The RealReal

Name: The RealReal
Rating: 1.2

1.2

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340 User Reviews

1.2

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340 User Reviews

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LAST UPDATED: November 17th, 2024

The RealReal online clothing consignment store has taken a unique approach to shopping. Unlike other online consignment stores, the company only offer s high-end consignment. According to its website, it is the leader in authenticated luxury consignment. Started and based in San Francisco, California in March of 2011, this company is growing rapidly into a hot spot for luxury goods and shopping at discount prices. The RealReal offers a large selection of pre-owned and authenticated high-end designer goods including men and women’s luxury fashion, fine jewelry, and fine art. They sell pieces from designers such as Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Rolex, as well as art from artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, along with hundreds of others you can find listed on their website. They offer good benefits for consigners of their products and have countless promotions for shoppers and opportunities to have memberships receiving many more benefits. Even up to 90% retail prices.

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The Good

Wide Variety of Product Selection
Numerous Promotions and Sales on Luxury Items
Membership and Consigner Privileges

This online consignment company provides its customers with many benefits for both shopping and selling products through their website. The RealReal has a large selection of pre-owned items for luxury resale. They sell men's fashion and women's merchandise as well as art pieces from well-known artists. Their products range from accessories, dresses, jewelry, handbags, shoes, ties, suits, outerwear and many more. Along with the many luxury designer clothes and fashion items sold, fine art is also sold through consigners. Each item sold goes through an authenticity process where it is evaluated by an in-house team of experts in each respective field. They have professionals on staff including gemologists, horologists, and art appraisers to ensure that luxury goods sold are authentic.

First views of The RealReal's website show promotions and sales that are easily accessible for the consumer. These promotions are constantly changing and the website gives you clearly marked start and end times for each sale. It is also clearly shown whether or not an item has already been sold or if it is still available. The website has colorful, interactive graphics that catch shoppers attention and make the buying experience both easier and more enjoyable.

Consigners with The RealReal are offered sixty percent of the sale price from the very first time their items are brought to the online store. They can then increase their profits by selling more merchandise, once they reach 7,500 in annual sales their earnings are increased to seventy percent. This company also offers a "white glove" pick up service in most cities. The service is used when a consigner has more than ten designer items and a Luxury Manager will be sent to pick-up the items at no cost. The RealReal also offers benefits for shoppers who join their First Look Membership. This program is only five dollars a month and entitles members to 24-hour advance access to sales and special invitations to monthly promotions.

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The Bad

High Price-tag for Pre-owned Merchandise
Complicated Shipping and Handling Procedure
Difficult Return Process

Like many stores, The RealReal is far from perfect. Although selling pre-owned luxury items keeps the business unique from other online consignment shops, it also creates many of its complications. The company has a difficult time producing pleasing customer reviews. Some of the main concerns for The RealReal are: While items with small price tags do exist on The RealReal, they are few and far between. Most of the merchandise sold on the website comes from famous fashion designers and artists and has a price tag to match its origination. Even though the products are pre-owned, they often sell like new. Although there are many sales on the clothing items, and customers are given plenty of opportunities to buy luxury, high-end items at discounted prices, the overall price tag of merchandise on The RealReal is costly.

The Shipping and Handling procedure on The RealReal's website is anything but user-friendly. They do not offer free shipping on any limit of merchandise and will not deliver to P.O. boxes, APO/FPO address, and most of the U.S. Territories. There is also a fee charged to deliver in some areas including Hawaii and Alaska. They ship via FedEx from warehouses in the NY tri-state area and travel to street addresses only in the United States and some international locations. Many of the problems or concerns customers have with shipping and handling can be easily discussed with the company's customer service team. They are easily accessible through their website or by phone number.

Along with the difficulty of shipping and handling, the return process at The RealReal is not simple. In order to return an item purchased on the website, a return merchandise authorization number must be requested within fourteen days of the shipment date. The customer must then after receiving their authorization number, return the purchase within twenty-one days of the shipment date. The customer is also responsible for all shipping costs of the return. The RealReal then asks customers to allow them a minimum of ten days to process the return item before a refund is given. Additionally, the company will never accept swimwear or sale items for return. The RealReal reviews have taken a negative hit as a result of these difficult processes.

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The Bottom Line

With a unique approach to shopping by selling pre-owned high-end luxury items, The RealReal has created an online niche that appeals to many consumers interested in designer clothes. The easy to use website has made customers enjoy purchasing materials cheaper than retail prices through numerous sales and promotions. The RealReal has given consigners an easy way to sell their luxury merchandise and earn additional profit by offering sixty to seventy percent of the sale price. They have a wide variety of product selection that is offered for both women's and men's fashion and provide customers with benefits by joining their shopping program.

However, this does not mean this company is without faults. Shipping and handling can be challenging for both the consigner and the purchaser and returns from the website are difficult to follow through. The merchandise is also high priced for pre-owned items. The RealReal has been in business a short four years and has rapidly grown into the leader of authenticated luxury consignment. The company has things to work on and in the future could be a perfect destination for luxury merchandise.

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1.2

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340 Reviews

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Kelly

Awful company. They take advantage of their consignors. They price things low and don’t pay much commission. See you are basically throwing your things away. If you send it to them, you’re not gonna make any money on it. If you ask them to send something back because they have it priced really low,, they will charge you $15 fee to have it sent back. Basically holding your stuff hostage. If they don’t like some thing and send it back on the other hand, they will send it back like it’s a piece of garbage. I sent him a very nice bag that they did not accept and it came back without any of the stuff that I sent it with in a box just rolling around like it was junk. Very very disappointing. I would never consider consigning with them ever again. You would be better off selling your stuff at a flea market. You would make more money .

1 month ago

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E C

The Real Real accepted my consigned items, never listed them, never sent them back, and never compensated me. They STOLE my property. After multiple attempts to reach them, their only response is that it’s in their terms and conditions that after a certain amount of time, if you don’t see that they STOLE from you, there’s nothing you can do. I filed with the BBB and will continue to pursue action simply on principle. They are thieves, BEWARE!

1 month ago

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Winter B.

Therealreal is a scam. They take high-value items for consignment and list them at ridiculously low prices, allowing their internal employees to steal them from online clients' carts or even after payments have been made. They cancel transactions and resale the items to their friends, who then post them on eBay for a profit. Please do not consign with this company; you will receive almost nothing for your high-value stuff. The company has no control over their employees, so employees do whatever they want, including defrauding their customers and running a side business for themselves

1 month ago

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Bee

This review is for me purchasing, not selling from The Real Real. I have purchased dozens of items from TRR over the past few years and it's really hit or miss. Sizes are often wrong on their website, the measurements can't be trusted. Condition is all over the place too. They obviously don't train their intake people very well. More than once, I've gotten clothes that smelled horribly of body odor! They DO NOT CLEAN ANY THING BEFORE SELLING IT!!! So gross.

3 months ago

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Linda Hutcheson Norristown, PA

I have ordered 4 handbags from them in the last 6 months and all have been in great condition. Items are non-refundable, which is a little scary when you are spending several hundred dollars at times, but so far I have been pleased. I have only bought items that are in “good” or “very good” condition so far and the description of the items were consistent with what I received. Once ordered, it has taken about a week on average for the item to be delivered. The boxes in which the items are delivered always look like they were beat up during transit, but as long as the handbag is ok, that doesn’t bother me. Overall, a good site for used luxury bags. I can’t speak for their customer service as I haven’t had the necessity to call them, but if things are non refundable and sent “as is” then I can’t imagine they are going to be super helpful if I were to call.

1 year ago

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Anne Collins Scottsdale, AZ

I have purchased numerous things from The Real Real and never been disappointed. I look at the item I want thoroughly and read all the descriptive information. I have never received anything that was the least bit worn or shoddy in any way. I have purchased several things at a fraction of the original cost that were literally never worn. I have not had the same experience from other online consignment sites. I know that whenever I order something from The Real Real that the item will arrive in a timely manner and be "like new". I have also returned a few things due to sizing issues and never had a problem with that part of the site either. I have also sold many things on this site and had a great experience with their pricing of my items and received my checks for sold items when they are promised. This site is a legitimate place for purchasing items significantly lower than purchasing new and I always feel as though I have really gotten a deal! In addition, each item is wrapped in tissue and most things arrive in a drawstring bag. Good psychology in sending things as though they are new! This is my "go to" site when I am looking for anything before deciding to buy new.

7 years ago

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Uwa kanu

I didn't know The RealReal sell fake things, my impression was that every of their merchandise were properly vetted by experts before they put it put to sell to the general public. This fraud of a company just sold me a pair of fake Tom Ford heels for $895. Yes, this fraud company knowingly sold fake Tom Ford heels, beware and take your money somewhere else. They will never get my money again. I'm still in shock.

3 months ago

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CHRISTOS THEMELIS

#TheRealReal #Consignment #CustomerExperience #FashionResale #BuyerBeware #ConsumerRights

4 days ago Edited November 18, 2024

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Sarah Wood

I strongly recommend that you avoid spending your hard-earned money on the garbage from this company. My first purchase, a silk shirt, was advertised as being in "very good condition" with only a small snag on the pocket, but it actually arrived with a large hole in the armpit. My most recent purchase, an LV bag, was also described as being in "very good condition" with only minor interior markings. However, it arrived with green paint smeared on the most visible part of the bag (right on the front side)!!!! When I pointed this out, the company offered me a $25 credit……. completely inadequate for a $2000 bag. They downplay issues with their items to trick customers into buying them. Unlike other platforms that show detailed photos of damage, this company hides flaws and doesn’t mention them in their listings. Since they don’t care about their customers, they don’t try to improve the purchase experience by allowing duties and taxes to be calculated and paid upfront as is done at good companies such as REVOLVE. Rather, it’s left as a surprise and though I tried to calculate what my taxes and duties would be it ended up being much more at $500. Because I had already spent $500 to accept the bag, I was stuck with it. I regret not spending the extra $800 to just buy a new one instead. On top of this, when I asked to see the authentication report because mine looked totally different from my friends they refused to show it to me saying that it was an internal document. Should these not come along with purchases of this price? That seems so sketchy to me… So now I’m not even sure if this waste of money is authentic. I am extremely disgusted with The RealReal’s customer service and they will never see another penny from me. I advise you to stay away from them as well.

4 months ago

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panasyukk

Scheduled consultation for 6/5 at 5pm. Confirmed via email and via text messages with rep named Eladio S. My appointment was set with Krystel. She missed the appointment. I have sent out both TEXT and EMAIL letting Eladio and email system know my appointment was missed. I have heard back from Krystel about her missing appointment 24hours later. I have NOT heard from anyone else until then. I responded that I don't think I would like to do business with a company that is this unorganized. Have heard nothing back. 2 weeks later someone named Madison emails me asking if I would like to set another appointment??? Long story short - NOT organized, immature, horrible customer service. Would never do business.

5 months ago

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Veronica Peraza South San Francisco, CA

This store is SPECTACULAR! You can absolutely anything on their website. Boutiques are wonderful as well, especially the one in Marin county. Customer service is amazing and the quality of products is much better that you would expect from a consignment store. I have been shopping with "The Real Real" for many years and the best pieces in my closet and jewelry box are from them. LOVE that store and highly recommend it!!

1 year ago

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Mary Drotar Evanston, IL

I've been buying and selling with TRR since they opened in 2011. I've been very fortunate since my buying experience has been positive overall. I can wear beautiful clothes/purses that I would never be able to wear if it was retail. So thank you, TRR. I have a fantastic wardrobe. Returns have worked out very well. If you're not totally sure about an item (how it fits, color, etc.), ensure first that it is not a final sale. As far as selling, it isn't the greatest. TRR needs to figure out how to fix this part of the business. The CSR's are very good, just treat them with respect and they will solve most of your problems.

1 year ago

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May S Cleveland, OH

I have been selling with The Real Real For over a year now and was happy with their service. They give a fair pricing for both buyer and seller. Of course the clothing isn’t that high since it is worn. I know the are really specific about the stuff they accept. They solved a lot of issues for me. I would not sell anywhere else. Wish they had a lower brand division they would accept cause the really make it easy you do t have to deal with anything and they pay on time.

2 years ago

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Gloria Shammas New York, NY

I am writing this review about one person who works for the real real she is in customer service her name is IMANI S. She is a true professional, she was the only person who helped me solve an ongoing problem from March. If it were not for her patience, determination, and know how this never would have been solved. I am only giving her the 5 stars. Thank you again Imani.

2 years ago Edited June 3, 2022

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D.S.F Dallas, TX

This is an update to my original 1 star review (see below). I’m updating because shortly after posting, RealReal contacted me, apologized, and offered a resolution. RealReal followed through on the timely resolution promised. They gave me a full refund for the shoes, covered the return shipping, and credited my account for a future order’s shipping fee. I have since placed another order. Everything went smoothly. Admittedly I was nervous and triple checked sizing, zoomed in on item pics to ensure zero surprise quality issues, and double checked sizing accuracy by googling non-RealReal sites for cross-referencing & validation. Not an ideal customer experience, but a stop-gap for that purchase. Original review: I purchased a pair of 8.5 Alaia heeled ankle boots on sale marked no returns. I didn’t think anything of it bc I already own knee-high Alaia boots in the same size. I was surprised and disappointed when the new boots arrived & were too small. I called customer service 3X. Once I waited 5 minutes before I hung up, the 2nd X I waited 15 minutes before I hung up, 3rd X I waited until someone answered which was close to 35 minutes! I explained the situation. I asked if I paid for return shipping, would RR give me store credit as a courtesy for a long time loyal customer. I was told the manager would approve the store credit if I emailed a pic of my boots & the RR boots to prove they were the same size & the pair I owned fit me. I thought it was a strange request, but agreed anyway. Here’s the exact email I received while on the phone with customer service: “Hello Thanks for contacting The RealReal. Please reply to this email with a photo of the boots Alaïa Leather Studded Accents Boots. Could you please send me a picture for this boots and another Alaia boots to compare the both boots?” I sent the requested pictures and didn’t hear back. 4 days later I emailed asking for a reply & resolution status. This is the email I received: “Good Afternoon Dierdre Slavin Regarding our conversation about the order # R350340561 The support team denied to return the item # AL253512 because it is as described on the website is size 8.5. However you can reconsign these boots.” Basically RealReal not only misled me by telling me I would get store credit if I emailed photos proving my claim, but also wants me to pay shipping to give them the shoes so they can resell them and keep 50% of the profit. I’ve been a big advocate and cheerleader for RealReal referring my network to them for 3.5yrs (I’m in outside sales in the beauty industry). Because of this experience, they lost a loyal, repeat customer and an enthusiastic referral source.

3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Jon Sellersburg, IN

My wife and I have made around 50 purchases from this site in the last year and there have only been a handful of times that there were issues that I would complain about. I agree the measurements are going to vary, but I also understand that can be due to a variable of factors on some clothing. There have been a few times that I was less than pleased with the packaging of items, but I have not had anything that caused damage to an item. Of all the items purchased we both agree that they are usually 90% accurate on description. I have also received a few items that on appearance was questionable and even took one item to be authenticated and at the store a sales person said it was a fake, but then a more senior person there said it was in fact authentic but from an older season so just because one person at a store says something is fake doesn't mean they know everything. Overall we are incredibly happy and will continue to use this site unless things change.

5 years ago

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Tamyra Jackson Dallas, TX

I have gotten several pre-owned designer items from The Real Real. The quality has always been superior and the cost is reasonable based on the quality and brand. Most of the items come in their original packaging, but those that do not are packed in The Real Real's own fabric bag. I love this site and have never had a problem with counterfeits or items not being as described.

7 years ago

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Elizabeth

I have been purchasing and consigning at TheRealReal for over four years and find both their website a treasure trove of merchandise and customer care above the rest. They are very prompt in response to a request and have found they resolve issues with prompt courteous service.They aim to please and if not pleased will make it right. TheRealReal is my favorite purchasing site bar none.

8 years ago

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Deborah Boyd Louisburg, NC

The RealReal not only allows you to buy "gently used" high end merchandise at affordable prices their customer service is top notch! I needed to return an item that didn't fit but I had lost the information sent with it. I emailed them and within 8 hours I had a reply on how and where to return it. When you have questions or concerns they respond immediately I highly recommend this site.

8 years ago

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michael schneider

I went to sell a rare Surpreme / North Face jacket that was between 200-400 on most sites. They put it up for under $200, then allowed someone to buy with a coupon code, and paid me a paltry $40 because the % lessens when the price is low. This is incentivizing the company to sell things cheaper as they made more $ off that sale than they wouldve at full price. Do not sell here, they are not interested in actually helping you make money.

3 months ago

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Linda Jenkins

BEWARE! I have been dealing with the Real Real for 11 days about a $2000 Balmain blazer I sent to them to resell. After countless days of waiting, phone calls, emails (that go unanswered) and customer service chat line, no one can give me the truth. The lost the blazer in their warehouse and are trying to buy a few more days to "locate" it. I was a repeat customer. Not anymore.

4 months ago

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Sarah Lee

I am a VIP seller with TRR and one of the boxes I sent to them was logged in as received however, 4 of the 5 items were "lost." One magically was listed. When it came time to pay me for the lost items, they gave me 10% of the value for the items. For example a watch I recently purchased for $750, was paid out for $90. When I questioned them, they said there was nothing they could do about it. They not only lost my property, can't give it back to me, I am forced to accept a value they assigned to something that they never physically evaluated. I am taking them to small claims court.

4 months ago

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Shannon Thompson Fairfax, IA

I ordered a vintage Celine handbag from The RealReal. I received the item within a week of shipment. The item arrived as described, except it had a distinctive mildew/moldy odor and there was some visible mildew along the sides of the leather straps where they meet the canvas and in a number of other crooks and crevices. The other problem I have is the way the bag was packed in the box. They did not put any stuffing in the bag, nothing to support the structure of the bag, It was smooshed into a box too small for it. The box itself did not have any supportive material either. So the bag arrived in a bent and deformed condition, not at all like the website pictures. Overall, I don't have any major gripes but I'm not impressed either. Next time I will be shopping elsewhere.

1 year ago

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Second Hand Shopper Tilton, NH

I think I purchased about 25 things from here on the last year. Most of the clothes/shoes I receive are as listed. But there have been a few issues here and there. Recently, I received a dress that wasn’t the measurements listed on the site. I contacted customer service and was given store credit only, since it was final sale AND i was responsible for the $13 shipping. I received another dress listed as “some discoloration on the front and under the armpit”. It was littered with what appears to be tomato sauce all over the front, and lots of deodorant under the pits. I immediately returned it, and again, was responsible for the shipping cost. Other than that, ai haven’t had too many issues. I think their data entry people have a quota of items them need to post on their site, and as a result, there are descriptive errors and incorrect pictures posted. If they cleared this up, and allowed free returns, I think A LOT more people would be attracted to use them more.

2 years ago

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Judith Alberty Las Vegas, NV

I consigned six items in my first shipment to them. Three sold and I received my commission on a timely basis. Another item sold and was returned. I recently sent them 9 more items and they acknowledged receipt. The items are beautifully photographed and (sort of) accurately described that I can tell. My experience so far is that their descriptions are iffy. I sent them a brand new pair of Prada sunglasses with case. They said there were scratches? A Hermes scarf I sent that was still folded in its box is described as a shawl and priced very high at $895. It's a scarf, not a shawl. I've asked to have this changed. No response. They take way too long to upload items online. The first shipment took a month. The second shipment went from Las Vegas to New Jersey which makes no sense to me. I see no reason listings should take 2,3 or 4 weeks. Yesterday, I called customer service. The first person who answered was talking so fast I couldn't understand what she was saying. I must have said wait, stop, hold on, slow down a dozen times before she hung up on me. I called back, and someone answered, I got out one sentence and got put back on hold. Their auto-message says a wait of less than ten minutes even when you've been on hold for 15. I finally hung up, texted one of their reps and she didn't get back to me either. I will see how this second shipment goes. I have some other items to send to them but will wait and research other selling sites. I don't want to bother photographing, uploading and shipping myself so don't want to use Poshmark.

2 years ago

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Jolanda West Palm Beach, FL

As a consignor I feel we are paid peanuts for our designer items. The time you have to wait for your credit is also very long. I have seen my items getting sold and then returned as buyers have 14 days to return the item! So I'm pretty sure my expensive items have been worn, been in selfies and then returned to RealReal. The return system is seriously flawed and does not protect the seller. As a buyer two things happened to me recently that shocked me: I bought a pair of Chanel trainers size 39 and when they arrived and I tried them on I felt one was loose. When I checked one sneaker was a size 39 and one was a size 40! I sent them back with a handwritten note saying that I was disappointed and that they needed to inform buyers that the sneakers were two different sizes. I kept them in my wishlist ( forgot to remove) and was shocked to see them back for sale a week later- without an updated description! They also never acknowledged my note. About a month later I bought a pair of Valentino heels labelled size 9.5. When they arrived they were a size 6!! How can you make that mistake?? It just shows you how careless their process is if no one even picked up on this!! I emailed them and told them exactly what I thought of their product description! I sent back the item and am waiting for it to be refunded. How this can happen twice in a month is unbelievable. Carelessness.

4 years ago

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CharlotteT Brooklyn, NY

Excellent service. Items are well described, and the site is always willing to provide additional details. Purchased items arrive in nice bags, carefully packed. Customer service is very prompt and helpful. I have purchased fabulous things on this site and think the world of it.

4 years ago

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Snoopydoodle Mineola, NY

I’ve been a customer for the past 2-3 years now and have purchased at least 30 items. Up until about a year ago I was very pleased. A very good rating meant expect great, the packaging was very good and the deals were good. In the past year I have noticed a significant decline in a number of things. Like some of the other users, the quality is now a crap shoot. Very good can mean great but it can also mean fair To poor. Moreover, the packaging has been horrible on the last 5 or 6 items I received. Leather bags squished and folded into boxes without air paper and dust bags. Clearly some guy in the warehouse threw in these expensive bags in boxes without any thought. It creased the leather on a $500 bag as a result. While I was permitted to return it, I had to pay the shipping both ways, they acted like they were doing me a favor in accepting returns, and made me send proof of the creases to the representative. Considering I’ve spent so much money with the company, you would think they would show more courtesy to a good customer. Today, I received a bag listed as very good, which had damage that could never justify the rating. They only agreed to give me a store credit and would not return it even after I photographed the damage 10 minutes after arrival and offered to send the proof. I’ve purchased 15-18 bags already from them . That alone should grant me the courtesy of a real return. Additionally, the pricing is all over the place. Sometimes you’ll find an item with 3 different prices. It’s random. Sometimes that’s in your favor but mostly it’s grossly inflated. The photos are not that accurate and never show enough of the item. All in all, there are some nice buys to be had but I’m becoming disenchanted with the company and particularly their return policy. I don’t want to spend 25$ to look at an item site unseen and then be given a hard time returning when it’s not described or photographed properly. I completely gave up on clothes because they are almost never in the condition they claim. The photos are deceiving. The last few things had tears never listed in the description. Lastly, I did buy a pair of Chanel shoes and the heels arrived seemingly in one piece but literally cracked in half trying them on. I liked them so I opted to have the heels replaced for another $20. Clearly they were a lot older than it appeared in the photos. Fashion file and Rebag.com are much much better for expensive bag purchases.

5 years ago

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J Sarantou

Bought designer clothes from here and very happy with purchase. The purchase of shoes however, not a good experience. Shoes even though were supposedly designer, the leather was very cheap and squeaked. After putting leather softener on them, the color bled and left the shoes discolored and unusable, I ended up throwing them away. However, customer service was excellent, very polite and helpful regarding overcharge on shipping. Will not shop with them again, hit and miss.

6 years ago

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Susan Rogers

I made several purchases from The Real Real this year and I love it. The sizes and conditions were exactly as described. I am new to luxury brands and The Real Real has introduced me to how great a garment or handbag can be. I recently had a purchase stolen due to a careless mistake by a Fed Ex driver. Much to my surprise and delight, The Real Real refunded my purchase. I was touched that they trusted me and cared about my business. I have never consigned with them or purchased items over $250, but I am very happy so far and will continue buying from them.

7 years ago

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Shelli Pelly San Diego, CA

RR only uses FedEx for delivery, and requires you to sign for packages valued $995 or over. The issue lies with FedEx new non-customer friendly policy of "one delivery attempt only," for signature- required packages. If a customer isn't available during a FedEx random attempt, the package is held at a FedEx location and you are required to drive for package pick up. They will not attempt to re-deliver. They deliver up until 8pm which means you are tied to your home/business until then. Requests for RR to use another carrier with more customer-friendly policies were met with a "sorry, too bad" type response. Their carrier choice ruins the experience on the consumer end, and acts as a deterrent for purchasing pricier merchandise due to the inevitable inconvenience of Federal Express.

7 years ago

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Beth H

Horrible, horrible company! They cut the tag off of a BRAND NEW LeVian ring! Why? It's brand new With TAG. Now it's NOT! They only returned my items AFTER the BBB got involved! I sent them a PRISTINE never used beige Gucci lady lock bag. They took the key fob off the strap, sent the bag bag shoved in the dust bag, attached, tied a double knot in the dust bag. I sent the strap in a pouch so there was no chance of the hardware getting scratched!

6 months ago

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David Lazar

I have bought many things I love over the past few years at Realreal, but haven't bought much recently because their return policy has been restricted. Who is going to buy a $400 used item of clothing they cannot return? It seems pretty silly.

9 months ago

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Rebecca Lee Vancouver, BC

The RealReal I am so incredibly disappointed with my first shopping experience. I purchased a pair of Stuart Weizmann boots and was so excited to get them. Unfortunately they were listed as size 9 but when they arrived they were actually a size 6. Accidents happen so I agreed to send them back for a refund m. my issue is that I was not offered a return shipping label and had to pay for the return shipping myself. I was told this would be reimbursed. Logan the supervisor I spoke to refused to issue the refund and offered me a store credit instead. As I will never be shopping here again after this experience a credit is no good to me. I provided all the paperwork for the shipping and still I am out money. This doesn’t even include the customs duties to Canada that I paid or the fist shipping fee I paid to get the boots. Nor does it take into consideration I didn’t have boots for my holiday event. Unsatisfactory to say the least. I don’t recommend shopping here because the company does not take responsibility for their mistakes. You’ll never get your money back and that is too big of a risk for me to take.

11 months ago

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Little Engine Healthy Living AZ

Real Real Disappointed Had 2 like new Tumi laptop bags that I wasn’t using. Customer service was great at first. I paid about $1000 for both bags and both were less than 3 years old and in mint condition. We discussed a price range of what I could expect to receive from selling both bags. I estimated the low end. I was real disappointed when the first bag sold and I received a check for $25. I was real real disappointed and furious when the second bag earned me a $3 check. Had I known I would have received less than $30 I would have kept the bags or given them to a women’s shelter. I won’t sell here ever again. Terrible upset this was my experience.

1 year ago

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Linds B Vancouver, BC

Wide selection, easy to navigate - but that's where the pleasantries end. Items are overpriced, even more so if you are purchasing in Canada. Expect to pay high shipping fees (50+ CAD) and duties upon arrival ! Don't forget the exchange rate either. I have now received about 75% of my purchases with damage and/or wear not pictured or disclosed in the listing. Return process is convoluted or nonexistent. When I complained about a final sale item having serious damage not disclosed in the listing, I was offered a credit for the website - a credit that won't even cover the shipping cost of ordering something else. Yeah, thanks.. The prices fluctuate wildly, and there doesn't seem to be a clear logic to the pricing and markdowns process. I have even seen items priced OVER the last available retail price for NEW. It's honestly a waste of time and money to shop with the RealReal.

2 years ago

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finny binny Fullerton, CA

I have been shopping on TRR site for a few years and recently sold some items with them. First, I was excited to purchase designer items at a fraction of the price and condition description for the most part matched the item received. As of late though, sizes have been incorrect, condition listing incorrect, fake items (Prada shoes) received and returns invoices that would take a CPA to figure out. It was for less than $50 so I let it go but it nagged at me and left me wondering if there's accounting shenanigans?? It certainly felt amateur and it appeared their service was going downhill. Then I sent in items for consignment and they rejected 40%, with some of the brands rejected for sale on their site?? Finally, returned a bunch of items where my AMEX debit doesn't match the credit by $100 (in their favor of course) and I was billed twice for $12.95 shipping although all items were in one box with 3 RMA's (which they said is OK to do). After reading all these negative reviews, I am now reluctant to buy or sell from/with them. Very disappointing as I thought they had a good thing going, but their accounting is WAY off and I don't feel like losing any more money with them. It all adds up!

2 years ago

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cynthia alford Sacramento, CA

I have purchased several things, some shoes and a handbag. I was pleased with 2 of my purchases and felt I received a good price. The problem came when I received boots that were listed as size 36 but when I received were size 36.5. Too big for me. I was told that it was final sale and I could only resell them. After speaking with several customers service reps they finally allowed a return. The second concern was the same issue but the shoes I received were dirty and so stretched out that they appeared to be a size and a half too big. I immediately tried to reach customer service through the chat feature. They ask you to wait for a customer rep to reach out to you. Which can take up to 10 minutes. Unfortunately, I missed the rep twice. By the third time I finally spoke with someone who told me it was too late for a return. With pushing they agreed to a return for store credit. I immediately returned the shoes but in the end they only issued 1/3 credit of what I paid for the shoes. This is the last time I will purchase anything from the Real Real. Their quality control and return policy is terrible. It is definitely not customer service friendly.

2 years ago

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Ana Luisa Yanes New York, NY

If you a value item that you are looking to sell at a good price cause you never use or dont use anymore -run from this place. The real real unlike other consignment stores doesn’t buy the product for you to resell in their stores, they basically take your product for free and then decide to sell it at whatever price they want and take about 50% of more commission, and the price depends on whatever they feel like -they might do sales and sell your product at 80% discount without you even knowing. I started by selling a purse and a coat. The purse was fairly old collection and used but in good condition so I wasn't expecting much, however my coat was a very classic and timeless coat that I purchased for around $1200 about 4 years ago. I noticed I was never using it -might have worn it 2 or 3 times so I decided to sell it. When I dropped the jacket I was told they would put it for sale for around $850 approx but they needed to authenticate etc first, when it finally was authenticated (they can take up to a month) they listed it for $845, it was in the market for about 1.5 month when they decided to have a sale and sold it at 70% discount and kept 55% commission, meaning I got about $100 for my $1200 jacket that I wore 2 times. I was never told the jacket would go on sale and for that price I would’ve taken it somewhere else, kept it or even give to a friend. No one in the company will explain the details to you or the process, feels very much like a scam.

2 years ago

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Jose Lopez Miami, FL

They are holding my comisión, they want a proof of who I’m , I connect my bank account with the steps that they were asking me to do it and is connected already but not payment went trough, I spoke many time whit CS and nothing , I decide by Check and I can Find the way to do it , also ask the CS to verify is I did the right numbers and nothing , they CS and willing to finish the conversation to send a text to comment about their job . Everything is by text which I have not problem by take hours the answer.

2 years ago

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cyndypb West Palm Beach, FL

Overall, I have done very well consigning items on The Real Real for the past year. However, recently, I have encountered a number of problems, particularly with the fine jewelry department. They have apparently lost a ring that I consigned. Tried to list and return to me a ring that wasn’t mine. My sales rep has supposedly “escalated “ the matter to Senior Client Relations. I have received no response. Also, you are supposed to have price approval over items over $995 in value. I was not given price approval on a number of items each of which was far in excess of the $995 threshold. I pointed this out to my rep who was supposed to fix the problem. Now I find out that one item was sold at a 20% reduction without prior approval. This incompetence borders on thievery and fraud because you cannot get a straight answer from Client Relations. I do not recommend consigning with them until they fix these problems. I honestly question whether they will remain a viable company.

2 years ago

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Tamara Smith Denver, CO

I have to say that my first RealReal experience has been very disappointing. I purchased an Ebel watch that was supposedly in good condition and also evaluated by a horologist and that it met time keeping standards. Upon receiving the watch I immediately knew something was wrong. It was not keeping time. Took into an Ebel certified watchmaker, they changed the battery, and it still did not work. I can't return it because the product was "final sale" and it is VERY difficult find a customer service phone # or email and I am left sending a Facebook message. The watchmaker is now fixing the watch which is going to cost me another $400. I would NOT recommend the RealReal to anyone. It is unreliable and it is hard to imagine that all products are actually evaluated and authenticated thoroughly and by a qualified professional.

2 years ago

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beau deleuil Sydney, NSW

Great selection of clothing and user-friendly website. However, they have changed from FedEx to UPS (presumably for profit reasons) and so their shipping is now much slower and less reliable. They have also reduced the quality of their packing materials (presumably to save weight on shipping - again for profit). We have ordered tens of thousands of goods, a good proportion of which have arrived late or - in some cases - damaged and unusable (through a combination of UPS being a less reliable shipper and lower quality packaging). We are rethinking using TRR as Vestiaire uses DHL and outstanding packaging. We hold our breath on every order from TRR….

2 years ago

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Dee Mattapan, MA

I purchased 11 items from the real real. Out of 11, I had to return 2 because one was a pair of fake Bvlgari glasses that they immediately reposted as I returned them last year in 2020 and today, 4/3/2021 they misprints a pair of Givenchy pumps as as size 5.5 when they really were a size 8. That's annoying as hell, especially when you have your eye on something. Worse is they don't give you a full refund. They keep the money you paid for shipping! Also, take note: when they post pictures of shoes or items, if the item isn't as described, they'll take pictures on these weird angles. For example, the shoes I brought this week, they never showed the actual size on the bottom of the sole as they have done with many of the shoes I have purchased and seen on the site. They took a picture of the bottom soles on a very weird angle. It's making me wonder if they are trying to make coins off of postage knowing darn well no one is keeping an item that isn't what it should be!

3 years ago

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BrooklynWriter Brooklyn, NY

They have some good sales on items that they won't actually accept for consignment [Lisa Perry, Ugg, Eileen Fisher]. The downside is that the prices are much higher than you typically find on sites like Poshmark and are often higher than what the brand is charging for a new version. Also, the fact that they charge such high fees for shipping is crazy. I was going to buy two chairs and shipping would have added an additional 50% to the cost.

4 years ago

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Lea San Francisco, CA

Most of my experience with this company is as a consigner. I did purchase a couple of clothing items a few years ago and the quality was not great, so I don't purchase from them anymore. As a consigner, I used to feel good about The RealReal. If I remember correctly, I used to get 60% on clothing and more for jewelry. Now, I get 50% for items under about 125.00 of the sale price and 55% for over 125.00. Also, they have a tiered system in which the more you consign, the more you get, but they seem to have increased the amount you have to consign in order to get more commission. I've consigned with them about 5-6 times and though changes have been made in their commission structure, none of this was made transparent to me. Though the latter is annoying, what I feel most troubled about is how much merchandise they have now. I have two high-end bags on there now (Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga) and they seemed priced low to me, based on previous comparisons, and they are now at 30% off. Still not selling and I imagine will be much further discounted around Christmas. They are so eager to get inventory, but they have so much. During a recent sale, I think a search found over 14K items. In contrast, I consigned some other stuff (mostly clothing) at a local brick-and-mortar consignment place and I made way more money and it sold within 30 days. After my recent consignment with The Real Real, I got a note from my local rep asking me to consign more stuff. I related the above stated concerns to my rep over a month ago and never heard back from her. It just feels like they got big very fast and have not thought about how to provide good customer service. That said, maybe a good site for super high-end jewelry or watches or bags (like Hermes or Chanel?). I just wish they were more transparent about their commissions and I wish they had better communication with customers.

5 years ago

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Professor Los Angeles, CA

I do like the items I have purchased over the years, and I did consign a Versace pencil skirt once and appreciated the thrill of getting a check. (took a while for someone to buy it though). I have to say a big thumbs down to paying a standard 11.95 on shipping. So many options to shop with free shipping. I understand its a designer site, but shipping is a standard process and the mark up is just not justifiable.

5 years ago

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Vashti Denton, TX

I recently made my first purchase from The RealReal. The shipping was somewhat difficult, as I had to have my purchase redirected to a FedEx location because I would not be home to sign for the package. I had to call The RealReal, and they had to call FEDEX while I waited on hold to redirect the package for me. I purchased a LV shoulder bag listed in "Very Good" condition. The bag was beautiful upon receipt. However, the straps were warped and there were water stains on the bottom vachetta leather that were intentionally hidden. I am very disappointed in this fact. Especially since at $1000($895 list price plus taxes, shipping, and other fees), I could have purchased a newer bag. I will never purchase from this site again. I feel duped. On top of that, my purse was a nonreturnable item. :(

6 years ago

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Maria

I love this website. Great to consign and buy from. I've done business with them for the last year and have never been anything but happy. Not sure about all the negative feedback.

8 years ago

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Will Keeler Miami, FL

My wife ordered a Louis Vuitton bag from the Real Real. When the package arrived it contained a pair of shoes. After spend many hours on the phone with customer service, I was told that I was out of luck and that they would not refund me. So I'm out $525. Avoid The RealReal at all costs.

8 months ago