What Does 'Refreshed' Mean on Depop and Should You Do It?

What Does 'Refreshed' Mean on Depop and Should You Do It?

For any seller on Depop, getting your items seen by the right buyers is the most crucial step toward making a sale. You can have the most unique vintage find or the trendiest piece, but if it’s buried under thousands of other listings, it might as well be invisible.

You may have heard other sellers talk about a tactic called “refreshing” or “bumping.” This has long been a go-to strategy for getting products back in the spotlight.

But what does refreshing mean, how do you do it, and most importantly, does it still work with Depop’s ever-changing algorithm? This guide will cover everything you need to know about the Depop refresh, and how you can build a more powerful, sustainable strategy for growth.

What Does Refreshing Do on Depop?

Refreshing, also known as bumping, is a feature on Depop that allows sellers to move an existing listing back to the top of search results. It is easily one of the most useful features for driving sales to a shop.

When a user searches for a keyword that matches your item, like “vintage denim jacket,” Depop’s default sort is by relevance and recency. By refreshing your item, you are essentially updating its listed time to the current time without making any other changes.

This action signals to Depop that the item is active and relevant, placing it at the very top of the search for its specific keywords. The immediate result is a significant increase in visibility. Refreshing is one of the many tools that power sellers on Depop use to make lots of sales.

Despite its power, Depop doesn’t make the feature obvious. It’s a useful tool that is unknown to many sellers, even though Depop does mention it in official communications. It remains a welcome and powerful piece of the toolkit for any seller looking to increase their sales.

The Goal: Reaching Buyers with High Purchase Intent

The true power of refreshing lies in its timing. When you refresh your listings at the right moment, you connect with a viewer who has what experienced sellers call a “high purchase intent.”

This means the person seeing your product is actively searching at that exact moment to buy an item just like yours. They didn't just stumble upon it; they are on a mission. By putting your item at the top of their search results, you dramatically increase the odds of making a quick sale.

How to Refresh Listings on Depop

The manual process for refreshing an item on Depop is straightforward. Many sellers make it a part of their daily routine to maximize visibility. While it's a simple process, it can become tedious if you have a large inventory.

Manually Refreshing Your Items

To refresh a listing, you just need to edit it and then save it. You don't actually have to change any of the details.

Here are the steps:

1. Go to your shop profile.
2. Tap on the listing you want to refresh.
3. Click the “Edit” button.
4. Without making any changes, simply click “Save” or "Post Listing."

That's it. Your item’s listed time will update, and it will be bumped to the top of relevant search results. This simple action increases its exposure and the likelihood of it being seen by a buyer ready to make a purchase.

Using a Refresh Bot

For sellers looking to automate this process, refresh bots have been a popular option. These tools can automatically refresh your listings for you, either continuously or on a schedule you set.

For example, the Grow Auto Refresh Bot is a Chrome extension that can handle this task. To use it, a seller would:

1. Obtain the Grow Auto Refresh Bot from the Google Chrome store.
2. Go to their Depop profile.
3. Open the listings dropdown menu.
4. Click ‘Refresh Items.’

Once activated, the bot automatically works through and refreshes all of a user's listings. However, relying on browser extensions has its limitations, as they often require your computer to be on and running, which isn't always convenient for a busy reseller.

Does Refreshing Still Work? A Look at the Depop Algorithm

For a long time, refreshing was the single most effective tactic on the platform. Sellers would refresh their listings as often as possible, getting one step closer to their entrepreneurial dreams. However, the landscape on Depop is changing.

Refreshing is the most familiar way Depop sellers are used to increasing sales, but it doesn’t work all the time anymore. The Depop algorithm has evolved, and its ranking factors have become more complex.

Previously, refreshing was directly tied to the "Newly Listed" sort option. But the new algorithm no longer considers items that have simply been updated (refreshed) as "NEWLY LISTED." You might notice that some items at the top of a search page haven't been refreshed in a while, while items further down were bumped recently.

Depop seems to be reducing the impact of refreshing because it is an easy and one-dimensional tactic. While it can still help by bumping your items up in certain searches and increasing exposure to get more likes, it’s no longer the only factor for success.

Beyond Refreshing: A Holistic Strategy for Depop Success

To thrive on Depop today, you need to understand the full algorithm. It’s no longer about one simple trick; it’s about creating a high-quality shop that Depop wants to promote. Adapting to the key ranking factors will improve your shop's visibility and lead to more views and sales.

Search Relevance is Crucial

The algorithm’s primary job is to match buyers with the products they want. This means search relevance is paramount. Using specific, keyword-rich titles and descriptions can greatly improve your visibility in search results. Think like a buyer: what terms would you use to find your item?

Create Well-Crafted Listings

Depop rewards effort. The algorithm prioritizes well-crafted listings that feature clear, high-quality photos and detailed, accurate descriptions. A complete listing gives buyers confidence and provides the algorithm with more information to rank your item correctly.

Encourage Engagement

Social proof matters. Items that get more engagement—likes, views, and “add to bags”—are seen as more desirable by the algorithm. This positive activity signals that your product is popular, which in turn boosts its ranking.

Stay Active and Consistent

Regular activity is a powerful signal to the Depop algorithm. Posting new items consistently or re-listing older items can significantly improve your shop's ranking. Daily activity on your shop, even just updating listings, can boost the visibility of all your items.

Utilize Depop's Paid Promotions

For items you really want to move, Depop offers a “boost” option. This is a paid feature that gives your listing more exposure for a fee. It’s a direct way to bypass some of the algorithmic hurdles and get your item in front of more eyes.

Build a Strong Seller Reputation

Trust is a cornerstone of any marketplace. The Depop algorithm favors sellers with a high seller rating and good reviews. Positive feedback increases your shop's overall visibility and encourages buyers to purchase from you with confidence.

How We Help You Scale Your Depop Business

Adopting a holistic strategy for Depop is effective, but it's also incredibly time-consuming. Juggling keyword research, creating high-quality listings, managing inventory, and staying active—especially if you sell on other platforms like Poshmark, eBay, and Mercari—can feel like a full-time job in itself.

This is where our platform comes in. We designed Reeva to simplify and automate the complexities of running a resale business, giving you back the time you need to grow and focus on what truly matters: sourcing great products.

With a unique approach that sets us apart, we make growing your sales easy. Are you ready to scale your resale business? Start your free trial today.

Sell Smarter and Faster

Creating optimized listings is the foundation of a successful shop, but it's often the most time-intensive part. Our platform is designed to dramatically accelerate this process.

You can turn photos into complete listings instantly. Just upload your photos, and we will create optimized titles, descriptions, and prices for you. As FabFam, a reseller from Washington, says, "Reeva has cut my listing time by more than half. I can take photos, voice-to-text my details, and let Reeva handle the rest."

From there, you can list your items everywhere with one click. Our multi-store support allows you to publish to all your marketplaces, including Depop, Poshmark, and eBay, without ever switching tabs. This helps you reach more buyers effortlessly and maximize your sales potential.

Save Time with Powerful Automation

Instead of manually refreshing items, our platform helps you keep your inventory fresh and visible automatically. You can relist stale products to keep them appearing at the top of search results as brand new listings, which is a far more effective strategy under the new algorithm.

Our automation extends across every part of your business. We automatically share your products on Poshmark to increase visibility and send personalized offers to potential buyers without you lifting a finger.

Critically for multi-platform sellers, we also instantly delist sold items across all marketplaces to prevent overselling. AlistairBP, a top reseller from Georgia, told us, "The feature I use 100% the most—and couldn't live without—is the AUTO-DELIST feature."

Grow Your Business with Ease

As your business scales, managing everything becomes more complex. Our platform provides the management tools you need to grow with ease. You can update and manage hundreds of listings in bulk, saving countless hours of manual work.

Track your success with powerful business analytics that show you exactly where your sales and profits are coming from. For businesses with teams, our multi-user account options allow you to give team members access. We even offer full-service accounting tools to connect your bank accounts, categorize transactions, and generate profit and loss reports, eliminating the need for spreadsheets.

As TUFFNY from New York puts it, "I've cut down my admin time by at least 30%, which has allowed me to source more products and expand my offerings."

Best of all, you can access our platform anytime, anywhere. Manage your business seamlessly on mobile, desktop, or tablet without needing a Chrome extension or keeping your computer running for operations to complete.

Don't let admin work slow down your growth. See a demo of our platform to discover how automation can transform your business.

Trusted by Top Resellers

We are built for resale businesses looking to grow, and our platform is trusted by top sellers across the country who have seen incredible results. Our clients accelerate their growth and scale with ease.

Here's a look at what resellers have achieved with our tools:

AlistairBP, who now manages around 1,000 listings and sells 10-15 items a day, says, "Being able to manage my entire reselling business through my iPhone is truly industry-leading—nobody else does it to this degree."

Final Thoughts: Refresh, Relist, and Automate for Depop Growth

The Depop "refresh" was once the most important trick for visibility, allowing sellers to bump their items to the top of search results with a simple edit-and-save.

However, as Depop’s algorithm has become more sophisticated, the effectiveness of this one-dimensional tactic has faded. True, lasting success on the platform now requires a more holistic approach focused on high-quality listings, keyword optimization, consistent activity, and positive engagement.

Manually managing this strategy is a significant drain on your time and energy, especially when selling across multiple platforms. It pulls you away from the core of your business: sourcing inventory and making sales.

This is why automation is no longer a luxury but a necessity for growth. Our platform automates the tedious but crucial tasks—from creating optimized listings in seconds to re-listing stale products and delisting sold items everywhere—so you can focus on scaling.

If you are ready to stop juggling tabs and start growing your business with ease, we are here to help.

Start your free 7-day trial today and discover how our all-in-one platform can transform your resale business.