Source: Jordan Brand / Jordan Brand
After years and years of eBay users getting jerked by bootleg sneakers and B-grade variants, eBay is finally getting with the times and beginning their own sneaker authentication system to ensure you pay ridiculous resale prices for official tissue.
According to CNN, eBay is launching a much needed sneaker authentication service for kicks that sell over $100 as many a sneakerhead has at least once in their life been duped into paying top dollar for something you can get on the avenue for $50. Beginning October 25th the new program will begin to take place and won’t just offer protection to buyers, but sellers as well.
Here’s how it works: After a sale is completed, qualifying sneakers sold on eBay will be shipped to the company’s third-party authentication facility, instead of to the buyer. There, human experts will use a multi-point inspection process to verify that the shoes “are consistent with the listing title, description and images.” Approved items will be tagged as authentic and shipped to the buyer.
The sneaker authentication program also protects sellers who offer return options from having counterfeit items shipped back to them by predatory purchasers — that is, people who buy legit goods but then initiate a return and swap in fake ones. Sneaker returns will be shipped back to the center for verification of authenticity and condition, confirming it is the exact item that was sold, before they are sent to the seller.
“By removing any uncertainty with the buying process, our community can buy and sell with total confidence,” eBay North America Senior Vice President and General Manager Jordan Sweetnam said in a written statement.
About damn time. Unfortunately, there’s no retro authenticating option but we can’t always get what we want. Anyone who has a Nike SNKRS app knows that all too well.
Are y’all excited that eBay will finally be authenticating sneakers sold and bought on their site? Let us know in the comments section.
