Selling

Consignment Fees Explained: What Every Platform Charges in 2026

If you are thinking about consigning a luxury bag, the single most important number you need to understand is the consignment fee. This is the percentage the platform takes from the sale price before you get paid. And the range is enormous. Depending on where you sell, you could keep 60 percent of the sale or 90 percent of it. On a $5,000 bag, that difference is $1,500. On a $10,000 bag, it is $3,000.

This guide breaks down exactly what every major platform charges, how consignment fee structures actually work, and what you should know before you hand over your bag.

What is a consignment fee?

A consignment fee is the commission a platform or store charges when they sell an item on your behalf. You give them the item. They photograph it, list it, handle the buyer, process payment, and ship it. When it sells, they take their cut and pay you the remainder.

The consignment fee is usually expressed as a percentage of the final sale price. If a platform charges a 35 percent consignment fee and your bag sells for $6,000, you receive $3,900 and the platform keeps $2,100. Some platforms also charge the buyer a separate fee on top of the sale price, which does not come out of your payout directly but can affect what the buyer is willing to pay.

The standard consignment fee for luxury goods ranges from about 15 percent to 45 percent, depending on the platform, the item value, and your seller history. That is a massive range. Understanding where each platform falls and why is essential.

Average consignment fees by platform

Here is what the major luxury resale platforms charge sellers as of 2026. These are the fees that come out of your payout.

Platform by platform breakdown

The RealReal: 30-40% consignment fee

The RealReal is the largest luxury consignment platform in the US. Their fee structure is tiered. New sellers typically start at the highest commission rate (you keep 55 to 60 percent, meaning the platform takes 40 to 45 percent). As your total consignment value increases, your commission rate improves. High-volume consignors can negotiate down to the 30 percent range, but that requires significant sales history.

What you get for that fee: professional photography, authentication, pricing, listing, customer service, shipping, and returns handling. The RealReal does everything. You drop off the bag (or ship it to them) and wait for a check.

The trade-off: you have limited control over pricing. The RealReal sets the sale price, and they are incentivized to sell quickly. A fast sale at $7,000 generates their commission sooner than a slow sale at $8,000. That misalignment can cost you hundreds of dollars beyond the fee itself.

Fashionphile: 35-45% below market (direct sale)

Fashionphile does not technically charge a "consignment fee" because they are not a consignment platform. They buy your bag outright. You get a quote, and if you accept, they pay you immediately. The catch: the quote is typically 35 to 45 percent below what the bag would sell for on the open market.

This is the fastest way to sell a luxury bag. You can get paid the same day at a Fashionphile location or within a few days by shipping. But the payout is the lowest option on this list. On a bag worth $8,000 on the secondary market, Fashionphile might offer $4,400 to $5,200.

When it makes sense: when you need cash immediately and the time value of money matters more than the absolute payout. When it does not make sense: when you have even a week or two of patience, because you can almost certainly do better.

Rebag: 30-40% below market (direct buy / trade-in)

Rebag operates similarly to Fashionphile. They buy your bag directly and resell it themselves. The payout is typically 30 to 40 percent below market value. Rebag also offers a trade-in program where you get a credit toward purchasing a different bag from their inventory, which usually gives you a slightly better rate than a cash payout.

Vestiaire Collective: ~15% seller fee + buyer fee

Vestiaire Collective is a peer-to-peer marketplace, not a consignment platform. You list your own bag, set your own price, and handle communication with buyers. Vestiaire charges the seller roughly 15 percent of the sale price. They also charge the buyer a separate fee (typically 12 to 15 percent), which is added on top of your asking price.

The effective cost to sellers is lower than traditional consignment, but the buyer fee can make your bag look more expensive to shoppers, which can slow down sales. Vestiaire also handles authentication and offers buyer protection, which adds legitimacy.

eBay: ~13% + payment processing

eBay charges approximately 13 percent in combined seller fees and payment processing on luxury goods. eBay also has an authentication program for items over $500, which adds a layer of buyer confidence. The upside: the largest buyer pool of any platform. The downside: you handle everything yourself, and luxury bags sit alongside everything else on the platform, which dilutes the luxury experience.

Poshmark: 20%

Poshmark charges a flat 20 percent commission on all sales over $15. Simple and predictable. The platform is large and active, but it is primarily known for contemporary fashion, not high-end luxury. Selling a $5,000 Chanel on Poshmark is possible but the buyer pool for that price range is smaller than on dedicated luxury platforms. Poshmark also now offers "Posh Authenticate" for luxury items.

Local consignment shops: 40-50%

Local, brick-and-mortar consignment shops typically charge the highest fees in the industry: 40 to 50 percent. Some go even higher for lower-value items. The upside is personal service and a physical location where buyers can see the bag in person. The downside is the smallest buyer pool and the highest cost. Unless the shop has a strong local reputation and clientele, online platforms will almost always net you more.

How consignment fees are calculated

Consignment fees are calculated as a percentage of the final sale price, not the listing price. If your bag is listed at $8,000 but sells at $7,200 after a price reduction, the fee is calculated on $7,200.

Some platforms use tiered fee structures based on the sale price:

Example: The RealReal's typical tier structure. Items selling for under $200 might be charged at a higher rate (you keep only 40 to 50 percent). Items over $5,000 might get a better rate (you keep 65 to 70 percent). The exact tiers vary by your seller level, total consignment history, and whether you have a personal consignment manager.

Other factors that affect your rate:

Your seller history. More volume typically earns better rates. The RealReal and some local shops offer tiered programs where your commission improves as your total sales increase.

Item category. Some platforms charge different rates for different categories. Handbags may have a different commission than clothing or jewelry.

Special promotions. Platforms occasionally run promotions offering temporarily better rates to attract consignors. These can drop fees by 5 to 10 percentage points but are time-limited.

Consignment vs. direct buy vs. peer-to-peer: what is the real difference?

These three selling models look similar from the outside but work very differently in terms of what you keep.

Consignment (The RealReal, local shops): You give them the bag. They sell it. You get paid after it sells, minus their commission. Typical fee: 30 to 50 percent. You have limited control over pricing and timing.

Direct buy / buyout (Fashionphile, Rebag): They buy your bag outright for a set price. You get paid immediately but at the lowest payout. There is no "consignment fee" per se, but the discount from market value is functionally the same thing: 35 to 45 percent.

Peer-to-peer marketplace (Vestiaire, Poshmark, eBay, Purr): You list the bag yourself and sell directly to a buyer. The platform takes a smaller percentage (10 to 20 percent). You control the price. You do more of the work, though modern platforms are automating most of it.

The math is straightforward. Here is what you take home on a bag that sells for $6,000:

The difference between consigning at 35 percent and selling peer-to-peer at 10 percent is $1,500 on a single $6,000 sale. If you sell three bags a year, that is $4,500. That is not a small number.

When high consignment fees are worth it

Consignment is not always the wrong choice. There are specific situations where the higher fee is justified.

You are selling in bulk. If you have 10 or 20 items to move and no time to list them individually, consignment saves you significant effort. The fee is the price of convenience.

The item is under $1,000. On lower-value items, the absolute dollar difference between fee structures is smaller. A 35 percent fee on a $500 item is $175. A 10 percent fee is $50. The $125 difference may not be worth the effort of listing it yourself.

You need authentication credibility. For very high-value items ($10,000 and up), a buyer may prefer purchasing from a platform like The RealReal or Fashionphile where authentication is baked into the process. That trust can enable a higher sale price that partially offsets the fee.

You have negotiated a better rate. If you are a high-volume consignor with a personal relationship at a consignment house, your fee might be 20 to 25 percent instead of 35 to 40 percent. At that level, the math starts to look more reasonable.

When they are not

For most women selling one, two, or three bags a year in the $3,000 to $15,000 range, traditional consignment fees are not worth it. You are paying 30 to 40 percent for a service that modern peer-to-peer platforms can replicate at 10 to 15 percent.

The old argument for consignment was convenience: they do everything for you. But that argument gets weaker every year. AI can identify and describe your bag from photos. Market data can suggest the right price. Payment escrow protects both sides. Prepaid shipping labels arrive in your inbox. The work involved in selling peer-to-peer has dropped to maybe 15 minutes per listing. Is 15 minutes of your time worth $1,500? For most people, yes.

How to calculate your actual payout

Before you sell on any platform, run this calculation:

Step 1: Determine what your bag is actually worth on the secondary market. Not what you paid. Not what you hope to get. What comparable bags have actually sold for recently. This is the number that matters.

Step 2: Subtract the platform fee. If the platform charges 35 percent, multiply the expected sale price by 0.65. That is your estimated payout.

Step 3: Account for pricing control. On consignment, the platform sets the price and may sell below market to move inventory faster. On peer-to-peer, you set the price. Factor in that consignment payouts may be lower than the fee structure alone suggests.

Step 4: Compare across at least two platforms. Run the same bag through two or three different fee structures. The platform with the lowest fee is not always the best net payout if their buyer pool is smaller and the bag sells for less.

The bottom line on consignment fees

The average consignment fee for luxury goods is 30 to 40 percent. Direct buyout programs take an equivalent cut disguised as a discounted offer. Peer-to-peer platforms charge 10 to 20 percent and give you control over your price.

None of these models are inherently bad. They serve different needs. But the fee difference between consignment and peer-to-peer is thousands of dollars on a typical luxury bag sale. If you know what your bag is worth and you have 15 minutes to create a listing, peer-to-peer is almost always the better financial decision.

The first step, no matter which platform you choose, is knowing the real market value of what you are selling. Everything else follows from that number.

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*Fee structures are based on publicly available information as of early 2026 and may vary by seller tier, item category, promotional periods, and individual agreements. Contact each platform directly for current rates. This content is for informational purposes only.