Ebay Expands 'Authenticity Guarantee' Service For Sneaker Sales In U.S.

(RTTNews) - eBay Inc. (EBAY) said Monday it has expanded its 'Authenticity Guarantee' service for sneaker sales on its platform. According to the company, it sells a sneaker every 1.5 seconds.

eBay noted that through the program, all new and pre-owned collectible sneakers sold on its platform for over $100 in the U.S. will be fully vetted and verified by an independent team of industry experts.

The service launches this month with the initial authentication of the most popular sneaker styles and brands on the marketplace, and will ramp to include all $100+ sneaker sales by early 2021, eBay said.

This marks the eBay's second significant authentication announcement in as many months. In September, the company first launched Authenticity Guarantee for every watch sold over $2,000 in the U.S.

The announcement also builds on eBay cancelling selling fees on any sneakers purchase of $100 or more, which has helped the company to attract more top sneaker sellers and bring the most coveted inventory to the marketplace at the most competitive prices.

Ebay provided details of the how 'Authenticity Guarantee' works. When a sneakers purchase is made, the seller will ship it directly to eBay's independent third-party authentication facility for a comprehensive, multi-point physical inspection.

Upon receiving the sneakers, the independent authenticator will confirm that they are consistent with the listing title, description, and images, and then perform a multi-point physical authentication inspection. An eBay tag, guaranteeing its authenticity, will be attached to the sneakers to finalize the process.

eBay said it has partnered with industry leader Sneaker Con to create a new state-of-the-art facility, a robust checklist of product specifications, and best-in-class processes to ensure accuracy and efficiency. Following the assessment, the sneakers will be sent via expedited shipping to the buyer.

For sellers who choose to offer returns, eBay's sneaker authentication program will ensure that the exact item initially sold is returned to the seller through a verified returns process.

Returns will be shipped back directly to the authentication center, where the third-party experts verify each item and its condition before returning them to the seller.