How to Buy Sneakers From Resellers Without Getting Scammed

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With social media and blogs, it’s easier than ever for anyone to steal someone else’s sneaker photo and claim it as their own. Scam artists will usually use a photo of an authentic pair of sneakers that belong to another person and post it on their listing. Some might even just use a generic product shot taken directly from the brand.

The problem is that you don’t know if the seller has the actual sneakers depicted in the listing. Sure, the photographs show a legit pair, but when you actually receive the goods, they look nothing like what was depicted on the photo and are 100 percent fugazi.

The solution is simple: Request tagged photos. Ask for shots that show the actual sneakers with a piece of paper that has specific information written on it. For example, you could request for the paper to have today’s date, the name of the sneakers, the seller’s username, and the name of the marketplace where the transaction is taking place (e.g. eBay). If the seller is able to come through and provide all the information you requested on the photo, along with the sneakers, it’s most likely a good sign that the kicks are actually on-hand and legit.

Before sending payment online for a pair of sneakers, always ask the seller to create a detailed invoice of the transaction. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy either. A simple Word document with exact details of the sale should be enough. If the transaction is on eBay or PayPal, there are built-in features that make it simple for sellers to create an invoice in just a few clicks, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to ask.

The invoice should contain the date, the names of the buyer and seller, exact details of the sneaker (e.g. name, condition, size, etc.), the price, and shipping information. These are all important details that need to be in writing and will help make it so that both parties are on the same page. It will also come in handy if a dispute ever arises. Establish an invoice and make sure that you and the seller agree to the terms of the invoice before completing the sale.

Just as you would research reviews on a restaurant or car, the same thorough approach should be applied to buying sneakers.

If you’re on eBay or any other marketplace that has a reputation system, go through the seller’s feedback. If you’re doing the transaction on a sneaker forum like Sole Collector, check out the posts from the user to see how the person interacts with other members. Is the user providing valuable content and helping other members? Or is he merely trolling and spamming the community and bringing it down? If it’s the latter, chances are you might be in for a headache.

For transactions through social media like Twitter or Instagram, find out if the seller is a member of other networks or forums and assess their digital reputation. You can even ask other sneakerheads that you trust if they’ve ever done business with this person.

With all the information and resources that are available online, there should be no reason for you to skimp on performing this type of research.

We’ve all heard of this one before and the old adage rings true for sneaker culture. If a seller has a pair of kicks where the asking price is grossly under market value, it’s most likely a red flag. No one in their right mind is going to sell a pair of deadstock “Red October” Yeezys for $600 when they easily sell for upwards of $3,000.

If the situation isn’t as clear, proceed with caution. For example, if you find a pair of GR retro Jordans where the asking price is $75 under market value, do your research on the seller and ask questions about the item. Who knows, maybe he got the sneakers at a discounted price through a connect and isn’t taking the “L” by selling for less than the actual value. There are also circumstances where sellers just get plain desperate and need the cash. Find out what’s up and you should be good from there.

If you can take just one simple piece of advice from reading this guideline, this is it. If you’re paying for a pair of sneakers through PayPal, never mark the payment as a “Gift.” What’s more is that if the seller even requests this from you, end the transaction immediately and walk away.

Scammers will usually try to convince buyers to send PayPal payments marked as a "Gift" because in the event that the buyer opens a dispute with PayPal regarding the transaction (i.e. you received fakes or worse—a box full of styrofoam and water bottles), PayPal will not side with the buyer because the transaction was sent as a gift.

There are also cases where buyers will give you the option to either send as a “Gift” or add a few dollars on top of the agreed upon amount. You see, depending on the seller's PayPal account, there may be transaction fees anytime he receives a payment for a good or service. When a buyer sends as a gift, the seller is able to avoid those fees. In this case, if you're given the option to choose, just add a few dollars on top to offset the fees that the seller will be charged. Buyers will usually request that you add 4% on top of the agreed upon amount.

Craigslist can be a great platform to find sneaker deals locally, but you always have to be extra cautious when it comes to using the site. In fact, you probably have to be more so careful because of the element of doing a meetup with a complete stranger.

Unlike buying sneakers online from a reseller, it’s much more difficult to find out who you’re communicating with on Craigslist. There’s absolutely no reputation system to rely on and you have no username to research on social media or forums. All you’re probably going to have is a phone number, city, and maybe a first name.

Request tagged photos and ask all the questions you need until you feel comfortable moving forward. It also wouldn’t hurt to ask if the seller has an Instagram or Twitter. This will just help you get a sense of who you’re doing business with. Once it’s time to complete the transaction, setup a daytime meeting inside a public location that you’re familiar with. Choose a place that’s busy with a lot of foot traffic. Show up early, bring a friend with you, and just keep your ears and eyes open for any red flags. As long as you’re careful and perform thorough research, you should have nothing to worry about.

A simple feeling-out process will help you determine if the seller could potentially be a scammer. This can easily be done by asking the right set of questions.

Try to find out where the seller originally bought the sneakers and if he still has an invoice or receipt from the merchant. An actual receipt might be harder to come by if the sneakers were purchased in-store, especially if it’s been years since the sneakers released. However, if they were bought online, the seller should have no problem providing you with a screenshot of the invoice with personal information blocked out.

Even questions as simple as, “Does it come with the original box?” and “Can you provide more photos?” will help you determine if the seller is legit. If something seems inconsistent with their responses, move on and go to the next seller.

Sneaker culture is a growing niche but still remains relatively small. And with social media, everyone is essentially connected now. If you’re communicating with a reseller, tap into your network to see if anyone’s familiar with this person. Someone might have a bad experience, or maybe even a good one that they can share with you.

You can also ask your followers advice on legit checks or certain red flags to watch out for when buying a certain sneaker. Remember that your network is just as passionate about sneakers as you are, so it should almost be like second nature to help out a fellow sneakerhead.

At the end of the day, businesses that are driven by selling sneakers on the aftermarket provide overlooked services that go beyond merely selling a pair of kicks. Reputable establishments like Flight Club and RIF LA take the headache away from buying from a complete stranger. You’ll know that the pair of sneakers they’re selling you have been inspected for authenticity and that there won’t be any funny business going on when money exchanges hands. Like it or not, these types of businesses exist (and greatly thrive) for a reason. If you don’t want want to agonize over a transaction for a pair of sneakers you’re looking for, save yourself the trouble, pay the extra money, and just consider going to a reputable reseller.