Unwanted Christmas gifts piling up? See where they sell faster and for a better price on Vinted or Le Bon Coin, with clear fees, timing and pro tips.
Every year right after December 25, France quietly turns to resale apps. Listings of duplicate toys, wrong sized sweaters and unopened gadgets surge, and the first to list often win.
Two platforms dominate this seasonal wave. Vinted says it gathers more than 100 million members across its markets in Europe and North America, a scale that speeds up fashion sales in particular. In France, Le Bon Coin remains a heavyweight with about 28 million monthly visitors according to Médiamétrie, giving broad reach for tech, home and bulky items. Sources : Vinted Newsroom 2024, Médiamétrie 2023.
Vinted vs Le Bon Coin : where Christmas gifts sell fastest
The main question is simple. Which platform moves your freshly unwrapped but unwanted gift the quickest and at a fair price.
Patterns from holiday seasons repeat. Vinted usually wins for clothes, shoes, kidswear and beauty boxes still sealed, thanks to search filters and a buyer base already in a second hand mindset. Le Bon Coin tends to shine for consoles, smartphones, kitchen appliances, furniture and any item that benefits from local pickup.
There is a timing window. Demand peaks from December 26 to January 6 while gift exchanges and returns happen and people spend holiday cash. List during that window and refresh the ad daily to stay visible.
Fees, buyer protection and shipping : how Vinted and Le Bon Coin compare
On Vinted, sellers do not pay a commission. The buyer pays a Buyer Protection fee equal to 0.70 euro plus 5 percent of the item price in France, which funds in app payment, tracking and support. Source : Vinted Help Center France 2024.
Le Bon Coin offers secure payment with buyer paid service fees that vary by price bracket, and optional shipping or local pickup. The exact fee is shown at checkout. Source : leboncoin Aide Paiement sécurisé 2024.
Shipping changes the speed of sale. Vinted integrates label purchase with Mondial Relay, Colissimo and others, which keeps friction low for light parcels. Le Bon Coin gives flexibility for larger or fragile items through local pickup that avoids shipping costs entirely.
Pricing, photos and timing : real tips to make sales stick
Photos do the heavy lifting. Shoot in daylight, show scale with a hand or a ruler, include one close up of labels or specs and one photo of the packaging if it is sealed.
Price with a quick benchmark. Search the exact model on both platforms, note the lowest price for items rated in similar condition and aim to undercut by a small margin during December 26 to January 1. That short undercut often triggers the first wave of buyers.
Avoid vague titles. Include brand, model, size, color and condition like new, unopened, with receipt if you can. Details reduce questions and speed the decision to buy or pickup.
Payment and delivery should stay in app. Accepting transfers or meeting without reservation exposes the seller to no show risks and zero recourse. Use the app chat, confirm the pickup window and bring the exact item seen in photos to avoid disputes.
Here is a compact playbook to move faster during the post Christmas rush :
- List by December 26 with five clear photos and a direct title
- Start at the lowest realistic market price, then raise a little if messages flood
- Activate shipping on Vinted for light items, prefer local pickup on Le Bon Coin for bulky goods
- Answer within fifteen minutes during evenings and weekends, when most buyers browse
- Keep proof of purchase to reassure buyers that the gift is genuine and new
What to sell where : play to each platform’s strengths
Fashion, beauty and kids gifts find their buyer base on Vinted. The absence of seller fees and the embedded shipping labels cut friction for fast moving items under two kilos.
High value tech, home appliances and any object that benefits from inspection belong on Le Bon Coin. The audience is large and local, which makes same day pickup common and avoids shipping damage.
For mixed gift piles, start with a simple rule. List fashion and small accessories on Vinted first for forty eight hours, then cross list leftovers on Le Bon Coin. For electronics and bulky items, begin on Le Bon Coin with local pickup active, and only mirror to Vinted if views stay low after three days.
The real answer then depends on category and urgency. Vinted is built for clothes and small sealed items that ship neatly, with the 0.70 euro plus 5 percent buyer protection fee displayed upfront. Le Bon Coin spreads the net wider in France for tech, furniture and local deals where buyers want to see and recieve the item the same day. Sources : Vinted Help Center France 2024, Médiamétrie 2023, leboncoin Aide 2024.