Vinted connects marketplaces in Germany and Austria

Users of Vinted in Germany and Austria can now trade directly with each other. Austrian Post has joined as a new logistics partner of the platform. The second-hand fashion marketplace is valued at 8 billion euros, according to a share sale announced today.

Vinted is in the process of linking its marketplaces across different European countries. German users can already trade with users in France, Italy and the Netherlands, while Austrian users are also able to do business with French and Italian users.

More supply and buyers

The connection between Germany and Austria is new. “We are bringing together two markets that are very similar in terms of community, language and preferences, and which will therefore undoubtedly generate vibrant trade”, said Moritz Schmude, market strategist for Western Europe at Vinted. Traders in both countries can look forward to a broader product range and more potential buyers, according to Schmude.

International shipping labels generated automatically

“This step underlines our mission to make second-hand the first choice worldwide”, he told Österreichische Textilzeitung. Users do not need to take any additional steps to buy or sell across borders, Vinted promises: shipping labels are automatically generated for sellers, meaning international shipping works the same as domestic shipping.

Austrian Post

Austrian Post plays a central role in the connection: shipping and pickup options are now directly integrated into the Vinted app, supported by around 3,000 drop-off points, including post offices, partner locations and 24/7 parcel lockers. Shipments to Germany are now also handled via Austrian Post, which serves both countries with its own marketplace Shöpping.

Vinted in Germany

Vinted continues to grow rapidly. Its GMV increased by 47 percent last year to 10.8 billion euros, while revenue reached a record high of 1.1 billion euros. The company was profitable for the third consecutive year, although profitability declined somewhat. This was partly due to investments in Germany, which has transformed “from a challenge into a top market”, according to CEO Thomas Plantenga. The link with Austria is likely to further support that growth.

Share transaction

Vinted is now valued at around 8 billion euros. This follows a share transaction announced today, in which existing shareholders sold all or part of their stakes to new investors.

Proceeds go to early investors and employees

The secondary share transaction, led by existing investor EQT, involves 880 million euros. The proceeds go to selling shareholders, including early investors and employees. CEO Plantenga commented: “This transaction and valuation reflect the progress we have made building Vinted into what it is today – a proven marketplace embedded in an ecosystem of vertically integrated shipping and payments infrastructure, designed to make second-hand reliable, easy and affordable at scale.”

Vinted Go and Vinted Pay

With its investments in shipping and payments through services such as Vinted Go and Vinted Pay, the Lithuanian company is “strengthening the rails that power the marketplace”, Plantenga said earlier.