Compare · Luxury Consignment
The RealReal vs Selling Outright in NYC
Short answer: for the right piece, especially a sought-after bag, fine jewelry or a luxury watch, consigning with The RealReal can pay more than an outright sale. But you wait for it to sell, The RealReal sets and adjusts the price, and you're paid the month after. Selling outright gets you a fixed number today. Here is how each works, as published in November 2026.
- Same-day cash
- Checked in front of you
- Walk-ins welcome
- Trade toward store stock
How They Work
Consignment vs Buyout, Side by Side
Consignment pays you a share after your item sells. A buyout pays you a set amount and the item is the buyer's. The RealReal is a consignment service; Fashionphile does both; we buy outright.
| The RealReal | Fashionphile | Selling to us | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Consignment | Buyout (pays up front), or consignment | Outright purchase at the counter |
| What you get | A share of the net selling price: from 20% for items under $100, up to 80% to 85% for fine jewelry, luxury watches and rare handbags | Buyout: the offer amount. Consignment: 70% of the selling price, and 85% of the portion above $3,000 on bags | The offer amount, with no fees taken off |
| Who sets the price | The RealReal, from sales data, with gradual price updates if it doesn't sell | Fashionphile, through its buyout offer | We make an offer; you decide |
| Bonuses | 1% to 5% more at higher rewards tiers; 5% more for site credit | 10% more if you take store credit | — |
| When you're paid | Monthly, on the 15th, for the previous month's sales | Buyout online: 2 to 4 days after it arrives and is authenticated. In person: once authenticated | The same day |
Sources: The RealReal consignor FAQ and consignor terms; Fashionphile Sell To Us and Consignment. As published in November 2026. The RealReal's exact rate for your item depends on its category, net sale price, your rewards tier and how you take payment, so ask The RealReal for your item's rate before you send anything.
Worked Example
A $5,000 Bag, Three Ways
Say a bag sells for $5,000. Here is what each route pays at its published rates. The RealReal's rate depends on the item, so we show its top published rate; most items earn less.
| The RealReal | Fashionphile consignment | eBay (you sell it) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sells for | $5,000 after any sitewide discount | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| What comes off | 15% to 20% at the top published rate | 30% of the first $3,000 ($900) and 15% of the rest ($300) | 9% ($450) plus $0.40, plus 9% of any sales tax |
| You receive | Up to $4,000 to $4,250 | $3,800 | $4,549.60 before shipping and insurance |
| Paid | The 15th of the month after it sells | After it sells | After any payment hold; high-priced items are typically held 31 days |
| Risk you carry | Discounts while it waits | Waiting for a buyer | A not-as-described return up to 30 days after delivery |
eBay figures are from its selling fees (handbags over $2,000), payment holds and Money Back Guarantee pages. These are best cases: a $5,000 price that actually sells. On consignment, a discount before the sale lowers your share. Whichever route you're weighing, its net, minus the wait and the risk, is the number to compare a cash offer against. An outright offer will usually be lower than what the piece eventually sells for. It's paid today, and nothing is left to happen.
Time, Control, Risk
What Consignment Asks of You
The commission rate is the headline. These are the terms underneath it.
- Waiting for the sale
- Consignment pays when the item sells, not when you hand it over. A sought-after bag can go quickly; a less popular one can sit.
- Who controls the price
- The RealReal sets the starting price from current demand and past sales, and makes gradual price updates if the item doesn't sell. Your share is calculated on the final price after sitewide promotional discounts, excluding tax and shipping.
- The payment calendar
- The RealReal pays monthly, on the 15th, for the previous month's sales. An item that sells on the 2nd of a month is paid about six weeks later.
- Lower-priced pieces
- The RealReal's published rates start at 20% of the net selling price for items under $100. Consignment pays best on high-value pieces.
- Your item travels
- Online services work by mail or appointment, so your piece leaves your hands before you're paid. Fashionphile, for example, offers free insured shipping and pays buyouts after the item arrives and is authenticated.
- Selling outright
- We authenticate the piece in front of you, make an offer and pay the same day. No commission, no markdowns, no wait. The trade-off is the number: an outright offer is usually below what the piece eventually sells for on consignment.
Other Buyout Services
Fashionphile and Rebag Buy Outright Too
Not every online luxury service is consignment. Fashionphile's Sell To Us page makes buyout offers and pays up front: online offers arrive by email within 7 to 10 business days, and payment comes 2 to 4 days after your item arrives and is authenticated. At its Selling Studios, payment is made once the item is authenticated.
Rebag's Clair tool gives an instant offer for most styles, or a quote by email within 2 business days, and Rebag has started offering consignment as well.
A buyout from any of them works the way ours does: someone makes you an offer, pays you, and the item is theirs to resell. So get more than one offer. Ours takes a text: send photos to 917-608-8939 for a rough range, and we make the final offer in person at 39 Avenue A.
The Honest Answer
When Consignment Is the Better Call
If the piece is in demand and you can wait, consignment can put more in your pocket than any outright offer.
- A rare or sought-after bag, fine jewelry or a luxury watch, where published rates are highest
- You don't need the money for a month or two
- You're fine with the platform setting and adjusting the price
- You consign often, so rewards tiers raise your share
Sell Outright
When Selling Outright Makes More Sense
A fixed number today is worth more to some sellers than a possible bigger one later.
- You need the money now, or want a set amount instead of a share of an unknown price
- The piece is worn, or missing its box or dust bag
- It's a lower-priced item, where consignment rates start much lower
- You'd rather not ship a valuable piece
- You want to trade toward something in our store