OUR VOICE
Client Facing
Our Luxury Managers, Customer Service team, and Client Relations specialists develop the most personal relationships with our members. When speaking to members one-on-one it’s important to lean into TRR brand values and the advantages of buying and selling with TRR, but also to make the experience positive, human, relatable—and, where appropriate, fun.
Our Client-Facing Teams
Luxury Managers
Our LMs have the most intimate relationship with our clients, visiting their homes and personally handling their items. The LM voice is warm and empathetic but always professional and courteous. Think of yourself as a welcome houseguest: use compliments and personal observations to build rapport, but never come across as overly familiar.
Consignor Relations
Our CR team is there to help our clients throughout the selling process. They are an important link in building trust in our expertise and commitment to authenticity. The CR voice is professional and informed. They answer clients’ questions clearly and in a way that makes the selling process easy and enjoyable. They are conversational when appropriate but always courteous.
Customer Service
Our CS team helps our clients with product questions, account information, and issues with orders or selling. They are one of our most important parts of the client experience, building confidence in TRR and what we do. The CS voice is warm and professional and uses empathy to build trust with clients who are frustrated or unhappy.
“The relationship is one-on-one with the client.
It’s a very high bar.”
— TRR insider
The Checklist
How We Talk About Selling
Consignors are a crucial link in the circular economy—they fuel our very business. It is important to communicate with them effectively. Here are some tips for talking about selling:
Address selling head on
Don’t assume anyone understands the process of selling at TRR
Contextualize the concept. Use the word sell, not consign
Lean into specific advantages/key messaging of selling with TRR (see below)
Keep things Real: It is best not to try to incorporate brand messaging messaging into emails, and conversations that should feel personal/human
Key Messaging
The three pillars we use to speak to why selling with The RealReal is better than with other resellers are Expertise, Service, and Community. When we talk about selling with TRR, we lean into these specific advantages:
The Art & Science of Real
It’s our mix of luxury-obsessed experts and tech that get you the best price every time.
Service Tailored to You
From getting your item to us to posting it on our site, we meet you where you’re at and handle every detail.
Access to the Largest Luxury Community
30+ million shoppers means millions of chances for your item to sell.
“The RealReal offers an unparalleled experience for both buying and selling members; it has streamlined luxury consignment and made it hassle-free and personalized. Its expert team of consultants, authenticators, and customer support does all of the heavy-lifting, and frees me to update my wardrobe without stressing about closet space.”
— TRR Consignor
Making Selling Relatable
Selling is the backbone of our business. That said, we don’t always want to speak about selling in a purely transactional way. Here are some examples of how to make the concept more relatable to our members.
Examples
Think of TRR as a dating service for your luxury fashion and accessories. With our 22 million members we can quickly find your Birkin the perfect match—and send you a nice big check in the process. So what’s not to love?
Think of your closet as a stock portfolio—with an asset mix of blue-chip brands (hello Hermes!) with proven long-term value, and trendier, high-turnover items (like that Gucci Dionysus you just HAD to have!). TRR keeps a close eye on the market so when you sell with us you know you always get the highest possible return on your investment. Now that's what we call fashion savvy.
Different Types of Consignors
& How To Speak To Them
Buyer (Not Consignor)
This member already has a relationship with TRR and has developed a level of trust. It may not have occurred to this person to sell with TRR or perhaps they are unclear how the process works.
Lean into messaging. (Fast. Easy. More.)
Explain the process and how great style translates into high sales.
First Time Consignor
This member is ready to take the plunge but may need some clarification, hand-holding, encouragement or validation.
Start with a "winning" category like bags or a piece of branded jewelry (Cartier, Van Cleef, Tiffany).
Give them confidence in their taste.
Lapsed Consignor
This member has previous experience selling with TRR but has not done so in a while. This member may feel they have nothing of value to sell at this time. Or maybe they have just been busy doing other things.
Give this member a gentle nudge and a reminder that TRR values them as a member.
Prompt them to think about lucrative, but often overlooked categories like sunglasses / watches/ scarves / silver or gold jewelry / sneakers / men's watches.
Remind them that TRR will take back even items purchased on our site.
It's cool to RE-Consign! Lean into messaging points and reacquaint them with the process.
Repeat Consignor
The repeat consignor already has a strong relationship and degree of trust with TRR. They understand that TRR is a smart way to turn over their wardrobe seasonally, to get more out of investments, and to get rid of things they no longer want to make room for new things they have their eye on.
Make these members feel important, connected, appreciated.
Make them feel like an early adopter and in on the latest trends. Encourage them to trade up last year’s purchases for the new season’s must-haves.
Open them up to considering selling a new category, such as home, or men’s (their husband's neglected ties, or watches), for example.
Remind them that they have made good shopping decisions; that selling back to TRR is always a smart option.
Addressing Consignors’ Key Pain Points
I can get more $ elsewhere
Unlikely. We have a much bigger audience (20+M members and growing) and pay 3X higher commission than our top competitors
I save $ by posting it myself on a competitor site
Actually, no. (See above) PLUS we do all the work—photography, description, posting, communicating with buyers, shipping — while you sit back and wait for your check.
Why should I trust TRR with my beautiful Birkin?
Our team of authenticators and valuations specialists means you are always in expert hands at The RealReal. They ensure that everything we sell is the Real Deal. They know everything and have seen everything. They also know how to care for the most precious luxury goods in the world.
Why would I sell jewelry on TRR?
Yes, there are other specialized places to sell valuable watches and jewelry. But for the biggest return (3X competitive sites), the most eyes (we have 20 M members), the easiest process and fastest payout, come to us.
I don’t have anything anyone else would want
How wrong you are! Not everyone has a Birkin gathering dust in their closet. But you are likely sitting on a trove of items we can help you sell to make room in your closet for more amazing stuff.
Consigning is more hassle than it’s worth
TRR makes consigning fast and easy. Plus our consignors earn up to 3X more than with other platforms. You send us your gently used luxury items; we do all the rest. We’ll even send you a free shipping label or pick your items up at your home. All you do is sit back and wait for your check.
Client Services
When interacting with members over the phone, via email, or through responses on social media, we always speak from a position of real authority and real expertise; we are never condescending or arrogant. Communications with all TRR members, whether they are shopping or selling—or just browsing—are friendly and conversational but always courteous and professional.
Responding to Phone Calls and Emails
Use a happy, friendly, upbeat tone. (Be mindful of the client’s tone.)
Smile when you speak, people can hear it in your voice.
Use positive language and employ empathy with phrases like “I’m happy to help” and “I understand”.
Never start sentences with negative words like “unfortunately” or “regrettably”
Provide the client with options like “Although we are unable to do X, we can do Y”
Use exclamation points sparingly
Do not use emojis to accentuate statements
Never capitalize a word to make a point
Responding to Comments on Social Media
Write in a conversational but professional voice
Avoid stuffy, overly proper language like “therefore” or “as such”
Use short, crisp sentences
Read the room: do not use an overly peppy tone to respond to someone that is clearly upset
Don’t overuse exclamation points
Use emojis when appropriate
Use client handles so they can see your response