text: The high value of limited-edition sneakers has given rise to a large-scale counterfeit market. In response to the large counterfeit challenges, new companies have taken off. The shoe reselling market is dominated by StockX and GOAT, and eBay launched its own authenticated-sneaker initiative. These sites provide a trusted platform for sneaker resellers, though on occasion they are accused of delivering counterfeit shoes that somehow passed their "legit checks," the specifics of which are kept close to vest. On both StockX and GOAT, a buyer places an order for a given pair of sneakers, and the seller sends the purchased item(s) to StockX or GOAT facilities for inspection and verification; products are shipped to buyers if they are successfully authenticated. StockX allows registered users to watch and track resale prices in real time, along with publishing longer-term pricing and sales trends for sneakers that have been available for extended periods of time. Additionally, sneakers bought from StockX arrive with a QR coded tag on the shoes as an ostensible guarantee of their authenticity, but some buyers have nonetheless claimed that the shoes they have received are fakes – though given the opaque nature of online sneaker reselling in general, it is rarely possible to discern whether such claims are accurate. Authentication apps like CheckCheck, Legitmark, and Legit Check App By Ch were created to stop problems with counterfeit shoes. These apps are designed to help other users who lack knowledge in the sneaker community. People pay and send pictures to experts where they are "legit" checked.
  While StockX and GOAT have not disclosed how many sellers on their platforms sell goods en masse, they are believed to be the most popular outlets for doing so; StockX sold $1.8 billion in merchandise in 2020 alone (including sportswear and some other lines, but predominantly sneakers). StockX estimated the secondary resale sneaker market to be worth $10 billion in 2021 and to reach nearly $30 billion by 2030.