Collecting Skate Shoes is pretty much the same as collection comics, cars, or other memorabilias. It requires a certain amount of nerding out. And since the internet is a Worldwide haven for sneaker scam artists, we must be careful and make sure that we buy OG pairs and not get scammed on. Honestly, there is no perfect way to tell if a sneaker is legit or not. It’s not a science. Only those veteran sneakerheads that have been around for years can easily tell just by sight if a shoe is legit and on rare occasions even they are fooled. This blog post will attempt to merely give warning signs and things to look out for when purchasing skate shoes online or identifying counterfeits.
Skate Shoe Logos
Brand or Logo is one key in identifying brands. This is pretty obvious. But it is also instrumental in deciding the authenticity of a skate shoe. Certain scammers will try and alter a logo ever so slightly so that the untrained eye will not recognize it. For example, the Air Jordan Jumpan logo has key characteristics. The separated fingers on the non-ball hand, definition of pants on the legs, and the outstretched arm that holds the ball up and to the right. Certain counterfeits will try and have the ball pointed in the wrong direction. Certain Jordan models, such as the Retro 11s, do have the Jumpman facing the other direction on the authentic but if both or only one is facing the wrong way there is a good chance it is a counterfeit (I know, this is not a skate shoe, I just used it as an example). Other logo scams include lop sided Nike swooshes, less or more than three stripes on Adidas skate boarding shoes, or misplaced graphics on skate shoes.
Skate Shoe Discoloration
A skate shoe or any shoe relies on its colorways to attract attention. It’s considered as the show stopper in a sense. It defines the shoe that's why it can be a huge key in deciphering counterfeit kicks. It is quite hard to decipher if a colorway is untrue if you have never seen the authentic patterns or color combinations. Take for example the authentic Nike SB Space Tigers. Its swooshes are in yellow ochre colorway. The fake appears to be a more solid, and darker. Ever so slight differences in color are huge determinants in finding the legit pair.
Feedback on Online Marketplaces
This is one of the more obvious attributes of determining a counterfeit from a legit but is the most commonly overlooked. It's a must that you ask around - about the seller, who has he transacted with recently. Check for his feedback as well because these will give you a hint if the seller is a scam artist or not. Obviously a seller with a 100% rating is trustable. Be extra careful with seller’s less than 100% feedback. Check reviews, or comments to see what other buyers say about his/her products and their quality. For me, one negative feedback is not always an area for concern. More than three is a sign that you should not proceed with buying the shoe.
Number of Pictures
If the seller or any website has simply one picture of the skateshoe, then look out. Normally, if the shoe is legit, the seller has nothing to hide and will show the shoe from different angles for us to verify its authenticity. You may also ask for the photo of the box as well as the receipt.
Price
Certain skate shoes tend to sell way over SRP based on its popularity. Such as the Tiffanys, Laus, and Yeezys sold for hundreds and sometimes thousands over market price. However, if you come across one of these or any other popular models for retail or below claiming to be in deadstock condition, most likely or should I say - It is a scam.
Learn From Google or Sneaker Sites
You can also search the net for more information and legit photos of the shoes you want. Take it from a reputable website like ours - Skate Shoes PH. We have a wide range of skate shoes information, photos for you to check through and compare the shoes you're buying with.
Post a Comment