EBAY LAUNCHES AUTHENTICATION FOR STREETWEAR

by John Russel Jones Jun 01, 2023



eBay has expanded its Authenticity Guarantee to streetwear. Beginning today, new and pre-owned inventory sold for $200 or more from Aimé Leon Dore, Fear of God, KITH, Supreme, Off-White, Palace and Stone Island will be eligible for the service. This marks the expansion of eBay’s authentication service to its sixth category, which currently includes sneakers, watches, jewelry, handbags, and trading cards.

All eligible streetwear bought and sold in the U.S. will be vetted and verified by eBay’s team of professionally trained authenticators using detailed physical inspection and advanced technical equipment in eBay’s new state-of-the-art facility in New Jersey.

“eBay has pieces from nearly every notable streetwear drop that’s ever happened – whether in 1993 or 2023,” said Garry Thaniel, Global GM of Sneakers and Streetwear at eBay. “We’ve heard loud and clear from our enthusiast community that they want to be able to come to eBay to buy and sell apparel in the same seamless way that they can sneakers. With the launch of Authenticity Guarantee for streetwear, we’re delivering on that ask.”

Shoppers can visit eBay.com/streetwear to browse and buy from a selection of thousands of new and pre-owned streetwear items from top brands – all marked with a badge of Authenticity Guarantee. By the end of September, the service will expand to include streetwear from hype brands like Adidas and Nike, as well as luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and more.

Fashion on eBay

From Q4 2019 to Q4 2022, eBay’s luxury categories in aggregate have had roughly double-digit annualized growth. Authenticity Guarantee is driving increased confidence, and new programs like Certified by Brand are delivering an even wider selection of coveted and collectible luxury goods. eBay’s recent acquisition of Certilogo, a platform that empowers brands and designers to manage the lifecycle of their garments through AI-powered IDs and authentication, further solidifies eBay as a trusted destination for pre-loved menswear and womenswear and marks a key investment in the marketplace’s growing fashion category.

How It Works

When a streetwear purchase is made, the seller ships the item directly to eBay’s team of professionally trained authenticators for a comprehensive, multi-point physical inspection, ensuring that the contents are consistent with listing details. Following this rigorous assessment, the item is sent via expedited shipping, at no fee to the seller or buyer. Details on the streetwear authentication process include:

  • Multi-point inspection by in-house experts: A multi-point, physical inspection is performed for authenticity. This process includes a thorough physical inspection of the garment’s structure, materials, tags, and logos. The packaging and accessories are also reviewed for authenticity.
  • Proof of authentication: Verified streetwear will receive a unique authentication tag with a QR code. The Authenticity Guarantee tag is fastened to the garment and activated with our digital stamp of authenticity and customized with the product details. Scan the code to access your item’s documentation – the tag also makes it easy to re-list it in the future.
  • Verified returns: For sellers who choose to offer returns, eBay’s handbag authentication program ensures the exact item initially sold is returned to the seller, via a verified returns process. Returns are shipped back directly to the authentication center, where authentication experts verify each item and its condition before returning to the seller.

Eligible brands currently include Aimé Leon Dore, BAPE, Fear of God, KITH, Off-White, Palace, Stone Island, Supreme, and Vetements. By the end of September Adidas, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Burberry, Cactus Plant Flea Market, Chrome Hearts, Comme des Garçons, Dior, Eric Emanuel, Fendi, Givenchy, Gucci, Jordan, Louis Vuitton, Nike, OVO, Palm Angels, Prada, Rhude, Versace, and Visvim will be added.

Streetwear on eBay: By the Numbers

  • Globally, searches for “streetwear” on eBay are up approximately 100% year-over-year (April 2023 compared to April 2022).
  • Top selling streetwear brands globally in 2022 included BAPE, Fear of God, Off-White, Stone Island, and Supreme.
  • In 2022, global eBay users searched for Supreme more than 30 times per minute.
  • Globally, searches for A Bathing Ape and KITH are up double digits year-over-year (April 2023 compared to April 2022).
  • Globally, searches for Aimé Leon Dore knits are up triple digits year-over-year (January – April 2023 compared to the same timeframe in 2022).
  • In 2022, top-searched streetwear items globally included Fear of God Essentials hoodies, Palace hoodies, Palace shirts, Stone Island hoodies, and Stone Island shirts. 

Photo, top, by Mart Production.