What if your shoes are not StockX certified? (Updated in 2022!)
StockX is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing internet marketplaces. This is the go-to retailer for cool sneakers, streetwear and collectibles. Since Dan Gilbert launched in 2015, the online retail giant has taken the sneaker world by storm.
When it comes to shopping online, one of the main questions buyers care about is: Is the product I’m buying legal? Are there suppliers selling fake sneakers to me?
Read on to find out what happens to shoes that fail the StockX certification test, and more.
What if your shoes are not StockX certified?
If the shoe fails the StockX certification process, StockX will attempt to connect the buyer to another supplier and return the original shoe to the seller.
When a seller’s product arrives at the StockX warehouse, a dedicated team begins a thorough inspection process. This step is critical as it ensures that each product meets StockX’s Condition Guidelines.
Additionally, the team is constantly receiving industry updates and training to maintain their expertise. Only after verification will StockX ship to buyers.
StockX always wants buyers to receive what they ordered. So, if the item in question fails the certification test, the first step is to try to connect the buyer with a new supplier.
It is important to note that in this case the buyer will not incur additional charges. If the order is ineligible, StockX will refund the buyer and return the item to the seller before taking precautions to ensure no repeat sales.
To learn more about the StockX authentication process, read on…
How strict is StockX authentication?
StockX is undoubtedly one of the few online retail stores with a strict certification policy. It relies on machine learning technology and artificial intelligence as well as human expertise to ensure that everything passing through its warehouses is legitimate. StockX’s artificial intelligence and machine learning can detect fakes before suppliers list them on the platform.
On the other hand, some professional human appraisers are responsible for rigorously checking each item by smelling, touching, looking at stitching, boxes, shoelaces, and any other marks of authenticity.
This team is constantly mastering the certification of new styles and SKUs, and the state-of-the-art technology gathers data to help improve and innovate StockX’s certification technology.
Will fakes pass StockX?
While quality is a hallmark of StockX, it does not imply a 100% guarantee of authenticity. After all, a rigorous certification process can only guarantee buyers 99.5% accuracy. While it’s rare for fakes to be sold on this platform, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye out for vendors who deal with fakes. This is true because of the increase in counterfeit manufacturers utilizing modern technology to reproduce the StockX label.
So how do you make sure you’re not the victim of a scam? Here’s how to identify fake StockX tags:
StockX’s verification process is complicated, so you’re unlikely to receive fake tags from them. However, the problem arises when you buy items from outside sources and they come with a StockX label. While someone might have purchased the item from StockX and wanted to resell it, it’s also possible that they wanted to pass off the fake as the real thing.
After seeing the label, the first thing to do is to look for the shoe holding it. If the tag hangs on the right shoe, know it’s a fake, because StockX only puts the tag on the left shoe. For streetwear, however, identifying fakes is more complicated.
You may already know that StockX labels are green, but there are some differences in hue between real and fake labels. Fraudulent labels may have various shades of green, but legitimate labels are always the same color.
If you already have a real StockX label, it’s easier to tell the difference between a real and a fake because you can easily compare the two.
Another aspect that you can use to differentiate between real and fake labels is the string appended to the label. For starters, you can use string color to differentiate. Legal StockX strings are also green, but with a yellowish undertone. The most common StockX label has a green clover color.
Another way to use a string as a determinant for authentication is to check if it can be put together. You can’t connect and disconnect real strings. You can only cut it.
- letters on the StockX label
Genuine StockX labels have large, bold letters that say “Verified” and “Authentic.” Unbeknownst to many, this is where most knockoff labels come from. The paint quality on the genuine label is significantly better than the paint quality on the fake label. Most of the time, you can identify false labels from chipped white paint and mess.
The original label has a premium paint and is known not to chip easily. These letters also have long letters with a more prominent texture. Another thing you should keep in mind is that the original StockX labels are thinner compared to the fakes. While it can be challenging to spot this from the picture, looking at the labels from a specific angle can help.
There is a QR code on the back of each StockX label. If you doubt the legitimacy of these labels, you can easily rule out fakes by scanning the labels with your smartphone. Real StockX labels generate codes that companies use to identify specific product models and brands. On the other hand, fake tags will have a fake QR code that redirects you to the company’s website.
Every time you receive a package from StockX, a thank you card will be included with more details about selling and shipping through StockX. While the cards usually have the same green color as the labels, StockX also uses black cards. However, most fake cards are usually black. Also, their dimensions may differ from real cards, as they are usually narrower and longer.
Where does StockX authenticate?
StockX has 50 different checkpoints in New York City and Los Angeles that determine the authenticity of products and check if they meet the criteria for “dead stock” conditions.
Want to learn more about StockX? Check out these articles to learn how long it takes StockX to authenticate, the conditions under which shoes are sold on StockX, and how long it takes StockX to ship.
in conclusion
All in all, StockX is the real deal because of their authentication process. In this way, they instill confidence in their customers that they can rest assured knowing they will receive the exact item they ordered.
Therefore, if you are a StockX supplier, you should ensure that your products meet their standards.
This is because when StockX finds out that you are selling counterfeit products on the platform, the consequences can be severe. Not following the company’s guidelines can also be inconvenient for buyers, as the company may have to connect them with another seller.
