Grailed.com is a popular site, but is it trustworthy? This article will tell you everything you need to know about this massive online marketplace.
If you go shopping for high-end men’s fashion online, it won’t be long before you come across Grailed. It’s a huge platform with millions of users that’s become a go-to hotspot for both new and secondhand upscale menswear.
Even though Grailed is quite popular, many people have concerns about the platform. Are the sellers shady? How common are fake items? Is the customer support as bad as the reviews say? Do you need to worry about buyers trying to rip you off?
If you’re asking some of these questions, then you’re in the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about Grailed.
About Grailed
Grailed.com was founded in 2013 and has become one of the biggest platforms for reselling big-ticket items like streetwear,
Grailed operates as a traditional peer-to-peer marketplace, effectively serving as a middleman for individual sellers. Think of it as eBay for really expensive clothing. The platform has over 8 million users, and you can find over 10,000 designer brands in the listings.
Grailed is usually synonymous with designers like Gucci, Supreme, and Yeezy. However, there’s a good range of menswear on the site, and you can often shop hard-to-find items from brands like Ralph Lauren, Barbour, and Carhartt. (That said, it’s still pretty focused on higher-end stuff).
Is Grailed Legit?
Because it’s just a middleman, Grailed gets a lot of flak, usually in the form of negative reviews. Search “Grailed.com review,” and you’ll see a bunch of negative experiences ranging from complaints about item condition to reports of outright scams.
However, those negative reviews aren’t indicative of Grailed as a whole. Again, it’s similar to eBay — you can get scammed, but it’s rare if you use caution when purchasing, and it shouldn’t turn you off the platform.
One of the biggest issues with Grailed is the frequency of counterfeit products or scam listings, but it’s worth noting that this isn’t an issue at all for many Grailed users.
Generally speaking, knockoffs and scams are only typical for limited edition designer or streetwear items (think Air Jordan
Yes, Grailed is legitimate. However, depending on what you’re looking for, you might run into illegitimate sellers.
Grailed has buyer protection services and policies in place to combat scams.
First, if you make the transaction through PayPal, you’re automatically covered by PayPal Buyer and Seller Protection. Grailed also offers Purchase Protection for purchases made directly through the site.
Second, Grailed also performs authentication services on all risky listings. Confirmed listings are marked as having been authenticated by the Grailed team, and inauthentic listings are permanently deleted.
Third, Grailed uses a badge system to reflect the trustworthiness of its sellers. These badges include “Quick Responder,” “Speedy Shipper,” “Trusted Seller,” “Admin,” and “Grailed Endorsed” (for original sellers, partners, and affiliates).
All things considered, buying on Grailed is pretty safe. Unless you’re shopping for highly sought-after items, you won’t have to worry too much.
Buying on Grailed
Like most clothing marketplaces, Grailed is essentially a search engine, so using the right search terms is key.
For best results, use a specific search and then apply any necessary filters. Grailed gives you the ability to filter by size, price, designer, condition, location, and more, so it’s easy to refine your search.
Before you hit the buy button, make sure that the seller has a good reputation on their profile. If it’s a new seller with 0 confirmed transactions, then you might want to avoid it.
When you’re ready to buy an item, you can either purchase it outright or make an offer on it. (Of course, you should only make an offer if you do intend to purchase the item.)
Selling on Grailed
If you’re interested in selling on Grailed, then there are some best practices you should be aware of.
When you list an item, you should include plenty of details about the item. Your listing should include the item’s brand, size, condition, color, measurements, and other basic info.
It also helps to have a description that provides additional detail about the item. This is a good place to put any information not covered by the listing itself.
You also need clear photographs that display the tags/branding as well as the item’s condition. Grailed has an extensive guide to photo standards that you should read before listing.
Finally, be aware of the platform fees. Grailed currently takes a 9% fee, and if you’re using PayPal, you’ll incur small additional fees that vary depending on whether the seller is domestic or international.
Grailed Customer Service
Another plus to Grailed is its excellent customer service. In most cases, Grailed support is quick to respond, take action, and resolve issues.
Since Grailed offers protection for both buyers and sellers, they don’t automatically side with either party. Instead, they investigate the issue, and they’ll even help appeal unfair PayPal outcomes.
The support team is also highly active on social media and will often post about ongoing scams on the Grailed subreddit.
While people do complain about the support from time to time, that’s par for the course. By all accounts, Grailed has better customer service than many established brands.
Who Is Grailed For?
Since Grailed is a hotspot for more expensive items, it’s a little different from other clothing marketplaces.
The main difference is that you’ll find mostly higher-end stuff on Grailed. You’ll see brands such as Kapital, Stone Island, and Rick Owens pop up repeatedly. If that’s the kind of stuff you’re after, then you should probably just download the Grailed app already!
If you’re more into secondhand or vintage menswear from brands like Brooks Brothers, Red Wing, and Perry Ellis, then you might still find Grailed useful.
Keep in mind that these types of brands aren’t as common on Grailed, so you won’t have as wide a selection to browse.
Of course, the best way to know if Grailed is right for you is to use it for a bit and see if the items and brands you’re after are easy to find.
Grailed FAQs
Here are answers to a few more commonly asked questions about Grailed:
Does Grailed Do Returns?
Grailed’s return policy states that items are only eligible for returns if the seller’s description was inaccurate. If that’s the case, you have a month to file a claim.
If you think you purchased an inauthentic item, then Grailed will assist you in getting your money back.
What Is “Grailed Payments?”
Grailed Payments is a new payment processing platform used by Grailed. Benefits include more payment methods, faster payouts, and Grailed protection. It’s currently in beta but will eventually be rolled out for all sellers.
Why Is Grailed So Cheap?
Since Grailed is a reseller marketplace with lots of secondhand items, prices tend to be much lower than retail. This depends on the item, however, as some items will go up in value.
Final Verdict
Overall, Grailed.com is a legitimate site for buying upscale menswear.
If you’re worried about using Grailed, hopefully, this will help put you at ease. As long as you do your due diligence when shopping, you should have a great experience.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
Grailed is the most horrible company I’ve ever dealt with!! They ignored me for weeks about an item I received with holes in it. Buyer’s please beware this company is an absolute joke!! They couldn’t care less, customer service is the absolute worst. No response whatsoever. Read the reviews they are very true!!
Grailed is a fraud. Completely scammed my son who sold some nikes for $390, they were shipped and received, and the buyer withdrew the funds saying they hadn’t made the purchase. Paypal would not cover it through seller protection because it was through Grailed. Buyer AND Seller beware!
Grailed customer service is horrible. No phone number and they are extremely slow in responding to emails.
Customer service is horrible. Tried to sell sneakers I purchased from the manufacturer. Even posted the receipt. Grailed deleted my listing saying they show signs of not being authentic. I have to make an appeal, which is tiresome and slow since they won’t respond until at least 2-3 days.
What is worse, is that obviously the team that authenticates items don’t have the knowledge of separating fakes from original.
The grailed customer support is awful. Stop lying to people.
Benn there, done that.