DISCUSSION
eBay to guarantee the authenticity of collectible sneakers
Written by George Anderson
A pair of sneakers is sold every 1.5 seconds on eBay, and the site wants its customers to know that they can make purchases without worrying that the kicks they are buying are not as advertised.
The online platform announced that it will fully vet and verify all new and preowned sneakers. eBay is applying the Authenticity Guarantee this month to most of the most popular sneakers sold on the site with plans to have it cover all shoes in the category sold for $100 or more by early next year. The move by eBay follows an earlier announcement that it was canceling selling fees on sneakers bought in the same price range.
"eBay operates the world's most diverse sneaker marketplace — with the widest selection and best prices — and by removing any uncertainty with the buying process, our community can buy and sell with total confidence,” said Jordan Sweetnam, SVP and general manager of eBay North America, in a statement.
With the Authenticity Guarantee program, sneaker sellers ship purchased shoes directly to a facility operated by Sneaker Con, an independent third-party facility, that authenticates the items and expedites shipment to customers. For sellers who are part of the program and accept returns, eBay verifies any sneakers that are sent back as well as the condition in which they are being returned.
The decision by eBay to offer its sneaker guarantee follows a similar program covering watches sold in the U.S. for $2,000 or more.
"Authentication has become an expectation for today's consumers in categories of high passion and high value, and this program makes eBay the most attractive platform for enthusiasts in these categories," said Mr. Sweetnam.
Earlier this year, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D- NY) introduced legislation known as the SHOP SAFE (Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-Commerce) Act 2020 that had five co-sponsors, including two fellow Democrats and three Republicans. The legislation, if passed, would shift liability for the sale of counterfeit goods to online platforms unless they performed a set of best practices designed to identify and take action against bad actors.
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