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