Let’s face it, we’ve all been a victim of counterfeit sneakers at some point. Even the biggest of sneakerheads have made a purchase or two in their lives that they regret. The big problem is obviously the fact that the counterfeit industry has become so big and sophisticated, that sometimes even experts can’t tell the difference between real and fake.
One company from the US is claiming to have found the solution that will drastically narrow your chances of being fooled when buying kicks. Meet SnkrsDen, the new online marketplace from the creators of YankeeKicks. After shaking the market with their online store, the guys at YankeeKicks are basically trying to redefine the way we buy shoes – and to finally restore trust between buyers and sellers. The system? Well, it’s actually simpler than you would think. More on that to come…
One of the largest counterfeit industries in the world
Before we dive into the solution, we need to understand how the phony industry has become so blooming. Basically, it all starts with lack of enforcement against criminals in some parts of the world. The far east, for example, is known as a hotbed for anything fake, because the labor force is very cheap, and governments don’t care enough to do anything about it.
These products easily find their way across the ocean to the States, where dishonest dealers sell them for high prices – so as not to raise suspicion and, frankly, because they can. The average buyer probably won’t be able to tell, even after taking a closer look. Reality usually sinks in only when the shoe falls apart and by then it’s way, way too late to do anything about it.
Meet SnkrsDen, fighting the phonies with force
Enter the new online platform recently exposed, SnkrsDen. We were told about a new concept – an online marketplace where sellers and buyers can interact. Seems dubious at first, but once you understand how it works, SnkrsDen is actually quite brilliant. The interaction between buyer and seller becomes a lot safer once there is a name and a face on both sides. Getting to know the person who sells you the shoes a bit more in-depth makes the possibility of falling victim to a scam a lot smaller.
On the other side of this equation, giving the person who buys shoes from you a ‘warranty’ that you sell authentic stuff improves your reputation and raises your chances of selling again (word of mouth, you know). Overall, a win-win situation for both sides on SnkrsDen. Like we said, simple and smart – why hasn’t anyone thought of that before?
Much more than just a platform
What else does SnkrsDen has to offer? We took a quick tour of the website which, we must add, is still under construction as we speak. There’s the hottest sneaker news of course, a sneak peek at new kicks coming out soon, sneaker reviews (and you can trust the guys there that they know what they’re talking about), and more.
SnkrsDen is also planning to upgrade their content – especially their online marketplace – with an app that’s supposed to be out in a few months. We tried to snoop around, to get a taste of what it’s going to look like, but they’re being very secretive about it…
But wait, there’s more
For anyone who knows a thing or two about the world of sneakers, it’s no surprise that it was the people of YankeeKicks who came up with the idea for this platform. For years, YankeeKicks has been a source for photos, videos and tutorials on how to tell the real from the fakes in the sneaker world. Now, they promise that these guides are going to be taken to a whole other level on SnkrsDen. Better photos, more explanations, word from the experts, etc. In short, there’s certainly something worth waiting for.