eBay is expanding its Authenticity Guarantee service to youth sneaker sizes from brands including Nike, Adidas and New Balance, as well as high-end designers like Gucci, Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton.
In December 2021, eBay extended its collaboration with Sneaker Con by acquiring its authentication business.
Using eBay’s expert Sneaker Con authenticators, consumers can shop with confidence on brand new and pre-owned shoes valued at $150 and over in girls, boys and unisex kids’ categories.
“We’ve seen over 1.5 million pairs of sneakers authenticated globally since our launch last year and we’re excited to roll out Authenticity Guarantee to youth sizes so sneakerheads big and small can get in on the action,” eBay Australia senior manager for authentication and collectibles, Alaister Low said.
“Youth (Y) sizes or Grade School models (GS) aren’t just for kids. Adults who wear a US women’s size 8.5 or smaller may be surprised to know they can cop their favourite styles like Air Jordans for less with youth sizes often cheaper than their adult counterparts.
“New sneaker drops sell out quickly and youth sizes are also usually more readily available for people that want the latest styles but miss out on popular adult sizes. As a guide, buyers can find their youth size by subtracting 1.5 from their US women’s size.”
Sneakers with an Authenticity Guarantee badge on their listing are checked for logo placement and stitching and even undergo the ‘sniff test’. Genuine pairs are then shipped to the buyer with a unique eBay NFC (near field communication) tag containing an encrypted digital authentication certificate – the only one of its kind in Australia.