Is ThredUp Legit? Here’s Why You Should Shop Carefully

Based on my experience so far, they are a legitimate shop. I paid for my items, received them within the estimated time frame, was approved for a return, and mailed the return package. I am waiting for the refund.

With that being said, assuming my refund goes through, I would shop here again WITH CAUTION. However, if you are a highly risk-averse shopper, I would look elsewhere.

I remember shopping here 10 years ago and having a good experience. This time around, I have a lot of things to discuss/bring to light. Ultimately, I support second-hand shopping (and great prices for good-quality brands) and love the fast shipping, so I would shop here again. 

Here are some very important things to keep in mind (based on my experience) before making a purchase:

1. Every single item in my order looked duller/more grayscale (or even darker overall) in color compared to the product image.
2. Every single item’s product page listed slightly or very inaccurate product measurements. I’m talking up to several inches. This is particularly an issue since they don’t have any size charts. I had to Google each brand’s size chart to guess my size (this ended up being more accurate than relying on ThredUp’s measurements).
3. Some of the items had irrelevant/inaccurate keywords listed under the ‘Item Details’ section. For example, one of the dresses list ’embroidered detail’ but doesn’t have any embroidery. The jeans list ‘High-Waisted’ but are not high-waisted. What you SEE is what you get (this is my takeaway; I wouldn’t apply this color though).
4. The jeans say they are in ‘Excellent Condition’, but they are flawed. These should not have been listed for sale. However, I did see the flaw in the product image, which I should have taken more seriously. Again, what you SEE is what you get.
5. They leave out details on some items such as if a pair of jeans is a regular, short, or long length. This is a big deal and should be listed properly. They seem to miss a lot of smaller (but important) details.
6. Unless the condition states ‘New With Tags’, expect that every item you order has been worn, washed, and dried at least once or twice. This means that the item could be slightly stretched, or has shrunk. This also means Googling a brand’s size chart and relying on it may not work out perfectly.
7. After your first order, return shipping costs are on you if you don’t want store credit (and likely restocking fees for each item), so buying based on inaccurate information is risky.