The RealReal's AI expansion strategy signals major shifts in luxury resale. The company is deploying artificial intelligence across its operations, from identifying high-value sellers through SmartSales to accelerating inventory processing with Athena. CEO Rati Levesque emphasized this as a multiyear competitive advantage rather than a quick feature update. Physical retail locations are proving crucial, driving roughly a quarter of new consignors with significantly higher-value items like jewelry and watches. Average selling prices from retail sources reach five to seven times higher per unit. On demand, premium buyers show resilience with spending above five thousand dollars up twenty percent year over year.
