KYW DEEP DIVE — Authentically authenticated
Exploring what authentication means to sneaker culture.
Good morning, family! Thank you so much for rocking with me on this glorious Monday.
Welcome to KYW’s first DEEP DIVE! This is a special edition of the newsletter where we explore a subject essential to sneaker culture in 2021. Our subject of the day is — you guessed it — authentication.
Let’s jump in!
Let’s talk about the glue of sneaker culture: Authentication
(Photo by SoleSavy on Unsplash)
Sneaker culture has always, and forever will, revolve around legitimacy. Fake sneakers have always been frowned upon in sneaker culture. No one wants to be caught dead in a pair of fakes — otherwise, they might face an eternity of shame and roasting.
That’s still the case in 2021. But the stakes are also higher these days because the culture has never been this mainstream.
Demand is out of control. Everyone wants a Jordan, a Yeezy or a Dunk. They’re the most coveted models out. But, as we know, the stock is short. These things are scarce. They literally sell out in seconds.
These conditions of high demand and low supply have created a couple of extreme circumstances.
The boom of the secondary market is anchored by this. These hyped shoes that are so hard to come by have created an aftermarket on different platforms that some finance wonks are predicting could be worth $30 billion by 2030.
It’s also created opportunities for counterfeiters. Because brands short the supply, it’s much easier for consumers to get duped by fake and counterfeit sneakers that become available on these same booming secondary market platforms
And that’s why authentication is so important. It’s the firewall. It’s the last line of defense for the consumer. And it comes at a time where the secondary market is becoming the primary resource for them to buy their new kicks.
They’re just simply too hard to buy directly from the source without bots or monitors. So, unfortunately, people have to turn to aftermarket platforms to gain access to the latest drops. Yes, it’s sucks. But that’s the way it is. And that’s why your biggest secondary market resources have authentication systems. We wouldn’t trust it otherwise.
But it can’t stop there. The consumer also needs to be educated about the landscape. We need to how to make sure what we’re buying and selling is real ourselves because, well, human error is a thing! And the more preparation, the better.
So here’s my best effort at that. Today’s newsletter is all about authentication, its processes and why it’s the lynchpin of sneaker culture. Hope y’all enjoy it!
Authenticators explain authentication
(Via Stadium Goods)
I had a chance to chat with Stadium Goods co-founders John McPheters and Jed Stiller to ask them about why authentication is essential, why there’s a premium on it now, the quality of fake sneakers and what their processes are.
Of course, they didn’t give me all the goods (pun intended), but here’s that conversation.
________________
This conversation has been lightly edited for brevity
Sykes: So, from your perspective, why is authentication so essential to the sneaker game right now?
John McPheters: With new sellers and shops popping up more and more, it’s important to trust where you shop. Our business model—holding inventory for our sellers and pre-authenticating it for our buyers—is predicated on providing that basis of trust.
Sykes: It feels like there’s a premium on it with the way the secondary market is booming. Do you feel that?
Jed Stiller: There’s been a secondary market for sneakers for many years and platforms have claimed different levels of authenticity verification and may charge accordingly for that service. What we’ve done at Stadium Goods is help clean up that market and provide a premium offering that we believe is the gold standard for the consumer.
Sykes: What makes Stadium Goods’ authentication process different?
Stiller: We have a platform where buyers and sellers can transact together in an environment of trust. There’s a reason we authenticate our products before we list them: We want our customers to know that the items they’re purchasing have already been verified and are in stock and ready to ship which also allows us to fulfill products to customers much faster than our competitors. It's hard to compare our model to peer-to-peer companies that present products for sale that have not yet been verified, we just provide an elevated service that the end consumer values in our opinion.
Sykes: When you all do see fake shoes, how close to the original do they get? It feels like they've gotten closer and closer over the years.
Stiller: Fakes have gotten more sophisticated over the years, but there are always telltale signs. We devote a tremendous amount of resources to combating the issue and making sure we can guarantee our inventory is authentic. The foundation of our practice is our team: we employ the most experienced, most skilled, and most dedicated staff of authenticators in the business.
Sykes: How many checks are you all making before determining if a shoe is legit or not?
McPheters: Because it’s proprietary, we can’t divulge the steps in the process, but suffice it to say, it involves more than simply examining the products with the naked eye. There are dozens of different “tells,” and many of them are specific to certain brands and even models, so it’s difficult to pinpoint exact signs that a novice could identify.
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Fakes are big business, too
We know that the footwear industry is worth billions. We also know that the secondary market is worth billions. But who would’ve guessed that the counterfeit market is, too?
The counterfeit goods market is worth $509 billion, according to a 2019 joint report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Whew, that’s a mouthful.
Sneakers are just a fraction of that. It includes everything from cars to watches to clothes to kicks and luxury bags. Whatever they can fake, they’ll fake it. And they’ll sell it for legitimate value.
Just look at this recent bust.
In December, there were a number of kicks, Viagra pills and a bunch of other fake goods seized worth more than $32 million. That’s wild.
And the wildest thing about it is that some of these goods actually look and feel quality. Almost as good as the legit stuff! And that’s because they’re often produced in the same factories, per the New York Times Magazine.
Yikes.
How to spot a fake
Because fakes are so quality these days, it’s hard to just spot one with the naked eye without doing a thorough check. You have to use all of your senses, including your common one, to know what you’re buying is fake.
Here are some quick steps to take if you think you’ve got a fake kick on your hands. The internet is a great resource. Pull up your shoe and go down the checklist.
First, check the box:
Take a look at its structure and compare it to what you see online. Make sure everything is well-printed and sharp. You can also check codes, fonts and retail tags.
Beware: This isn’t a catch-all. Fake shoes can still come in real boxes.
Check that tag:
An incorrect UPC code is the biggest giveaway of a fake kick. The number is the same for every shoe of the same size. You can check these on GOAT or just give the tag a quick Google search.
Check out the shoe's build:
Do the materials feel weird? Is the sole clunky and rough on the edges? Does the insole say what it’s supposed to say? Is the logo placement correct? Those are some of the questions to ask yourself.
Sometimes, there are factory defects. But chances are if something is drastically off, then this is a fake. And if you have a factory defect you should probably be sending that back, anyway.
Smell that thang:
Dead serious. If you smell super funky factory glue or your materials have a weird, dingy smell to them then chances are they’re not legit.
If you’re still unsure, find a local consignment shop and get a second opinion. That always helps.
Can’t call it a fake if its a replica
We’ve got another replica Dunk on our hands. This time, it’s these joints from Fugazi (that’s really the name of the brand, btw). They look like the Paris Dunks!
It’s a replica, so it’s fair game, fam. I ain’t gon hold y’all. These are NICE. They probably getting that Warren Lotas treatment, tho.
Alrighty, fam! That’s a wrap! Thank you so much for rocking with your boy. I want your thoughts on the deep dive! Reader survey coming later this week.
Until then, fam. Peace. Be safe. Be easy. Be kind. Peace and love.
Signing off.
—Sykes 💯
I’d add that ‘fakes’ are the porn of the sneaker world. No one admits to it, but damn, there’s another billion dollar industry right there that apparently has no customers? 🤷♂️.
great work here bro. Stadium Goods really played their cards close to their chest 😂