A user on TikTok is calling out designer resale shop The RealReal after claiming she bought Chanel earrings from their site. When she tried to return them, the company told her the earrings were fake.
User Amy Tripp (@realstarheal) says she had purchased Chanel earrings from the site on March 22, 2022, for $845. She later decided to consign the earrings using the same site.
However, upon sending them back to The RealReal, she was told that the earrings were “inauthentic.”
“I called them and said, ‘hey, I bought these from y’all. So, you’re telling me your own stuff is fake?’” Tripp remembers.
The RealReal then allegedly said it would send the package back to Tripp, in the process having them re-authenticated. The business later claimed that they never received the package, Tripp says.
After several calls to resolve the issue, Tripp was told she would receive a refund within 3 to 5 business days. She received this email on May 17. Tripp has yet to receive a refund.
@realstarheal Beware The Real Real is unreal in more ways than one. Like so they’ll give me my $845 back. #therealreal #therealrealregrets #fashiontiktok #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Starheal Astrology
“I’ve called The RealReal probably about 20 times, and every time I call, they hang up on me or tell me that they’re going to call me back and don’t,” Tripp states. “I’ve wasted so much of my time calling them, and they still owe me $845.”
In the comments section, users shared their own gripes with The RealReal.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything good about the real real,” shared a user.
“I bought a ‘Hermes scarf’ this week and got delivered a pack of cardboard cards,” alleged a second. “They’re still investigating.”
“This EXACT thing happened to me too omg!” exclaimed a third.
In 2019, an investor launched a lawsuit against The RealReal claiming that its authentication process “fell far short of its description.”
“The vast majority of items supposedly ‘authenticated’ by the Company were actually reviewed only by the Company’s copywriters,” the complaint alleged. “These copywriters were low-wage hourly employees, often with little or no experience in fashion or luxury products. They received at best 1-3 hours of training on the immense number of products and brands they were expected to authenticate, and much of this training was focused on how to process the items for sale on the Company’s website as fast as possible.”
The lawsuit was settled in 2021 for $11 million.
The RealReal is also currently facing a lawsuit from Chanel. In the claim, Chanel alleges that “through its business advertising and marketing practices, [The RealReal] has attempted to deceive consumers into falsely believing that The RealReal has some kind of approval from or an association or affiliation with Chanel or that all Chanel-branded goods sold by The RealReal are authentic.”
Chanel also alleged that The RealReal has sold at least 7 counterfeit Chanel bags. The RealReal “unequivocally reject[ed]” Chanel’s claims in a statement to FashionNetwork.com.
Back on TikTok, commenters gave Tripp options to resolve her situation.
“Better business bureau and/or small claims court will fix it,” wrote a commenter.
“Provide that email from the retailer to the credit card company and file a dispute with the credit card co,” suggested a second. “They’ll refund your card.”
“Just go in the store and start yelling,” joked a further user.
Update 3:30pm CT, June 15: In an email to the Daily Dot, a spokesperson for The RealReal shared the following: “We were unable to process the earring consignment at first due to a missing Chanel marking. However, we’ve been in touch with Ms. Tripp and have been working with her directly to resolve this issue and issue her a refund.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Tripp via her website contact form.
