Is Depop legit? The seller's answer
Yes. Depop has run since 2011 and has been owned by eBay since July 2026. For a seller the useful question is narrower: when the money arrives, what Depop covers if a parcel goes missing, and who decides a not-as-described claim. Those answers decide whether Depop is safe for your stock.
Fees, deadlines and payout times verified October 2026
Who runs Depop now
eBay agreed to buy Depop from Etsy in February 2026 for about $1.2 billion and completed the deal on 30 July 2026. Etsy had owned it since 2021. Depop kept its own app, brand and chief executive, so nothing changed in how you list or get paid, but any guide that still calls Depop an Etsy company is out of date. The company you contract with as a US seller is Depop Inc.
When you get paid
Money from a sale reaches your Depop Balance two business days after the item shows as delivered, or ten business days after the sale, whichever comes first. From there it pays out to your bank through Stripe, which can take up to five days. Two things hold it: an open issue from the buyer, and a negative balance left by an earlier refund. Depop's terms also let it withhold unpaid amounts for 180 days if it suspends or closes an account.
What Depop Protection covers for sellers
Items lost or damaged in transit, including on the way back from a return, as long as the buyer paid through the Buy button, you shipped on a Depop label within five days to the address on the receipt, the whole transaction was $300 or less, and you answer Support when asked. It does not cover sales paid by PayPal, Venmo or bank transfer, other carriers, hand-offs in person or prohibited items, and Depop calls it a discretionary program rather than insurance.
How a not-as-described claim runs
A buyer can open an issue from five days after purchase up to thirty. You then have 48 hours to respond, and if you do not, the buyer is refunded automatically. If you respond and cannot agree, Depop Support decides on the evidence and may require the item back before a full refund, which comes out of your balance. Depop counts wrong size or color, undisclosed major flaws, severe damage and counterfeits as not as described; it does not count minor wear on a second-hand item or a garment that simply does not fit. A partial refund, where the buyer keeps the item, is an option you can offer in the app.
The scams aimed at sellers
Depop contacts users by email only, never by WhatsApp, text or phone. The patterns it warns about are fake sale confirmations that link to an outside site, emails asking you to verify your account to release a payout, buyers asking to pay outside the app, and requests to swap contact details. Ship only to the address on the receipt, whatever the buyer asks later, and keep your proof of postage until the order closes.
What it costs to sell
US sellers pay no selling fee. You pay payment processing of 3.3% plus $0.45 on the item price, shipping and tax together, and 12% if you choose to boost a listing. The buyer pays a marketplace fee of up to 5% plus up to $1 at checkout, which is not your cost but is on their screen when they decide.
Where grading fits
Depop's test for not as described turns on undisclosed major flaws, and Support decides on the evidence in front of it. A 1.0–10.0 grade with a dated condition report, and every flaw photographed in the listing, is that evidence, written before anyone asked for it.
Frequently asked
- Is Depop safe for sellers?
- Safe if you stay inside the app. Depop Protection covers parcels lost or damaged in transit on a Depop label, for sales of $300 or less paid through the Buy button. Sales paid by PayPal, Venmo or bank transfer, or shipped another way, are not covered, and most scams aimed at sellers start by moving the conversation or the payment outside Depop.
- How long does Depop take to pay sellers?
- Two business days after the item shows as delivered, or ten business days after the sale if that comes first. The payout to your bank through Stripe can then take up to five days. An open buyer issue holds the money until it is resolved.
- Who owns Depop?
- eBay, since 30 July 2026. eBay bought it from Etsy, which had owned it since 2021, for about $1.2 billion. Depop still runs under its own name and app.
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