Where to buy
Where to buy, honestly
What each venue actually protects. No judgment, just the receipts: every claim below links to the venue's own published policy, with the date we checked it.
One thing to read closely: eBay and Poshmark only physically inspect bags priced $500 and up. Below that line, no one checks the bag for you.
| Venue | Physical check | Returns | If it's fake | Payment held safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ConsignorsThe company holds the item and ships it to you. | ||||
| Fashionphile Protected | yesany price | 15 days | yes | yes |
| The RealReal Know the gaps | yesany price | nofinal sale | yes | yes |
| Rebag Protected | yesany price | 5 days | yes | yes |
| The Luxury Closet Protected | yesany price | 3 days | yes | yes |
| MarketplacesA seller ships it to you; the platform sits in the middle. | ||||
| Vestiaire Collective Know the gaps | nophoto review only | nofinal sale | yes | yes |
| eBay Know the gaps | $500 and up below $500 | novaries | yes | yes |
| Poshmark Know the gaps | $500 and up below $500 | nofinal sale | yes | yes |
| Mercari Know the gaps | nophoto review only | 3 days | yes | yes |
| Person to personYou deal with the seller directly. The venue mostly steps back. | ||||
| Facebook Marketplace You're on your own | nonone | nofinal sale | no | no |
| Instagram + indie sellers You're on your own | nonone | nofinal sale | no | no |
Tap a venue for the full picture: sources for every cell, and how to cover the gaps yourself if you're buying there anyway. Tiers are our take, not a verdict.
Consignors
The company holds the item and ships it to you.
Every item physically checked before sale, a real return window, and a lifetime authenticity remedy.
Strong authentication, but know this before you tap buy: handbags are final sale.
Expert-checked inventory. The 5-day window is short, so inspect fast.
Authenticated inventory and a lifetime remedy, but the 3-day window means inspect the day it arrives.
Marketplaces
A seller ships it to you; the platform sits in the middle.
Good marketplace bones, but check whether YOUR order gets a physical check, and price in the buyer fee.
Above $500 an expert physically checks the bag before you get it. Below $500 nobody does, and that's most mid-tier listings.
Same $500 line as eBay: real inspection above it, nothing below. Inspect before you hit accept, because that tap ends your window.
No physical check at any price, and 72 hours to act. Photos-only review is a screen, not an inspection.
Person to person
You deal with the seller directly. The venue mostly steps back.
The typical Marketplace deal (local pickup, cash or Zelle) carries zero platform protection. Every safeguard is one you bring yourself.
Some indie dealers are excellent. The point is the venue gives you nothing, so the seller's track record and your payment rail do all the work.
Policies change. Every fact on these pages carries the date we last checked it, and we re-verify monthly. Spot something stale? It probably changed this week; check the venue's linked policy for the current version.