What’s the Difference between Consignment and Resale?

The way we buy and sell luxury is changing fast, and understanding the terms is key. The luxury goods market has witnessed significant growth in secondhand shopping, with new services launching throughout 2025.

Most recently, myGemma launched a new luxury consignment service in February, expanding beyond their direct selling model to offer customers more ways to monetize their designer items. But what exactly is the difference between consignment and resale?

The Fundamental Distinction

The primary distinction between consignment and resale lies in ownership and payment timing. With resale, stores purchase items outright from sellers, paying cash or store credit immediately upon acceptance. The store then owns the items and is responsible for selling them. In contrast, consignment operates on a partnership model where the original owner keeps ownership until the item sells, receiving a percentage of the final sale price only after a successful transaction.

As Andrew Brown, CEO of…