So which sites are the best? We’ve got all of the need-to-know information about our favourite consignment marketplaces, so keep reading to find the one that’s right for you!
About: Formed by Andy Shin and two former Gilt Groupe alumni (Leah Park and Christian Leone), Vaunte is a curated luxury e-commerce marketplace that allows you to shop the closets and homes of some of fashion’s cognoscenti, including Charlotte Ronson, Nicole Trunfio, and Clare Vivier.
What You’ll Find: Luxury brands for women, men, and the home. A quick browse revealed a Lanvin fuchsia silk sleeveless gown ($545), Christian Louboutin brown leather and braided rope wedges with chain detail ($235), and an Alexander Wang duffle bag in sand suede ($190).
How It Works
If You’re Selling: Not just anyone can list their items on Vaunte; you must apply to become by submitting pieces for review or be invited by some who is already a member. If you submit items for review, Vaunte will pick what they want from your selection, suggest a retail price, and photograph each item at their headquarters.
If You’re Buying: Everyone can shop simply by signing up for the site.
Commission Rate: They take 40% of the final sale price.
Shipping: The exact cost of shipping is calculated at the time of purchase and is based on the cost from the Vaunte Headquarters in New York City to the destination.
Returns: All sales are final.
About: Founded in 2012 by former model Jaclyn Shanfeld, Shop Hers is a luxury, e-commerce marketplace that allows members to both sell and buy pre-owned designer clothing and accessories. Bonus: the site allows you to search according to body measurements, so you can easily find sellers who wear a similar size.
What You’ll Find: Women’s luxury apparel and accessories. We spotted everything from a pair of Chanel nude and black cap-toe heels ($120) to a Rag Bone brimmed fedora ($100) and a Christian Dior silk jersey cocktail dress ($1100).
How It Works
If You’re Selling: Shop Hers gives sellers two options when listing products. If you want to list the items yourself, it’s as simple as filling out an online form with the designer, type of item, price (note: this is entirely up to you!), and photographs.Don’t have the time? Try the VIP service! All you have to do is ship the items you want to sell to the Shop Hers headquarters and they will photograph, price, list, and manage all communication for you.
If You’re Buying: Click on The Goods section to shop by category or new arrivals, or use the Style Soul Mates tool to find sellers with your same size.
Commission Rate: If you’re listing the item yourself, Shop Hers takes 18% commission; if you use the VIP service, they take 35%.
Shipping: Once you are notified an item has sold, you have three business days to ship it to the Shop Hers headquarters via FedEx, UPS, or USPS.
Returns: 14-day return policy
About: When it comes to hassle-free consignment stores and flash sale sites, The Real Real offers the best of both worlds. You can shop or sell pre-owned clothing, handbags, shoes, and fine jewellery via daily-curated designer sales. (Think: vintage Hermes or Chloe.) Even better: some sales offer up to 90% off retail prices.
What You’ll Find: Hand-selected, authenticated luxury pieces for women and men. Recent finds include a 3.1 Phillip Lim mint silk top ($125), Alaia black leather sandals ($275), and a Dolce Gabbana brocade skirt ($225).
How It Works
If You’re Selling: You must register online and ship items directly to The Real Real headquarters for authentication.
If You're Buying: Sign up online for free to begin shopping designer sales right away. A First Look Membership is $5 a month and gives shoppers access to sales 24 hours in advance.
Commission Rate: Consigners will be charged a 40% commission rate on all sales. Once you sell at least $5,000 in merchandise, you will only be charged 30% commission.
Shipping: Shipping costs will be reimbursed once the item has sold.
Returns: You will receive a credit card refund within 14 days of a shipment. The return package must be shipped back to The Real Real within 21 days with a Returns Authorization number, which can be requested by emailing customerservice@therealreal.com.
About: Perfect for the savvy, social media-loving gal, Threadflip is a mobile app and online marketplace that allows sellers to upload images of products straight from their closet.
What You’ll Find: Women’s clothing, accessories, bags, shoes, and jewellery from contemporary brands. During a recent shopping excursion, we found everything from a Michael Kors gold shell watch ($177) to an Alexander Wang blue tote with rose gold hardware ($432) to an Acne pink leather moto jacket ($307).
How It Works
If You’re Selling: Members with the mobile app can upload photos directly from their phones and list items by adding a description, selling price, and selecting a shipping method.
If You’re Buying: Similar to an e-commerce site, Threadflip gives you the option to buy right away or add the item to your cart. You can even get to know the seller by clicking on their profile and following them as you would on Twitter.
Commission: You will be charged 20% commission on everything sold.
Shipping: As soon as an item is sold, sellers will be emailed a pre-paid shipping label.
?Returns: Policies are at the discretion of the sellers. The buyer must notify the seller of her wish to return an item and provide specific reasons within three days of receipt.
About: Launched two months ago by Ambre Dahan--the design director of Joe’s Jeans--and Parisian expat Amandine Rohmer, Walk In My Closet lets you sell and purchase pre-owned apparel, shop new designer items, and discover current trends with the help of their online magazine. Additionally, you can browse the site’s inspirational mood board and create and manage your own virtual closet by putting together an inventory of everything you own.
What You’ll Find: New and pre-owned designer pieces for women. Cool stuff on the site includes Isabel Marant wedge sneakers ($110), a Giambattista Valli yellow printed silk dress ($460), and Pierre Hardy green leather slingback sandals ($175).
How It Works:
If You’re Selling: Referred to as “recycling,” the process of selling your pre-owned clothing involves submitting any item for review. If Walk In My Closet likes your piece, it will go live for sale. They also offer an exclusive Concierge Service, which includes authentication, complimentary door-to-door shipping, and management of each sale.
If You’re Buying: You can purchase items from the “new” and “recycled” sections with a 3-day return policy.
Commission: Walk In My Closet takes a 25% commission on all regular sales and 35% for the Concierge Service.
Shipping: Sellers will receive a pre-paid shipping label once their item has been sold. You have two business days to drop off the package at UPS for shipment.
?Returns: You can send a request for return within three days of receipt of purchase, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis provided the item is damaged, does not meet its description, or is counterfeit.
About: This members-only site offers a unique “shopping without spending” experience--think of it as online bartering--in which you give (Bib) and take (Tuck) women’s clothing and accessories. When you join, you’re awarded 20 “bucks” to start. You can also earn virtual credits by selling items, or buy them for $1 per credit.
What You’ll Find: A mix of affordable and designer brands for women. We recently spotted Elizabeth James slingback black cork wedges (50 bucks), a Jill Stuart cherry-print dress (75 bucks), and a Tory Burch yellow printed top (48 bucks).
How It Works
If You’re Selling: When you list an item you want to sell--otherwise known as Bib--you must include photos and a price. Once it sells, you will receive virtual bucks for the amount of that piece and an email with a prepaid shipping label.
If You’re Buying: You're able to shop the closets of other members--otherwise known as Tuck--using the bucks you've purchased or earned from selling items.
Shipping: The buyer will pay a shipping fee of $9 or $12 depending on the size of the item.
?Returns: All items are final sale.
About: Focused on social media, this site allows shoppers to connect with other users through Facebook, Twitter, and personal blogs. One thing to note: you need a Facebook or Twitter account to sign up--otherwise you're out of luck.
What You’ll Find: Luxury and contemporary apparel brands for women and men, home décor and accessories, books, and do-it-yourself crafts. In a quick browse, we discovered a pair of Miu Miu black velvet bow platforms ($200), a Zara floral collared shirt ($35), and a Guess pink floral summer dress ($39).
How It Works
If You’re Selling: Once you sign up via Facebook or Twitter, you can start listing items by clicking on the add button on the top right corner of the site (it's bright pink, you can't miss it). You can add a single item or create a curated collection.
If You’re Buying: Browse the new products on your Copious homepage with the options to follow certain users, love an item, or shop now.
Commission: Sellers are charged 3.5% on all sales and buyers are charged a 6% marketplace fee.
Shipping: Sellers are responsible for shipping and handling costs.
Returns: Buyers must notify Copious within two days of receipt about any issues in order to make a return.
