The RealReal
1.5
2.8
Overall Score
Author: Kalicia Bateman
LAST UPDATED: April 14th, 2022
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.
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.
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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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.
9 years ago
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.
5 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
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.
6 years ago
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.
9 years ago
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.
9 years ago
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.
9 years ago
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.
6 years ago
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.
6 years ago
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.
7 years ago
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.
8 years ago
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.
9 years ago
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.
9 years ago
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.
4 years ago
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….
4 years ago
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!
5 years ago
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.
6 years ago
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.
7 years ago
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.
7 years ago
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. :(
8 years ago
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.
9 years ago
StarSmith Brooklyn, NY
I have to agree with so many others here and warn - do not consign with these con artists. I did a "test" after one of their people called and texted me several times and pressured me to consign. She told me my designer dress, which was New With Tags for $1090, would be priced between 400 and $500. Nope.. they priced it at $245 with a 20% discount so it sold for $196? It sold in less than a day I didn't even have a change to complain and urge for a higher price it happened so fast. I thought I would be able to at least approve the price? $108 for a $1090 new dress with tags of a very popular designer. Unacceptable. They failed the test miserably. I regret sending them my property, I regret believing that wench who lied to me and called me and emailed me and texted me. Such desperation. NEVER AGAIN.
And on a buyer's note, who the heck charges a flat rate shipping fee of $13. They do. They're the only ones. And again shipping charges to return? Please just avoid. They are scammers and greedy jerks.
4 years ago
DiscoPink Kitchener, ON
I recently was a 1st time customer and bought 2 small purses together in the same order & was charged the shipping fee TWICE! I finally found their # after getting no response to the email I sent them & the rep I spoke with refunded me the 2nd fee, no problem, great! Until….I got the bags.
A Furla & a Tod’s, both “Final Sale’.
The Furla is authentic and in excellent condition, no issue there.
The Tod’s is an obvious FAKE,
They took photos in such a way that I couldn’t see the interior of the bag or the logo clearly…I called them back and the guy said all he could do was give me a $10 credit that I had 7 days to use on the site…..are you SERIOUS?!
He didn’t seem to understand that I don’t trust The Real Real anymore since I received a counterfeit bag that THEY claimed was an AUTHENTIC Tod’s and obviously was not.
50% of my order was counterfeit and that is a huge problem for a site that GUARANTEES brand authenticity on ALL of their merchandise.
They claim that they employ an “army of experts” who do this for a living and stand behind everything they list….except, apparently, my KNOCK-OFF bag!
Oh, and the sizes of both bags was waaaaayyyyy off, both the visual representation of it against the avatar model and the measurements listed…each bag was MUCH smaller than advertised.
How does this business get away with what they are doing?
First of all they LIED in the listing stating the bag is authentic but is clearly a (bad) knock-off.
Secondly, they KNEW it was counterfeit and purposely posted obscuring photos of the bag to further mislead the buyer, me.
And finally did nothing to rectify this issue or even apologize to me when I called the company to report this issue.
They have therefore committed FRAUD and it’s shocking.
I’m disgusted.
(And the packaging was so careless & minimal that I’m amazed both bags survived the journey to Canada).
Shop at Your Own Risk !!
4 years ago
Olga Froimson Orlando, FL
Date: Feb 10, 2022 I ordered 4 items on TheRealReal web site. It wasn't my first purchase.
February 18th I received my order and it was a wrong item.
I spoke with an assistant Preston that day and he confirmed the wrong item and created a free return label for my items.
In order I had 4 items and 3 of them I SENT BACK.
Then I got an email that I received money back ONLY for ONE ITEM (the cheapest one in the return parcel).
They still owned me more than $300!!
March 4th I spoke with assistant Shaun M.
Her answer about my concern
"I have escalated this to our returns team for refund, they will look into this and process the refund within 3-5 business days.
Now don't worry about refund."
March 15th I spoke with another agent again (can check his name later. He said my problem will be solved in 72 hours.
March 22nd
Patrick M.
"I have successfully escalated the concern to the returns team to check why it is taking too long to refund, request you to please wait for 48 hours."
March 29
Kate M.
"I have raised the concern to the concerned department to get it sorted as soon as possible
Please allow me 24-48 hours to get it solved"
No answer again.
THEY'VE JUST LOST MY RETURN ITEMS and don't want to return my money back!
I think it's gonna be a case for a court cause I can proove that I send all items back and they are lying to me 50 days long!
4 years ago
mary Cureton MN
I have never sold on this site but I have bought a few things. Customer service is horrible. I bought a still very expensive expensive no return sale item (a platinum diamond brooch/pendant ) that I needed to return because the description failed to disclose the actual pin mechanism lock was broken and the retracted pendant mechanism was also broken! It was platinum so would have been a fortune to replace (not repairable) broken parts on this pin. Applying the necessary heat would have damaged the filigree and possibly the diamonds unless they were removed and then reset! It was not my fault that they screwed up the description at best or deliberately failed to disclose the damage at worst! In fact it falsely alleged it was in good condition. I spent many hours (my billing rate is 350 per hour so a real waste of my time!) trying to get the return approved and after finally getting it approved they wanted to stick me with a site credit and admonished me that in writing for any future purchases the ALl Big sale items were final sale (regardless if they were misrepresented was the just!) after my terse reply (more wasted time could be billable hours for me)I received an apology email. Too little too late! So if they misrepresent something basically it’s tough for you. I’m an attorney “so this dog don’t hunt” as we say in Texas. That’s no doubt a violation of consumer law, also arguably a classic case of deceptive trade practices (treble damages!) . So unless you are willing to spend hours and raise your blood pressure fighting for your rights, best to avoid this site based on my experience!
4 years ago
MKS Great Neck, NY
A friend who is a huge fan of TheRealReal recommended I consign with them. She told me upfront that she would also be getting a referral fee which I had no issue with. I had an in-home appointment to review my items in order to assess what was most saleable and in total consigned 13 pairs of designer shoes (Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Prada etc) and 20+ clothing items. Getting through to TheRealReal was a total nightmare. You cannot call direct and when you do, you are placed on an indefinite hold with a recording that your wait time is less than 10 minutes. I left my number for a callback that never came. When my items were finally published on the site, I was shocked to see how little they sold my clothing for! An Equipment silk blouse with sales tags attached sold for $40 for which I receive $12! I would've rather donated the item than sell it for $12. An Armani blazer that cost me almost $1000 and was worn once is listed for sale for $80 with a condition description stating there is piling throughout. Not only is that false, I will recoup a big $24! I am so upset, I have asked that some of my items be returned as I'd rather keep them or sell them on Poshmark. I was told there is a $15 per item fee to return them. I specifically questioned the rep who came to my house about any issue I may have with TheRealReal's pricing of my possessions and directly asked if I can have them returned if I do not agree with their suggested price. I was told it would not be a problem and I could request my items back. She never mentioned a charge to get my own clothes and shoes returned and when I called to question her, she told me well yes there is a $15 fee but I've never seen it charged to anyone. I am beyond distraught. I will likely look to have my remaining items sent back and will NEVER NEVER use them again. Thankfully I didn't give them my collection of designer handbags which if I choose to sell, will fetch far more on other resale sites
4 years ago
Caroline Conegliano Lake Worth, FL
If I could give zero stars, I would. Terrible customer service. They have not paid me for my consignments. They have not returned any of my inquiries. I had sent in over 30 consignments and they priced them and discounted them to such a low price, that I asked them to return all my items. TRR decided to pick and choose which to return, and which to keep and still sell - against my instructions. They now have sold designer clothes of mine, at steeply discounted prices, against my will, and have yet to pay me. I am even thinking of taking legal action against them. I've never dealt with such a terrible company or service. Never again.
4 years ago
JAH
I was excited to order a Tiffany necklace from the RealReal. I decided to order from them based on the recommendation of a friend in the US that has had good experience ordering. Their service so far has been awful. The necklace is stuck in customs due to incorrect documentation. Anytime I ask for help they ask to please check back tomorrow. The service team refuses to check with their logistics group or gives vague responses. They have a script and beyond that customer service cannot help with much else and don’t have the right level of language skills.
Unfortunately the shop is not mature enough process-wise to be an international webshop and deal in international logistics. Additionally their customer service is only meant to delay you from any claim, and the team is not empowered to actually fix customer issues.
4 years ago
Shelley Livonia, MI
So unfortunate that this company has gone down hill. Being a 'VIP' client, I have sold items through them for at least 5 years. It now takes literally months till they actually place an item you send them on their website. The last two items I sent them, in SAME package, they claim only one was received. They cannot even tell me which item was received as no picture was taken. They claim they will have to do a investigation and can take up to 14 days for a conclusion. A conclusion??? I literally placed both items WITH a packing list describing both items in package. What??? I am still waiting for a Supervisor/Manager to phone me back. I will NOT take this lightly. This item was costly. I will contact the BBB, and any other consumer fraud division, I can.
4 years ago
Samantha
Absolutely ridiculous. My package came vandalized and damaged and all customer service is saying is that they will give me a 25 dollar refund, that there is nothing else they can do. All shipments are insured, there is plenty they can do, they just don’t eat to. How on earth can a company operate this way. It’s almost fraudulent. This was my first time buying from them and I will not be shipping with them ever again. I will never recommend them to anyone I know either. What a completely unreliable company. Their claim that they provide a safe and reliable platform for buyers and sellers of luxury items is absolute hogwash.
4 years ago Edited March 4, 2022
Rose Waldman Brooklyn, NY
Do NOT consign with the RealReal. I just did, and boy, do I regret it! They offered me a $50 "bribe" to consign with them, and now that they put my clothes up, I can see why the bribe was needed. One of the dresses, for example, is a Carolina Herrera brand new dress with tags that I purchased at a Carolina Herrera store and never wore. Not only was it never worn, it hadn't even been tried on since I owned it! (My daughter felt it wasn't her look.) The dress, which originally retailed for $700, went directly from the Carolina Herrera shopping bag to the Real Real. It sold the first day they put it up. Do you know what my earnings are? 16 dollars! Sixteen whole dollars for a 700 dollar dress! They put it up without saying it is brand new with tags. In fact, they wrote, "minor pull throughout." The dress was BRAND NEW. There wasn't a single pull anywhere unless it happened in transit to them.
And the other clothes I consigned were put up with equally low price tags. When I gave them the clothes, they told me that if they don't want one of them, they'll mail it back to me, so I figured I have nothing to lose. But I see now that instead of them spending money on shipping, they keep the clothes and put them up at ridiculously low prices, so that they sell quickly. What thieves! I could have put my clothes up on Ebay -- yes, a bit more work involved -- and easily netted six times the amount I'll be earning here. I will NEVER consign with them again. Don't fall for their scam.
4 years ago
Nic Mill Valley, CA
This is my second horrendous consignment experience with the Real Real. I will never support this company again. I'm not alone-there are several complaints against this company for the specific complaints I have. My current complaint:
I decided to consign my Golden Goose Deluxe Brand (GGDB) sneakers with The Real Real (TRR). I had purchased these sneakers late Sept/early Oct. 2021. I had only worn them a couple times, and they had no signs of wear.
1. On December 18, 2021, TRR warehouse marked my consignor account as having received my Golden Goose Deluxe Brand Mid-Star sneakers.
2. On January 9, 2022 at 11:18 PM I sent an email to customer service requesting two of my items that were on consignment, to be returned to me. One of these two was my Golden Goose Deluxe Brand Mid-Star sneakers. Although the warehouse had received the sneakers, they weren't listed for sale, yet. I could see the price they were going to list for, and I decided I wanted them back.
3. On Jan. 10, 2022 at 1:40 PM, Renee from TRR customer service responded to my request stating that she'd processed the request, and items should be returned in 2-3 weeks.
4. I noticed the GGDB sneakers had been processed such that they were assigned an item number, so I responded to Renee's email double-checking that the sneakers were indeed being returned to me, and she emailed back confirming they'd be returned to me.
5. On Feb. 2, 2022 at 5:15 PM, I emailed TRR customer service inquiring about the status of my GGDB sneakers being returned. They still weren't marked as being shipped back to me. On Feb. 4, 2022 at 5:38 AM, Jee responded to my request stating that the sneakers would be returned to me, and that he had sent an urgent request to the warehouse to expedite the shipment back to me.
6. A. On Feb. 6, 2022, I checked my consignor account. I noticed that my sneakers were marked as "accepted for consignment" instead of "return to consignor". Furthermore, they were now listed with a different item number. I texted customer service asking for verification that the sneakers would be mailed back to me since I noticed they'd been marked for consignment again.
6. B. Customer Service from TRR texted back stating that my GGDB sneakers couldn't be located. They said that they'd been assigned a "mock" item number, because TRR was going to compensate me for the cost as if a buyer had purchased them from their website. They were going to refund me 70% commission (because I'm allegedly a VIP consignor) from what they were going to list the shoes at.
I texted back that TRR needs to compensate me for the full price of the sneakers, because 1. They were just purchased two months prior to being submitted, with no wear; they were new, 2. I had requested them to be returned to me on January 9, 2022 before they went live on the website, and 3. I am now without the sneakers and the money I paid for them.
I told customer service that I had purchased my sneakers for $625.00 including tax. Well, I just found my receipt. I actually paid $651.75 including tax. In any case, TRR plans to compensate me 70% of the sneaker price they assigned (70% of $395 =$276.50), which is ridiculously unfair. I had been requesting these back for almost a month--It isn't my fault TRR lost them!
Customer service texted back saying they had to put in a refund request for the amount I paid-their management/people who do pricing have to review my request. That's unacceptable.
How is it possible they lose so many consignor items?
Given how many complaints regarding TRR losing consignor items I am reading across various platforms, either TRR has a major employee theft problem, or TRR is running a huge scam whereby they buy out the consignor for pennies, then assign a new item number and resell the item thus making money off the item twice. I will be reporting the Real Real to the Federal Trade Commission for fraudulent practices as well as to the Better Business Bureau.
4 years ago
Nicole S Los Angeles, CA
The RealReal has gone way downhill over the years. Too many issues over time for me to consider continuing shopping with them: incorrect measurements, sizing, and condition advertised for items; received counterfeit luxury items; terrible experience consigning which was not worth the time; absurd shipping prices (sometimes equalling the cost of the order!); they charge you the full sales tax on the pre-discounted price and pocket the extra! Oh, and cherry on top, my account was hacked and someone purchased thousands of dollars of merchandise. I immediately called them and they were able to cancel the order before it shipped but refused to refund the shipping cost, so I still got to foot that. Never again!
4 years ago
AlbertaGirl117 Calgary, AB
While I have had some good experiences with the RealReal, this most recent purchase has turned me into an ex-customer.
I have purchased 40 or so items over the past few years, most were great. Some were in significantly worse condition than described (a DVF dress listed as 'excellent' that literally has stains that look like blood all over the interior), a mis-sized sweater, a Gucci scarf with no brand tags at all (essentially worthless because of this) which was not noted in the listing. I have also received items in better condition than listed, so it's a bit of a gamble.
But most recently I ordered 22 items on Friday night - all of which were marked down 70%. The order was confirmed and processed on my credit card. On Sunday, I received an email stating that 12 of the items were cancelled 'due to a system pricing error', followed by a list of vaguely described items. When I go to the order confirmation on their website, I see all of the items - some have zeroed out prices, and at the bottom a refund has been issued to my payment card. I have no idea what is actually being shipped to me (only one item has shipped so far) or what I paid for those items. I contacted support yesterday and was told to basically wait and see. So they also have no idea what I paid for or what is coming to me. They 'best they could do' was offer a $25 site credit (which is about half the cost of shipping to Canada).
It is unfathomable to me that a retailer can rescind a purchase after payment has been accepted and the order was confirmed 48 hour after the purchase has gone through, and I question the legality of it. I can't imagine any other retailer the size of the RealReal not honoring the price paid and confirmed for a transaction. Not to mention the absolute mess left in the wake of it (not knowing what is even going to be sent to me or whether or not it's even worth the shipping I paid since this was across 2 orders -- so looking at over $100 CAD for shipping).
Unprofessional and unsavory at best - making your customers pay the price of a business error - possibly illegal at worst. I love their stock and have been a loyal customer for years (most of my wardrobe is from the RealReal). Now that I don't trust I will actually receive the items I spend hours searching for at the price noted it isn't worth it. I will stick to local consignment options.
4 years ago
Review Source
Sarah Warehime
I paid way too much money for shipping.
The minimum flat fee shipping rate of $400 for home goods that The Real Real has is something I am not happy with at all, but I paid it. And now it has been over 3 weeks to get tracking on my purchase? I only have 3 days to be able to return it and I have yet to receive it. The Real Real should not charge a flat fee of $400. Representatives are told to tell customers that it is based on where we live but I looked into having it shipped to my house in Portland, OR and to a family members home in New York and the fee remained the same. "White Glove" service from UPS doesn't charge this much money. I called UPS and their rate was 1/3 of the price.
4 years ago
m b Dorchester, MA
As a shopper, no complaints, but as as consignor, ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. Cannot recommend enough that you do not consign with them. I used to extoll how easy and great it was, and maybe the changes are because they've just gone public, but I now loathe and resent them deeply. There is literally 0 customer service now - you can't get a response via email, you can't get someone on Chat, and you have to wait hours to get someone on the phone. I had to block their text # so I don't use that chat option, and when I tried I got useless and timewasting "support." I have had literally a thousand dollars of merchandise lost or damaged. I recommend consigning at your local boutiques or Vestaire instead. TRR will waste HOURS your time and money when they inevitably/frequently screw up, and the stress is not worth it. And for context I am a "VIP" consignor lol.
4 years ago Edited January 18, 2022
Angel Wen San Francisco, CA
I had a very bad experience selling through Realreal. I sold an over 20 years great condition Dior shoes. The company was rushing me to send over the item by calling multiple times and then went totally quiet to let me know what happened for the sale. I requested many times and got no response.
After two months, I got a check of $21 USD with a wrong name on it!
$21 dollars can’t even cover the time I spent on sending/ packing the item, let alone to cover the fair price of a great condition beautiful vintage DIOR shoes. I was so pissed off! Also, the name of the check is wrong. I can’t even get a penny! I feel like I was used by the company! It stole my stuff to make profit out of it!
Called, emailed, and texted multiple times and can never get a Response. I was either put on hold for more than 30 minutes until I dropped off or was told that someone will call me back ( but never did)
This is the worst company ever. I wish no one uses it anymore as the company is such a lie and the company will be out of business soon.
I wish I had read reviews before selling. I would rather keep the beautiful shoes sitting in my closet than being used and gain profit by Realreal. The company is tricking sellers to make profit. So disgusting!
4 years ago
Stepho Connolly Breckenridge, CO
Fraudulent thieves. Do not for once believe that they will compensate you if your items are lost/stolen using their 'approved method'. Do not be surprised if your item shows up months later on their website and you do not get your commission. Do not be surprised that they had to pay out a class action settlement due to their fraudulent practices.
UPS picked up my items on the date RealReal scheduled (I have the UPS driver on video) but no tracking information 5 days later. Realreal will not respond to your emails, calls or texts. They will not even put in a claim with UPS. Their customer service is abysmal. I will not be sending in any further items. I had sent in a $10,000 Van Clef pendant which is now "lost". I will be pursuing legal remedy.
4 years ago
Yu-Jean Chon Chicago, IL
When I requested my consigned item returned, they mailed the item to my old address. That was 2 months after I updated my address on my account. They explained the warehouse had a separate system which was not properly updated. They rerouted the package and said it won't happen again. It happened again. They again rerouted the package and said they would update the address. It happened yet again a year after I updated my address. This time they could not reroute it because UPS gave the package to USPS. I lost my designer item. I tried to have them reroute it for a week calling, emailing, and texting. No one got back to me until it was too late. They offered to buy the item but the price was ridiculously low, which was the reason why I wanted it back. How hard is it to update a customer's address? Totally incompetent. Imagine your expensive jewelry getting lost. I won't consign here again.
4 years ago
N Los Angeles, CA
Maybe to purchase it's an ok place, but as a consignor? Not so good. They give drastically reduced prices on expensive items. They also had my incorrect address and I told customer service this fact like 5 or 10 times but kept getting tracking info with the same WRONG address! I thought it was finally settled...nope almost sent my Chopard watch to the wrong address. I immediately reported that as wrong and luckily it was rerouted in UPS. This time, some items were returned to me and THE SAME THING...headed to that same wrong address. I was not able to reach anyone and received a text from some random woman telling me items were sent to her. I had to go across town to pick them up. Not only that, I'm missing a beautiful faux fur white coat that was to come back to me, and it's not on the website as being returned. I'm afraid it's lost in space. It was gorgeous and brand new. Sigh.
4 years ago
Ellen Kershner Marlton, NJ
A RealReal salesperson flooded my inbox with requests in November 2021 to send in items to consign for the holidays - I had made purchases from the website in the past. I mailed in two purses and was notified that they'd been received. After a few weeks they hadn't been posted. I did customer chats and emailed and was told it was in the works - they were very busy.
Still nothing after 4 weeks, same response that they were busy. After six weeks I called and the recording said that a chat was the fastest way to resolve the problem. My emails had been ignored. I was on a chat for THREE hours - most of that time spent waiting. When I would check to see what was going on, the person said they were still waiting to find out what was going on with my items.
After all that time, the rep still had no answer for me. I then requested that my items be returned to me. It took over a week to get one item, still waiting on the second. Christmas is less than a week away, looks like I don't have time to sell them on another platform. I emailed my complaint to RealReal, no one ever responded. Do not do business with this awful company.
4 years ago
Colleen Farrelly Miami, FL
If I could give it a 0, I would. I never had problems in the past, but this last time, they sold me an item that did not actually exist. I contacted them when an item in my order did not ship within 10 days, and I was assured the item that hadn't shipped would be shipped the next day. They gave me a shipping credit on the site. Several days later, it still showed as not shipped. I tried to contact them again and was on hold for 3 hours before I had to go. I opted to send an email. It took several back and forth emails to determine that the item didn't exist. I was promised a refund and a store credit of $25 for my inconvenience. I then had to contact them again when nothing showed up for my refund. I've now spent 3 hours on text with a tech, who managed to wipe out my store credits and not solve the issue. Do not use this company. There's no regard for the customer anymore, and they don't care when customers are left with no item and no way to get a refund. I've filed a report with my credit card.
4 years ago
Amanda Larry Chicago, IL
I would give negative stars if I could. The lost several of my last consignment items, had to fight tooth and nail to get reimbursed, even when reimbursed they applied the consignment % so I only got a fraction of what I should, and to this day an item is still missing and I have not been compensated for it. I have bought numerous items in the past, and sold several times to them. NEVER AGAIN. Do NOT sell to them, they will lose your stuff, not compensate you, their customer service line is down, very sketchy. Plenty of fakes, brands/items mislabeled, sizes wrong. Overall so disappointed. This company is a scam and I will never shop with them or sell with them again. Give your stuff to goodwill over this place.
4 years ago
Carolyn Aurora, CO
The Real Real was a great site to do business about 2 years ago and now have gone way down hill!! If I could leave minus stars I would 😡
I have sent in so many designer items and handbags, the last consignment I sent in they have screwed around with since they received it, I sent it in around May or June, one of the items that was listed was a Rolan Moret Blazer, it was listed on the website for quite some time before someone bought it, but then they returned it, and now (Nov 16, 2021) they are sending it back to me as not excepted!! I also sent in items in August, there are 5 items that have been excepted but have not been listed on the website as of yet, because they think they may have lost them !! My recommendation is DO NOT sell on their website, there are so many other stories out there that people have been jerked around on and their items have been lost or damaged that’s what I’m afraid of with this blazer coming back to me after so many months. If you have designer items to sell there are other websites to sell on, thats where be heading at this point NO MORE REAL REAL for me.
4 years ago
Tyla Yurgel New York, NY
Do not trust this company!!! I sent in 24 items to consign. Most of which valued at $1000 or less. My ONE HIGH PRICE item, Cartier Bleu Watch, has suddenly gone missing.
I was hesitant to hand this over to begin with but my consignor convinced me it wouldn't be sold without my approval and there was no risk sending it to the Real Real. The day it was appraised, I requested it be sent back to me. The selling price was much lower than what it was worth. I then contacted the company to let them know that I don't agree with the selling price and to please send me the item ASAP. A month later I called again to ask about my watch and received the usual "oh, so sorry, we'll send that out ASAP". Fast forward another few weeks and I called again only to be told they are so sorry for the delay. The watch will be sent expedited mail. Spoiler alert, the watch never arrived. It's now been 2 months and I was just told that they "lost the watch" and will give me the appraised value minus their commission. Yes, you read that correctly. After 2 months of asking that my watch be returned because they severely undervalued it they told me it's lost and they are keeping 15% of the commission price. It would be an understate to say that the customer service is seriously lacking with this company and I strongly feel like they STOLE the only item that I sent in that was worth a decent amount of money. They LOW-BALLED the value then "lost" the watch. However, I'm supposed to accept the low ball price value that they assigned MINUS their 15% commission. What kind of company does that?!?!?! Do not trust them with your items!
4 years ago
Kristin Dalrymple El Cajon, CA
Avoid literally at all costs!!!
On or around October 11th, 2021, I made a purchase of an
expensive pair of shoes from this site. The item was never
delivered even though it showed delivered in the system.
However, the shipping company was supposed to require a
signature upon delivery which also never happened (I wasn't
home at the time of delivery.) I immediately opened a case
hoping it had been mismarked as delivered but hadn't actually
been delivered yet. I live in a gated community with security
footage everywhere - the shoes still have not shown up and its
November 7th. Anukriti P was the first person I spoke with via
email and she stated it would be a 7-10 day process. After those
days passed, Amanda, & Suman from customer service all have
me a general answer claiming they are sorry the investigation is
taking so long, that they are waiting for the Courier (UPS) to get
back to them and it would be another 7-10 days. I am going on 4
weeks of this. I am not getting any real answers and I spent over
$800 for an item that never made it to my doorstep.
At this point, I am looking into a charge back on my Paypal account to recover
my funds and filing a police report along with this BBB Complaint
because I don' think this company is either 1) a legitimate
business, or 2) honest about their protections. I think I have waited a reasonable amount of time now going on over a month. They promised a resolution in 7-10 business days from the 15th of October. They did not follow through. This company is nothing but a bunch of crooks.
4 years ago
Review Source
Leilani Lynn CA
Do not purchase items from the company. Ive placed 4 orders so far and I’ve had shipping issues on 3 out of 4 of those orders. My most recent order was placed on 9/18. The shipping information confirmed a delivery date of 9/24. It is now 10/2 and the status has show. In transit since 9/24. The company is now filing a claim with the UPS. However, in the meanwhile, I am out over $1500 for the handbag I purchased, while they work they try to locate the package. I am told this will take another 7-10 business days. Also, I have not received so much as a confirmation email, stating next steps or remedies. This is the 3rd time I’ve had to call this company about the whereabouts of my package. In addition, one of the bags I purchased arrived with a blatant tear that was not disclosed and smelled like vomit (literally). I returned it, but it was a process and if I hadn’t called the day it arrived, I wouldn’t have been able to. Avoid purchasing on this site.
5 years ago
Milene San Diego, CA
DO NOT SEND YOUR ITEMS! IT'S A SCAM! Back in October 2020, I took a pair of Ferragamo shoes to UPS to be shipped to The RealReal, following the instructions they had sent to me by email. After it was shipped, I sent them an email asking if they had received the shoes as I never received a confirmation from the company, however I did not receive a reply. I assumed the shoes were lost by UPS, but several months later, checking their website I realized the exact same shoes I had sent to them were sold (I was sure those were my shoes as, besides the same color and size, they have a very distinctive label mark on the soles). I have been contacting them on this and requesting my credits, however they keep saying they will look into it, but end up not following up. I wonder how many other people sent their products and never received their credits/money.
5 years ago
Chenda Walpole, MA
If I could give this company 0 stars I totally would. First of all I bought a Prada purse a little under a year ago and of course assumed that it was authentic because of what they claim. I decided to sell it last month, the buyer decided to get it authenticated and of course I was okay with it. Turns out the bag was fake, I returned the buyers money and called/emailed therealreal right away. First thing they said no returns we can consign it back to there website! Crazy.. Then I spoke to someone else, they asked me to return it so they can review it and I would either get my money back or a site credit!!?? Like what. So I sent it back and low and behold more than a week later, no follow up emails or anything. I literally had to keep emailing them everyday/every other day they finally email me and they apologize that it’s not real. So do not buy from them, do not sell to them, spread the word. Get your items authenticated again. They don’t care about they’re customers. Absolute worst company. Do not buy or sell.
5 years ago Edited September 17, 2021
Vee Chicago, IL
I only received half of the item I ordered. Instead of locating the missing portion or offering a refund for it, TRR offered a return or a paltry $25 store credit. I spent 2 hours calling CS and was repeatedly hung up on by their clueless overseas reps. So not only will they sell items under false pretenses, but their customer service is a dead end, designed to frustrate you until you give up or risk their shady and lengthy returns process.
You already lost half of my item, why would I trust you not to lose or bungle my return???
One hand doesn't know what the other is doing. You cannot trust their listings, as what is in the photo may not make it to you or even to their warehouse. When they inevitably mess up, they will engage in evasive behaviour and you will have no recourse.
Over many years as a customer, I've watched this company's CS and authentication nosedive. There is no trust. They've sent me items with missing parts (ie a dowm coat without the down, just the shell), and filthy items with trash in the pockets. I've seen Target and Uniqlo items sold as main label. They are becoming worse than ebay.
5 years ago
Shannon Figueroa Las Vegas, NV
This is a total scam! I was told the process was once they got the item, it would be appraised, then I would be contacted to approve the appraised price and if I did not agree, they’d send the item back to me. I sent them a brand new, with tickets and all, $300 wallet. I never heard back from them until they sold it for $40. I was enraged. I told the that was an insane price. They looked int it further and said I was right and it should have been sold for $85! So they said they owed me $18!?!?! I have not received a dime from them. They never get back to my constant inquiries regarding this. Do not use them. They will scam you!
5 years ago
