How to score on The RealReal
Coming from someone who hasn't missed a drop since 2015
We all have irrational rules we set for ourselves, and mine is never paying full price for fashion. There’s an arrogance I have knowing I can get almost any item with a discount by waiting for the store to have a sale. So when I discovered TheRealReal nine years ago, I was enchanted by the idea of scoring nearly new designer pieces at a fraction of the original cost.
Back then as a college student just beginning to navigate the world of luxury brands, I was eager to elevate my wardrobe. Entering the media industry shortly after graduation, I quickly became determined to master the art of thrifting on TheRealReal. A shopping spree at Bergdorf Goodman was out of the question on my shoestring salary, but I still yearned for the “right” pieces that gave me confidence in the workplace.
Over the years, I unearthed countless gems that transformed my closet—think vibrant red Miu Miu platforms, sleek patent leather Chanel boots, and a perfectly tailored blazer from The Row. Each bought for under $300. After joining Substack I learned that I’m not alone in spending a few hours per week perusing the site like some scroll on TikTok, and I finally felt seen.
Proof of my 9 year card carrying membership
The RealReal sage wisdom
If you’re not familiar with The RealReal, it’s a large digital consignment shop for designer items. Knowing how to score the best values on the site requires time, practice, and patience. If you make it to the end, I’ve included a round-up of the best leather jackets currently on the platform that is a culmination of many of these tips.
New items drop twice a day
At promptly 10 AM and 7 PM EST. No exceptions. If you’re an addict, you already know this. The drops feel like Pandora’s box and there’s a thrill with clicking to add to cart at 7:01 PM for the never worn Prada clogs you and another woman are virtually pulling hair over.
Items are “On Hold” for 20 minutes
Once you add an item to cart, you have 20 minutes to check out. This applies to the first item in your cart, and starts the timer for the remainder of your cart regardless of how many pieces you add. The same goes for if you see an item “on hold”, unless it gets purchased it will be available to add to your cart in 20 minutes or less.
Filter condition to minimize noise
For the most part, I filter to Very Good, Pristine, and Exceptional. I often find that Very Good is like shopping in a high end vintage store, and sometimes can even be brand new and just not labeled as such. These are usually the best finds for value. Excellent means NWOT typically, and Pristine means NWT.
Bookmark the Editors Picks page!
The RealReal cuts out the guesswork and pre-selects “Editors Picks” before every drop. Chanel mini flap bags, Khaite sweaters, The Row ballet flats all live here. It’s the equivalent of the Vogue closet for this season, with iconic pieces like a Carrie Bradshaw Fendi baguette thrown in. They are priced accordingly and aren’t always the best deals, but if you’re looking for a hot piece that’s currently in stores for 20% off, this is your place to start.
These are the best categories to buy on The RealReal
Shoes, particularly heels, you can find for a fraction of retail prices as they don’t hold the same resale value as handbags do
Belts, often women buy the wrong size and need to resell
Sunglasses, I like to look for Pristine/Excellent quality and include the case in the description
Fine jewelry, second hand jewelry doesn’t hold great value and you can score stellar pieces
Blazers, filtering to brands with high quality fabrics & tailoring like Acne Studios, The Row, Nili Lotan, Stella McCartney, Akris, Max Mara, etc.
Leather/Suede Jackets (I think this is the best value!), you can find the most beautiful and unique fall jackets by just searching “leather jackets”
Save! Your! Searches!
If you’re hunting for a specific piece or category, saved searches are your best friend. You can search for a keyword and save it, or within the site filter to specific categories, colors, brands etc. to get the exact combination you need. For example, to get the perfect Miu Miu platforms you can search “Miu Miu Shoes”, filter to your shoe sizes, and save the search to automatically update.
If you’re dying for something specific, like size 38.5 white Louboutin heels for your wedding, check your saved searches at 10AM and 7PM EST to see the newest drops that fit your criteria!
These are my current Saved Searches on The RealReal, which I probably should charge money for sharing:
“Leather Jacket” search term, filtered to Women’s category
“White Heels” search term, filtered to Women’s Shoes sizes 8-9 (looking for vintage wedding shoes)
“Chanel White Dress” search, hoping to find a Sofia Richie Grainge moment for my wedding
“Khaite Bag” search, usually 20-40% off sticker prices
“Hermes Watch” search, I’ve had my eye on an Arceau which doesn’t have great resale value, which is bad for the seller but great for me
“Lady Dior Bag” search, on my forever wish list if one caught my eye for the right price
Brand Mega Thread: Women’s Category filtered to The Row, Khaite, Nili Lotan, Chanel, Tove, St. Agni, Toteme in Clothing sizes XS-S and shoe size 8-8.5.
“Chanel Vanity Case” search
NYC Jewelry and Watches, all Jewelry & Watches filtered to being available in NYC Soho or NYC Madison store as I’d only buy jewelry if I could see it in person first
“Nour Hammour” search, been dying for a tailored leather trench from the brand
Save your Shoe Sizes
Saving your shoe size saves you from even looking at a pair that isn’t going to fit. I have mine saved as a 8-8.5 as it depends on the brand, I could probably go 8, 8.5, 9 if I wanted. When you filter to your shoe size, select “update my sizes” and it will auto filter next time.
Controversial Take: Skip the bags unless it’s sub $500
Bags are final sale on The RealReal regardless of if it’s a $70 Bally tote or a $15,500 Togo Birkin 30. Buying things on Final Sale is generally a no-no for me. You could find an extra stain, not love the color, the strap could be too long, the list goes on. I would only buy a designer bag if I was at one of The RealReal’s brick and mortar locations where you could inspect it first. The exception would be something that’s an exceptional deal like a $275 Mesh Gucci Bag with Bamboo handles. Congrats to whoever found that… I wish you well.
Check the bottom of shoes in pictures
When looking to buy shoes on The RealReal, I always look for the picture that includes the bottom of the shoe. It’s a good indicator of how much it’s been worn, and it’s easy to break-up with a pair if you see they have too much wear. For example, these Jimmy Choos have probably been worn once very lightly and I’d be comfortable buying them given they’re 1/4th the price of current retail price.
Heart EVERYTHING you like to create your own boutique
A heart means “love” to most, but it means “like” to me. My hearts page, called “obsessions”, accumulated over the years is 49+ pages long. Only 4 of those pages are currently in stock, but I’m regularly hearting items to add to my obsessions.
You end up with a long list of items that feel like your own boutique, and you can sort regularly from low to high to see if anything went on sale, or filter to a certain category if you want to compare prices for certain pieces like jewelry.
If I’m in an online-shopping mood, I typically will peruse my Obsessions and sort from low to high to see what’s gone on sale since my last visit.
A snapshot of my obsessions list is a mix of absolute steals, and absolute delusion
First Look Membership is money well spent
I’m not proud that I pay $12 a month for the First Look Membership. $144 a year could be well spent elsewhere, but I easily make it up by the discounts I rack up by shopping second hand. First Look gets you new items 24 hours before they drop to the general public, which increases your chances for scoring wild pieces. It also puts you on the top of the list for when things come back in stock after being returned, which happens OFTEN!
Always check store inventory before going IRL
Going to their brick and mortar locations can be overwhelming, so I always peak to see what’s available first. Living in NYC I often will check all 3 stores if I’m open to shopping around.
Start Within your Obsessions: Filter to “Find in Store” and select the the store you’re planning on visiting to see which pieces you can see in-person
Then go Total Store: Select the section you’re looking for, like “Shop All Women” or “Shop All Men”, then filter to the store you’re planning on visiting. You can get a good idea if there is anything worth going in for by filtering to shoes, dresses, jewelry categories.
The Best Leather Jackets on The RealReal
Once you feel like you master the inner workings of the site, it becomes easy to find dreamy pieces at incredible prices. I had fun doing a round up of the best leather jackets on the site at the moment, and at the time of publication (don’t shoot the messenger!) they’re all in stock. Happy shopping!
So many good tips!! I haven’t shopped on TRR but this is inspiring me ✨ Thank you for sharing!!
This was like reading my own playbook 🤣 I literally do all these things too! Glad to know I’m not alone in my TRR frenzy.