Last Updated on May 2, 2025 by Eve Dawes
A seller’s struggle: the challenges of listing on TheRealReal VS The allure of luxury: Why buyers love TheRealReal
If you’re thinking of selling on TheRealReal, or buying, read this first as they’re very different experiences. Spoiler alert, if you’re buying you can pick up some amazing deals and it’s fun to see your favorites go on sale and score even better deals! It’s when it comes to selling on TheRealReal you need to be careful. So I’m sharing some tips for how to sell on The Real Real so you don’t end up making pennies…literally! I’ve reviewed The RealReal before so this is going to be straight to the point on how to avoid the worst parts of TRR and get the most out of it as a buyer and a seller as I’ve been on the platform for over a decade.
How to sell on TheRealReal
There are lots of tips for selling on TheRealReal and you can still get burned even then. So be very mindful of how and what you sell on TheRealReal. I’ll go into all of these in detail but the main points are:
- Know the commission tiers.
- Be prepared for your item to go on sale.
- Sign up for emails so you can earn bonuses. E.g. for consigning a certain amount of items or doing an in home consignment.
- It’s better to sell via an in person appointment with The RealReal than to mail them in yourself.
- Once you’ve consigned check how much they’re listing it for.
- Check you’re consigned items to see if they’ve put put on sale. You can request your items be returned at any point.
- Consider only selling items here you can’t get rid of anywhere else.
1. Know TheRealReal commission tiers
When it comes to how to sell on The RealReal and actually make money it’s really important to check the commission rate for what you’re consigning. As their commission rates vary from 20%-85% depending on the what your item sells for and what category it is. E.g. if you sell a piece of clothing on there from $0-$99 you’re only going to get 20% commission ($0-19)! Whereas if you sell a watch for over $7500 you’re going to make 85% commission. There are lots more than the tiers I’ve shown below on The RealReal website but this gives you an good idea of what you can expect to make.
This is why checking how much they’re listing your consignment for and doing the math is so important. So you don’t make $9 on a shirt like I did! At least that way you can decide if you’re ok or not making that amount.
I normally go to Fashionphile first as they provide you with a set quote up front versus a commission which can change on TRR if it goes on sale. If Fashionphile doesn’t accept a brand or a certain item such as clothing and I think I can get more than if I listed it on Poshmark, that’s when I’ll sell on TheRealReal.
Also, the more you sell, the more you make with commission incentives and they also offer rewards like their complimentary first look subscription. The first look subscription is great for snagging pieces as you get 24 hour early access to pieces when they’re listed before everyone else.
2. Be prepared for the item you’re selling to go on sale.
TheRealReal also love to put items on sale which is fabulous for the buyer but awful for the seller. So once you’ve consigned your items and they’re live, my tip is to favorite your own items and set up email alerts on TheRealReal. That way you’ll get an email as soon as they go on sale and you can re-evaluate whether you still want to sell it or not.
3. Sign up for TheRealReal emails
This way you’ll get emails whenever TRR are running incentives for you to sell and you can earn bonuses. Sometimes they’ll offer bonuses for consigning a certain amount of items or doing an in home consignment versus mailing them in. You can normally also check this on your sales tab. If there’s a current offer there will be a black bar at the bottom of your screen saying NEW: Your Exclusive Offers.
4. It’s best to sell on TheRealReal in person
When it comes to how to sell on The RealReal, you have 2 choices: in person or to mail your items in. I like to consign in person as you can make more when there’s an incentive offer like I just mentioned above. So try and time your selling with those. I tend to clear out my closet twice a year and I’ll save the pieces I’m considering consigning with TheRealReal for when those deals are on.
5. What to do once you’ve consigned your items with The Real Real
As soon as your items are received you’ll be able to track them in your ‘SELL WITH US’ tab on the top right of their website. It shows you the status e.g. active, sold and number of days live on the website. As well as the price, if it’s on sale, and how much they’ve discounted it if it is on sale. Once it’s sold you’ll also be able to see your earnings which are paid out monthly.
How to start selling on TheRealReal
There are 2 ways to get started selling:
- With a free at home appointment where they come to you.
- Ship to them with a free shipping label.
I really hope these tips on how to sell on The RealReal help you make the most money from the items you’re parting with and save you getting burnt like I know so many of us have.
The thrill of the hunt | Why I love buying on The RealReal
Now buying is where The RealReal is at for me. Everything is authenticated, the condition clearly explained, and the item normally well photographed. It’s also really easy to search and save searches, as well as to favorite items and set up sale alerts.
Like I said, The RealReal loves to put items on sale which is fantastic for picking up bargains but sucks for the seller. Just be quick when your favorite goes on sale as I’ve missed out on lots of my favorites by being too slow. Which is where their First Look and Platinum membership is worth checking out if you’re planning on shopping there a lot as this gives you 24 hour advance access to new arrivals.
