Depop’s Australian seller protection programme can apply when an eligible parcel is lost or damaged in transit. The published limit is A$450 for the transaction, including the item price, shipping and applicable taxes.
Using the right label is only one condition. The dispatch timing, delivery address, item eligibility and transaction value also matter.
What are the eligibility conditions?
Under Depop’s seller protection policy, the sale must meet all of the relevant requirements:
- Purchase took place through Depop’s BUY button, with an allowed item.
- Dispatch used the Depop Shipping label within five days of the transaction.
- The parcel went to the address recorded on the sale receipt.
- The item was lost or damaged in transit, including an eligible arranged return.
- The complete transaction stayed within the programme’s monetary limit.
The same policy excludes independently purchased shipping and in-person handovers for Australian sellers. Tracking alone does not turn an otherwise excluded delivery method into an eligible one.
How the A$450 limit works
Start with the full transaction amount rather than the item’s advertised price. Shipping and applicable taxes count towards the cap. Bundles are assessed together.
The postage amounts below are hypothetical. A transaction within the monetary limit must still meet every other eligibility condition.
| Example | Transaction amount | Within the monetary limit? |
|---|---|---|
| A$430 item + A$15 shipping; no tax assumed | A$445 | Yes, subject to every other condition |
| A$435 item + A$15 shipping; no tax assumed | A$450 | Yes, the monetary limit includes exactly A$450 |
| A$440 item + A$15 shipping; no tax assumed | A$455 | No |
| Two A$220 items + A$15 combined shipping; no tax assumed | A$455 | No; the bundle is one transaction |
The cap is inclusive: exactly A$450 meets the value condition, while A$450.01 exceeds it. An item priced below A$450 can still produce an over-limit transaction once postage or taxes are added. Do not assume such a sale receives partial protection up to A$450.
Check the whole order before accepting a valuable bundle or offer, including any shipping and applicable tax shown in the transaction.
The five-day rule concerns dispatch
Depop says the item must be sent within five days of the transaction date. The rule is not described as five business days.
Buying postage, printing a label and leaving the parcel on your packing bench are different events from handing it to the carrier. Plan around when you can actually lodge the parcel, especially if your local counter has limited weekend hours.
A practical routine is to record the sale date alongside the stock location, pack promptly and retain evidence of lodgement. Check that the order’s tracking subsequently records carrier progress. A label file proves that a label exists; a lodgement receipt helps establish that the parcel entered the network.
See our Australia Post shipping walkthrough for packing, labels and drop-off.
Why the label and address must match
For a Depop Shipping order, use that sale’s supplied label. An Australia Post label purchased through another account remains a different label, even if it goes to the same address.
Depop says using an alternative shipping method can remove protection and may cause the order to be cancelled and refunded. Resolve label problems through the order and Depop Support before sending a replacement parcel independently.
If a buyer asks for a different delivery address before dispatch, do not overwrite the label or send to the address in their message. Depop’s address-change instructions say the buyer must be refunded and repurchase after correcting their address. Confirm the new order and its label before posting; changing the parcel address alone leaves the original receipt unchanged.
During the Australian shipping rollout, older manual-shipping listings can coexist with integrated ones. Permission to fulfil an older manual order does not automatically give that order eligibility for this programme.
What evidence should you keep?
Keep a compact record for each sale:
- The original listing and clear condition photographs.
- The order receipt and its delivery details.
- The label associated with that order.
- The carrier’s lodgement receipt and tracking reference.
- Relevant buyer messages and the support case reference.
These records help show which item was sent, where it went and when it entered the carrier’s network. Share them through the relevant order or support case rather than posting buyer details publicly.
If a buyer reports loss or transit damage
Start with the affected order and record what the buyer says happened. Check tracking and your lodgement record; for reported damage, ask for clear photographs of the item and packaging to help explain the issue.
Keep three records together: the buyer’s order issue, any carrier enquiry and Depop’s support case. An enquiry with Australia Post does not by itself resolve a Depop case. The protection policy requires you to answer Depop’s communications and supply requested information within its stated time frame.
Reply to the buyer with the next step you have actually taken, such as checking tracking or contacting Depop. Do not promise reimbursement before the case is assessed. For a refund or an item-description complaint, follow the returns and refunds guide alongside the instructions in the case.
Protection, returns and insurance are different
The seller programme deals with qualifying transit loss or damage. A dispute about the item’s description requires a different assessment. A torn seam that was already present before packing should have been documented in the listing; it should not be presented as transit damage.
Depop explicitly describes its programme as discretionary and not insurance, a warranty or a guarantee. The current policy, transaction record and case decision govern the outcome. If you need separate cover for a valuable item, check the actual available service and its terms before selling or dispatching.
Frequently asked questions
Does Depop offer seller protection in Australia?
Depop offers its seller protection programme for eligible Australian sales sent using a Depop Shipping label. All eligibility conditions must be met, including the dispatch deadline, receipt address and transaction-value limit. It is not insurance or a guaranteed payout.
Does Depop’s A$450 protection limit include shipping?
Yes. The limit includes the item price, shipping fees and applicable taxes. A bundle is assessed as one transaction, rather than receiving a separate limit for each item.
How quickly must I ship for Depop seller protection?
The policy requires the item to be sent with its Depop Shipping label within five days of the transaction date. Creating or printing a label is not the same as lodging the parcel.
Am I covered if I purchase Australia Post postage myself?
For Australian sellers, the programme excludes items sent using a method other than a label purchased through Depop. A tracked Australia Post label bought independently does not meet that label condition.
Sources and review date
Checked 18 October 2026 against the official Depop pages linked above. The examples illustrate eligibility limits, not approved claims. For money awaiting release after a sale, read the Australian payout guide.