What: The Real Real is a high-end consignment store, where you can theoretically resell your designer goods for a reasonable price.
Expected pay: NA
Husl$core: $$
Commissions & fees: 30% – 50%
Where: Nationwide
Requirements: Items for sale
Review:
The Real Real is a high-end consignment store, where you can theoretically resell your designer goods for a reasonable price. But a litany of complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau tell a different tale.
Consignors complain that the site sometimes discounts their goods far more steeply than the sellers expected, leaving them with a much lower return than they’d anticipated. The site’s “terms and conditions” stipulate that Real Real can discount anything placed for sale on the site by 20% — immediately. Thus, if you’re selling a product that’s, say, worth $200, that cuts your take by $40. They take another 50% commission on the remaining $160 sales price. So you get $80 for your $200 product.
Better options
There are several other sites that offer to sell brand-name merchandize, and most of them perform better than The Real Real. Some we’d recommend:
If you’re selling designer goods, we’d suggest PoshMark (Husl$core: $$$) and Mercari (Husl$core: $$$).
Amazon (Husl$core: $$$$) can also be a good bet, depending on what you’re selling. The site has a variable commission schedule, which can get costly for some items. However, it’s never more than The Real-Real’s unreal 50%.
eBay (Husl$core: $$$$$) is also a great choice. For ways to make your eBay selling more profitable, be sure to check out our blog post: Flipping a $50 chair into a $100,000 business.
What their sellers say:
(These reviews from the Better Business Bureau are edited only for space and grammar.)
“I listed an expensive diamond watch (+ appraisal) with them. They marked the watch down without my approval. It sold and there’s nothing I can do about it. Also, I have purchased items from them that were not in good condition: stains, pilling, defects, etc. They have low standards for the items they accept for sale. I have given them several chances, now I am done with TRR.”
“I sent The Real Real a Balenciaga Motocross Giant 12 iPad Case which I originally purchased at Barneys for over $400. They listed it originally at $175, but said they would never go below 50% off. Instead they sold it for $75 (over 50% off), leaving me with a measly $42.63 commission! The Real Real. It was a waste of my time and money!!!”
I have a statement in writing from one of their employees stating that I did not approve the sale of one of my personal items. The Real Real had a mixed up with the warehouse and forgot to ship my item back to me. Instead they sold my item well under its value. They refused to pay me for the item and they can’t retrieve it from the person who purchased it. I have no bag and no payment for it. This company is a fraud.”
“The worst experience I’ve had with any company. Customer service is a joke, no effort and ability to help resolving any issues, terrible place to consign. They are friendly and easy before you send anything in. Once they have your items, it’s over. They don’t care about you as long as they make their 45% off your goods. False advertisement, misleading information. They undervalue your goods and then run an extra 20% or more sale on top of it, that means you as a consignor get real ****** money for your stuff.
THEY ROB YOU. I sent over 15 items which were accepted by them, one of the items is a high demand popular Louis Vuitton wallet, in great condition. Two days after being on the website, they sold it with their 20% off promotion despite that fact it was marked as not available for any coupons and discounts. I mean why the hell would anyone do that? The consignment rep who helped me clearly told me such an item like this would not be on sale unless it’s being on sale for more than 30 days. BUT 2 days after ?? A well sought after LV wallet?? I have no words. But they refused to admit it was their mistake and refused to do anything about it.
“I have had only negative experiences with the company. As a consignor, they will mark down your item significantly without notifying you beforehand–so you are stuck with a final sale price that is much lower than what you would otherwise have accepted.”
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Worst experience over and over. I sent in a sold out everywhere Bottega bag with tags attached, brand new. They listed it got LESS than the same bag used AND put 20% on it after writing me in writing they won’t discount it 20%. No accountability. Worse service ever the left hand doesn’t know what the right is doing
Thank you! I was about to send my entire Tiffany collection in to them! I feel like I dodged a bullet.
Don’t do it. They rob you and they are very misleading while they are trying to get you to consign your items.
Never, never again!!!
I’m still waiting on 4 pieces of jewelry to be sent back to me after they lost a 3 stone oval diamond ring and took 2 months to ship my Tiffany items back that I requested. Sellers beware!!! DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE, THERE IS ONLY A FACADE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ABSOLUTELY NO ACCOUNTABILITY. Did I mention they paid me out for the “sale” of the lost ring instead of reimbursing me the actual value?!
Hello Jina,
I fell for it too. However, I have been waiting for them to return my items. They have had them for 2 months. Did they ever return all your items? If so do you have information to help me to get the items back? At this point I am ready to go to the police because the replacement value would be grand theft.
Thank you,
Erin
Wow good to know I was on hold to chat with them to see how it works cuz they’ve got some good items but I just ended the chat right now! lol I’ve got 2 Louis Vuitton bags I’m going to be selling one is pretty rare and the other is super nice both vintage and one with box and dust bag. It’s the Sprouse Alma in red with the coin purse which is $1k by itself. I think I’ll go with Mercari I have bought Louboutins in there and have a couple pair listed. Poshmark seems like there’s so many items mine get lost. Thanks for this thread tho and heads up!
Appreciated the feedback and very helpful!
I was considering the consignment with the Real Real but looks like Mercari is a better option.
Any additional tips would be appreciated.
OMG! I’m so glad I checked the reviews about the real real. I was just about to send out a collection Versace, Natori, Badgley and Tina clothing out to them that I don’t or haven’t worn. They’re still in the plastic, zipped in their garment bags, tags, receipts and all. In all honesty I would’ve been livid with the type of treatment other’s had to deal with. Absolutely ridiculous and very unprofessional. I work hard for my clothing and to basically just give up my hard earned money to a stranger to profit off of me definitely doesn’t sit well. I’m truly sorry ladies that you got taken advantage of. I hope everything works out for you. It’s no consolation but just remember karma is a MoFo. What comes around goes around. Thanks for getting us newbies backs. It’s most appreciated.
I have sold at least 15 Louis Vuitton pieces to WP Diamonds and have had the pleasure of working with a young professional named Emre. My pieces ranged from the retail value of $500 to $5K. Some of the pieces were rare, and some were more common. Their process is a well oiled machine; very simple and can be done within two business days once pictures are sent to them and the pieces are shipped insured Fed Ex (they pay the insurance and provide the Fed Ex label). WP Diamonds is ideal for communicating; there is no waiting on emails or phone calls to be returned. Payment is super quick via direct deposit to your bank account (an hour or two wait), or you can request a check to be snail mailed. Their offers are reasonable and there are no added commissions taken. If you decline an offer, they ship the item(s) back at no cost. Check out Trust Pilot for added reviews. This is a company that does business with the highest degree of professionalism. Trustworthy, fair offers, and not stressful.
Hi Zoey, Thanks for the tip! Getting ready to sell some rare LV and Chanel, and made my appointment for a “TRR” appraiser to come over and give me sales price estimates. Finding this site was a Godsend, and saved me some serious headaches.
I had lots of luxury used items. I would say around 30 to 40 pieces. Guess what? It all got returned to me over a two week basis. Wow, I don’t know what else to say?
DO NOT CONSIGN WITH THIS COMPANY UNLESS YOU WANT NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE AND DEAL WITH AUTHENTICATORS THAT OBVIOUSLY HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO KNOWLEDGE REGARDING THE WORTH OF MOST OF THE ITEMS THEY SELL.
For the second time I have a problem with Real Real. The first one they did not accept my Furla wallet and they returned it. Next thing I know the person who I deal with said they made a mistake. This time I gave them 8 items from Jay Strongwater and Herrend figurines. They posted that four items were accepted and the others were not. I look on my page and it says that nothing was accepted and because of Covid it will take about 4 to 6 weeks before they mail my stuff back. I am truly very disappointed in them and will not use them anymore. I don’t think they really know what they are doing
Isn’t there or shouldn’t there be a way we can, ALL OF US, collectively deal with these evils Realreal so they’ll know we are on to their really really, ‘Fakefake’ practices?
When they are not stealing from a trusting old blind lady, they are cheating a single mom in the teeth of a pandemic! How about ‘disappearing’ your consignment so that your ware never makes it to listing stage and the ones that do are deliberately under-priced, apparently so they can inside buy – to say nothing about returning your things to you either ruined or not at all. You want to call their customer service? No problem; just know that your “wait time is more than a 10 minutes” where 10 minutes really means anything from a couple hours to eventual call termination!! You also have the option of having them call you back: the only problem is, THEY WONT, so don’t hold your breath!!!
Julie Wainwright built a good company but I fear this enterprise is managed, mainly by thieves and fools – fools who fail to realize they’d have no job without consignors, no sale without buyers and ultimately, no company without either.
Hello Kay,
I am still trying to get my items back that they won’t list. At this point I am ready to go to the police to file a police report for stolen items. I would be in on a collective action of some kind.
Took items from me. They listed them at prices that were 60% below the price I want . The measured them incorrectly and their staff knows nothing about fabric. Inexperienced . They told me my commission would start at 55% and listed all my items for under $100 so at 40% and plus sold one item at less 20%. I demanded all my items back and it took 2 weeks of threatening them to finally get my items back. They kept 5 and have them for sale a ridiculous low price. SO don’t sell with them. My question to them is ? ” what do they do with all the profit they make from their consigners? Does ti go straight to the owner because they don’t do a damn thing to make a sale. They sell at give away prices.
Can the BBB not close these people down? I appreciate your report to the public even though you were treated so bad. I appreciate your warning to others
I sent them a brand new Jimmy Choo handbag, currently being sold on Saks for $1350.00. First, they didn’t list it for two months. Then suddenly they listed it and it sold immediately (of course) because they listed it for $225.00, and with 20% off it sold for $180.00 of which I get $108.00. I am so upset. What a ripoff they are to sellers! NEVER sell with them.
Can’t thank SideHusl and all that have left comments about “The Real Real”. This morning I made an appointment with a TRR appraiser to come over and give me an idea of what my designer items are worth. Just speaking with her it seemed like a very lengthy involved process. She said that they would not reduce the prices on items without getting my permission and/or would return if I did not agree to the selling price. There was ZERO MENTION about the extra commission. I was told it was a straight 20%. Taking everyone’s advice to use Mercari or Poshmark. Thanks Y’All!
AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS! THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO ACCURATELY DESCRIBE THEIR MERCHANDISE. BUYERS TIE UP THEIR HARD EARNED MONIES TO PURCHASE AND WHEN THEY DO MERCHANDISE IS DESCRIBED POORLY, WRONG COLOR. READ THE REVIEWS ESPECIALLY THE NEGATIVE THEY ALL ARE STATING THE EXACT SAME FACTS. PEOPLE SHOP ELSEWHERE!!!!!