What's The BSci Behind... Depop? (Issue #16)

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Hi there,

This week, we’re diving into Depop, the app that made second-hand feel first-class and turned everyone’s bedroom floor into a photo studio.

Launched in 2011 as a social marketplace for creative types, Depop quickly became Gen Z’s favourite place to flog their wardrobe and buy someone else’s, eventually selling to Etsy in 2021 for a whopping $1.6B (not bad for an app born from vintage tees and vibes).

The Catch:

Depop wasn’t just up against eBay, the granddaddy of online reselling. It also had to fight the biggest boss-level villain of all: the cult of newness.

In a world raised on fast fashion hauls and micro-trends, getting people to love second-hand again was less “business strategy” and more “behavioural miracle.” So how did Depop turn thrifting into a cultural flex?

Let’s break down the behavioural science magic:

Mental Accounting: Depop makes you feel like a financial genius. Bidding, bartering, and cheeky offers turn shopping into a game where getting a discount feels like “winning,” not spending.
Temporal Discounting: That one-of-a-kind piece? It might be gone in three minutes. Depop taps into our “I must have it NOW” brain, making instant buying feel not only justified but essential.
Framing: Selling clothes into a separate PayPal balance creates the glorious illusion of free money. It’s not real cash… it’s “Depop cash.” And spending it doesn’t feel like it counts.
Choice Paradox: Vintage shopping IRL can feel overwhelming. Depop fixes that with filters, algorithms and a feed that knows your taste. Suddenly, 20 million items feel like 20 perfect options.

💡 BSCI Takeaway For Marketers💡

People don’t always crave “new”, but they always crave ease. Remove the friction, simplify the journey, and make the alternative feel effortless - and suddenly the underdog becomes the obvious choice.

Behaviourally yours,

Dan Monheit

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