Why The RealReal is my new favorite place to shop.
Did I mention that I have a new job? 🙂
I’m currently in the “I’m new and I want to make a good impression” phase, which means that I am pulling together my outfits the night before…which means that I am spending a lot of time standing in front of my closet and staring at my options.
Last night, as I paired a bottle green silk top with gray skinny jeans and black booties, I realized that most of my clothes fall into three categories:
- They have travel memories
- They were an incredible deal
- Both
The top in my hands was from a thrift shop in New Orleans. The jeans were from a boutique in New York. And the booties were 75% off from the RealReal.
While the travel memory pieces are amazing souvenirs, you can’t always predict or plan for what you’re going to find in a new city. So if you don’t already know about the RealReal, you must learn. Quickly.
What Is The RealReal?
A few years ago, I decided that I was no longer going to buy anything that was only going to last for a few wears; not only did I not want to support the “fast fashion” industry, but I wanted to start investing in well-made pieces that would stand the test of time, both in quality and style. I didn’t want to spend a lot of cash for things, but I did want to fill my closet with the very best I could afford. I made it my mission to find inexpensive sources for great things.
First on my list: The RealReal.
Why Is Is So Good?
In a word: discounts. I’ve scooped up the most amazing finds for under $20 on this site, and I frequently buy pieces in the $40-$60 range that retailed for hundreds more.
Tip: shop during holiday weekends for the best deals.
Another tip: occasionally Amex Offers will share a deal for the site.
A Few Examples
Here are a few things I’m currently eyeing:
A basic Kate Spade tank for $40 (after discount)
A Diane Von Furstenberg top, also for $40 (after discount)
A Helmut Lang dress, for around $80 (after discount)
I am also happy with their return policy – you can return most things within 21 days of the shipment date. I tend to place an order for a few things at once, then make a batch return if things don’t work out.
Anyway, I thought you guys should know about this place, if you don’t already!
Has anyone else shopped at The RealReal? What was your experience?
I’ve been selling a lot through the Real Real. I’ve become disenchanted with most high end designers these days, but I still have quite a bit of it. A friend’s mom sells TONS of stuff to them, so I send all of the stuff down and a woman comes to the house to look through everything. I’m so happy to be rid of it all, and their pricing is very fair. To put the icing on the cake, I don’t have to do ANY work. No pictures, no descriptions…nothing.
I was inspired to check out their website and saw lots of promising things, but their online reviews are horrendous. I may try it but plan to take screen shots of their return policy on very single item, as there are reports of them refusing to accept returns. I also live in the Bay Area so I assume shipping won’t be bad as there are also reports of very high ship fees. Finally complaints about fakes, mostly accessories. Just FYI
Sfmom,
Normally I am also a big fan of reading online reviews, but I have to admit I haven’t even glanced at them for the RealReal because I’ve had a very positive experience so far. I agree that shipping fees can be on the high side, but what I normally do is order several items at once, then I do the same for returns (send back several items in one package). I don’t have experience with any of their accessories, but the actual clothes I’ve ordered have all been real 🙂 I would say give them a try. It’s a great place to shop if you don’t want to buy from department stores. Good luck, and let me know if you get anything good!
Ordered! I’ll stick to clothes only. We’ll see how it goes.