Photo: eBay
TECHNOLOGY
eBay Expands Its Resale Authenticity Guarantee to Include Sneakers Priced Over $100
On the heels of its Authenticity Guarantee for timepieces, which launched in September, eBay announced the expansion of the program to include coveted preowned sneakers. While pieces in the watch marketplace priced over $2,000 are eligible for the certification, sneakers that are sold at pricing higher than $100 will be vetted with their authenticity verified through independent experts.
“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 Jordan Sweetnam, senior vice president and general manager of eBay North America. “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.”
According to the San Jose, Calif., eBay, the process to attain its Authenticity Guarantee begins with the sale of a pair of sneakers on the platform. The seller will then ship the product to eBay’s third-party authentication facility, which was developed in partnership with sneaker-event producer and application platform Sneaker Con. Sneakers are examined for consistency with the listing title, description, and images followed by a multi-point physical authentication inspection. Upon completion of this process and authenticating the product, an eBay tag is attached to the sneakers to guarantee authenticity, thereby increasing the worth and resale value. If the seller accepts returns, the authentication program will also be used to determine the authenticity of the items that are returned.
eBay notes that more than 500,000 sneaker listings are featured on the site each day, and in 2019 the company sold nearly 6 million units in North America. Available through ebay.com/buyauthentic, the program is currently available to the most-popular sneaker styles and brands on the website and will expand to include all sales exceeding $100 in the category by 2021.
