Once verified, the sneakers get a small eBay tag. | Image: eBay
eBay is launching a new sneaker authentication service to verify that shoes sold on the platform match what their listings claim. According to CNN, the service will start the week of October 25th and cover the most popular sneaker styles and brands. But by early 2021 it will expand to cover all sneakers sold for over $100 on eBay in the US.
Collectible sneakers are big business. TechCrunch notes that some shoes are limited to just a few thousand or even dozens of pairs, meaning popular editions can sell for up to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, this means the market is also ripe for counterfeiting. In one incident from last year, US Customs and Border Protection officers seized over 14,000 fake Nikes…