The popular second-hand marketplace Vinted has triggered a significant backlash from its UK user base after implementing a major change to its women's clothing sizing system. The update, which groups individual sizes into ranges, has been met with widespread confusion and frustration, with many describing the situation as pure 'chaos'.
What Exactly Has Changed?
In a recent platform update, Vinted dramatically altered how clothing sizes are displayed. Instead of using single letters like XS, S, or M, the system now uses grouped numerical ranges. For instance, an extra small (XS) is now listed as UK sizes 4-6, a small (S) is shown as 8-10, and a medium (M) is represented by 12-14.
This shift was not applied only to new listings. The change was automatically applied to all existing items for sale, effectively altering the stated size on thousands of active listings overnight without sellers' consent.
A Wave of User Frustration Erupts
The immediate aftermath of the update was a flood of complaints on social media platforms. Users quickly took to sites like X (formerly Twitter) to voice their bewilderment and anger at the new system, which they argue makes shopping and selling far more difficult.
One concerned user directly questioned the platform, asking, "There has been an update to the UK sizing which makes it harder to shop by grouping sizes, and also has made all sizes on existing listings incorrect. Will this be addressed?"
The practical problems were swift to emerge. Another user reported, "I've just had to cancel a sale because all my sizings have been automatically changed and now are wrong!" This sentiment was echoed by a seller who warned others, "Urgh, anyone selling women’s clothing on Vinted, have a check of your sizes. Vinted have updated all their sizes and now mine are all wrong on my items for sale!"
The level of frustration was palpable, with one person calling the update the "biggest balls up of all time," while another simply stated they were now "confused when browsing."
Vinted's Explanation and the Road Ahead
In response to the growing discontent, a spokesperson for Vinted provided an explanation for the controversial move. They stated that the update was intended to make sizing more accurate across international brands on the platform.
The company claims to have notified its UK members about the change via a message in their Vinted inbox and has directed users to its Help Centre for more comprehensive information.
However, this justification has done little to quell the anger from a community of buyers and sellers who feel the new system is less precise and has created immediate operational headaches. The situation highlights the challenges digital marketplaces face when implementing widespread changes that directly impact their users' core activities.
