Designer Brand Resale on The RealReal - Great Site for Savvy Spenders

One of my recent articles that received the most attention was "Consignment, Charity, Cash... Classy!"  Part of me thinks it's because my beautiful mom was in a picture with me at the top of the post.  The other part of me thinks that the consignment of high end, designer items was intriguing to you!  So, to cover both bases, here is another picture of me and my beautiful mom :).

To the tune of high-end consignment, I recently stumbled upon a relatively new site for consigning designer brands at much reduced prices: The RealReal, Inc!

The RealReal, Inc is a fantastic site that resells/consigns high-end brands nationally.  A quick view of the brands with sales this week include Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Stuart Weitzman, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Miu Miu, Hermes, Christian Louboutin, Prada, and on and deliciously on.  They only accept items that are in fantastic condition (many of them new with the tags still on them, likely from people in the fashion business that received free or extremely discounted merchandise), and while you are buying designer items, the prices are far from the original ticket.

Sales are structured in a format very similar to sites like Gilt Groupe,  Hautelook, Rue La La and ideeli in that there are timed sales that vary between brand-specific sales and merchandise categories.  They also have a "warehouse" section where there are items always for sale (no need to stalk the clock), and of course, instructions for how you can consign through them if you have any items you would like to sell.  While you can register for free, members can pay for a monthly subscription to gain early access to sales for the best selection.

For a site to qualify as Classy Not Pricey, it is really important that the goods aren't too pricey.  I would say this site is on the borderline - it will take a keen eye and great self control to make sure items purchased on their site aren't just pricey.  Make SURE you can afford the items you choose to buy (a must read is my article "Cash or Credit - Being Savvy About the Real Cost of Credit"), or you could end up in a very pricey, not classy place.  I suggest heading to their Warehouse Sale section and sorting by price to find items that are less expensive but still great brands and quality.  Also, you can focus your search on certain brands (and avoid additional temptation) by scrolling to the bottom of their homepage and selecting "Designer Directory".

So what was it the verdict - was it the my beautiful mom or the designer consignment idea, dear readers?  Or both? :)  What do you think about The RealReal, Inc?
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