The RealReal has the most rigorous authentication process in the marketplace.
Have questions about our commitment to authenticity? See our most commonly asked authenticity questions and take a look at the video below
for more information.
Our Authentication Process
To Our Buyers and Consignors:
When I started The RealReal from my kitchen table, I knew earning your trust would be foundational to building this business. Over the last eight years, we have worked tirelessly to gain (and maintain) your confidence by creating a safe, reputable marketplace for authenticated luxury consignment.
With this trust in mind, we have developed the most rigorous authentication process in the marketplace. The RealReal is the only resale company in the world that authenticates every single item sold. There is no other resale company doing more to remove fakes from the market every day and put counterfeiters out of business. Here is our process at a high level.
Our Authentication Process
When items are received, they are identified as “high” or “low” risk based on brand, value, style, etc. If there is a higher probability for counterfeiting, the product is deemed higher risk in authenticating.
Items that are considered “high risk” (anything from an Hermès Birkin bag to the hottest streetwear) are sent to authenticators with significant authentication experience, who are highly specialized in specific categories. Many of these authenticators join The RealReal from the luxury brands themselves—like Tiffany, Hermès and Rolex – or auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s with a deep knowledge of the markers, materials and craftsmanship behind genuine products. They assess each item based on these and other characteristics.
Items that are considered “low risk,” such as contemporary brands with clear authenticity markers, are sent to be authenticated by our copywriters, who receive deep training in authentication but whose title has become outdated.
For context—when we originally launched the business, our copywriters only wrote copy. As the business has grown, the associated scope of their job has changed. Copywriters have been receiving the initial and ongoing training required to authenticate products, which has become an important element of their job.
Within their first month on the job, we require that our copywriters receive a minimum of 30 hours of training, including during onboarding, job shadowing, daily training sessions and quizzes. Where a copywriter has a question about an item our high-risk authenticators, all of whom have deep experience, are available in person to discuss or review a product. All of our authenticators and copywriters participate in ongoing daily and weekly training sessions to discuss the latest counterfeiting trends as part of The RealReal’s unending commitment to stay ahead of counterfeiters.
Finally, our dedicated Quality Control team provides an additional layer of control to help prevent fakes from being sold on our site, pulling certain at risk items for further review. While this extra step takes time, we do not sacrifice quality for quantity.
Technology and Data Drive our Processes and Inform our Teams
As the largest marketplace for authenticated luxury consignment, we have an extensive set of data — which serves as the backbone of our authentication process. Among other things, it’s leveraged to update algorithms that route the highest risk products to our most experienced authenticators, making sure that the riskiest products get the most scrutiny.
Our team works diligently and is constantly innovating to ensure we maintain the highest standards and keep fraudulent products off the market. Our authentication process—and all of our internal processes—are changing constantly, driven by new technologies like machine learning and AI. For example, we anticipate that much of our copywriting and pricing will be automated using machine learning in Q1. We’ll then modify the evolving structure of our authentication and copywriting team’s titles to reflect their scope and responsibilities.
This web page will house the most current information on our authentication process, and we encourage you to check it regularly.
We stand behind our business and importantly, if you aren’t happy or have questions, we will make it right.
We will continue to work to keep your trust and to provide you with the most secure place to purchase and sell authenticated luxury consignment. As always, thank you for your unwavering support of The RealReal.
Julie Wainwright
Founder & CEO
Q: Are there many fake products on The RealReal?
A: We have developed the most rigorous authentication process in the resale marketplace.
Q: Is The RealReal’s authentication process thorough?
A: We have a rigorous, brand-specific authentication process.
In addition, as the largest marketplace for authenticated luxury consignment, we have an extensive set of data — which serves as the backbone of our authentication process. For example, data is leveraged to update algorithms used in TRR Shield to route the highest risk products to our most experienced authenticators, making sure that the “high risk” products get the most scrutiny. We offer Authentication-as-a-Service to all our customers to build trust in the secondary market which helps extend the life of luxury items, promotes the circular economy and reduces incentives for fast fashion and waste.
Our team works diligently and is constantly innovating to ensure we maintain the highest standards and keep fraudulent products off the market.
Q: Are the employees authenticating products experienced?
A: Every member of our authentication team receives thorough training on all categories of products they authenticate.
It is essential to us that each employee receives the training they need to feel supported and be successful.
We employ hundreds of experts and brand authenticators, including gemologists and horologists, who inspect thousands of items each day.*