According to eBay the very first eBay authentication centre is now open to facilitate ‘Authenticity Guarantee’ on sneakers meaning it’s time for the professional shoe sniffers to get to work.
Through eBay’s latest program, Authenticity Guarantee, the most popular sneaker brands sold on eBay UK for over £150 will be fully vetted and verified by an independent team of industry experts – Sneaker Con. When a sneakers purchase is made, the seller ships it directly to eBay’s authentication centre for a comprehensive, multi-point physical inspection by independent third-party inspectors. Following this rigorous assessment, the sneakers are sent via expedited shipping to the buyer.
To lead the way on this new initiative eBay UK has appointed its very own sneakerhead, Wahaaj Shabbir as Sneaker Category Manager. Wahaaj Shabbir was recently also appointed as a Shadow Board member at eBay a role established to help bring even more innovative ideas into the company. Their role is to provide insight and advice to the UK leadership team on issues like customer trends, sustainability, and in-work culture.
eBay UK sneakers by numbers:
- A pair of sneakers sold on eBay every 9 seconds in the UK last year
- Brits can shop more than half a million luxury sneakers on eBay at any given time
- The most expensive sneakers purchased on UK so far are the Dior Air Jordan1 AJ1 High OG Grey Sneakers, which sold for £6990
- The top three most popular types of sneakers in the UK are the Jordan 1s, followed by the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2s and the Nike Air Max 90s.
“eBay is the original marketplace for sneakers and we remain one of the largest channels that connects sneaker buyers and sellers, with our sneakerhead community growing significantly each year. This move to launch Authenticity Guarantee in the UK is a big one. We have seen sneakers become an asset class for many- a new way of storing your money as they grow in value over time. We want enthusiasts to know eBay’s got their back when they are looking to invest in sneakers and we’re here to help sellers build their businesses.”
– Rob Hattrell, Head of eBay Europe
