Okay, let’s talk about my little experiment with The RealReal. I’d heard about it, seen the ads, you know? Seemed like a decent way to clear out some of the designer stuff I just wasn’t using anymore. Closet space is precious, right?
Getting Started: The Big Cleanout
So, I decided to dive in. First step was digging through my wardrobe. Found a couple of handbags I hadn’t touched in ages, a pair of shoes that always pinched my toes (why did I even buy them?), and a scarf that just wasn’t my color anymore. Honestly, it felt good just pulling this stuff out, like making space for new things… or just, you know, actual space.
I gathered everything up. It wasn’t a mountain of stuff, maybe five or six items. Some brands I thought they’d definitely take, others I wasn’t so sure. You hear stories, right? About them being picky.
The Handover Process
Next, I had to figure out how to get it to them. I checked their site. Seemed like you could schedule a pickup if you had enough items or lived in certain areas, or just mail it in. Mailing seemed easier for me. They sent a free label, which was nice. Packed it all up in a sturdy box I had lying around from some online order.
Putting it in the mail felt a bit weird, like sending my old favorites off into the unknown. Would they even accept them? Would they sell? How much cash would actually end up back in my pocket? Lots of questions floating around.
Waiting and Watching
Then came the waiting game. They tell you it takes time for them to receive the box, process everything, authenticate it (which is good, I guess), photograph it, and list it online. And yeah, it took a while. Felt like weeks. I kept checking my email for updates.
Finally, I got the notification: items were processed! I logged into my account to see what they listed them for. Okay, here’s where it gets interesting.
- The prices they set were… well, lower than I’d hoped for some items.
- But then again, maybe my hopes were too high? It’s used stuff, after all.
- One bag, they priced decently. The shoes, less so. The scarf, barely anything.
You also see their commission structure. It’s tiered. The more your item sells for, the bigger percentage you keep. For lower-priced stuff, they take a pretty big chunk. That part stung a little, not gonna lie.
The Sale and The Payout
More waiting. Some things sold surprisingly fast, within a week or two. Others just sat there. And sat there. The RealReal does markdowns over time, trying to move inventory. So, the price things actually sell for can be even lower than the initial listing price.
Eventually, most of my items sold. One piece didn’t, and I think after a certain period, you can choose to have it sent back to you (you might have to pay for shipping then, I forget) or they might just… keep it? Need to double-check that part if I do it again.
Okay, the moment of truth: the payout. After all the commissions and potential markdowns, how much did I actually get?
Honestly? It wasn’t a windfall. For the items that sold, after their cut, the amount I got back was… okay. Enough for a nice dinner out, maybe a bit more, but definitely not enough to feel like I’d struck gold. For the lower-priced items, the payout was tiny after their commission.
Final Thoughts
So, how much does The RealReal give you? The short answer is: it depends. Heavily. On the item, its condition, the brand, how much demand there is, and what price point it falls into for their commission tiers.
Was it worth it? For me, it was borderline. It did get unwanted items out of my house without me having to personally deal with listings, photos, buyers, and shipping on other platforms like eBay or Poshmark. That convenience factor is huge.
But the payout wasn’t amazing, especially for anything that wasn’t a super high-value item. You trade potentially higher earnings (if you sold it yourself) for convenience. For some people, that trade-off is totally worth it. For others, maybe not.
My takeaway? If you have high-value, in-demand designer items and you value convenience over maximizing profit, give it a shot. If you have lower-value items or you’re willing to put in the work to sell direct, you’ll probably keep more cash doing it yourself. It really just comes down to what you value more – your time or getting top dollar.
