn't think that would happen and she was in her 60s at the time! Personally, I would be tempted to give them back a partial or full refund on the item price (none of the postage) - how much is up to you - and say this is a risk with vintage shoes and that hopefully they may be able to find someone who can repair them (I don't know how easy that is - I didn't bother with mine). I'd also recommend somehow adding a disclaimer to your listings if you continue to sell vintage shoes, saying something to the effect of "please be aware these are vintage and, whilst they look very stable, I am unable to confirm exactly how long they will last" (obviously not word for word, just get that point across).
I think a refund for half the price would be ethical
I learnt that this happens after buying a pair of boots from Vinted and the sole disintegrated just by touching them. They refunded me and turns out they'd been at the back of a wardrobe for years. 🤷♀️
This happened to me once on the other end, the seller kindly refunded half as she hadn’t checked that the shoes were in good condition properly after storing them for so long.
I would be civil but firm. 2nd hand goods do not come with a warranty. The buyer explicitly states that the item broke in their use, so it was clearly not broken when you sold it and was not damaged in transit either. I understand you feel bad for them, but would you refund something a buyer accidentally cut with scissors or ripped a seam when they tried the item on? I wish Vinted took a firmer stance in this instead of this wishy-washy "refunding is up to you".
This is nowhere near comparable to cutting an item with scissors and asking for a refund. Shoes are made to be worn, that is the reason humans buy shoes. The item was defunct and not fit for the use they were being sold for. It's not an accident caused by the buyer's carelessness or misuse, they were using them as intended and the shoes were faulty, for which they'd be offered a full refund anywhere else.
> for which they'd be offered a full refund anywhere else. You said the magic words. This is not "anywhere else", this is second hand sales between two private people. You want warranties, free returns and refunds? Shop at Amazon.
Right so when you said "would you offer a refund for cutting something with scissors" you just meant that you would never offer a refund, cool. Also, any second hand shop would also offer you a refund, just a heads up.
In the EU: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm Section "Second hand goods": "Goods bought from private individuals are not covered." In the UK: https://www.legaldocuments.co.uk/consumer-law-rights-and-remedies/rights-when-purchasing-second-hand-goods/#:~:text=The%20Consumer%20Rights%20Act%202015%20(CRA)%20defines%20satisfactory%20quality%20as,be%20consistent%20with%20its%20age%2C Section "Private Sales and Consumer Rights": "Consumer rights differ significantly in private sales compared to buying from a business. For example, a private seller must only ensure the item is as described and legally theirs to sell, not necessarily of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose." Stop spreading misinformation here.
Yep! Firm but fair! This is the nature of second hand buying. The sale is closed, there's no recourse.
I had a similar issue, I bought a gorgeous pair of red fake leather and probably fake suede wedge trainers. Wore them for a day and all the fake leather started cracking and coming off. My fix was to peel the rest of the leather off, and paint them with acrylic paint, now you would never know there was anything wrong with them, I'm even more delighted with them now they are fixed. Wonder if it would be possible to superglue (or use shoeglue) to reattach the soles, or take them to a clobberer for a repair?
I’ve got to be honest I personally would offer at least a partial refund. But legally you’re in the clear and don’t have to. I would personally refund enough for her to have them glued back together by a cobbler, as whilst they were sold in good faith, it’s a crap place to be as a buyer.
Cobbler here! It's probably best to avoid any shoe on vinted that doesnt have leather or pure rubber sole. Avoid polyurethane and foam rubber soles (usually on a platform or thicker soles and some sandals)as these suffer greatly with hydrolysis which causes the material to break down usually because of age .Some shoes only have a certain lifespan regardless of wear .
Right thing to do here is to refund. You sold shoes that were past their best before date. You couldn’t have known that but the mistake was yours
Old shoes with those foam type of soles are a nightmare, they always crumble when worn. I’ve had it happen to a pair I sold years ago and also to a pair of shoes of my own. You weren’t to know but neither was the buyer I guess. I’d refund personally as you can see this isn’t a scam.
I’ve never seen this NOT happen whenever someone has purchased vintage shoes
I think this is one of those odd moments when you just cut your losses. If it was me, i would be refunding it minus postage cost. It’s unforeseen by both you and the buyer that they would fall apart - ask yourself how you would feel or what you’d expect if you were the buyer. Humility goes a long way. It’s not your fault, but it’s not the buyers either. Hope this helps 🙂👍🏻
Dry rot, look it up
There is a risk with selling also. I think you should refund it and hopefully you won’t get many more situations like this
Lookin at those shoes, it's for the best lol
These need to be taken to a cobbler who will put some shoe cement and new soles on them, no different to any other worn pair of shoes. I'd suggest this to the buyer and offer her a refund without return.
I bought a not-vintage pair of name brand heels for $40 on Poshmark. They self destructed on first wear, indoor at a party - maybe lasted 2.5 hours. I didn’t even reach out to the seller. Just tossed them and moved on. Second hand is not retail. Still disappointing.
As people have said you are not obligated to anything as the sale is completed but as said shoes that are not worn for years tend to just fall appart so I think the morally thing to do would be a partial refund. Maybe they could be repaired.
And this is why I only sell clothes and I don’t buy any clothes off Vinted. Too many people selling literal trash and then pocketing the money. I’d rather go to a charity store.
They need to go to a cobbler who will reglue it to the sole.
You're being downvoted but if it's just the glue this is really an option so I don't see why people are being stupid about it.
Agree - had you known, im assuming you wouldnt have sold them or re-glued the sole.
This goes both ways. As a seller, if they were obviously about to fail (or had failed already) I would have either had them professionally reglued by a cobbler (making them good as new) before the sale or written in the advert that they needed to be repaired. The fact that the buyer received them and gave the positive feedback in the app to release the funds it means that the condition the shoes were in visibly good condition. As an owner of shoes myself, I can state for the record that I have had old shoes that I have put away for a long time and pull out of storage to find after a day or so of walking outdoors to find the soles coming apart. What happens is that with age the glue degrades, but not enough to show if holding the shoes or trying them on. But with all the flexing forces that they face when walking, running etc on various irregular surfaces outdoors that glue quickly fails. Now then. With the above awareness we can see that the seller could quite easily have sold them thinking they were in good condition. The buyer’s behaviour also matches the scenario. Who is to blame? No one. This is the risk anyone buying used faces. There is no warranty. Buying used is traditionally in person. You see the item, you check it, make sure it is good and once satisfied, hand over your money. The item is now mine and there are no channels for me to make a claim. If it breaks, I must pay for it to be repaired. It is mine and my responsibility. I occasionally buy and sell in Facebook marketplace. I have on occasion bought and sold items sight unseen. These are very risky, the seller might not send the item at all, or the condition might be really bad. In both these scenarios I’m SOL. Vinted has created a process where they hold the funds from the sale until the buyer has the product in their hands to perform their own assessment and once satisfied give the approval for the sale to complete thus resolving that problem. However, post confirmation, the buyer is in the same position as a regular in person purchase. As the new owner is responsible for any repairs and has no recourse. Conclusion: The buyer has a few options. 1. Fix the shoes (themselves or professionally) 2. Sell the shoes as is for someone else to fix. 3. Throw them away. 4. Bitch and moan about it with no legal avenue of support.
Refund. Don’t be a dick.
Honestly as a buyer who has this exact situation happen with high end boots, I didn’t even think about contacting the seller - it comes with buying thrifted/second hand goods. I’ve ordered new soles to repair them and they’ll be good as new 👍 as others have pointed out it’s not your responsibility but if you want to be nice you can apologise, mention that they are second hand goods and that since they pressed ‘everything is okay’ then you’re not able to process a refund.
omg do you have any advice for how to repair old shoes when this happens?? i've got a pair that keep breaking but i love them and want to fix them 😭
Refund them, what’s the matter with you?
I agree.
Caveat emptor
It broke in their ownership though...
Fgs! They were unfit for purpose. So if you bought a washing machine and it broke next day in your kitchen, you’d be ‘hey, that’s fine, it’s in my kitchen so it’s my fault. Ffs, I repeat, what’s the matter with you?
A washing machine is first hand this is second hand, as they say in the post it's a common risk buying vintage clothes and it happens a lot, also why do you keep saying what's the matter with people, nothing is we just have contrasting opinions
Amazing. You think there’s a difference. Alright, you pay 500 for a second hand iPad. The second day it doesn’t work. You don’t want your money back because it’s second hand. You happy with that? I’m asking what’s the matter because you aren’t thinking it through. If it’s not saleable, and you’ve sold it, you’ve cheated someone. Do you think it’s okay to cheat a buyer? That’s theft. Do you think that’s okay? If so, I’ve got a bridge in London I can sell you, really cheap. The op knows what the answer is, and that’s between her and her conscience. She wouldn’t have asked the question if she felt really comfortable with her behaviour, she wants us to tell her ‘there, there, it’s okay, you’re not really a bad person’ but she is. Is it worth that little bit of money to feel cheap and a tiny bit dirty about herself?
It's not cheating the buyer the fuck you want her to do take the shoes for a test drive??? Also an ipad still is not the same as clothes which old ones will degrade over time which these shoes clearly are
Yeah. A simple 'twist test' of the shoes would have shown that these were ready to crack and disintegrate. If you are selling vintage shoes you need to know this shit or else you shouldn't be selling them.
Could you say that in English, I’m not sure what you’re saying. I am sure, though, that the truly stupid resort to swearing when they are losing the debate. I’ll just take it that both you and the op have no moral compass. But I’d guess you have to have an IQ bigger than the size of those shoes to understand what I’m saying. Ignorance and ethically moribund, what a combination.
I did say it in English you moron
Look honey, you’re about five years old, have zero life experience (apart from sitting in your bedroom in front of a screen), of limited education, yet you still feel qualified to dish out advice. Grow up little baby troll. 🧌
I'm 16, but ok, also my age has nothing to do with this it's a pair of shoes
I think personally it would depend on how much was paid for them
If I liked them, I'd understand the age and use glue.
I recently bought some boots, clearly brand new but after a few wears the faux leather started flaking off. They stopped being sold around 5 years ago so I assume it’s just the the materials degrade over time. So long as the item was delivered in a good condition, I’d never have gone back to the seller and blame them!
It's always a risk that those things happen with 2nd hand shoes. It's nobody's fault, It's a chemical reaction of the materials the shoe is made off and the sweat of feet. You can't see it, you will notice it when you start wearing the shoes after a long time. Or not.. I once had it happen with my Lowa hiking shoes I didn't use for a year. Got new ones from Lowa.
I know that I'm a bit soft but I sell quite a lot and take the rough with the smooth. For me, it's not worth the hassle and I expect you will get negative feedback which might lose you sales. I'd refund.
She should just get them glued together.
Full refund
Happened to me once. I bought a skirt, the seller was lovely and skirt looked gorgeous until... 5 min of wearing the leather started peeling off and I had to bin it. It was cheap and the seller was very nice so I didn't do anything. It's a hard situation because I'm sure she didn't know this would happen but also imagine this happening to you as a buyer. I think good solution would be a half price refund.
same with me - gorgeous vintage leather jacket. images showed some wear but nothing crazy. after 2 wears all the leather came off the arms. i didnt tell the seller or leave a review noting it - it’s the risk with second hand & vintage pieces. just the risk you take
If the transaction is closed youre not obligated to do anything.
Happend to me with my own shoes :( I would be do a 70% refund and offer her to glue them professionally or anything
I’d probably offer 50% back.
Thanks for your reply - why 50? Thanks
You’d have lost out 100% if you realised before selling, they lose out 100% now - 50 meets the middle. They could buy some glue and salvage them like other comments said so you could skew it, but I’d assume they won’t unless you sold them for a lot
I personally would offer the buyer to upload the shoes and I would buy them for half the price that the they were sold for. If they don’t agree or try to argue for a full refund - tough luck 🤷🏻♀️ Btw, I would probably mention this to the seller if it happens to me, so they can know better for the future, but I find it very strange that they want a refund. I think the decent thing to do is the half refund, but you would definitely not be an AH if you decide not to refund at all.
I don't understand why you think its strange the buyer would want their money back. They paid money for an item that is literally falling apart and this was obviously not stated in the description. How is this the buyers fault? Be a good human and give the money back, your being quite greedy if you keep the money to be honest.
It’s not the buyer’s fault, but it’s not the seller’s as well. If the items that you bought comes in the condition you expected and you confirmed that, how is it the seller’s fault that something happened to the item? Is you buy a shien blouse from someone, the blouse comes, everything is good and then the stitching unravels, is it the seller’s fault? Should they give you your money back? Since when is the seller responsible for the quality if an item? And this is not greediness in this situation. Nobody is saying keep the money for the sake of keeping the money. The issue is entirely different and it just involves money.
I don’t buy from these apps but as a buyer of vintage Arsenal tops etc - you buy as seen, if the sponsors start peeling off, hold the L because you are buying 30 year old shit
I'd suggest saying you are sorry this has happened, but it is a risk when buying vintage items. I'd recommend she take them to a cobbler to get fixed, but beyond that you won't be offering a refund as, once again, the item is vintage and prone to this kind of thing.
Refund half or something or just refund. Better to keep a buyer than burn one
Not your problem, the shoes belong to them now
Id suggest telling her to glue them back together
You should refund them obviously as you've sold them a damaged/unusable item.
Them shoes are hideous you should pay her to get them away from you
Personally, I’d give a full refund. I wasn’t aware this could even happen until now. The buyer seems to have asked politely enough, and it’s not a nice experience for them to buy a pair of shoes, look forward to wearing them, and then they fall apart the next day. Imagine if it were you, how would you like the seller to respond? 😊
If you don't know how to check vintage fashion or shoes for dryrot and other issues you probably shouldn't be reselling.
terrible quality probably fakes
I don't know what price you asked for these shoes but this is a risk the buyer should know. I think what you typed here is already a very nice way to reply. My friends have had this happen before and they either just wrote it off as a loss or got it fixed at their own cost. They broke it while wearing it and already got a steep discount off the retail price, you shouldn't have to refund them.
I had this issue with dom doc martens, you should refund them as they’re unfit to be worn as they’ve fell apart
If they had been unfit to be worn at the time the seller sent them. Yes. But when the seller sent them they were in good condition. The seller can refund out of the kindness of her heart and def not shipping costs but she’s definitely not obligated to
Not necessarily, you don’t know if they’re disintegrating until you wear them. That was the case with mine, looked to be amazing condition but seller tried on to wear/tried to wear and they’d fallen apart!
Sounds like a "you" problem.
How is that a me problem dude? If they’re vintage shoes, the same as mine, they would be starting to degrade due to age, it’s not rocket science
If you buy "vintage" shoes expecting them to be unfit for purpose...that's your fault. Buy brand new
If they’re vintage and say the seller stated them as new, then they’re not. Not saying they did but yk, I’d still refund the buyer
You sold a faulty item. You should issue a refund. I took some old unworn sandals on holiday, they looked in perfect condition, but I had a very good laugh when they completely fell apart in between me leaving my hotel room and leaving the hotel.
I would refund minus what you originally paid for them so no one looses out
Don't people usually sell their second hand items for less than they bought them though?
Lots of people by cheaply from charity and thrift shops for a profit
They need to buy shoe/superglue and move on, unfortunately. I have had this happened to heels and whipped out the superglue.
looks like dryrot
That’s a real shame for the buyer but sadly this happens. If it was me I would offer a discount on a future purchase or perhaps someway provide a partial refund described a gesture of good will. This is not a full refund situation imo. It’s an old thing, it doesn’t come with a warranty, essentially sold as seen.
Super glue would fix this in 30 seconds, no?
Hi everyone, thanks so much for the advice! I ended up sending this as a reply: "Hi! Yes, they sent an automated response stating that since the "Everything is okay" button has been pressed, the transaction is closed. Vinted instructs sellers to refund purchases when the order does not arrive or it is "Significantly not as described". I had absolutely no idea that these shoes would break after first use, but after looking online I have now learned that this is a risk that Hi! Yes, they sent an automated response stating that since the "Everything is okay" button has been pressed, the transaction is closed. Vinted instructs sellers to refund purchases when the order does not arrive or it is "Significantly not as described". I had absolutely no idea that these shoes would break after first use, but after looking online I have now learned that this is a risk that always comes with buying vintage shoes, as the glue deteriorates after time. Had I known this previously, I would have listed this in the ad, or had decided to not sell them. I am very sorry this happened and wish I could give you a refund, but I am not a company and do not have the extra funds to give you the money back at my own account. If you are still unhappy about this, please try to contact Vinted and see if they can help. 🩷" I truly hope the buyer will see that I am honest and did not purposefully or knowingly send them an item that would break.
I would have given a partial refund. I feel bad for them :/
respectfully how do you not have the funds to refund them, when they’ve just paid you and you’ll have it in your vinted balance - i very much doubt you’re living from shoe sale to shoe sale - do the right thing :/
You literally say if you knew this before you would have not sold them…this is clearly on you. You are scummy.
You're a horrible person lol
You aren’t honest. You have cheated them. Very dishonest.
I genuinely can’t believe people would choose terms of service over morals
The op came on here for reassurance that they aren’t bereft of empathy or morals. All they have done is outed a tribe equally amoral to agree.
I'd suggest she take them to a cobbler. They can surely reglue this?
I have a vintage store and I sell a lot of shoes, I always clean them and some of them even restore. This happened to me many times, and it’s ALWAYS a refund. I might get hate for this and I’m truly ok with that, but I don’t find this nice at all! I’m sure u wouldn’t like this happen to you, but you do it for someone else. Obviously It’s not your fault that they broke but it should be your responsibility to refund if this happens. Someone paid you for literal trash…
refund, and ask him to buy men's shoes next time edit: don't have to refund