When you think of eBay, you might automatically think of “collector’s items”. Vintage fashion and toys come to mind… but to sneakerheads, eBay is the OG hub for finding the rarest kicks available. eBay Canada announced recently that they’re launching an innovative Authenticity Guarantee that will appease sneakerheads across the country – when purchasing a pair of Yeezy’s, Nikes or New Balances you no longer have to worry that you’ve paid a wad of your hard earned cash for something fake.
Launching this May, eBay Canada will have a team of third party “industry experts” (a partnership with SneakerCon, a leader in sneaker authentication) that will inspect every single shoe selling for over $100 to ensure it’s authenticity and condition before shipping it off to the happy customer. Stemming from the call to remove selling fees from sneakers listed at over $100, this new program aims to bring security to buyers and simultaneously attract new sellers with the most coveted of sneaker collections to eBay.
“We were founded by sneakerheads, for sneakerheads, so partnering with eBay comes naturally considering our mutual rich history in servicing the sneakerhead community,” said Alan Vinogradov, co-founder of Sneaker Con. “We’re excited to take our authentication skills and expertise to Canada to help power eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee for sneakers.”
The Authenticity Guarantee program will begin with select new sneaker brands (Yeezy, Jordan, Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Asics, Vans, Reebok, Converse, and Puma ) and will expand to include vintage and pre-owned sneakers by the end of the year. Here’s how the Authenticity Guarantee program works (source: eBay Canada):
- Proof of Authentication: Upon receiving the sneakers, the independent authenticator confirms they are consistent with the listing title, description, and images, and then performs a multi-point physical authentication inspection. An eBay tag embedded with NFC chip technology is attached to guarantee its authenticity and finalize the process, driving confidence in the collectability and resale value.
- Third-Party Authentication: eBay has partnered with an industry leader, Sneaker Con, to create a new state-of-the-art facility in Canada – leveraging top authenticators in the industry, a robust checklist of product specifications, and best-in-class processes to ensure accuracy and efficiency. With rigorous inspection of the box, shoe, and accessories, the authentication underscores eBay’s commitment to giving shoppers exactly what they want.
- Verified Returns: For sellers who choose to offer returns, eBay’s sneaker authentication program ensures the exact item initially sold is returned to the seller, via a verified returns process. Returns are shipped back directly to the authentication centre, where the third-party experts verify each item and its condition before returning to the seller.
Over the last year, sneaker sales in Canada grew an incredible 325% (I guess pandemic style isn’t just about sweatpants?) and a pair of sneakers sold on eBay every 1.5 seconds across North America. In addition, the top five luxury brands purchased by sneakerheads last year include Nike, Jordan, Adidas, Yeezy and New Balance. With statistics like these, it’s no wonder eBay Canada jumped on the opportunity to partner with SneakerCon for this program. Now we can bid on sneakers on eBay with certainty that eBay Canada and SneakerCon has our backs.
If you’re interested in growing your sneaker business or just want to learn more, reach out to sneakers@ebay.ca. Make sure to check out eBay.ca/sneakers and follow @eBayCanada on Instagram and Facebook.