Consigning/buying with The Real Real TRR

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

I highly don't recommend buying any purses from therealreal! I made the mistake of buying a Dior Diorama bag, and a Chanel Medium Classic Flap a few weeks ago. The Diorama ended up being fake (the only reason I knew this was because I had a Diorama in a different color), and the Chanel they sent me was one made of Jersey instead of Caviar leather. Although they allowed me to return both, they have not dispersed funds back to my credit card, and continue to give the run around of needing to confirm that the Dior purse was fake, etc. At this point, I am thinking about turning towards my credit card company, but the Chanel bag was over $5000! On the phone today, they had the audacity to tell me that if I turned to my credit card company, that I would be banned from therealreal, and my account would be closed. Huge BEWARE to anyone who is thinking about buying purses from them! PLEASE be careful, and only buy with a credit card.
 
I highly don't recommend buying any purses from therealreal! I made the mistake of buying a Dior Diorama bag, and a Chanel Medium Classic Flap a few weeks ago. The Diorama ended up being fake (the only reason I knew this was because I had a Diorama in a different color), and the Chanel they sent me was one made of Jersey instead of Caviar leather. Although they allowed me to return both, they have not dispersed funds back to my credit card, and continue to give the run around of needing to confirm that the Dior purse was fake, etc. At this point, I am thinking about turning towards my credit card company, but the Chanel bag was over $5000! On the phone today, they had the audacity to tell me that if I turned to my credit card company, that I would be banned from therealreal, and my account would be closed. Huge BEWARE to anyone who is thinking about buying purses from them! PLEASE be careful, and only buy with a credit card.
I hope it gets sorted for you. There are just so many errors in listings it's not even funny. I have often seen a Chanel bag (and others designers too) described as having X leather type when the photos clearly show something else. it's like they don't even care to be accurate.
 
I hope it gets sorted for you. There are just so many errors in listings it's not even funny. I have often seen a Chanel bag (and others designers too) described as having X leather type when the photos clearly show something else. it's like they don't even care to be accurate.

Exactly! Thank you for your kind words, ccbaggirl89. I cannot believe they continue doing this even after people have brought it up. I have definitely learned my lesson, and will not be buying with them again!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ccbaggirl89
Personally I think this is simply bound for failure. While they can improve and be best on some of the loose ends, the overall authentication issue will persist - at least as long as it continues to be meeting quota over having exact results that can be trusted.

A business model like T*R*R's can only survive on the trust and confidence of their customers. With the bad press & reaction to customers voicing their opinion, they are definitely killing what is (was?) left of it.r

BANG .. this is the Corporate America model nowadays; quantity over quality!.. As a former IT person (Financial Services - so it had to be timely and accurate), it just amazes me that their website is so bad, but then again .. when you pay crap for inexperienced people (Corporate America wants young & cheap nowadays) .. well, IMO .. you get 1 step above a hacker. One of my former Private Equity Investment clients (who sadly invested in TRR - they were smart and realized that they needed to get out) wanted me to apply there (since I now live in CA). So, for HA-HA's, I sent in my resume. Of course, I got a call that day asking when I could fly up to SF to interview. Well, nowadays, I don't go anywhere unless I have the 'preliminary' discussion - namely, what is the job description and what are they looking for - KPI and lastly salary & benefits. Well, of course, given my expertise .. I don't sell myself short (I also have a Management Consulting background from Bain & Company; used to work for Mitt Romney). Well, of course, when I told them what my expectations were, they were very keen to hang-up and quickly .. PATHETIC.

Does anyone else remember Bluefly? They went belly-up for the same reasons that TRR is likely to go belly-up. Selling fakes and then not taking responsibility for it? .. well, there you go. I truly believe that the CEO believed that by doing the IPO, they would get some foreign investors to buy it (kind of like the 'old' days of Barneys when they were rescued by a Middle-Eastern investment house and then later by a Japanese investment house). Of course, those were the days of "angel money", and that just doesn't cut it nowadays. Investors simply do not want to invest in a venture that is going to lose them money; unless it is Mezzanine Debt -or- Hybrid (Investments on vehicles in Debt) .. and in that case, they are expecting that the company will go belly-up and they will then be able to buy the assets for pennies on the dollar (Barneys is the perfect example of this nowadays).

Now, all that being said, I have bought numerous items from TRR .. BUT, as a former Balenciaga authenticator, I can spot a fake from miles away .. and the ones that I got were super-rare ones (from the 'early' days). Same in Jewelry .. I have seen MANY designer items that they don't know what it is; you better believe that I scoop them up .. and in some cases, specifically for resale. I would say that I have easily made over $25k on those jewelry items!

However, I do wonder how much longer they are going to last? For instance, instead of giving their employees raises/bonuses, what did they do . they gave them 'shares' in the IPO .. YET, the Prospectus CLEARLY states that "TRR will not make a profit for the foreseeable future" .. WHAT??? No thanks .. BYE!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gabs007
While most of the items I see on TRR appear authentic (at least of the brands I'm familiar with and the orders I've received from them so far), there definitely are fakes lurking around. E.g. these FAKE Louboutin shoes:

https://www.therealreal.com/product...stian-louboutin-leather-round-toe-pumps-5vul2
fake version of the CL "Bruges" style

https://www.therealreal.com/product...ouboutin-fringe-trimmed-knee-high-boots-66ptn
fake version of the CL "Forever Tina" style

Seen these posted on their site? https://www.therealreal.com/product...trash-leather-platform-pumps-6oekm?position=7
 

Attachments

  • LB.TRR.jpg
    LB.TRR.jpg
    83.2 KB · Views: 281
I highly don't recommend buying any purses from therealreal! I made the mistake of buying a Dior Diorama bag, and a Chanel Medium Classic Flap a few weeks ago. The Diorama ended up being fake (the only reason I knew this was because I had a Diorama in a different color), and the Chanel they sent me was one made of Jersey instead of Caviar leather. Although they allowed me to return both, they have not dispersed funds back to my credit card, and continue to give the run around of needing to confirm that the Dior purse was fake, etc. At this point, I am thinking about turning towards my credit card company, but the Chanel bag was over $5000! On the phone today, they had the audacity to tell me that if I turned to my credit card company, that I would be banned from therealreal, and my account would be closed. Huge BEWARE to anyone who is thinking about buying purses from them! PLEASE be careful, and only buy with a credit card.

Holy moly. They said they'd ban you for a chargeback?! They are just unreal!


You can put these "Loboutins" on a shelf next to your Jimmy Ghoos!
 
I highly don't recommend buying any purses from therealreal! I made the mistake of buying a Dior Diorama bag, and a Chanel Medium Classic Flap a few weeks ago. The Diorama ended up being fake (the only reason I knew this was because I had a Diorama in a different color), and the Chanel they sent me was one made of Jersey instead of Caviar leather. Although they allowed me to return both, they have not dispersed funds back to my credit card, and continue to give the run around of needing to confirm that the Dior purse was fake, etc. At this point, I am thinking about turning towards my credit card company, but the Chanel bag was over $5000! On the phone today, they had the audacity to tell me that if I turned to my credit card company, that I would be banned from therealreal, and my account would be closed. Huge BEWARE to anyone who is thinking about buying purses from them! PLEASE be careful, and only buy with a credit card.

In all honesty, do you care if they close your account? Your experience doesn't sound like one you want to repeat, if they make mistakes, they should sort them.
 
I would like to sell a fur coat, and I saw some furs on their site. When I tried to list the coat I got stuck at the "brand" part because the coat is not branded. I emailed for advice and specifically asked how to list a fur- twice I have received generic responses from the same name, telling me how easy it is to consign with them and not giving any information I asked for. They are exasperating and I will never deal with them again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gabs007
BANG .. this is the Corporate America model nowadays; quantity over quality!.. As a former IT person (Financial Services - so it had to be timely and accurate), it just amazes me that their website is so bad, but then again .. when you pay crap for inexperienced people (Corporate America wants young & cheap nowadays) .. well, IMO .. you get 1 step above a hacker. One of my former Private Equity Investment clients (who sadly invested in TRR - they were smart and realized that they needed to get out) wanted me to apply there (since I now live in CA). So, for HA-HA's, I sent in my resume. Of course, I got a call that day asking when I could fly up to SF to interview. Well, nowadays, I don't go anywhere unless I have the 'preliminary' discussion - namely, what is the job description and what are they looking for - KPI and lastly salary & benefits. Well, of course, given my expertise .. I don't sell myself short (I also have a Management Consulting background from Bain & Company; used to work for Mitt Romney). Well, of course, when I told them what my expectations were, they were very keen to hang-up and quickly .. PATHETIC.

Does anyone else remember Bluefly? They went belly-up for the same reasons that TRR is likely to go belly-up. Selling fakes and then not taking responsibility for it? .. well, there you go. I truly believe that the CEO believed that by doing the IPO, they would get some foreign investors to buy it (kind of like the 'old' days of Barneys when they were rescued by a Middle-Eastern investment house and then later by a Japanese investment house). Of course, those were the days of "angel money", and that just doesn't cut it nowadays. Investors simply do not want to invest in a venture that is going to lose them money; unless it is Mezzanine Debt -or- Hybrid (Investments on vehicles in Debt) .. and in that case, they are expecting that the company will go belly-up and they will then be able to buy the assets for pennies on the dollar (Barneys is the perfect example of this nowadays).

Now, all that being said, I have bought numerous items from TRR .. BUT, as a former Balenciaga authenticator, I can spot a fake from miles away .. and the ones that I got were super-rare ones (from the 'early' days). Same in Jewelry .. I have seen MANY designer items that they don't know what it is; you better believe that I scoop them up .. and in some cases, specifically for resale. I would say that I have easily made over $25k on those jewelry items!

However, I do wonder how much longer they are going to last? For instance, instead of giving their employees raises/bonuses, what did they do . they gave them 'shares' in the IPO .. YET, the Prospectus CLEARLY states that "TRR will not make a profit for the foreseeable future" .. WHAT??? No thanks .. BYE!!

Good for you on scoping them up, I am just wondering, they make a profit, who is going to sell expensive items so low (or let them commission them) that they can sell them that cheap and they and you make a profit? My understanding is they commission most items and buy some? You would think people know what they have and go "Hello????"
 
Ok so I took two boxes to ups. One was a shoe return to trr and the other were consignment items to fp. Well the my ups guy mislabeled the boxes and I didnt notice with my 3 year old there.
Fashionphile gets the item and calls and emails realizing it's the wrong item. At this point trr has had what I thought were the shoes for 3 days ...
I call them and say omg you got the wrong item...I'll pay for shipping or whatever I just need those items back. They now 4 days later are saying they cant find it in their warehouse. It's a dior bag and an hermes bag strap. I usually box and label my own items and this is what happens. I feel sick!

Do I have any options? Is there any way I can escalate this? Feel free to message me privately!
 
My feeling is the liability falls on UPS. They were the ones ultimately responsible for putting the right label on the right box. Perhaps visit them and ask about a claim? I'm betting they will help TRR find your items.
 
Wtf? Girl I feel for you! It’s BS that ups said it’s your fault. I’ve dropped off MANY items to UPS that were half boxed and half packed or not even boxed at all and they always say “oh don’t worry, we’ll pack it up for you and attach label..” so as far as I’m concerned if you got a receipt from them that they sent it off... that’s on them.
 
Top