Q: I’m new to The RealReal. What’s up with the “On Hold” label on some listings? Can I put something on hold?

A: Great question. In short: no, you can’t put something on hold. When you’re scrolling through The RealReal and come across a listing that has the “On Hold” banner loud and clear, that means the item is in another shopper’s cart. When you add something to your cart on The RealReal, you have 20 minutes to complete your purchase. During that period, the “On Hold” banner will appear on the listing to communicate to other buyers that that item is off-limits — at least temporarily. If you end up purchasing the item, it’ll be marked as “Sold.” If you end up not purchasing the item, the “On Hold” banner is removed. Users can still favorite an item if it’s marked as “On Hold” and purchase if it becomes available.

Q: How long will you favorite or like something and wait for the price to come down before purchasing?

A: Oh man, I wish I had a better answer for you, but it totally depends on the piece and my attitude towards my budget at a given moment. There are things that I favorited on Poshmark years ago that I still consider purchasing. Pieces don’t tend to sit quite as long on The RealReal, and I’ve found that most things I favorite are sold within 6-12 months. Both The RealReal and thredUP drop prices over time to incentivize moving the inventory — they don’t want to manage inventory longer than they absolutely have to. I’ve found from experience that Poshmark sellers (or sellers on other peer-to-peer platforms) are willing to hold out for asking price moreso than the consignment platforms.

There’s no “right” answer here; it really depends on how badly you want the piece, what your budget is, and your tolerance for risk in waiting. If you spot a rare, vintage, or collectible item that you absolutely must have, I wouldn’t wait — I’d snatch it up as soon as you’re able. But for other pieces that you could give or take, I’ve grown comfortable with playing the waiting game and seeing what happens. Good luck out there!