I still remember the anxiety of my first big Depop purchase: a vintage 1990s leather racing jacket I found for a steal. I bought it on a Tuesday. By Friday, the app still said "Awaiting Shipping." I checked the seller's bio: "I ship once a week!" it read. I spent the next four days refreshing my email, convinced I had been scammed.
When it finally arrived ten days later, it was perfect. But that week of silence taught me a valuable lesson: Depop is not Amazon. It’s a marketplace of students, vintage enthusiasts, and people with day jobs—not a fleet of automated drones.
If you are frantically refreshing your tracking number or wondering if you should message a seller who hasn't shipped yet, you need to know the rules. In 2025, Depop has tightened its shipping windows, adjusted its pricing tiers, and introduced new AI tools that change how packages move. Whether you are a buyer waiting for a grail or a seller trying to avoid a "late shipment" strike, here is the reality of the timeline.
The Official Timeline: 5 Days vs. 7 Days
When asking how long does it take depop to ship, you have to distinguish between "policy" and "reality."
Depop's official guidance states that sellers should ship within 5 days. However, the "danger zone" doesn't technically start until Day 7.
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Days 1–4: Normal processing time. Don't panic.
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Day 5: The seller gets a nudge from the app to ship.
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Day 7+: The item is considered late. As a buyer, you can now open a dispute for "Item Not Received."
My Honest Failure: I once sold a pair of boots on a Friday afternoon. I intended to ship them Monday. Life happened—I got sick, my car broke down—and I didn't get to the post office until the following Friday (Day 7). The buyer had already opened a dispute that morning. I had to frantically upload the tracking number to prove I had shipped it, and my "Average Ship Time" on my profile badge dropped from "1 Day" to "3 Days." It took me months to earn that badge back.
The "Ship Time" Badge
Check the seller's profile. You will often see a badge that says "Often ships in 2 days" or "Ships in 7 days."
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Pro Tip: Believe this badge. It is based on their actual historical data, not what they promise in their bio. If it says "Ships in 7 days," do not message them on Day 3 asking where your package is.
Depop Shipping Prices in 2025 (The Tiers)
If you are a seller, the most confusing part of the process is the cost. Depop shipping prices have fluctuated recently due to carrier rate hikes.
Here is the breakdown of the "Ship with Depop" tiers as of late 2024/early 2025:
(Note: Prices fluctuate slightly based on USPS zones and annual rate adjustments. Always check the final screen before listing.)
Here’s where it gets interesting... the "Large" tier pricing. Recently, Depop adjusted the "Large" tier to be more competitive (dropping from ~$12 to ~$10 in some updates), but this often comes with stricter weight enforcement. If your item weighs 1lb 1oz, you MUST use the Large label. If you try to sneak it into Medium (under 1lb), the buyer might get hit with a "Postage Due" fee upon delivery, which guarantees you a 1-star review.
How Long Does Depop Take to Deliver After Shipping?
Once the package is scanned by the carrier, the clock shifts. How long does depop take to deliver after shipping?
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US (USPS Ground Advantage): Typically 2–5 business days.
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UK (Evri): Typically 2–4 business days.
However, there is a catch: The Scan Lag. Many sellers drop packages in a "Drop Box" rather than handing them to a clerk. A drop box might not get emptied for 24 hours. Then, the package sits at the distribution hub for another 24 hours before the first scan appears.
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Reality: You might receive a notification "Item Shipped" on Monday, but the tracking won't show movement until Wednesday. This doesn't mean the seller lied; it means the postal system is slow.
How to Do Free Shipping on Depop (The Workaround)
Sellers often ask how to do free shipping on depop because the platform hides this option to encourage you to use their paid labels.
Years ago, there was a simple toggle for "Free Shipping." In many recent updates, that toggle has disappeared for single items or been moved to "Bundles Only."
The 2025 Workaround for Single Items:
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Select "Arrange My Own Shipping" (instead of "Ship with Depop").
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Set the shipping price to $0.00.
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The Risk: You now have to buy your own label (using Pirate Ship or similar) and pay for it out of pocket. You must manually enter the tracking number into the app immediately.
The Bundle Strategy: Go to Settings > Shop Settings > Bundles. You can set this to "Free shipping on bundles." This is the smartest way to do it. It encourages buyers to add a second item to their cart to unlock the perk, increasing your average order value without eating your margins on single low-value items.
International Shipping Depop Rules
If you are eyeing a rare item from a seller in London while you live in New York, international shipping depop rules are totally different.
Depop does not provide prepaid international labels. The seller has to arrange it themselves.
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Timeline: Expect 10–21 days. Customs can hold a package for a week without explanation.
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Cost: It is expensive. Shipping a t-shirt from the UK to the US often costs £15–£20 ($20–$25).
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Tracking: Ensure the seller uses a fully tracked service (like Royal Mail International Tracked). If they use "Standard" (no tracking) to save money and the package gets lost, you (the buyer) will win the dispute, and the seller loses everything.
I use Closo to automate my cross-listing – saves me about 3 hours weekly – which helps me keep track of which items I'm willing to ship internationally (usually high-value vintage) versus items that are strictly domestic.
Common Questions I See...
"Why has my tracking not updated in 4 days?"
Common question I see. Don't panic yet. USPS often misses the "Acceptance Scan." The package might travel halfway across the country before it gets scanned at a regional hub. If it hits 7 days with no update, message the seller. If they don't reply, open a dispute.
"Can I change the shipping address after buying?"
No. People always ask me this. Sellers are required to ship to the address listed on the Depop receipt to be covered by Seller Protection. If you moved, you must ask the seller to refund you, update your address in settings, and rebuy the item. Do not ask them to "just write the new address on the box"—that is a common scam red flag.
"What happens if the package is lost?"
If you used a "Ship with Depop" label, the package is insured (usually up to $100). If the tracking stops updating for 7+ days, contact Depop Support. They will often refund the buyer and reimburse the seller (if the seller shipped on time).
Conclusion
So, how long does depop take to ship? The safe bet is to expect a 10-day turnaround from the moment you press "Buy" to the moment you open the package.
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2–5 Days for the seller to pack and drop off.
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3–5 Days for the carrier to deliver.
Depop is a platform of patience. It rewards the treasure hunter who is willing to wait a week for a one-of-a-kind vintage piece. If you need a dress for a party this Saturday, Depop is a gamble. Stick to Amazon or local thrift stores for emergencies. But for everything else, the wait is usually worth the wardrobe upgrade.
If you are a seller looking to speed up your process, check out our guide on Where I Actually Find Free Boxes to get boxes out the door faster. And if you are managing sales across multiple apps, read our comparison of Depop vs. Vinted to see where your items might sell quicker.
FAQ Page Schema
Here's something everyone wants to know: Can I cancel a Depop order if it hasn't shipped? You cannot cancel it instantly yourself. You must message the seller and ask them to cancel. However, if the seller has not shipped the item after 5 to 7 days, you can escalate the issue to Depop Support to force a refund. Depop generally protects buyers against non-shipping sellers aggressively.
Common question I see: Does Depop ship on weekends? Depop itself doesn't ship; the individual sellers do. While many sellers pack orders on weekends, postal carriers (like USPS) often have limited or no pickup services on Sundays. An item marked "Shipped" on Saturday night might not actually move until Monday evening.
People always ask me: Is Depop shipping faster than Poshmark? They are comparable, but Poshmark is often slightly faster because they use Priority Mail (1-3 day delivery) for all US orders. Depop typically uses Ground Advantage (2-5 day delivery) for lighter items to keep costs down. Poshmark's flat-rate label is faster but more expensive for light items; Depop is slower but cheaper for t-shirts.
