LUXURY RESALE AND LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Luxury Resellers and Loyalty Programs

When shopping on a luxury resale platform, it can be thrilling finding exactly what you are looking for, and at a great price or stumbling upon a unique item, whether it's a handbag, a small leather good, a piece of jewelry, or a watch. While loyalty programs can be a bonus, I believe they're rarely the primary reason shoppers choose a particular resale platform. However, some shoppers could prioritize platforms with loyalty programs.

I've noticed that loyalty programs are relatively uncommon in the luxury resale market, and those that exist are often quite unique.

Four Luxury Resellers

Below are four luxury resale rewards programs, each with its own distinct characteristics. They are not easily comparable, and due to the complexity of some, it is recommended that ample time be spent understanding them. And, with all things luxury resale, contacting the reseller with your questions is also recommended. Summary points about each program are below, and further details follow.

1. myGemma This program is straightforward and easy to understand.

2. The RealReal This program, for both consignors and buyers is a bit complex and I believe focuses more on the consignor, with benefits that vary between tiers of consignors.

3. Rebag This loyalty program is so intricate that I believe "back of the envelope" calculations are needed to understand it, and it also requires members to pay a fee. On the bright side, a partner-awarded membership benefit listed below does not require a fee.

4. Fashionphile Rather than having a rewards program, the unique aspect is Fashionphile shoppers are rewarded for being enrolled in other loyalty programs and are rewarded when shopping at Fashionphile.

Easy to Understand and to Use

myGemma's Rewards Program is thoroughly described on its website. It is straightforward, outlining how points are earned and how they can be used. There is minimal "fine print" so that leads to a transparent and rewarding loyalty program!

myGemma's loyalty program is free. The table below shows how points are earned.

Action Required by Member	Points Earned
Signing Up	500 points
Purchasing	1 point per $1
Selling	1 point per $1
Follow Page	50 points
Follow on Instagram	50 points
Follow on Facebook	50 points
Refer a Friend	2,000 points

Converting points to benefits is simple. Points can be redeemed towards future purchases with myGemma.

Note myGemma's Fine Print!

• You need to be logged into your myGemma account when purchasing, otherwise points will not be rewarded.

• Points are not earned when a discount code is applied at checkout.

• Points will expire after 2 years of inactivity. Inactivity includes not interacting with the program such as placing an order or redeeming points.

Intricate Tiers: Requires Time to Understand

Some might not consider The RealReal's loyalty program, RealReal Rewards, to be a typical rewards program in that you consistently earn a set number of points that can be used to lower the cost of buying an item. Rather, The RealReal focuses on building up volumes, encouraging sellers (consignors) and buyers to return to the platform. This allows members to advance to different tier levels, each with varying benefits.

The program, while not deceptive, requires careful review due to its detailed structure and varying tier benefits. Notably, during my review of The RealReal's website, I didn't easily find a distinct tab or section dedicated to the Rewards program. To ensure I understood the details, I contacted customer support for further clarification, and I suggest you do the same. Support provided information via email and links and I've bookmarked the links for quick reference.

I believe the focus is more on the consignors, and much less on buyers. One reason might be that having the inventory to sell is key for this market, and therefore the Rewards program is keenly focused on the consignor. However, buyers are rewarded with monthly "Shop More, Earn More" events where shoppers can earn credits when they make purchases. The RealReal rewards loyalty, but it is more geared toward the supply side of its business.

Consignor The first element is the commission percentage. Keep in mind, depending on the product category, the commission rate varies. As this table shows, for example a handbag that sells for $5,000 will earn a 76% commission rate, while a watch that sells for $5,000 will earn a 81% commission rate.

And interestingly, while branded fine jewelry has six different tiers, with commission rates ranging from 20% for items selling up to $99 and 66% for items that sold for between $300 - $749, the highest tier for branded fine jewelry is $750 and the commission rate is 71%.

Category	Selling Price	Commission Rate	Payout
Handbag	$5,000 - $7,499	76	$3,800 - $5,699
Handbag	$1,500 - $4,999	71	$1,065 - $3,549
Watches	$5,000 - $7,499	81	$4,040 - $6,074
Watches	$2,000 - $4,999	76	$1,520 - $3,7979
Branded Fine Jewelry	$750 +	71	$532+

Payouts are required to place the consignor in a one of four category levels shown below, which in turn provides the Commission Incentive %, a nice bonus.

Category	Trendsetter	Influencer	Tastematers	VIP
Consignor's Net Sales	Under $1,499	$1,500 - $4,999	$5,000 - $9,999	$10,000 +
Commission Incentive %	0	+1%	+2%	+3%

It looks like the key to The RealReal Rewards concerns the commission incentives. Otherwise, across the categories with the exception of two things, the rewards are the same, such as a $25 birthday reward and in-home appointments. The VIP category has the added benefits of (1) Complimentary First Look Subscription worth $144 and a (2) $100 welcome credit. In addition to the reaching a higher commission incentive outlined above, consignors also have some monthly promotions.

There are also monthly consignment promotions and they could differ each month. For example, in February 2025, these are two of the several promotions offered to consignors:

• Earn $100 when you consign any item with a list price of $1,500+

• Earn $200 when you consign 20+ items with a list price of $150+ each

Credits for the promotion would be emailed on March 14, 2025.

I believe consigning 20+ items with a list price of $150+ could be a high bar for many consignors to reach.

Note: While reviewing The RealReal's Rewards Program, I noticed a section that needs to be updated. While probably it is not confusing, it would be nice seeing an up to date section. It currently states: "*In addition to Luxury Managers who assist consignors with selling, on 11/1 we will begin moving all consignors to dedicated Consignment Concierges to support them during and after their consignment, providing a holistic support experience. "We anticipate all consignors to be serviced under this model by early 2023." Since it is March 2025, this note could probably be removed, or if there are updates they should be listed.

Buyers: For buyers, there is not a program similar for the consignor outlined above. The RealReal usually has a monthly promotion called the "Shop More, Earn More." Credits are earned for purchases made under a particular bracket. For example, for a few days in February 2025, the following was offered to buyers:

• Earn $40 Credit When You Spend $250+

• Earn $80 Credit When You Spend $500+

• Earn $200 Credit When You Spend $1250+

• Earn $500 Credit When You Spend $2500+

Credits for the promotion would be issued on March 13, 2025.

Fees, Intricacies and an Interesting Partner Benefit

Rebag updated its loyalty program in April 2024 replacing its previous Rebag Rewards program with a a prepay membership program called Rebag+.

Rebag has been in the news for its partnerships with two retailers. In August 2024 it became a partner with Bloomingdale's selling on Bloomingdales.com. Check it out: https://tinyurl.com/ms2huz8h and in boutiques in five Bloomingdale's stores. In January 2025 Rebag and Walmart announced a partnership, whereby Rebag would be selling on the Walmart Marketplace. Check it out: https://tinyurl.com/esby6b6f.

Rebag sells on other platforms including having an eBay store and selling on thredUP. For further information please refer to my January 27, 2025 post "Tips for Navigating the Secondhand Luxury Handbag Market"

Rebag urges you to join Rebag+ by showing how much less the item would cost if you join. Below is an example of the price difference for buying a Saint Laurent Icare Shopping Tote. The price is $4,355 without membership and $4,137, with the membership, a $218 difference, or 5%.

After clicking on "JOIN NOW" you land on a page shown below that includes the options for monthly membership fees starting at $50 and going up to $500. To the right there is information showing what the $50 monthly fee is "worth."

Note these four blue bars show what the $50 monthly payment generates and there are individual graphs for the other three monthly fee options. The bars and content require careful reading!

On the one hand, a minimum $50 monthly membership fee seems relatively high. However, considering the costly, often multi-thousand-dollar items, the fee could be justified. It is also possible Rebag+ could be attractive for those who make more frequent and lower priced purchases. It's crucial to thoroughly review the website, the FAQ section and seek clarification before committing.

Earning Bloomingdale's Loyalist Points When Buying Rebag Items

As noted above, Rebag sells on other platforms. For those who are a member of the free Bloomingdale's Loyalist Rewards Program, buying a Rebag item on Bloomingdales.com could be a great option. Via email I leaned from Bloomingdale's customer support that Rebag purchases are included in earning Loyalist points!

I received the following email: "I have reviewed your concern and would like to inform you that if you purchase the third party items from Bloomingdale's website then you are still eligible to earn the loyalist points. Please make sure your payment should be made by credit card not a gift card." Caution here: Please have Bloomingdale's confirm this in writing before you purchase a Rebag item.

Innovative and and Deserves Wider Promotion

Fashionphile partners with at least two travel related loyalty programs, including Avios and Wyndham Rewards. There could be more of these partnerships, though I could not locate them. Tying travel to luxury handbags and fine jewelry makes great sense, and I love this approach.

Avios is used by several airlines and loyalty

programs, such as British Airways and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. The progam offfers that members can earn Avios loyalty currency for every $1 spent at Fashionphile. The current offer shows the shopper will earn 3 Avios for each $1 spent at Fashionphile through the end of March, instead of the typical 1 Avios for each $1 spent at Fashionphile.

Fashionphile is included in Wyndham Rewards Shopping program. Members can earn Wyndham Rewards points for every $1 spent at Fashionphile.

Similar to Avios, there is a promotion through the end of March 2025. Instead of earning 2 points for each $1 spent at Fashionphile, 5 points are earned for each $1 spent.

I searched for these two partnerships on the Fashionphile platform and I did not see references to these. (Maybe I missed it.) And since they aren't listed, perhaps Fashionphile is partnering with other loyalty programs. The reason for this information gap is unclear, but it could be typical for such rewards programs.

Nonetheless, I believe Fashionphile should communicate these partnerships more effectively to enhance customer awareness and engagement.

Conclusion

The four loyalty programs outlined above have unique attributes. Although a loyalty program isn't likely the primary reason to shop at a luxury reseller, they are worth taking into account. However, a thorough understanding of the program prior to joining or making a purchase is mandatory!

Full Disclosure: The content in my blog is based on my personal opinions and experiences. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Research for this post was conducted between February 28, 2025 and March 4, 2025. This is not a comprehensive review describing all aspects of each program and aspects of the programs might have been updated since this post was published. All opinions are my own, and I have not received any compensation for writing this post. The image of the handbag at the top of this post was generated by Gemini AI Pro.

Is Poshmark Taking Enough Steps to Combat Scammers and Protect Sellers?

Image generated by Gemini AI Pro

Background

Vigilance is key in the world of online reselling, and even with years of experience, staying alert is crucial. With four years of experience selling on Poshmark and a strict policy of my communications staying on the platform, I believe I've become adept at avoiding scams.

I also find Reddit threads about Poshmark and Mercari, detailing others' experiences with potential scams and phishing, incredibly helpful. Staying vigilant by scanning online news about resale sites is also a priority.

My vigilance was recently tested when I encountered a potential scam on Poshmark, and I want to share my experience, as well as Poshmark's disappointing response to my reports.

Screen Shot of Messages Received

Last week, shortly after listing a jacket on Poshmark, I received a message that the buyer added the jacket to her/his bundle. Then, an unusually lengthy and strangely worded message followed from the same person.

Messages Received From the Scammer

I was led to believe I had sold the jacket when I read: "Congratulations! Your item has been purchased..." Yet, I quickly realized this was the beginning of a scam. Here are the tell-tale signs:

The message began with an indecipherable statement: "(Name of Poshmark Closet - I'm not including the name of the closet) requested styling for 'Surprise Me.' '' I've never seen that expression, and it doesn't make any sense!

Even more telling, part of the message misspelled 'Poshmark' as 'Poshamark.' This was a particularly foolish error, given the scammer claimed to be contacting me on behalf of Poshmark. It was becoming increasingly clear that this was not a legitimate interaction."

Screen Shot of Messages Received

Banner Showing Item Sold

Furthermore, I realized the item was not

sold, as two steps that quickly occur after a legitimate Poshmark sale did not take place.

(1) A red 'Sold' banner is attached to the sold item and is immediately visible in the seller's listings. An example of the sold banner on another of my sold jackets is shown here.

(2) Poshmark sends an email notification of the sale to the seller. The email is from orders@poshmark.com and includes the pre-paid mailing label.

The absence of these standard sales indicators confirmed my suspicion that the scammer did not purchase the jacket. These details, combined with the other red flags, made the scam increasingly obvious.

But wait, there's more! Towards the end of the message, I was instructed: "Please follow the link below to complete verification." Well, that wasn't going to happen! Realizing this was a clear phishing attempt, and instead of continuing to interact with the scammer via Poshmark messaging, I chose to alert Poshmark. I assumed Poshmark would be communicative and an ally and promptly remove the scammer from their platform. This, unfortunately, did not happen.

Poshmark Support

Poshmark responded to my request for support in a timely manner. However, the response was a string of canned sentences. Here are a few sentences from the email. Given its boilerplate in nature, you can imagine the rest!

Below is a sentence in Poshmark's email that is applicable to what the scammer sent me. Yet, I felt the response did not go far enough to ensure Poshmark isolated this digital duper. I included the bold and my comments are in blue.

"It is likely these comments and/or emails were phishing attempts. Please disregard it. Do not click on any links, provide personal information, or engage with the sender or caller. We will never call to inform you of or confirm changes to your account." (Why is it "likely?" It is more than "likely" as it was clar Poshmark did not send the message to me. It came from the scammer.)

"To determine if the communication is from Poshmark, always verify that emails are from poshmark.com directly. If the sender's email does not end with @poshmark.com, it did not come from Poshmark." (In my note to Poshmark Support did not include anything about an email from a scammer. I reached out about a message on the Poshmark platform).

The combination of seeing my message was not fully addressed, along with fearing Poshmark "newbies" might have clicked on the link, as an honest seller and a Poshmark Ambassador I felt that this scammer should be promptly expelled from Poshmark.

Poshmark ended its email by stating:"Let us know if you have any other questions!" I did indeed respond, and my response concluded with:"Kindly confirm Poshmark has deleted this closet so it won't harm those that trust Poshmark to make Poshmark a safe and law abiding marketplace."

I did not receive a response from Poshmark and I sent a few follow-ups. Still waiting.

As of the date of this post the scammer is still on the Poshmark platform. I'm unsure if Poshmark is understaffed to handle such alerts from diligent sellers such as myself, or simply uninterested in making Poshmark a safe and comfortable platform.

Conclusion

In July 2024 while attending a Poshmark event in New York City I noticed Manish Chandra, Poshmark’s CEO on the terrace. (I had previously seen him interviewed on television.) I approached him, introduced myself and shared my concerns about a few aspects of selling on Poshmark. I found him to be engaged and thoughtful. He was gracious and supportive, expressing his commitment to making Poshmark a more user-friendly n effective platform. I believe he would be interested in the experience I presented in this post, and I hope this will lead to positive changes that will make Poshmark a safer and more trustworthy platform for all users.

My answer to the question:"Is Poshmark taking enough steps to combat scammer and sellers? is no, I do not believe they are doing enough. And since this is a potentially risky selling environment it is crucial for all resellers to remain vigilant, as even experienced sellers are not immune to sophisticated scams. Sharing our experiences can help create a safer environment for everyone. I'm interested in learning what you have been experiencing on resale platforms.

Full Disclosure: The content in my blog is based on my personal opinions and experiences. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. All opinions are my own, and I have not received any compensation for writing this post.

PRICES ON POSHMARK COULD BE PUZZLING AND MIGHT RAISE CONCERNS

An Eye-Popping Price!

During a recent casual search on

Poshmark, I came across a listing for a rather plain used Louis Vuitton handbag -- just a rectangular shoulder bag with a front zip pocket. The style in the listing is called Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag. Given it is just a simple item, nothing looked to be rare or particularly adorned, I was surprised to see it priced at over $22,000, really closer to $23,000, which, with tax, would be near $25,000. The listing's photos showed scratched hardware and some stains. Yes, a secondhand bag with visible wear was being offered for nearly $25,000. (*) Please see an update at end of this post.

An Immediate Reaction

Two thoughts immediately occurred to me. (1) Was there something special about this bag that I could not see in the listing? Were similar bags listed for such high prices on Poshmark and other resale platforms? (2) Does Poshmark review outlier listings, especially those exceeding a certain price point? I decided to explore each of these points.

Review of Listings for Same Handbag

Keeping in mind my search for the Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag might not always be an apples-to-apples comparison, because the year the bag was manufactured might be different, or perhaps there is a slight change to the style, I looked for other listings with the same name of this bag on Poshmark.

When listing on Poshmark, there is not a condition of the bag category that sellers need to include, such as Pristine, Very Good, Good, Fair, etc. (Category conditions are found on many other reseller platforms such as myGEMMA andThe RealReal). The only category regarding condition on Poshmark is New With Tags (NWT). If this box is not ticked at the time of listing, the item is considered to be classified as secondhand. Sellers on Poshmark can show the condition through clear photos and also could explain in their own words the condition through the product description, such as stating, for example:"worn edges" "stained lining."

Same Bags Listed on Poshmark for Much Lower Prices

I spent about a half hour searching for the same bag on Poshmark. To be clear, my Poshmark search might not have revealed all the listings of this bag due to other sellers not including the name of the bag, listing a different name, and also for other reasons that resulted in more of the Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag not appearing in my search results.

The same seller of the $25,000 bag (with tax!) had about 30 other listings for this bag, ranging mostly from $2,000 to $3,000. There were about 30 listings for this bag posted by other resellers and they were priced from around $900 to $2,000. The questionable listing, priced at nearly $25,000 with tax, remained a stark outlier.

Reached Out to Poshmark Support

Seeing such a wide range of prices, I contacted Poshmark support, questioning how it could permit such a hefty price tag. In my email, I included: "Yes, I understand prices are set by the buyer, but this seller seems to be potentially engaging in price gouging." I expected Poshmark to review the listing given the unusually high price. That was not to be. Poshmark responded promptly, but their reply was not only unhelpful but also alarming.

From Poshmark Support

The email reply from Poshmark seemed like a generic response, without a thorough review of the pricing. It stated:

"Thank you for reaching out to us. We understand your concerns and frustrations regarding this matter. Please see that the listing price that a seller chooses for an item is ultimately up to their discretion. Oftentimes, we find that the item is listed at a high price to cover the shipping cost they had paid and the commission that Poshmark keeps, so they are generally not trying to make a profit. We hope this clears up your concerns." (Note: I changed some of the font above to bold to be sure you don't miss that part of the response!).

Their response was shocking, particularly their mention of shipping costs. I quickly responded to that email, stating, among other points: "Unless this package is being hand delivered in an armored guard Rolls Royce, or private jet, postage should not exceed $8.00." I am still awaiting Poshmark's response to my follow-up emails regarding this exorbitantly priced used item.

The Same Louis Vuitton Bag on Other Resale Platforms

In my search for prices for the Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bags, I came across a number of listings at other resellers. These prices are shown in the tables below. Because condition criteria vary across resellers, a precise comparison is difficult. The tables highlight these differences for buyers to consider when purchasing a used luxury handbag.

Two Comparison Tables

Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag on Other Resale Platforms - In Alphabetical Order

Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag on Other Resale Platforms - Priced High to Low

Conclusion

While the listings above may not feature the exact same bag, the bags appear identical and have similar names. I therefore made the comparison. Based on my review, the price range for this used bag is alarming - - from about $500 to $25,000, with the highest at Poshmark.

I am troubled that Poshmark dismissed my concerns about the bag's exorbitant price, given this wide range. This should serve as a warning to those shopping on resale platforms. Do your homework, ask questions, and be wary of unusually high prices.

Full Disclosure: The content in my blog is based on my personal opinions and experiences. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. My research for this post was conducted from February 21, 2025 through February 24, 2025, so it possible the companies mentioned in this post have updated their platform content. The handbag with the question marks is a Gemini Pro AI Generated Image. All opinions are my own, and I have not received any compensation for writing this post.

(*) March 3, 2025 - Update This $22,000+ handbag is no longer posted for this price on Poshmark. I don't believe this bag was sold. The seller still has a number of these same bags offered on Poshmark with the highest price of $3,499. So, the bag was either repriced or removed. Perhaps my many emails to them, or to Poshmark contributed to it disappearing.