Consigning With The Realreal: Is It Even Worth It?
While the consigning process is very easy, it is only sometimes worth it to consign with Realreal due to such a large commission rate.
Ready to say goodbye to that designer bag collecting dust in your closet? The Realreal might seem like a great place to consign it, but is it worth it?
Here's the deal: consigning with The Realreal is super easy. Just ship your goods, and boom, your items are listed for sale. But here's the catch - The Realreal takes a hefty commission of up to 40%. Yikes.
So, is it worth it to part with such a big chunk of your potential earnings? It really depends on the item you're trying to sell and how badly you want to get rid of it.
If it's a hot ticket item that will likely sell quickly, it might be worth it to pay the commission for the convenience of having someone else handle the sale. But if it's something more niche or harder to move, you might be better off trying to sell it yourself or through a different platform with a lower commission rate.
I mostly use TRR to buy, and I sell only things I do not wear anymore. This is a screenshot of the last two tops I sold, and you can notice the commissions they take.
The first top, the silk Isabel Marant top, I bought last summer from Real Real for 75$, and they now sold it for 80$, from which I got 13$. My major takeaway from the experience is that it's a buyer's not seller's market.
Bottom line: do your research and consider all your options before jumping into the consigning game with The Realreal. Happy selling!
What their sellers say:
(These reviews from the Better Business Bureau are edited only for space and grammar.)
"I listed an expensive diamond watch (+ appraisal) with them. They marked the watch down without my approval. It sold and there's nothing I can do about it. Also, I have purchased items from them that were not in good condition: stains, pilling, defects, etc. They have low standards for the items they accept for sale. I have given them several chances, now I am done with TRR."
"I sent The Real Real a Balenciaga Motocross Giant 12 iPad Case which I originally purchased at Barneys for over $400. They listed it originally at $175, but said they would never go below 50% off. Instead they sold it for $75 (over 50% off), leaving me with a measly $42.63 commission! The Real Real. It was a waste of my time and money!!!"