Depop to Shopify: Scale Your Fashion Resale Business Beyond the App

You started reselling on Depop because it made sense. Zero startup costs. Built-in audience of fashion-obsessed Gen Z buyers. A simple app for listing your thrift finds and closet cleanouts. Within months, what started as side income became something bigger—maybe $2,000, $5,000, or $10,000 in monthly sales. You developed an eye for pieces that sell. You built a following. You became a curator, not just a seller.

But now something feels limiting. Depop takes 10% of every sale plus payment fees. You cannot email your followers about new drops. You cannot build a real brand beyond your Depop handle. Every customer relationship exists within an app you do not control. You watch successful vintage sellers launch their own websites, build real fashion brands, and escape the treadmill of app-only selling.

This is the Depop seller's inflection point—and it is the reason thousands of fashion resellers are adding Shopify stores to their businesses.

This guide is for Depop sellers who want more than app-based hustle. We will cover why Depop works brilliantly for starting out but creates a ceiling for serious growth, how to recognize when you have outgrown app-only selling, and the complete strategy for building a Shopify-powered fashion brand while maintaining your Depop presence.

Why Depop Works (And Why You Started There)

Depop solved a real problem for fashion resellers: how to reach buyers without building an audience from scratch.

The Depop Advantages

Zero Barrier to Entry

You do not need a website, domain name, or technical skills. Download the app, take photos on your phone, write descriptions, and start selling. This accessibility democratized fashion resale, allowing anyone with an eye for style to monetize their curation abilities.

Built-In Discovery

Depop's 35+ million users actively browse for unique pieces. The explore page, search algorithms, and social features bring buyers to your listings without you spending money on advertising. For new sellers, this free traffic is invaluable.

Social Commerce Native

Depop feels like Instagram meets a flea market. The feed-based interface, liking, following, and messaging create engagement patterns that reward personality and curation style. Buyers follow sellers they vibe with, creating organic communities around individual aesthetics.

Youth Culture Alignment

Depop's user base skews heavily Gen Z—the generation driving the secondhand fashion revolution. If you sell vintage, streetwear, Y2K pieces, or indie aesthetics, Depop's audience is your target demographic. The cultural alignment creates purchase intent that other platforms lack.

Low-Risk Testing Ground

Before committing to inventory investments or brand building, Depop lets you test what sells. Learn your niche, develop your eye, and build capital with minimal downside.

Why These Advantages Eventually Become Limitations

Every strength of Depop's model contains its inverse limitation:

The very features that make Depop excellent for starting create the ceiling that limits scaling.

Signs You Have Outgrown App-Only Selling

Depop works until it does not. Here are the signals that you are ready for something more.

You Have Repeat Customers You Cannot Reach

If the same buyers keep purchasing from you, they have demonstrated brand loyalty. On Depop, you cannot email them about new drops. You cannot notify them about restocks. You cannot build a VIP program or offer exclusive access. Every returning customer must actively check your shop or hope the algorithm surfaces your listings.

This is leaving money on the table. Repeat customers convert at 60-70% compared to 2-3% for new visitors. Without direct communication, you forfeit the highest-value segment of your audience.

Your Sales Feel Capped Despite Good Product

You are sourcing great pieces. Your photos are strong. Your descriptions convert. But revenue has plateaued. You have hit Depop's discovery ceiling—the algorithm can only surface so many listings to so many buyers. Growing beyond this requires traffic sources you control.

You Watch Depop Take Significant Revenue

At $5,000 monthly sales, Depop takes approximately $650 in combined fees. At $10,000, it is $1,300. At $25,000, you are handing over $3,250 monthly to a platform that does not let you build customer relationships.

These fees compound forever. Every sale you make funds Depop's growth rather than your own. The math only gets more painful as you scale.

Other Sellers Copy Your Aesthetic

Your curation style has become identifiable—which means others can replicate it. On Depop, differentiation through brand is nearly impossible. Your shop looks like every other shop structurally. If you cannot build brand equity, you compete only on product selection and price.

A Shopify store creates defensible differentiation: unique design, brand story, email relationship, and customer experience that competitors cannot simply copy by sourcing similar pieces.

You Want to Sell Beyond Depop's Demographics

Depop's audience skews 16-26 and US/UK-centric. If your pieces appeal to older millennials, international buyers, or collectors willing to pay premium prices, Depop's audience may not be your optimal market. A Shopify store reaches anyone who can find you via Google, social media, or word of mouth.

You See Reselling as a Real Business, Not Just a Hustle

Perhaps the clearest sign: you think about fashion resale as a career or business, not a side hustle. Businesses build assets. Businesses own customer relationships. Businesses create value that can be sold or scaled. Depop-only selling builds none of these.

The Fundamental Difference: Building a Brand vs. Being a Depop Seller

This distinction matters more than any feature comparison.

What "Being a Depop Seller" Means

A Depop seller has inventory, listings, and sales. But they do not have:

• An email list they can market to
• A website they control
• A brand identity beyond their handle
• Customer data they own
• Any asset that exists independent of Depop's platform

When Depop changes its algorithm, fees, or policies, sellers have no recourse. When a seller stops posting, their "brand" disappears. There is no accumulated value beyond cash extracted from sales.

This is not criticism—Depop-only selling is perfectly viable for many people. But it is a hustle, not a business.

What "Building a Fashion Brand" Means

A fashion brand exists independent of any single platform. It includes:

• Visual identity: Logo, aesthetic, photography style, packaging
• Brand story: Why you exist, who you serve, what you stand for
• Owned audience: Email list, SMS subscribers, social followers you can actually reach
• Customer relationships: Data about who buys, what they want, why they return
• Multi-channel presence: Shopify store, social platforms, possibly pop-ups or wholesale
• Transferable value: An asset another owner could operate

The brand is the container. Platforms like Depop, Shopify, Instagram, or TikTok are distribution channels that serve the brand.

When you build a brand, platform changes become tactical adjustments rather than existential threats. Your customer relationships persist regardless of which platforms rise or fall.

The Compounding Effect

Every sale on Depop ends at the transaction. You got paid, Depop got paid, the customer got their item. Nothing accumulates.

Every sale on Shopify can compound:

• Customer joins your email list
• You can market new drops directly to them
• They are more likely to return (repeat customers are 60-70% likely to convert)
• They might refer friends
• Their data helps you understand your market
• The revenue builds toward a sellable business

After 500 sales on Depop, you have 500 transactions.

After 500 sales on Shopify with email capture, you might have:

• 400 email subscribers
• 100 repeat customers
• Data showing what pieces and price points convert
• Audience segments you can target specifically
• A business worth 2-4x annual profit to an acquirer

This compounding is why successful resellers treat Shopify as the destination and Depop as one acquisition channel.

Running Depop + Shopify Together: The Multi-Platform Strategy

The smartest path is not abandoning Depop. It is treating Depop as one channel while building your owned destination.

Depop's Role: Discovery and Volume

Depop excels at what a marketplace does best:

• New customer discovery: Buyers browsing for "90s slip dress" find your listings
• Lower-priced items: Pieces where your brand premium matters less
• Commodity vintage: Items without unique brand differentiation
• Testing new categories: Validate demand before committing Shopify real estate
• Clearance: Move pieces that did not sell at full price on Shopify

Think of Depop as your acquisition channel. Some percentage of Depop buyers will become brand fans who eventually find your Shopify store for the full experience.

Shopify's Role: Brand and Margin

Your Shopify store is where brand-building happens:

• Brand presentation: Full control over aesthetics, photography, and story
• Premium pieces: Higher-margin items where brand justifies price premium
• Exclusive drops: Items only available on your store
• Email subscribers: Building an audience you own
• Repeat customers: Full customer experience that encourages loyalty
• Bundles and collections: Merchandising beyond single listings

The goal over time is shifting your best margins and customer relationships to Shopify while using Depop for volume and discovery.

Inventory Management Across Platforms

Selling identical items on multiple platforms requires inventory coordination to prevent overselling.

Manual Tracking (Starting Out)

For fewer than 50 active listings, a spreadsheet works:

When an item sells, immediately remove or mark sold on the other platform.

Integration Tools (At Scale)

Above 100 active listings, consider:

• Sellbrite: Multi-channel inventory sync ($29/month+)
• Shopify + manual Depop removal: Since Depop lacks API access, some sellers manually delist after Shopify sales
• Vendoo: Cross-listing tool supporting Depop and Shopify

The key is preventing oversells, which damage customer experience and account health on both platforms.

Pricing Strategy Across Platforms

Your pricing should reflect each platform's costs and customer expectations.

Depop Pricing

Include Depop's 10% fee plus payment processing in your pricing. Depop buyers are somewhat price-sensitive due to platform competition, but they also expect unique pieces unavailable elsewhere.

Shopify Pricing

You can often price 10-15% higher on Shopify:

• Lower fees allow same margin at higher price
• Brand presentation justifies premium
• No direct price comparison with competitors
• Bundle pricing increases average order value

Example:

The higher Shopify prices offset your lower fees while funding the customer experience that justifies the premium.

Building Your Shopify Store: Fashion Resale Essentials

Step 1: Choose Your Brand Identity

Before building anything, decide what your brand represents.

Brand Positioning Questions:

• What era or aesthetic do you specialize in?
• Who is your ideal customer (age, style, values)?
• What makes your curation different from other sellers?
• What is your brand story—why did you start, what do you stand for?
• What feeling should customers have when they experience your brand?

Example Brand Positions:

• "Curated 1990s grunge and band tees for nostalgic millennials and Gen Z collectors"
• "Sustainable luxury vintage for conscious fashion enthusiasts"
• "Streetwear archive pieces and rare finds for collectors"
• "Y2K and early 2000s fashion for the nostalgic maximalist"

This positioning guides every decision: store design, photography style, pricing, and marketing voice.

Step 2: Set Up Your Shopify Foundation

Store Configuration

1. Start your free Shopify trial (3 months at $1/month for new merchants)
2. Choose a fashion-appropriate theme—Dawn, Sense, or Colorblock work well for apparel
3. Configure your domain (YourBrandName.com)
4. Set up Shopify Payments for lowest processing fees
5. Configure shipping rates (flat rate or calculated)
6. Create essential pages: About, FAQ, Sizing Guide, Returns Policy

Fashion-Specific Settings

• Product types: Create a "Vintage Clothing" or "Resale Fashion" product type
• Collections: Set up by era (1990s, 2000s), by type (dresses, tops, outerwear), and by price
• Variants: Size, condition grade, color as appropriate
• Metafields: Create custom fields for era, condition grade, original brand, materials

Step 3: Develop Your Product Listing System

Fashion resale requires more detailed listings than new products because each item is unique.

Product Title Formula

[Era/Style] [Original Brand] [Item Type] - [Key Detail] | [Size]

Examples:

• "90s Vintage Levi's 501 Jeans - High Waist Mom Fit | Size 28"
• "Y2K Baby Phat Logo Tee - Rhinestone Detail | Size M"
• "70s Bohemian Gunne Sax Dress - Floral Print | Size S"

Description Structure

Opening Hook (1-2 sentences) What makes this piece special? Why will someone love wearing it?

Details Section

• Era/decade
• Original brand
• Item type and style
• Labeled size with modern equivalent
• Measurements (critical for vintage)
• Materials/fabric
• Color/pattern

Condition Section Use a standardized grading system:

• Like New: No visible wear, possibly unworn
• Excellent: Minimal wear, no damage
• Very Good: Light wear, minor imperfections noted
• Good: Moderate wear, wearable with character
• Fair: Significant wear, best for styling or upcycling

Styling Section How to wear it, what to pair it with, occasions it suits.

Care Notes Washing instructions and preservation tips.

Step 4: Photography Standards

Your photos are your storefront. On Depop, everyone uses phone photos. On Shopify, you control presentation.

Photo Requirements:

1. Front full-length: Item on model, mannequin, or flat lay
2. Back view: Full garment back
3. Detail shots: Logo, hardware, interesting design elements
4. Condition documentation: Close-ups of any wear, repairs, or imperfections
5. Label/tag: Proves era and care information
6. Lifestyle/styled shot: Optional but increases conversion

Technical Standards:

• Consistent lighting (natural or studio)
• Clean, on-brand background
• High resolution (2000+ pixels on longest side)
• Consistent editing style
• Multiple angles for each piece

Inconsistent photography undermines the brand premium that justifies Shopify pricing.

Step 5: Implement Fashion-Specific Shopify Features

Size Charts

Install a size chart app (Kiwi Size Chart, Clean Size Charts) to:

• Display vintage sizing conversions
• Show actual measurements
• Reduce sizing-related returns

Condition Grading Display

Use metafields to display condition grades consistently across listings. Some sellers create a dedicated "Condition Guide" page explaining their grading system.

Collections for Browsing

Fashion buyers browse by category. Create collections for:

• Era (1990s, 2000s, Vintage)
• Item type (Tops, Bottoms, Dresses, Outerwear)
• Style (Grunge, Bohemian, Streetwear, Minimalist)
• Price range (Under $50, $50-$100, $100+)
• New arrivals (automated by date added)

Abandoned Cart Recovery

Fashion has high browse-to-purchase ratios. Shopify's built-in abandoned cart emails recover 5-15% of abandoned checkouts—revenue you lose entirely on Depop.

The Migration Process: From Depop to Dual-Platform Selling

Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-4)

Week 1: Store Setup

• Complete Shopify configuration
• Establish brand identity and visual standards
• Create essential pages (About, FAQ, Sizing, Returns)
• Choose and customize theme

Week 2: Initial Listings

• Select 20-30 best pieces from Depop inventory
• Photograph to Shopify standards
• Write detailed descriptions
• Test ordering process

Week 3: Email Foundation

• Install Klaviyo or Shopify Email
• Create popup offering discount for email signup
• Design welcome email sequence (3-5 emails introducing brand)
• Set up abandoned cart automation

Week 4: Launch

• Soft launch to friends/family for testing
• Fix any issues discovered
• Announce on personal social media
• Do not yet announce to Depop audience (see below)

Phase 2: Parallel Operation (Months 2-3)

Continue Depop Normally Keep listing and selling on Depop. Your Depop income funds Shopify's growth phase.

Build Shopify Inventory Gradually list pieces on both platforms. Prioritize:

• Higher-margin items for Shopify exclusives
• Commodity pieces for Depop only
• Best photography pieces for both

Develop Brand Social Presence

• Create Instagram account with brand name (not Depop handle)
• Post content that establishes brand aesthetic
• Link to both Depop and Shopify initially
• Begin building email list through Shopify

Test Traffic Sources

• Run small Facebook/Instagram ad tests ($100-$200)
• Optimize for email signups or purchases
• Identify which audiences and messages convert

Phase 3: Shifting Gravity (Months 4-6)

Introduce Shopify Exclusives

• Drop certain pieces only on Shopify
• Create bundles available only on your store
• Offer email subscriber early access to new drops

Nurture Email List

• Send weekly new arrivals emails
• Create "styled looks" content
• Share behind-the-scenes sourcing stories
• Build relationship beyond transactions

Optimize What Works

• Double down on profitable traffic sources
• Refine product mix based on conversion data
• Adjust pricing strategy based on results

Phase 4: Mature Multi-Channel (Months 7-12)

Channel Strategy Clarity By this point, you should know:

• Which pieces sell better on which platform
• What your customer acquisition cost is on Shopify
• Which traffic sources are profitable
• What percentage of email subscribers convert

Potential Channel Mix at Maturity:

• 50-70% revenue through Shopify (higher margins, owned relationships)
• 30-50% revenue through Depop (discovery, volume, commodity)
• Growing email list driving 20-30% of Shopify revenue

Fashion-Specific Shopify Features and Apps

Shopify's ecosystem includes tools specifically valuable for fashion resellers.

Essential Apps for Resale

Sustainability Features

Fashion resale has inherent sustainability positioning. Amplify it:

• Install apps that calculate environmental impact per purchase
• Display "saved from landfill" metrics at checkout
• Create an Impact page showing cumulative sustainability stats
• Use eco-friendly packaging and highlight it

Customer Experience Features

• Wishlist functionality: Let customers save items for later
• Customer accounts: Enable repeat buyers to track orders
• Instagram Shopping: Tag products in posts for direct purchase
• TikTok integration: Reach Gen Z where they discover trends

Building Your Email List: The Asset Depop Cannot Provide

Your email list is the single most valuable asset you build on Shopify that is impossible on Depop.

Why Email Changes Everything

Email marketing generates $36-$42 for every $1 spent—the highest ROI of any marketing channel. For fashion resellers:

• New drop announcements sell out items before they hit search algorithms
• Abandoned cart emails recover 5-15% of lost sales
• Win-back campaigns re-engage customers who have not purchased recently
• VIP early access creates loyalty and urgency

On Depop, you can message existing buyers—but only with prior transaction. No announcements to followers. No marketing automation. No segmentation.

Building Your List from Day One

Capture Methods:

1. Popup on entry: Offer 10-15% off first order for email signup
2. Footer signup: Persistent email capture across site
3. Checkout option: Add to list during purchase
4. Exit intent: Capture leaving visitors
5. Post-purchase: Confirm subscription after buying

Target: Capture 5-10% of site visitors as email subscribers.

Email Sequences That Convert

Welcome Sequence (New Subscribers)

Abandoned Cart Sequence

Post-Purchase Sequence

Segmentation Power

Unlike Depop's one-size-fits-all approach, Shopify email allows segmentation:

• By purchase history: Buyers of 90s pieces get 90s new arrivals
• By price point: High-value buyers see premium drops first
• By engagement: Active openers get exclusive access
• By recency: Recent buyers get different content than lapsed

This relevance drives dramatically higher conversion than broadcast messages.

Fee Comparison at Different Revenue Levels

Understanding the financial case for Shopify requires honest fee comparison.

Monthly Revenue: $3,000

Shopify advantage: $261/month ($3,132/year)

Monthly Revenue: $7,500

Shopify advantage: $704/month ($8,448/year)

Monthly Revenue: $15,000

Shopify advantage: $1,425/month ($17,100/year)

The Complete Picture

Fee savings alone justify Shopify at scale. But the complete value includes:

• Customer data ownership: Worth 2-4x annual profit if you ever sell the business
• Email marketing capability: Drives 20-30% of revenue at maturity
• Brand equity: Premium pricing potential and customer loyalty
• Platform independence: No algorithm changes threaten your business

Common Mistakes Depop Sellers Make Transitioning to Shopify

Mistake 1: Abandoning Depop Immediately

Depop provides traffic you have already earned. Cutting it off before Shopify generates equivalent traffic leaves revenue on the table. Run both platforms for at least 6-12 months while building Shopify momentum.

Mistake 2: Copying Depop Photography Standards

Phone photos with inconsistent lighting work on Depop because everyone does it. On Shopify, you control the brand experience. Inconsistent, low-quality photos undermine the premium positioning that justifies your prices.

Mistake 3: Identical Pricing Across Platforms

Depop's competitive environment and fee structure requires different pricing than Shopify's brand environment. Price strategically for each platform's context.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Email Collection

Some sellers launch Shopify stores without email capture because Depop never allowed it. Email is the entire point of owning your channel. Prioritize list building from day one.

Mistake 5: Trying to Pull Depop Followers Directly

Directly messaging Depop followers asking them to buy elsewhere violates terms of service and risks account suspension. Build brand awareness organically so customers find you independently.

Mistake 6: Underinvesting in Brand Identity

A Shopify store with no brand story, generic theme, and minimal about page looks worse than Depop, not better. The value is brand differentiation—invest in it.

Mistake 7: Expecting Immediate Traffic

Depop provides built-in discovery. Shopify requires you to drive traffic. Budget time and money for traffic acquisition during the first 3-6 months.

Marketing Your Shopify Store as a Depop Veteran

Leverage Your Existing Audience

You have social proof from Depop: reviews, followers, sales history. Use this:

• Screenshot strong Depop reviews for your Shopify testimonials page
• Reference your resale experience in your brand story
• Build on the reputation you have earned

Content Marketing for Fashion Resale

Fashion customers engage with content beyond just listings.

High-Performing Content Types:

• Styled looks: How to wear your pieces in current outfits
• Era deep dives: "Everything You Need to Know About 90s Grunge Fashion"
• Sourcing stories: Behind-the-scenes thrift runs and estate sale finds
• Trend analysis: How vintage aesthetics connect to current trends
• Care guides: How to wash vintage denim, store silk, remove stains

Distribution:

• Instagram Reels and TikTok for discovery
• Pinterest for evergreen styling content
• Blog on Shopify for SEO
• Email for engaged audience

Paid Advertising Strategy

When ready to invest in traffic:

Start Small ($200-$500/month)

• Facebook/Instagram ads targeting fashion interests
• Retargeting website visitors
• Lookalike audiences from customer list

Test and Learn

• Which products convert from ads?
• Which audiences perform best?
• What creative drives clicks?

Scale What Works

• Double down on profitable campaigns
• Cut underperforming ads
• Gradually increase budget on winners

Influencer Partnerships

Fashion resale benefits from authentic influencer partnerships:

• Offer pieces to micro-influencers (1,000-10,000 followers) in exchange for content
• Partner with vintage enthusiasts who genuinely love your aesthetic
• Focus on authentic fit over follower count

From Reseller to Fashion Brand: The Long-Term Vision

The transition from Depop seller to fashion brand owner is not about platforms—it is about mindset.

What Becomes Possible

Multiple Revenue Streams

• Direct sales through Shopify
• Wholesale to boutiques
• Pop-up shop appearances
• Vintage styling consultations
• Content partnerships and affiliate revenue

Acquisition Potential Fashion brands with strong customer lists and consistent revenue sell for 2-4x annual profit. A Depop account has minimal standalone value.

Team Building Real businesses can hire help. With systems and owned channels, you can bring on sourcers, photographers, customer service, or fulfillment—scaling beyond what one person can manage.

Creative Freedom Your brand can evolve. Launch original pieces alongside vintage. Collaborate with designers. Create content that influences fashion trends.

The 3-Year Vision

By year three, Depop becomes one distribution channel among several, not your entire business. The brand you have built exists independent of any platform.

Start Building Your Fashion Brand Today

Depop gave you the start you needed. It taught you what sells, helped you find your aesthetic, and proved you could build an audience around your curation. But the ceiling is real. The fees compound. The customer relationships stay locked in someone else's app.

Shopify does not replace what Depop offers—it builds on top of it. The discovery, the community, the instant access to buyers all remain available. What you gain is ownership: of your brand, your customers, your data, and your future.

You do not have to choose between platforms. You run both. Depop continues providing what it does well: discovery, volume, testing ground. Shopify provides what Depop cannot: brand identity, customer relationships, email marketing, and long-term value creation.

A year from now, you will be glad you started building something you own.

Ready to scale your fashion resale business?

Start your free Shopify trial and begin building the brand that turns Depop followers into loyal customers. Your first 3 months cost just $1/month—enough time to set up your store, establish your brand, and start building the customer relationships that define sustainable fashion businesses.

Already have a Shopify store? Get a free AI visibility audit to see how AI shopping assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity recommend fashion resale brands—and what you can do to appear in more AI-generated shopping recommendations.

Further Reading

• Shopify for Vintage Clothing: Sell Secondhand and Thrift Fashion Online
• eBay to Shopify: How Sellers Build Real Brands Beyond the Marketplace
• AI Visibility for Etsy Sellers: Complete Guide to Getting Recommended
• DTC Brand AI Visibility Playbook
• ChatGPT Shopping: Complete Guide for E-commerce