There are a few reasons why a Depop listing might show the wrong shipping price. One of the more common reasons is that the parcel size doesn’t match the weight of the item when it’s packed. In this case, weigh the item in the mailer you’ll ship it in, and then update the parcel size in the listing’s shipping section. If the price still isn’t right after that, check what shipping method your listing is set to.
What a wrong shipping price looks like on your listing
This post covers one issue: the shipping figure attached to a single Depop listing doesn’t match the package you want to send. This shows up in three ways, and they all point back to a few settings.
- The shipping price looks higher or lower than you expected while creating or editing a listing. A tee showing a higher shipping price than expected is a common example. So is a listing for a heavy pair of boots showing a price that's too low.
- There are a few buyers that say shipping is too expensive and ask for discounts. Others like a product multiple times and don’t buy it. These behaviors show that the buyer stalls at checkout for one of the most common reasons, which is shipping cost.
- Nothing seems amiss to buyers, but you can tell from the item in front of you that the label is likely to be underpaid when it sells. A chunky knit or a denim jacket listed as a small is the usual example.
If your problem is a label that has been printed, or a package that has gone missing, this is outside of the scope of this FAQ. This assumes that your item has not sold. This timing is relevant, as fixing a size can take less than a minute now, and will be much more difficult to fix after checkout.
The 60-second check that catches most cases
You don't need to read about causes before trying this fix if you don't want to. This checks for a common problem of package size mismatch and usually takes about a minute to fix.
- Put the item in the actual box/mailer you will ship it in. Include anything that will ship with it (i.e. poly bag, card, tissue). Weigh the entire package on a postal/kitchen scale.
- Open your listing in edit mode and review your parcel size options. Choose the one that most closely aligns to your packed weight. Did you choose the appropriate option or one that’s too small or too big? If not, select the one you believe is correct and save your changes to repost your listing.
- Confirm which shipping method is selected: Depop Shipping (buyer pays a label rate based on parcel size) or which shipping method you entered a rate for (buyer pays that rate you entered).
- If you chose a parcel size that doesn’t fit the packed weight, select the proper size and save to repost your listing.
If your packed weight and the parcel size agrees, and you’ve confirmed you’ve selected Depop Shipping, then the price you see is likely the label rate and the issue is likely elsewhere. Check the issues below.
Why the shipping price comes out wrong
These are the issues, in the order that I run into them, most common first. Most listings that have an incorrect shipping price have one of the first two.
- Picking a size based on the type of garment (dress = 1 parcel) rather than the packed weight. A linen slip dress and a sequined maxi dress weigh differently. So do the mailers and/or boxes you ship in, as well as the amount of padding.
- You can use your own shipping with a typed price or use free shipping. If you use your own shipping, a buyer will see what you typed and will not see a Depop label rate. Old prices, typos, and forgotten free shipping from a promotion all lead to misleading package rates.
- A shipping discount that you cover. This is set up for a sale or a bundle. Forget the shipping discount is there, and the listing looks underpriced.
- Turning on international shipping with a manual fee. The fee you type in may be old, and if a buyer is located in that country they may see a different price than what you see.
- Listings that have been copied, crosslisted, or imported. These may include package details for a different listing.
How to fix each cause before it sells
Adjust size selection based on garment type: Use the weight from the quick check and select the size that corresponds to the weight. If the weight rests on the edge of the size, select the larger size. An underpaid label can lead a buyer to think the label is defective. Own shipping or free shipping: Open the shipping section and either update your listing to use Depop shipping and allow the buyer to pay the label rate, or change your sold price to match the label rate. If free shipping is selected, turn if off unless you wish to cover the cost. Shipping discount: Review the shipping options and any shop-wide discounts and change listings where the discount doesn’t make sense. Worldwide shipping: Review the international fee against your carrier’s quote to confirm it’s reasonable, or turn off worldwide shipping for heavy items. Copied or imported listings: After a bulk edit, import or duplicate, open each listing and check the size and shipping options, since those fields don’t update automatically.
If it already sold with the wrong size, don’t ship an overweight package with an underpaid label. Look through your orders and label options in the app to see if you’re able to edit/replace your label or contact Depop support before shipping. If your label is overpaid, your buyer paid more than necessary, so a short message and prompt shipping will go a long way.
To prevent this from happening again, note the packed weight of each item when photographing, in listing notes or your inventory sheet. Keep a cheat sheet of item types and their usual packed weight (ie. tees, jeans, hoodies, etc.) and the size you pick for each. After doing this for a while, you will seldom need a scale to pack routine items.
Keep Depop shipping details right across shops with PrimeLister
Many mistakes with shipping prices happen because item details get copied and pasted around when the same item is listed in multiple places. PrimeLister enables you to crosslist an item to multiple places (Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace) from a single place, so you can reach more buyers without having to type out details many times. You also can edit package details in multiple listings at the same time.
- Crosslisting to Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace from one inventory.
- Ability to perform bulk actions. This is useful to adjust shipping info in bulk after a file import or to make a bulk edit.
- Inventory syncs automatically and delists when an item sells to prevent over sells.
- A bot to automate relisting, liking, and shop activity on Depop.
- Insight into your sell-through rate and time on market to identify laggings listings.
The cost is $15/shop/month or $12/shop/month billed annually with a 7 day free trial with no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Should I round up to the bigger size if I'm unsure?
Usually yes. A slightly overpaid label costs the buyer a few dollars. An underpaid label makes you eat the difference or delays the shipment. Weigh the item first to see if it's over the limit.
Why does a buyer see a different shipping price than I do?
The most common reason for a listing error is a shipping discount you recently applied, thus changing the price buyers see. Also, consider if the listing is set to worldwide shipping and the buyer is in a different country. Check your listings settings first.
Do I need a postal scale?
Most kitchen scales are fine for clothing, just make sure it shows small increments. For heavier items, consider a postal scale.