Thrilling?

kittenteethvintage

kittenteethvintage

VFG Member
I know it's relatively new but does anyone have any experience selling vintage on Thrilling?

shopthrilling.com

I've been selling off and on on Etsy for years now and am feeling more and more every time I go on there that it's honestly just a mess. Not only the myriad recent marketing and shipping nickel-and-diming, but what really is more discouraging to me is the fact that unless a potential buyer is hyper-specific in searching for something, you easily get lost in the jumble of Etsy.

Thrilling looks promising as a more navigable site for vintage but I am concerned that it may be too small to have much reach, and also that they have a site-wide 30 day return/refund policy (I do not offer refunds on my Etsy as a shop policy).

Anyway, thoughts?
 
I have not tried it I'm afraid. I have however started selling on Vinted. While it is not very vintage specific (just pre loved in general and clothing) it is picking up at fast pace and I have sold a few items on there. What's more there are zero listing or final value fees so you can list for less. Also the buyers pay for shipping. I'm sure they will start charging higher when it gets really big but it's a good option for me right now.
 
I can't find much chatter about how sellers like it. We have several members on there that I could see, but I'm sure that isn't their only platform. There are some good shops for sure. They charge 10% on sold items with no listing fee. This comes to just a little more than Etsy, depending upon whether your Etsy item was sold via an off-sight ad (which adds 15%).
 
GemGem said:
I have not tried it I'm afraid. I have however started selling on Vinted. While it is not very vintage specific (just pre loved in general and clothing) it is picking up at fast pace and I have sold a few items on there. What's more there are zero listing or final value fees so you can list for less. Also the buyers pay for shipping. I'm sure they will start charging higher when it gets really big but it's a good option for me right now.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I'll have to check out Vinted!
 
I LOVE Thrilling and have been selling there for a while. Don't be fooled - they have a great reach and quite the clientele. PLUS they work their social media machine in a way that supports us vintage sellers in that want the vintage buyer who loves to dress in interesting ways, isn't afraid of trends. They also have a personal shopper 'arm' for their celebrity buyers so once a week sellers get an email with what they are looking for. It's really really fun.

They are great. I sell through them several times a week.
 
bycinbyhand said:
I LOVE Thrilling and have been selling there for a while. Don't be fooled - they have a great reach and quite the clientele. PLUS they work their social media machine in a way that supports us vintage sellers in that want the vintage buyer who loves to dress in interesting ways, isn't afraid of trends. They also have a personal shopper 'arm' for their celebrity buyers so once a week sellers get an email with what they are looking for. It's really really fun.

They are great. I sell through them several times a week.
Click to expand...

That's so encouraging to hear! :)

Any thoughts regarding the return/refund policy? I've only ever had one buyer request a return but I do have listed on Etsy that I don't do them. I'm wondering if people might be more likely to try stuff (ie; wear it once and return it, etc) when it's site policy to accept returns?
 
kittenteethvintage said:
That's so encouraging to hear! :)

Any thoughts regarding the return/refund policy? I've only ever had one buyer request a return but I do have listed on Etsy that I don't do them. I'm wondering if people might be more likely to try stuff (ie; wear it once and return it, etc) when it's site policy to accept returns?
Click to expand...
I really don't know... in all my time there, I've not had a return issue or 'gamer,' which is something if you sell on Etsy. I feel they don't really accept returns willy nilly but have strict criteria for returns.
 
Last edited:
catseyevintage said:
Any returned items are returned to Thrilling, and not the original seller. Thrilling then refunds the buyer out of their own pocket. Thrilling then owns the item to do with as they wish. The original seller is not involved in the return process and does not refund the buyer.
Click to expand...

Maybe its me but this sounds so odd. I would rather have the original item sent back to me to resell or do whatever I wish with it. Not knowing where it will wind up is not my cup of tea. On some other website? What do the owners of Thrilling do with these returns? But then again I question everything to death.

Do they even TELL the seller that the item was returned?

And I am not a fan of having a 30 day return policy, especially with antique hats and clothing. I do not take returns. Many of my customers purchase a hat to wear once for a special occasion. The thought of having them return it the day after the event and then seeing it on another site for sale would make me crazy!

Edited by me to remove a few comments not meant for Public forums.
 
Last edited:
Rue_de_la_Paix said:
Maybe its me but this sounds more than a little bit sketchy. I would rather have the original item sent back to me to resell or do whatever I wish with it. Not knowing where it will wind up is not my cup of tea. On some other website? What do the owners of Thrillng do with these returns? There is room for hanky panky in there somehow. But then again I question everything to death.

Do they even TELL the seller that the item was returned?

And I am not a fan of having a 30 day return policy, especially with antique hats and clothing. I do not take returns. Many of my customers purchase a hat to wear once for a special occasion. The thought of having them return it the day after the event and then seeing it on another site for sale would make me crazy!
Click to expand...

I only know one of my items was returned because I saw it up for sale on Thrilling again with my original photos and it was a rather unique Shaheen maxi skirt.

I was not informed that the skirt had been returned.

Personally I love it that I don't have to be concerned about returns on Thrilling - I ship it and never see it again.
 
I know, really an odd practice. I suppose it has its good and bad sides. As long as they do not steal your photos and description, like Ebay does now.

Just curious, Debbie. Was the skirt listed at a higher price than you were asking?
 
Rue_de_la_Paix said:
I know, really an odd practice. I suppose it has its good and bad sides. As long as they do not steal your photos and description, like Ebay does now.

Just curious, Debbie. Was the skirt listed at a higher price than you were asking?
Click to expand...

Barbara, the skirt must have sold as it is gone now (this was all a few months ago). My recollection is that it was priced the same as I had it. They were basically just trying to get the money they refunded the buyer for it.
 
anothertimevintageapparel said:
I don't understand the concept. Why would the company pay out of their pocket to do a return when the seller already got the money?
Click to expand...

My thoughts entirely. I suppose they are just trying to make friends in a tough mission to attract sellers away from Etsy. Thrilling might regret their returns policy if they get busier, get more returns as a result, and then find an increasing percentage of their returns stock sticks like glue. Don't forget also that the seller's fee is 10% deducted, I believe, but Thrilling will sell at the full rate of the seller's original price, so they'll be 10% up on the seller if they do re-sell a return. Would I like 110% of a listed item's price? You bet I would!

Thrilling's stats are impressive, for it's newness and size. Recent true organic search hits are 13.3k (Apr); 25k (May) and 27k (Jun) - and rising. Not bad. The site has a DA of 44, which is respectable, so they're heading in the right direction as other Etsy alternatives usually fail because nobody can find them.

Thrilling looks exclusively American, so that counts me out. But, I wish it well. Anything that gets Etsy even mildly quaking in its smug little shoes gets my vote!
 
Last edited:
Rue_de_la_Paix said:
Maybe its me but this sounds more than a little bit sketchy. I would rather have the original item sent back to me to resell or do whatever I wish with it. Not knowing where it will wind up is not my cup of tea. On some other website? What do the owners of Thrillng do with these returns? There is room for hanky panky in there somehow. But then again I question everything to death.

Do they even TELL the seller that the item was returned?

And I am not a fan of having a 30 day return policy, especially with antique hats and clothing. I do not take returns. Many of my customers purchase a hat to wear once for a special occasion. The thought of having them return it the day after the event and then seeing it on another site for sale would make me crazy!
Click to expand...
I really wouldn't use the word 'sketchy' with Thrilling. They have been very easy and personable to deal with. They like sellers and support them which is a huge difference in the online selling biz.

I *think* but am not sure, the returns they re-sell on their special days when they sell to sellers, to help stock THEIR stores. But I'm not sure. When I asked them about returns, they said they handle it and I was thrilled. I am exhausted, for example, dealing with a return on Etsy with all the stories and Etsy's lack of seller support and then getting items back damaged... I really doubt, if I had a return, Thrilling would treat me any less. I email with my contacts several times a week and they are, my experience, communicative and transparent. I don't think 'hanky panky' is their game.

I like - very much - their marketing on social media and how creative and 'now' they are. They promote to buyers in all shapes and walks. They have a stylist shopper who will be on the look out for certain pieces or eras or whatever and once a week you will get an email about this. Getting an email from Etsy about how to sell or how to use their pay to promote grinds my gears... Thrilling actually helps YOU.
 
catseyevintage said:
I only know one of my items was returned because I saw it up for sale on Thrilling again with my original photos and it was a rather unique Shaheen maxi skirt.

I was not informed that the skirt had been returned.

Personally I love it that I don't have to be concerned about returns on Thrilling - I ship it and never see it again.
Click to expand...
And you didn't have to hear the long story about how the dog didn't like it and the buyer found a cat hair on it blah blah blah. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top