Sales guide · April 2026
Think about how you search for clothes on Vinted or Facebook Marketplace. You type in: "black coat". You get a hundred results. That first visual scan takes a few seconds – photo, price, and if present: brand name. The seller who can communicate the brand right at the top of their listing immediately stands out from the crowd. Not just in search rankings – but in the buyer's mind as well.
In the second-hand clothing market, brand is one of the most powerful value-adding factors. A well-identified Nike, Levi's or Tommy Hilfiger item can sell for up to three times the price of a similarly conditioned piece from an unknown brand. But to get there, you first need to know whether you're actually dealing with a genuine branded item – and if so, how best to sell it.
In this guide we walk through how to identify genuine branded items, what to look out for with fakes, which brands sell best, and how to communicate the brand effectively in your listings. For details on the related category system, read our business start-up guide.
Who is this guide for?
Resellers who work with sorting and selecting second-hand stock and want to pick out branded items to sell at a higher price. It's also useful if you simply want to understand why some people charge three times as much for a similar garment – and how you can achieve the same results.
Recognising a genuine branded item doesn't come down to a single thing – it's a judgement based on the overall picture. By checking the five points below, the vast majority of cases will give you a clear answer as to whether you're looking at a genuine branded piece.
The inner neck label and the care/composition label are the most reliable source. On genuine branded items, the inner label is typically neat, evenly stitched and printed to a high quality. On cheap fakes, the label is only moderately accurate, with blurred lettering or uneven line spacing.
- Print quality – On genuine brands, the text on the label is sharp, even and does not wash off. On fakes it blurs after washing.
- Label stitching – The label is sewn in evenly and precisely. If the label is half hanging out or sewn in at an angle, that indicates poor quality.
- Serial number / factory code – Several brands (e.g. Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss) also print a serial number on the inner label. This is generally absent on fakes.
- Composition label consistency – On genuine brands, the care label contains fabric composition and washing instructions in compliance with EU regulations. If the fibre breakdown by percentage is missing, that's a warning sign.
Stitching is hard to fake – because quality requires expensive machinery and precise workmanship. On a genuine branded garment, the seams are even, tight and symmetrical. No threads are hanging loose, and the joins show precise alignment.
The quality of the hardware is a telltale sign – precisely because cheap manufacturers cut corners here. On a genuine branded jacket, the zip will typically carry its own brand marking (e.g. YKK, Riri, or the clothing brand's own name). Buttons are heavy, uniform and fit the buttonholes well.
- Zip – YKK is the world's largest zip manufacturer; if you see the YKK marking on the zip, you're dealing with a quality component. Importantly, it should open and close smoothly without snagging.
- Buttons – On genuine branded items, the brand name may also appear on the back of the button. Buttons are uniform in size and sewn on consistently. If the button material looks cheap (shiny, lightweight), it generally points to a fake.
- Buckles and metal hardware – On genuine brands, metal fittings are made from heavy metal and do not corrode. On cheap fakes, the metal surface is worn or painted and peels off easily.
The logo is the area that counterfeiters get right most often – but if you know what to look for, discrepancies can still be spotted here. On genuine brands, the logo is sharply and evenly printed or precisely embroidered. On embroidered logos, the threads are taut and uniform, with no visible thread ends.
Quick logo check
Hold the embroidered logo up to a strong light source. On a genuine logo, the embroidery is even, the threads are dense and uniform. On cheap fakes, the embroidery is sparser and the base fabric threads may be visible through the stitching. For a printed logo, zoom in sharply: does it pixelate? On a genuine brand it won't.
Premium brands' patterns are based on unique and precisely defined proportions. If the collar proportions on a "Burberry" coat don't look right, or the sleeves on a "Ralph Lauren" shirt deviate from the norm – that's a clear sign of departure from the original pattern. Of course, this eye develops over time once you've seen many genuine pieces – but as a starting point, the overall impression is enough: does the item look neat and well-proportioned?
You don't need to know every brand. 80% of the items circulating on the second-hand market come from a few dozen brands – and solid knowledge of these is enough to give you a competitive edge.
Counterfeits don't appear as your problem in a sale – they appear as your buyer's problem if you sell a fake as genuine. This represents a serious risk of returns and negative reviews. That's why it's important to know what to watch out for.
Signs of a counterfeit – watch out for these
Unrealistically low price relative to the original item – if the price is logically too cheap for what the item should cost, be suspicious. Label quality differs – blurred printing, inconsistent text, label curling unevenly. Asymmetric logo – embroidery is rough, print is not sharp. Mismatched care label – e.g. a "Nike"-labelled garment with a "100% polyester, made in China" care label is suspicious, but a missing care label is even more suspicious. Poor zip – not YKK, snags, or breaks on the first opening.
If you're not certain you're dealing with a genuine branded item, don't sell it as one. There are two options: either note in the description that "authenticity cannot be verified, purchase at buyer's own risk", and price it lower – or simply don't highlight the brand at all, and price it based on style. This approach is transparent and buyer-friendly – it's better to receive a lower price than to handle a return.
When it comes to pricing, brand is one of the strongest pricing factors. For a coat of equal quality, the presence of a brand can cause a 200–300% price difference on Vinted. This isn't unfair – buyers consciously pay more for a known brand because they identify with it, associate it with quality, and because they too want to resell or wear something branded.
| Category | Typical Vinted price (coat) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown brand, good condition | 1,500–3,000 HUF | Depends on quality |
| Zara / H&M / Mango, good condition | 2,500–5,000 HUF | Depends on style and seasonality |
| Tommy Hilfiger / Ralph Lauren | 4,000–10,000 HUF | Depends on type and condition |
| The North Face / Columbia | 6,000–18,000 HUF | Technical outerwear especially sought after |
| Hugo Boss / Calvin Klein | 8,000–25,000 HUF | Suits, coats – premium segment |
The prices above are indicative and vary depending on condition, type and time of year. For precise pricing calculations, we recommend our pricing guide, which also covers how to calculate your margin.
Identifying the brand is only half the work. The other half is communicating it effectively in your listing. Many sellers neglect this – and as a result sell branded items for less than they should.
Identifying brands and communicating them effectively is one of the best investments of your time as a reseller. It requires no special tools or capital – only awareness and consistent attention. After a few weeks of sorting and writing listings, the routine sets in, and by the fifth or tenth Levi's you'll recognise it automatically.
The 5 golden rules of brand recognition:
- 1. Always check the inner label – This is the first and most reliable identification point. If the brand is there, check the stitching too.
- 2. Check the stitching and hardware – The zip, buttons and stitch quality together give you the full picture. If anything doesn't add up, be cautious.
- 3. If you're unsure, don't sell it as genuine – The lower price you receive is better than a return, a dispute and a bad review.
- 4. Photograph all identification points – Label, logo, patch, zip, buttons: these photos verify authenticity and reduce haggling.
- 5. Put the brand as the first word in your title – Both on Vinted and Facebook, this is the most important position from the perspective of search logic and first impressions.
If you'd like to see what branded items are currently available in our stock, browse our products. If you have questions about the stock or would like to order with a Video Check guarantee, get in touch – we're happy to help.