Pros
There are a few hardworking individuals who genuinely care about clients and the brand, but they often face burnout and feel defeated because the culture makes it impossible to thrive. The brand name carries weight in luxury resale, but the internal culture completely undermines the mission.
Cons
The RealReal was once the best place to work. I was proud to be part of the largest resale company and had so much pride in my role. I genuinely thought I would stay at TRR forever. Over the last four years it has become one of the most toxic workplaces I have ever experienced. If you are not part of the “in crowd,” you will never grow. Promotions are based on favoritism and gossip rather than performance or tenure. People are misled in interviews and told there is opportunity for advancement, but the reality is that most roles have no upward mobility at all.
There is lack of support from leadership. Reps and Managers are expected to figure out many things on there own because of lack of internal communication. When you do reach out for help, the response depends entirely on who you know or how much you are liked. Standard operating procedures are not applied equally. Sales Operations tickets are supposed to fix errors and ensure fairness, but they are often ignored depending on favoritism. Managers brag about having good relationships with Sales Opps which leads to decisions that favor them, not following SOP which negatively impacts commissions and trust for both managers and reps.
Business is often taken without transparency. Reps build strong consignor relationships only to see those relationships or sales shifted away without clear communication. The lack of visibility around commission, quotas, and credit assignment makes it impossible to trust the process. Reps and managers rarely know when business is being reassigned and there is always an excuse of a “system error”. You are lucky for the ones you catch but confident there is so much business that the true owner was never paid on.
Raises are almost nonexistent. It usually takes a new rep two to three years to receive their first raise, and tenure means absolutely nothing. Employees who have been loyal for years are overlooked while new hires or favorites are prioritized. Reps are required to work weekends just to come close to hitting quota, yet leadership continues to set unrealistic expectations that create burnout across teams. Morale is never a discussion or how to improve culture which is badly needed.
The gossip culture is out of control. Managers and directors openly talk about employees and other leaders behind their backs. It is not a professional environment. It is a place where gossip, alliances, and favoritism decide who succeeds. There is major discrimination, zero accountability, and an overall culture of fear.
