I Tried All the Top Online Consignment Stores and This is Who Wins

Let’s be real: Shopping online for luxury secondhand goods is a little like dating on the internet. You’re swiping through glossy photos, wondering if the lighting is hiding a flaw, and hoping you don’t get completely catfished.

I prefer to Buy, Sell, and Trade as much of our wardrobes and baby gear as possible. It’s how ended up spending very little on top-of-the-line baby gear, including a SNOO, and have a closet full of designer clothes for the price of Shein.

I’ve tried it all—ThredUp, Rent the Runway’s resale section, Poshmark, Mercari, The RealReal, GoodBuy Gear, Rebelstork, and good old Facebook Marketplace. Here are the pros and cons of each, and how to use them best:

Pros and Cons of Secondhand Shopping

Over the years, I estimate I’ve saved tens of thousands of dollars off of retail, and can see in my resale dashboards that I’ve made back over $10,000 by reselling.

My rotating designer wardrobe and almost all of our top of the line baby gear (including Artipoppe and Nuna) has been bought and traded on the secondhand market essentially for free by participating in the secondhand economy, and honestly, it’s a lot of fun.

All of these platforms have protections in place for customers who receive something nothing like what you ordered, that is broken, or was seriously mislabeled. Having dealt with customer service at most of these, I can vouch they are all rather decent and you can usually get a real human being involved.

Clothes + Luxury Items

ThredUp: Great Selection + Allows Returns

ThredUp is one of my favorite places to buy clothing, but my last resort for reselling it. They often have designer clothes for huge discounts, including from Rent the Runway (more on that later). The biggest benefit is you can usually return items, albeit for a fee or store credit. Still, this is better than many bartering platforms.

Buying: I like it for baby clothes, jeans, clothes, and secondhand luxury finds. In the photo above, I’m wearing Free People rompers that were new with tags! The only thing to note is ultra luxury items are almost always final sale, including the Burberry coat I bought that was way too big for me and way too small for Garrett. I ended up having to resell that one at a loss. That’s okay, I’m still way ahead in value on the things that did fit amazing and that I love.

Selling: For anything I can’t sell on Poshmark or just don’t want to bother with, I put it in a box and regularly send off to ThredUp to sell. It’s the ultimate closet clean out and helped me get money out of clothes that were a decade old and just needed to go.

I recommend only sending in what would otherwise go in the donate pile, and what you’re at peace with them rejecting, because they reject a lot and resell at bargain prices.

Rent the Runway Resale: The Hidden Gem

If you’ve ever rented a designer dress and thought, “I wish I could just keep this forever,” you might want to check out Rent the Runway’s resale section. They sell their previously rented pieces at a huge discount, and since I already knew how some of these items fit, I knew I would love it.

Buying: I would probably not have a closet full of Ulla Johnson, which usually retails for $400+ per piece, or Farm Rio, which is similar, without the RTR sales section. For as low as $20, which is what I paid for the khaki Rachel Comey romper above, I can own a piece that’s beautifully detailed, made with gorgeous fabric, and is a truly unique design. No membership is required to purchase.

Returns are allowed on most sections, and it’s noted as final sale when there is no going back, but I do love that you can see the original listing with photos uploaded from renters along with their reviews. I find they’re usually pretty spot on. The only time I didn’t listen, I ended up with a $60 dress that was too short for me, but perfect for a friend!

You can also often find RTR resale items on Thredup.

Poshmark: More Involved, but More Upside

Poshmark is the platform I use the most. You get access to a huge marketplace, both as a seller and a buyer. Unlike on ThredUp and RTR, you can make offers and bundles and haggle directly.

Buying: As a buyer on Poshmark, you browse hundreds to thousands of listings for everything from well loved to brand new items. You’ll pay sales tax and shipping on whatever you buy. You have protections as a buyer, just be sure to examine and lodge any complaints immediately when you receive a purchase, but personally, I haven’t had anything but minor issues using the platform.

I’ve had luck both buying and reselling Hill House Home, Artipoppe, Kyte Baby, Black Milk Clothing, Seraphine, Bums and Roses, and some old Chanel boots and earrings I had no idea what to do with as they were no longer my style, but too hard to just give away.

Selling: You have to list, photograph, answer questions, and sometimes re-share your listings on Poshmark. Still, I don’t spend more than 5 minutes on a listing, and since they use USPS, it’s easy to print the label and set up a free pickup, making it low effort.

You’ll keep 80% of whatever you sell, and Poshmark also offers a free authentication for luxury goods, providing the buyer peace of mind. Not every kind of brand sells well. Think higher end baby brands, insta-famous dresses, and luxury goods rather than old leggings.

The RealReal: Premium for Premium

The RealReal tends to have the top names in luxury brands available in all kinds of conditions and price points.

Buying: You can get some great deals on designer bags and outfits on the RealReal, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, you name it. I bought a 2008 Louis Vuitton Daimler bag that was in great condition for around $1000 (retails new for $4000+). The kicker is most of it cannot be returned unless there’s a serious flaw or the listing doesn’t match the description.

Selling: If Poshmark is the side hustle that requires effort, The RealReal is the consignment shop that does all the work for you—at a steep price. They authenticate, photograph, and list everything, which is great, but they also take around 40% of your sale.

That Burberry coat I mentioned earlier? Sold it here at a loss, but at least I didn’t have to do the legwork. If you have designer goods you’re looking to offload with minimal effort, this is a good option—just be prepared to say goodbye to a big chunk of your profits.

Baby + Household Gear

Mercari: Great for Gear

Mercari’s ever-shifting commission structure makes it a bit unpredictable, but it’s been super useful for buying and selling baby gear (because we all know how quickly kids outgrow things).

Buyers: I bought a barely used steamer, Beaba Babycook, Joolz Aer, Thomas the train vintage trains they don’t make anymore, and even outlet covers and drawer babyproofing kits that had never been used on Mercari. You can find amazing deals, and as with Poshmark, you can haggle directly. I once did receive an item that was marketed as new and had clearly been used, and Mercari refunded me.

I make it a point to always check Poshmark before buying any baby gear new.

Sellers: Mercari is my go-to for selling baby gear. I’ve sold a Slumberpod, Artipoppe carrier, Lovevery play kits we’re done with, baby and toddler clothes and shoes, and more on Mercari. They keep about 10% plus charge fees when you withdraw the cash, but you still get to keep most of what you sell. Like with Poshmark, you’re taking the photos and writing descriptions yourself. Shipping is easy with prepaid labels.

Facebook Marketplace: The Garage Sale of the Internet

Facebook Marketplace is the digital equivalent of finding a barely used SNOO for less than half price —sometimes you score, and sometimes you get ghosted by someone named Karen who swears she’ll meet you at Starbucks but never shows. It’s great for local deals, but it requires patience, persistence, and a strong ability to weed out scammers.

This is usually what I do if something is too big or annoying to ship, or if I just want to offload something for free or close to free.

Rebelstork and GoodBuy Gear: Open Box and Gently Used

I’ve had my ups and downs with open box baby gear resellers, but as long as you check your packages immediately to make sure nothing is broken, you can usually score some decent deals.

Buyers: Browse everything from used to open box products (which are usually returns or overstock) for up to 30% off items that are barely used or basically new. Just know that, like all secondhand buying, a warranty will not apply. Be sure to check items immediately to verify condition as you only have a few days with Goodbuy Gear and one day with Rebelstork to report any issues.

Sellers: Selling has a higher barrier for these companies. I have never sold with either platform, as I find Poshmark easier, but GoodBuy Gear does have a few physical locations.

Final Thoughts: What’s Worth It?

If you want effortless buying, Rent the Runway’s resale section is a dream. If you’re willing to hustle, Poshmark and Mercari can be gold mines. For selling, The RealReal is easy but expensive, and ThredUp is a great way to clean out a closet. And Facebook Marketplace? It’s a wild ride, but sometimes you strike gold.

Moral of the story: Luxury thrift shopping is fun. It’s a lower impact way to refresh your closet, get baby gear that is useful for the short time they need it, and have the best of what’s out there for way less money.

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