The RealReal
1.5
2.8
Overall Score
loretta boglo Smyrna, GA
My very first consignment with therealreal has been extremely frustrating and disappointing.
They have your items shipped to them for free and begin processing rather quickly but when I decided I was not going to consign two of my items because they priced them too low and asked for them to be returned, the nightmare began.
First they said it would probably take about two weeks but could take up to 30 days. Then two weeks later. They said it takes a 30 days but they would expedite the return on my behalf. Three times I was promised a call back which never happened. Their customer service is horrendous, they keep you on hold forever and when you finally get someone, all you get are lies and false promises to get you off the phone or chat.
It has now been 30 days since I requested this return and still there is no tracking number or sign that my items have been returned. just false promises stating they are processing the return.
I really wanted to avoid leaving a negative review and hoped this experience would have worked out differently.
I certainly will not be consigning with them in the future!
5 years ago
Lisa Gaglia The Bronx, NY
I really thought I would continue with this company but no! I collect handbags and have purchased many from this company as well as other consignment companies. This company embellishes the condition of the bags and actually photoshops the pictures. Several of the bags that I had bought from the Real Real I decided I would re-list with them (I never used the bag and still had their tags on), they rejected because of the condition! Ridiculous and bad business! I had purchased a Pierre Hardy Penny Lane bucket bag from them a couple of years ago. The bag was clearly overpriced (was missing the shoulder strap and they failed to mention it), they hid imperfections (black suede marks hidden under the flap) and listed it as "very good" when it should have been listed as "good". I clearly overpaid for the bag (20% off of $795) and now I'm having a hard time selling it (still with their tag on!) I've tried to sell it for $ 500 with another consignment site - it was authenticated but the buyer rejected it because of the flaws that the RR was not transparent with me (they didn't even want it further reduced). I've also been a consignor with them --they mark things down too quickly and you end up losing money. You also have to wait a full month to get paid!! Everything they do seems to revolve around them and whatever benefits the RR. Be careful when you purchase a handbag (unless it's NWT's) you will be stuck with it as their return policy does not include handbags.
5 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Jeffry Chamice, RMT Edmonton, AB
Truly and simply, a company of frauds with abhorrent customer service practices. After weeks of being ignored by customer service following too many foul-ups to count, their shipper, UPS, lost the package. I cannot get anyone to issue a refund, let alone respond to my calls for help, so I have been forced to go through Visa with a charge-back. They should have filed the claim with UPS. After waiting for a week with no response or action on that, I had to spend and an entire afternoon doing that, which included faxing documents and filling out multiple forms. The RealReal is full of frauds, and I plead with all of you to stay away from this company. Nothing but aggravation and heartache!
6 years ago
Amy Anderson , KY
Buyer beware...take A LOT of detailed pictures of your items prior to shipping your item for resale/consignment on TRR.
I sent two of my LV's to them fro resale. A month later one had sold immediately but the other they had received it but never posted it up for sale. I called & I emailed over and over. They always responded but could never give me a definitive answer as to why my Louis was still sitting in their limbo. I asked my my LV back, fearing that they had lost it but wouldn't own up to that. No Louis. Another month went by I called & emailed over and over. They finally shipped "my Louis" back to me. IT WAS NOT MY LOUIS. The handle was far deeper aged brown - indicating a much older bag. The inside flap has little stains on it - which mine had never had. But it had never occurred to me that this could happen. I did not take detailed pics of my bag. I had no way of proving what was before and what was after.
So....to all those who love TRR. Don't always count on them to be trustworthy when handling your property. Nor being forthcoming with what is really going on behind the scenes They lost my bag and just grabbed another one and shipped it back. That's become abundantly clear to me.
6 years ago
Stephanie M. Poulsbo, WA
TheRealReal paid for an advertisement, posted by its official facebook page, that advertised multiple products. The one I was interested in was a handbag advertised at $132. When the ad was clicked it linked to TheRealReal's official website, where the product was $1495, with an option to pay $90 monthly through a service called "Affirm." I contacted customer service via email to inquire about purchasing the bag at the advertised price and the associate responded asking for the item number. I sent the item number and did not hear from them for over 48 hours, at which point I called the customer service number. I was told by the answering associate, after being placed on hold multiple times, that the $132 price was the price for the "Affirm" monthly payment option, to which I stated that could not be true because the "Affirm" price listed was $90 (per month), not $132. The associate became hostile and at that point I ended the call. I believe this to be an unfair and deceptive pricing scheme, I believe the conpany should honor the prices that they advertise instead of misleading consumers about the cost of an item.
6 years ago
Theresa Zimmer Lake Havasu City, AZ
I sent in my Chanel bag my Prada sunglasses and my Dior sunglasses and my Versace watch for consignment; all in pristine condition. When I found out how little I would be making, from all of it really, because they take most of the commission, I decided to get my sunglasses back. My Chanel bag had already sold for not even half of what I paid for it. When I received my Prada sunglasses back that are made of Swarovski crystals, which are called the baroque line, and are very rare, and which I paid $500 for, they had broken a crystal right on the front of the sunglasses! Who would want to wear a pair of Prada’s that are completely ridiculous looking because they are missing crystals? When they did send both pairs of sunglasses back to me, they did not pack it at all with any type of packing material and they didn’t even place the Dior or Prada sunglasses back in their containers, which both have a soft sleeve and a hard box that goes inside the box that you bought it from. I have had nothing but problems dealing with their customer service. When I asked for my items back because they listed my sunglasses for so little, $95!, I was shocked, and then to find out I would only be making a 40% commission! Please do yourself a favor and do not deal with these people. Their customer service is a nightmare and they are argumentative as well. They will ruin your things if you ask for them back with no regard.
6 years ago
Robin
When I first started consigning with the Real Real they priced my items, for the most part, fairly. Not any longer...they are priced to move quickly...period. They are supposed to receive your approval on how they price fine jewelry before listing it...not any longer. I literally felt sick when they sold a $2,300 necklace of mine for $895...even after I contacted them via email to tell them I did not approve of the sell price. Don't bother calling, you will be put on hold and no one answers the phone. You cannot communicate via email either...because they will not respond. If you give them a consignment, you are no longer in control of any part of the process. I dearly wish I had not given them my necklace, or any recent items. I now know how people feel when they have been scammed.
6 years ago
KGD Bronxville, NY
AVOID The RealReal - not worth the aggravation! And thousands of $ in loss.
Customer service and the quality of my experience with The RealReal has declined dramatically within the last year. I am not sure if the company is expanding too quickly, and, thus, quality control has gone out the window - but due to the negative experiences that I have had in the last month, I now consider this to be a company should be avoided at all costs.
Most significantly, an at-home representative picked up a number of items for consignment. Two of these items were jewelry. The proposed sales prices were not acceptable. Therefore the company arranged to return these items to me. Well, somewhere along the way they lost both pieces of jewelry and 4 or 5 items of clothing. Compensation for the lost clothing was acceptable, BUT COMPENSATION FOR THE LOST JEWELRY HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. One ring has a retail value of between $3500-$4000, and the real real has offered me $495 to compensate me for my loss, AND Then this $495 is subject to a reduction by 40% for a “commission “fee. This is absurd!
And then, on the buy side, I was just given a hard time about returning a cardigan sweater that was riddled with moth holes, and TRR actually advertised it as being in very good condition (with zero mention of any moth damage).
Sorry The Real Real...I am done with you.
I’ll try my chances at Poshmark or EBay. At least you get to hold tight to your jewelry until it is sold & you are paid.
6 years ago
Anna Temecula, CA
I purchased an Hermes Birkin from the RealReal, and I was so excited for it to finally arrive yesterday. I was tracking the progress, and since it needed a signature, I called the company and spoke to Jenna, customer service, who was AMAZING! I asked her if she could call the WORST delivery service, UPS, if they could give me an estimated time of delivery and if they will ring my front door bell. Jenna called them and told me they can't give me a time, and that THEY WILL RING THE DOORBELL!. I went home early and was home from 12 pm on. I even opened my front door, my English bulldog and I were in the side porch for > 2 hours waiting. I received an alert on my phone at 3:06 pm, which stated: Customer not in on 1st attempt, will deliver to UPS access point on next business day. Well obviously, the LAZY UPS DRIVER DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO RING MY DOORBELL TO GET A SIGNATURE!!! I was fuming mad and I called USELESS UPS, and spoke to 2 incompetent and non-caring UPS people, who tole me that they really could not do anything at this point!!! I called RealReal and spoke with Jenna again, and told her what happened! She was shocked and she called UPS, told me it was at an access center and to pick it up there. I drove to the access center, and to punctuate my disappointment, my Hermes bag WAS NOT THERE! I called RealReal and cancelled my order! I did not just order an ordinary object, it was an Hermes bag in the thousands, so I was expecting a stress-free shopping experience, I did advise them that this is not the first time I had issues with UPS-their service is the WORST!!! I told Jenna, I was so traumatized with this experience, that I will never shop from them again!
6 years ago
Deborah SF Mill Valley, CA
I have purchased numerous items from The Real Real since 2016, and have had mostly positive experiences. However, since they have gone public recently, their level of service has gone down substantially. Previously, if there was a question or issue, you could call their customer service number and can get someone to speak with within a few minutes. I recently had an issue with a few items that I purchased and waited on average 30 minutes before giving up. I then sent them 6 emails and have not heard a peep. At this point, I have contacted my credit card company and have asked them to hold the amount that I had spent with The Real Real until the situation can be resolved.
If you are interested in purchasing here, you can now expect to have absolutely ZERO customer support for questions and issues.
On a different note, I recently purchased a Bottega Veneta purse with an "Excellent - No Visible Signs of Wear". Upon receipt, I noticed scratches on both sides of the leather. Since purses are non-returnable, I am now stuck with a slightly damaged $600 purse.
7 years ago
Upset Customer Boston, MA
I have been a customer of TRR for about 2 years now - always on the buying end. I've been super happy with my purchases, so I decided to try them out for consigning since I was in the process of moving. I wish I never had! I would be better off having taken these items to a second-hand store in the Boston area in person. I sent in a box of items and tracked it (showing it was delivered) but the team claims they never received it. I've been waiting a month for this issue to be resolved... then, one day I saw an item of mine on site. I know it was mine because it was an older item in the same condition (NWT) and same size that I sent... I kept searching and found nearly EVERY single thing that I sent in listed online. But, none of it was listed under my sales portal! They are selling all of my items and I'm not getting credit for any of it. I've waited an entire month for a resolution and I still don't have one. DO NOT CONSIGN with this company. They do not care about their customer's experiences at all and have nothing in place to help you if they lose your pieces!
7 years ago
K in Carolina Charleston, SC
I used to love this company. I have been buying and consigning with them for years. Not anymore. This company is horrible. Getting worse and worse with every month. Do not trust the measurements listed. Do not trust the condition they claim or assign to the item. Do not trust you will get refunded when you return an item. Do not trust they will give you the consignment % they claim. Do not trust your item will be sold at a fair price. When they tell you to reconsign something you bought a few months ago? Do not trust they will take it back. Some lame excuse and your item will be shoved into a bag and mailed in a crappy box. The worst customer service. Like ever. Do not trust anything about this company.
7 years ago
Elle Arlington, VA
Purchased a Gucci bag. Received bag. The bag is clearly not authentic, it is missing a Gucci logo - confirmed by visiting the actual Gucci store and inspecting the real bag. The RealReal refuses the assist in the matter saying my only recourse is mail the bag back or have someone pick it up for a refund. Public service announcement: It is against federal law to mail counterfeit goods or re-enter a counterfeit goods into circulation. Both actions amount to a violation of federal law in traffic in counterfeit goods. The real real is full of hot air claiming to be Nice claiming to help however they only are implicating their consumers in federal law violations. I now must turn this bag over to the police station garner a police report and file a suit in small claims court for $1500.Second public service announcement don’t shop at this website their authentication process is garbage they will obviously always stand behind their product. Regardless whatever reality is. No one’s career or job and federal service or the military is worth their reputation. Don’t shop I can’t emphasize that enough don’t shop
7 years ago
Sara K
I had an unpleasant experience when I believed that the "First Look" option was not working when I was indeed paying extra for it. But I am satisfied now with the way customer service credited me and above all, the fact that I was able to procure the bag that I wanted.
7 years ago
Eva Fuentes Gao Houston, TX
Missing $100 BUY MORE EARN MORE Site Credit
I placed an order on July 12, 2019 for over $650, in order to qualify for TRR's Shop More Earn More promotion, which ran from the 12th to 14th. When I hadn't received my credit by the issue date, August 2, I contacted Customer Service via e-mail and provided proof, a screenshot from TRR app, showing that my order was placed on the 12th. I was told that my request would be forwarded to "management" to request an "exception", and that my credit would be issued by the 10th. When the 10th passed and still no credit, I emailed Customer Service again, and was told that my request was not approved, even though an exception shouldn't have been needed in the first place.
Not understanding the reasoning behind the denial, I called TRR and was on hold with TRR Customer Service for over an hour, only to be told by the customer service representative that "management" was unavailable at the time and the window for request for exception had closed. She finally told me that she would escalate my issue and that "management" will give me a call "whenever they can".
I feel like I was scammed into making a large purchase that I otherwise would not have. I've spend quite a lot of money on TRR and am extremely disappointed in their treatment of their customers.
7 years ago
Concerned customer Westport, CT
Haven’t had any problems with clothing, shoes and accessories but when it comes to furniture they have the most absurd, borderline abusive delivery charges. In many instances 5x or more the price of the item. And on top you pay to have things shipped back.
7 years ago
Mary Long Beach, CA
I sent a 2019 Chanel Gabrielle bag in to The Real Real and it was, without question, the worst experience I've ever had consigning. The description was incorrect, they had it listed in the wrong collection, the COLOR was stated wrong even though there was a friggin picture of the bag posted. And after a month of trying to get all the errors corrected they wouldn't update the posting and cut the price by over 36% of retail. For a 4 month old bag that had never been taken out of the box except to take pictures of it before I sent it. Chanel is suing TRR because it has a reputation to protect and when a consignment house treats their exquisite product like they just picked it up from Nordstrom Rack and make it appear as if they are selling less than authenticate product, I don't blame them.
Chanel isn't suing Vestiaire or LXRandCo, because they treat the iconic brand with the respect it deserves.
I demanded they at least update my posting as a "new listing" however, they would not. I am currently waiting for my bags return, but after reading some of the reviews from other consignors, I may be out $4800.
7 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Michele Levine (Wong) Beachwood, OH
I am a long time customer of The Real Real, since 2015 over 30 purchases. I feel that lately flaws in the clothing has been overlooked more frequently. I have received clothing with several holes, and snags that were not mention in the clothing description. BUYER BEWARE! Finally The Real Real is no long adding measurements to clothing items. How does one purchase clothing online without measurements as measurements vary greatly even within the same label? This may be the last straw.
7 years ago
Patricia Jo New York, NY
Ordered a shearling coat and the condition was noted as "Excellent" and "No signs of visible wear." I received the coat to find a huge tear under one of the pockets and the inside pockets were detached and hanging down below the hemline. I really liked the coat and I reached out with photos showing the condition and requested a price adjustment. They offered a $50 site credit - meaning they wouldn't cover the cost to get it fixed at a special tailor and I would need to spend more money on their site. I doubt it would have been priced anywhere close to where it has been if the damages were noted on the product page. Once I said that won't do, the offered to accept the return - as if adhering to their return policy was doing a huge favor for me (return tag is still intact). They offered to pay for the return shipping (which should be a given in this situation) and I had to ask them to refund the original shipping cost as well. Extremely unpleasant to deal with. I've had horrible experiences consigning with them too. The somehow stain your freshly dry cleaning garments sent to consign and then blame you for the stains and ship to a wrong address. My package with my items, some new with tags, is completely lost. This will be the last time I give them any of my business.
7 years ago
K Rico Goodyear, AZ
If I could give no stars I would. I purchased a Fendi handbag on 12/5. The bag was as described but could not be used with the interested purpose. I reached out to see about re consigning the bag since it was listed as “no returns” and went they the process. That was on 1/2. Here it is 1/14 and I’m being told they cannot accept the bag even tho I purchased from them and in fact cannot give me a reason why. This comes after four phone calls and three different emails. They state they will be sending the bag back to me but no email with tracking or any other information was given. I have sold numerous handbags to Yoogis Closet and FASHIONPHILE and have never encountered such a horrible business plan in my life. It really says something when a Company won’t consign an article that you purchased FROM THEM. Run don’t walk away from using them.
7 years ago
Bob Los Angeles, CA
My experience with The Real Real was nothing short of a nightmare. I consigned two $2500 Dior dresses with them. They were brand new completely untouched and pristine with tags and everything. They were even from the current Dior collection at the time! A person came to my home inspected my items and told me to expect around 30 to 40% of my money back on the dresses. She also said how fantastic they were and how she expected them to sell with 3 days!!! Well, here is where my nightmare begins. I don't notice my dresses online for like a month!!! And then when I see them they are priced way too low and they appear on sale right out of the blocks. Well of course they sold fast because they priced them at a fraction of my cost and then took 50% commission. When I finally got my check I got measly $450 out of over $5000 dresses after being told to expect somewhere between 1200 and 1800. They will damage your items. They will lie to you about pricing and commissions. I have not one good thing to say about them. THEY TAKE YOUR REALLY NICE ITEMS AND RIP YOU OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7 years ago
Catherine Argyrio
I am (or rather WAS) a loyal client of this site, purchasing several items every 2-3 months. Almost 2 months ago, the RealReal made an error on the commercial invoice of my package, which gravely overvalued the items I purchased and resulted in my overpaying $72.50 in customs and duties. I spoke to UPS, and they only needed to receive an amended commercial invoice from the vendor to refund me the overpayment. The RealReal, however, will not oblige to correct their own mistake (which cost ME)! I explained the situation and provided them with all their own documentation. After spending hours on hold and writing several follow-up e-mails (never receiving a reply without prompting them a month later), all they can say is that "they cannot provide a new commercial invoice", even when the error was their own! There was no alternative offer to make this right. I am so disappointed (and $72.50 lighter)!
8 years ago
May Woodside, NY
I have consigned with the realreal and found that very disappointing. I just had my first experience as a customer and WOW, buying from them is 10 times worse. Their website is so user-unfriendly, the sorting functions are completely useless (you can’t even sort by a specific clothing size, just a range like “small”) and the photos don’t go close-up or show the interior of any of the items. I had a credit which was going to expire so I ordered a few things, both of which were described as a “excellent condition, no visible signs of wear.” I received one pair of jeans with large stains on both sides of one leg and another pair ($50!) so worn that you could see through the seat when held it up to a light. Still waiting to hear back from them about this final sale order. Unbelievable.
8 years ago
C Oak Park, IL
There are numerous accounts here of The Real Real selling fakes, and if you want more, go search The Purse Forum for the company's name + fake. Not only do they sell fakes, they re-list fakes after they've been notified. Disgusting. They should be criminally investigated for knowingly trafficking counterfeits-- in fact, I'm going to see if I can report them to the FBI and Interpol, who handle the trade in counterfeit goods. I would encourage others to do the same.
I made the mistake of consigning some authentic goods of my own, under the assumption that they would list them for comparable prices to the ones the list the same items for all the time. How wrong I was. The idiots that work there can't tell the difference between an evening gown and a maxi dress, and I ended up with less than $120 for a $4500 Alexander McQueen dress.
Now they spam me every few days, hungry for more consignments. Every time I get a consignment email from them, it reminds me to warn more people away.
These people want your items to sell in bulk to line their pockets. They will do anything to make even a single dollar, and they couldn't care less about the value of your items, much less whether they're real or fake. Steer clear of these devious people!
8 years ago
K A Row Southport, NC
This once great company is struggling under the weight of their success. When everything goes well, it's great. Wonderful selection of merchandise, fair prices, easy to consign. But when there's a problem, it's a disaster. Customer service is clearly over-burdened. Everything takes way too long - from processing a consignment to resolving an issue. Hope they get this sorted out and invest in their people to keep the company one that's worthy of our business.
8 years ago
karen Reading, MA
I went on therealreal.com after seeing a commercial for it on tv. later, I saw ads appear on the side of every site that I went on. The ad had a coach purse that said "buy it for $11" so I clicked on it, and it brought me to the actual purse that was priced at $125. I tried clicking the ad on several different sites and it was always the same bait and switch. This is false advertising which is illegal. I emailed therealreal pointing this out and asking what the actual price was for the purse. They never acknowledged me. I have screenshots of what they did and sent those to them as well. This morning, the ads magically changed to the correct price. I would warn anyone away from therealreal. They use deceptive and illegal business practices to lure in potential customers. They also dont care enough to acknowledge their emails. I can only imagine what would happen if you purchased something from them and had an issue.
8 years ago
Justin Fonda Washington, DC
I had listed some high end items with them and when I received the payout I was shocked by how small it was. They even have the nerve to apply 20% discounts to your items without your consent and you cut reflects that “REAL” promo! So unfair. I asked them to spend my items back. They did but I wasn’t home from work to sign for them and then they got sent back to The Real Real. They contacted me 6 months later saying they have my items and where would I like them sent. 2 months later they are telling me the warehouse is backlogged and they can’t find my items. I demanded a payout of 100% of the price they had it all listed for. After fighting with them they finally agreed to pay me $1,265 100%. But I have yet to get the payment. I have called countless times and I get treated like a child each time even by management who apparently are like gods over there. Avoid this terrible company and their sad excuse for customer service.
8 years ago
Lena
Purchased GUCCI boots from the website in “very good used condition” once I received the boots they failed to mention that some glitter/bronzer was all over the boots. I called customer service in hopes to return the boots and get a refund, I was told that first they will not cover the shipping cost to ship them back, which is understandable but what got me furious is that I paid $200 CAD duty charges to receive the boots, and I was told by CustomerCare that I have to prepay another duty charges for them to receive the boots. I have never experienced paying duty for another company on return item.
Choose wisely what you buy, some things are a win and some are not. Definitely if you live in the US you’re better off dealing with returning merch that if you’re outside of US.
8 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Sharon Teaneck, NJ
Writing as a seller. This company is incompetent and could not care less about its customers. I consigned luxury clothing and designer scarves in BRAND NEW condition that they listed for sale for 20% of the price of existing identical items that were in Fair or Moderate condition. Other items were sold with typos, so a pair of Tory Boots that were supposed to be priced at 164.00 were instead listed as for sale for 11.64 (and you can imagine they sold in 5 minutes). I had to email them about all my items to have the prices corrected or just have the auction pulled altogether. I have zero trust in the people working here, and despite being a long term customer who has sold thousands worth of items with them they didn't even care to do a decent job and list my items correctly. I will never be selling with this company again.
8 years ago
beth wendler Chicago, IL
First, I bought a Chanel bag that was in far poorer condition that what was listed. Also, the snap didn't even close! I returned it for credit only, which was effortful to do so. They don't make returns easy! Poor customer service.
Then, I tried to purchase another Chanel bag with my credit they had given me. It was fake! Authenticity card number did not match hologram number. There was a small leather scrap in the pocket (like a punch hole for a strap or the lock). There is no way Chanel made a bag with a leather scrap left in the pocket. Also, this was a vintage (20 year old) bag that looked brand new. I don't see how their "experts" signed off on this bag. Horrible.
8 years ago
Elizabeth Santa Monica, CA
I’m ALWAYS disappointed by their “sale” items, which when you include tax & shipping, are not a “sale.” You can never apply their other “supposed” coupons. So I feel it’s a bit of bait & switch. And no returns on sale items. Just annoying. I prefer Linda’s Stuff on Ebay. High end consignment items. Many items with “best offer” options, free shipping, easy returns for up to 30 DAYS. Great Consigner percentages. So in the future you can sell back items you’ve purchased from them & get some money back. I’ve tried many online consignment sites. Not a fan of Tradesy either for their “only site credit” policy. And many sellers on Tradesy sell elsewhere for 10% less probably because Tradesy takes a big cut.
Try Linda’s Stuff on Ebay before you go anywhere else. ?
8 years ago
brenda s Larchmont, NY
I returned 2 items from my order and I shipped them both together. After they processed the return they only refunded me for 1 item even though on the order details they marked that return for both items was processed. I called and they told me that perhaps 2 different department were dealing with my order and I have to wait for the remaining part of my refund to be posted. 2 weeks later I called again and they told me that it appears that they never received the second item but they are going to look for it and get back to me ! During my call they changed the marking on one item from my order from "return processed" to "return requested" ! After spending over an hour on the phone they finally refunded my money but it was more like they did a favor to me to return my own money to me. So disappointing.
9 years ago
Claire
I like that it provides an easy platform for consignment. I've sent my items to them, it was easy to track activities. I've never bought anything on there so I can't comment on the buyers' side.
However I'm deleting my account at the realreal permanently because of their poor customer service. Not only did they give me wrong information, miscommunicate internally, and give me attitude on the phone, they never solved my problem after many email back and forth and phone calls. (not receiving my commission, which is, one could argue the single biggest issue an consignor could have). For a company that relies on consignors to provide their inventory, I'd say this is a miss as a business. Having raised $170 M in total, investors clearly have faith in it. Competitions are already popping up (ThredUp is launching Luxe). The business model doesn't have anything unique to it. In this day and age it's the customer experience that distinguishes good and bad. I will not be a consignor at the realreal, and will not recommend any friends to be.
9 years ago
Richard Kirkland, WA
So many things are wrong with this service:
1 - The quality of service they offer is poor compared to the luxury items they claim to sell. I gave them a $5,000 jacket for consignment and they took days to respond and were opaque with their answers.
2 - Their pricing scheme is similarly not transparent but seems geared to lowball first time sellers/items. Some of the items I sent were priced at 1/3rd the price of comparable items in their catalog and 1/2 the price of even lower quality items. I can only surmise
3 - They seem generally confused of the items they're consigning and selling. For example some viscose pants I sent were listed as "silk blend" (there was no silk in them), a polo shirt was listed as a "popover shirt" (there's a strong distinction between the two types of shirts), and three items were sent back because they weren't designers they accept (even though the printed designer list included those designers).
4 - The pseudo high touch "inside sales representative" that reached out to work with me through my consignment process was generally aloof, failed to respond to email in a timely fashion, and was really no better than we trying to figure everything out on my own. This is a stark contrast to the service I received when I bought the items I sent for consignment.
All-in-all this experience is a complete betrayal of the experience for the luxury items they attempt to sell. But if you don't care about any of this and just have a bunch of crap to unload from your closets, then it is less involved than selling it yourself on ebay. So there's that.
9 years ago
Allene Madison, WI
Very satisfied with the merchandise purchased. The shipping rate is flat no matter the weight of clothing and jewelry and the return option IS NOT difficult and explained upon receipt of merchandise.
9 years ago
Wendy Lu
During the last one year, I have spent a few thousands dollars on The RealReal. I made many purchases. In general, you can't really trust in what they said about the condition of the sales items. I recently bought a Roberto Cavali silk dres. In the website, it says it's in VERY GOOD Condition. However I found the dress was torn at the under arm area. I wonder whether the appraiser was half sleeping while making that judgement.
A few other occasions, I found the pictures did not quite do the justification of what the sales items really looked like. Surprise! Some are good, and some are bad. I guess that's the shortcoming of online purchase. However, The RealReal charges nearly $12 per shipment and charges more for restocking and shipping fees for return, That really deters returning even the items I bought did not fit me or not what I expected.
So, the items aren't that cheap if you take into account these unexpected expenses. And, The RealReal always makes money either way you do.
And, once, I bought an item which clearly labeled NOT FOR SALE. I got a full refund.
All in all, don't get too excited about shopping on the site.
9 years ago
Rox
I bought a pair of YSL boots for $500 that is a fake and/or was faked to look newer.
I wore them once and it appears some kind of plastic vinyl was placed to the sole to make them look newer. [SEE IMAGES]
This vinyl is peeling and showing on the edges and is unsightly. Looking at the sole of other used YSL boot soles that show wore but not this plastic stuff. Clearly, this vinyl was used to disguise the fact that these shoes would have to be resoled straight away.
I ask for a partial refund to cover the cost to resole these boots -- and since they are very likely to be fake. I am a size 33/34 so it takes me months to find stylish quality boots. They only offered that I return them.
If I wasn't so desperate with extra small feet I'd have returned them. Instead, I have to live with overpaying for used shoes (cost me $160 to resole - so now I paid $750 for shoes that are $800 new)
9 years ago
Tina
For international returns, they offer ZERO support. Despite asking to bill a return shipping to their DHL account (which would have been less costly) and have them deduct those costs from the refund, they refused to accommodate, saying they can't be responsible. Appalling! What they don't realize (and don't care about) is buyers in foreign countries are forced to pay customs and duties for these purchases, unless there is proof that the item is being returned, which the courier which did the original delivery could easily provide. If they can't provide the kind of customer service that one would expect to overseas customers, then maybe they shouldn't sell internationally in the first place. I won't be shopping with them again.
9 years ago
Aimee chow
I consigned a Chanel bag with them, they ripped me off, sold it at one price and sent me a check for a price much lower than erases the entire bag sale off my account as if I wouldn't know the sale was ever made, I took pictures of everything so I had the proof when the bag was sold and for what price and commission rate, talked to customer support on the phone and they guaranteed I would get what I have proof off but when I email them to see why this issue hasn't been resolved yet the ignored me, 3 different reps I talked and they just ignored me but had no problem taking to me when they wanted me to consign more items.
9 years ago
kim
my advise is to look at your purchase item carefully before buying and they do list not returnable on clearance item, over all still good site for brand name. I will still shop this site
9 years ago
Elin J Andersson
I bought from the Realreal several times and l'm overall satisfied.
However not all descriptions of their items is accurate. I bought a sweater from them in 'very good condition' and it was rather worn with loose seams and had stains on it. I send back pictures to customer service who wasn't very helpful, but at least I got a store credit for the issue. International shipping is rather expensive.
9 years ago
molly Lewiston, ME
The customer service of this company is the WORST, hands down I have come across. They refuse any returns even when they are at fault i.e.: item not as described or even worse FAKE Designer bags! They also heavily courted me to get consignment pieces from my collection only to drop the ball after I had done all the work of entering everything into their spread sheets etc. After multiple emails I was told the person who had been handling my consignment account wasn't with the company anymore and was turned over to another "specialist" from whom I NEVER Heard from even after repeated attempts to contact her. Seriously a terrible company.
9 years ago
Von LaFosse
I can honestly say I was one of the realreals "first" customers..... I was obsessed with the site in its early days, and continued use for several years. I can't say anything about these claims that they send "fakes" out...... because honestly I have never gotten that impression and definitely never received a fake item..... my problem is with their "consignment" gimmick..... for as much stuff as they have for sale, they are the lousiest consignment operators in history. They are EXTREMELY picky, although clearly accept sub-par items when they're running low on inventory.... and they will do whatever it takes to pay the owner as little as possible. I sent a box of probably 20 items..... out of all that versace, dior, saint laurent, etc..... they only wanted to "accept" one piece..... then I received a BILL for shipping my items BACK to me.... in the end, after a month of arguing with them, and 2 months of WAITING for them to process items, I received a measly check of $10.11 for a dolce and gabanna shirt they sold for $95..... and then they wanted to KEEP the other 19 items until I paid for shipping to return the box of clothes back to me.... they issued the check to my screen name, not my billing info, so my whopping $10.11 check was therefore useless and unchashable. Which honestly was fine, and I never even bothered. I told them they could have just kept the check and issued me a store credit (which was really all I had wanted anyways) but instead I walked away with nothing but a piece of paper. Terrible customer service, awful gimmick of a consignment deal, this place will ROB you..... that occured 3 years ago, and I have stayed true to my claim I will not shop or consign with them again. The last item I purchased was a supposed Chanel ring from a "cruise 2011 collection"..... and while I cannot claim it was a fake, there is ZERO evidence to support that it was from any collection in 2011, nor anything to even hint at it being in chanels "cruise" or "summer" line..... I wonder how they came to That assumption.
10 years ago
Maddy H Mukwonago, WI
This company has sent me 4 fakes. I've ordered quite a bit (maybe 15 over 2 years) and things are either counterfeit, or FAR worse than described. I've had success with about 4 items, in 15 purchases. I've even received items a totally different brand than advertised, or different size. Their descriptions are a joke, very lacking. Clothing has holes or missing belt etc.. and even if something is their fault, you are charged shipping and it is never refunded. Even when you insist. The $11 hasn't been worth the fight, but it's the principal. SHAME on this company! I've given them enough chances, hardly anything is returnable without a fight. Never again. Beware of shopping on this website.
10 years ago
lmb
I spent several thousands of dollars with this company. The last sale I did with them was for 5 items. After almost 2 weeks they STILL hadn't shipped my order. I phoned their customer support because they never answered my email. The rep told me she was sorry, she'd get the warehouse to shop my order, and would refund my shipping charge as credit to my account which was good for 30 days. After a week, they STILL hadn't shipped my order, but before I could call & complain again, they sent me an email that one of my items, a sweater, was not available for shipment (no reason was given) and they refunded the $41 to my account which was only good as credit FOR THREE DAYS, at which time they took my money. They have gave me an additional credit for my trouble, which was good for 30 days! Are you kidding me? And then they re-post that very same sweater they said was not available back on their website a day later for $95! This is how they treat their first look members, which I paid an additional $10 a month to these people for. I cancelled my membership, deleted their app from my phone, unsubscribed from their emails, sent them a scathing email telling them they've lost me as a customer over a measly $41 compared to the thousands I've spent with them, and I hope they choke on it.
10 years ago
Minh Xuan Nguyen Hillsboro, OR
This review isn't for The RealReal's physical location nor for their office. This review is going to be based on their online consignment service (https://www.therealreal.com/consign).
A few months ago, March to be specific, I ordered their free "Luxury Consignment Kit" so I could package my valuable clothing and ship it back to them at no cost. It took a few weeks to receive their free Luxury Consignment Kit (shipping time is about the same as thredUP's free "Clean Out Kit") and it came as a large brown box. Inside the box were instructions on what was accepted and other minor documents.
Once I read all of the instructions and documents that came with the kit, I started to fill the entire box up with valuable clothing. It took some hours to sort out which clothing were good and bad, so I could meet their requirements. After I packed all the clothing that I could into the box, I taped it up and used their pre-paid USPS shipping label to return the box back to them.
I received a confirmation email from The RealReal after USPS successfully picked up my 40-50 pound package from my home. That was on March 29. Near the end of April, I started to wonder if they were going to finish processing my package, because I also shipped a package for thredUP on the same day I shipped the package for The RealReal. I gave it no thought until mid of May where I started to panic. It's been passed a month and a half and I haven't received any sort of notification from The RealReal of where my package was located.
I sent an email to their customer support and their Consignor Relations Specialist told me my package hasn't even left my state yet. What? I told them that I used their pre-paid USPS shipping label that was provided. And told them I even gotten a confirmation email that they knew my package was picked up from USPS. The Consignor Relations Specialist was barely of any help and kept asking me if I used their shipping label or not and what type of clothing I packaged. I even sent them photos that I took of the package before even shipping it out. To this day, we're still emailing back and forth.
In the end, my package is lost out there and will never be in the hands of The RealReal. They failed to have the common decency to even notify me when they didn't see my package at their warehouse. Their customer support is not very helpful and they take nearly forever to respond back. Moral lesson, don't use The RealReal's consignment service unless you want your valuable clothing lost somewhere out there. Instead, go use a reliable consignment service like thredUP or just donate your clothing to Goodwill.
10 years ago
Birthday Ruined Monroe, CT
Worst customer service ever. I will never order anything again. I ordered a David yurman bracelet and they couldn't find it so they cancelled my order. It was a birthday gift from my hubby. Very disappointed. They locate the piece days later and I tell them my birthday passed and my hubby got me another gift. I asked them to email me they wouldn't charge me as they had been the one to cancel anyway. Well after they assured me in writing they charged me anyway!! I call and the girl was the rudest ever. I asked for a manager and she refused. She told me I had gotten credit the day they charged it. Well they should have never charged it and that was a bold face lie. I called my credit card and had them straighten it out. It was an absolute awful experience. Customer service was negative 10. The worst. Don't do it. It's not worth the hassle. And sellers beware. If you sold a David yurman citrus Quartz bracelet with a 20 percent off discount they lost your item they found it after they cancelled the customer order. The real real is unreal!!!!its gets a solid 0
10 years ago
Review Source
Karen Torino Tallahassee, FL
The realreal is my go to place for anything designer that I can no longer find or I just do not want to pay full price for. I love their selection and I love shopping on their site.
6 years ago
Review Source
Rocio Diaz Tallahassee, FL
Buying designer items for an extremely discounted price has never been easier. Most of their items are in flawless condition although they are secondhand. It is very easy to go through their selection of items online.
6 years ago
Amanda Warrendale, PA
The RealReal is AWESOME. Designer clothes and handbags for a fraction of the price is great but also the authenticity aspect is the best part to ensure you're not buying a fraud.
6 years ago
