I was chatting with a woman I met at an event this week when, upon learning I was a fashion resale expert, she shared a story about a disappointing experience she had on a mega-popular resale app: Poshmark.

The experience went like this: The aforementioned woman, let’s call her Daisy, loves and collects vintage pieces. She found what appeared to be a Gucci bag from the 1990s at a wow-that’s-a-great-deal-price, and promptly hit the Buy Now button. Great story, right?

Well… not quite. When a Poshmark buyer purchases a luxury item valued at $500 or more, the order is sent to either Poshmark HQ or “trusted independent suppliers/resellers that source and pre-authenticate their items prior to shipment.” During this process, Daisy’s bag was deemed to be an inauthentic, and the special purchase that she was so excited to receive instead became a total wash. She received a refund and was left confused and frustrated. How could this have happened? Could she trust anything she sees on Poshmark?

On one hand, you might be thinking: “Wait a sec, Poshmark did their job. They identified an inauthentic item and refunded the buyer. Wha't’s so bad about that?” But from Daisy’s point of view, it didn’t exactly feel this way. She wasn’t familiar with Poshmark’s authentication policies, and having purchased items from The RealReal previously — which authenticates pieces prior to listing them for sale — she made some assumptions that luxury goods listed on Poshmark were also authenticated before they were listed.

Wrong.

The RealReal and Poshmark operate dramatically different business models. The RealReal runs a consignment model, meaning they manage inventory and pay out a percentage of the selling price to the consignor when a piece sells. Poshmark is what we call a peer-to-peer resale platform — meaning they don’t actually manage any of the inventory themselves; they strictly provide the platform that enables buyers and sellers to interact directly. When you buy something from The RealReal, you’re buying from The RealReal. When you buy something from Poshmark, you’re really buying it on Poshmark, from an individual seller. Poshmark only gets involved when there’s a dispute of some kind that needs resolution — or when the item value exceeds $500 and goes through Posh Authenticate.

As two of the most popular resale apps in the United States, it’s super important as a consumer to understand this distinction. Other examples of consignment apps include Fashionphile, Rebag, and thredUP — they’re all going to do authentication up front, meaning you know that when you purchase through them, you’re going to get an authentic piece. Other examples of peer-to-peer resale apps include Depop, Vestiare Collective, and Vinted. You might get a better price when buying from an individual seller, but there’s additional risk and less oversight involved.

Daisy and I got to chatting about whether it makes to buy luxury goods on Poshmark at all. My advice: I prefer to stick with the platforms that have already authenticated a piece before listing it — it provides peace of mind. But: I’ve purchased luxury goods on Poshmark before, and I’ve sold luxury goods on Poshmark before. And I may very well again.

If you’re buying a luxury good on Poshmark, here’s my checklist of must-dos:

Always ask the seller: “Does this item have any stains, flaws, or odors?”
Ask for close-up photos of any flaws mentioned in the description
Ask for photos of proof of authenticity, such as a card, dust bag, receipt, or serial number
Never purchase a luxury good — or any good, really — if the listing only includes stock photos. Always ask for photos of the actual item for sale.

If you’re selling a luxury good on Poshmark, I highly recommend:

Detailing any stains, flaws, or odors
Including photos of any flaws
Including photos of proof of authenticity, such as a card, dust bag, receipt, or serial number
Include photos of the actual item in your possession for sale — stock photos can be helpful, but buyers need to see the actual item they’ll be receiving

As the secondhand market continues to grow, authenticity is one of the biggest concerns I hear from buyers who want to lean into resale, but are worried about being duped by fake luxury goods. At the end of the day, if you see a price that’s too good to be true, it probably is. Trust that the authentication experts are doing their jobs, no matter when they come into the picture. And if you ever have any questions, just ask.

Want to get smart about shopping and selling on resale apps? Check out our EXCLUSIVE Resale Matrix, the ultimate comparison guide to resale platforms.