Is GOAT Legit?

As the sneaker community grows, so do the number of online sneaker marketplaces. GOAT is one of many sneaker marketplaces that claims to authenticate each pair of shoes that passes hands through its platform. 

But just as with StockX, it begs the question: Is GOAT legit? 

If you're spending your hard earned money on a pair of shoes from GOAT, pay attention: you deserve to know the truth behind this online sneaker marketplace.

What is GOAT?

Similar to StockX, GOAT was born out of the sneaker craze in 2015. Founder Daishin Sugano had been sold a counterfeit pair of Jordan 5s on eBay, and figured there had to be a better way to buy and sell authentic sneakers...a way to ensure that buyers and sellers are protected against phony shoes. 

Since inception in 2015, GOAT has expanded exponentially and now features over 600,000 sellers and 30 million members in 170 countries. 

The idea behind the GOAT platform is simple: A middleman (GOAT) protects against sellers passing off fake shoes as real, and protects buyers against spending their money on counterfeit goods. If the man in the middle can properly authenticate the shoes, this ensures a win-win scenario for both the buyer and seller. 

How is GOAT different than StockX? 

The biggest difference between GOAT and StockX is that GOAT offers different buying options. StockX only sells brand new shoes and goods, while GOAT gives you the option to purchase used sneakers, sneakers that are new with defects, and even GOAT Clean sneakers, which have been professionally cleaned. Of course, you can always buy brand new from GOAT, too. 

This gives both sellers and buyers maximum flexibility when it comes to their budget. Looking to save a few dollars? Buy a gently used pair and save the extra cash for another shoe down the line. Want to sell your kicks but don't have anything DS? GOAT gives you the power to you clean out your closet without the need for every pair to be unworn. 

How does GOAT Authenticate Sneakers?

GOAT's attitude towards authenticating sneakers is something along the lines of "by any means necessary". According to GOAT's Assurance of Authentication. "Our resale products are verified by means such as machine learning technology, digital authentication, in-hand verification, or a combination of the same."

This combination of authentication processes provides GOAT with an overall picture of the shoe's nature. Often it takes looking at much more than one or two things to deem a shoe authentic, and GOAT is willing to go through the trouble of looking at every detail in order to protect their buyers.  

Among the things GOAT claims to look at when authenticating a sneaker is the stitching, labeling, texture, coloring, and "so much more."

Does GOAT Sell Used Shoes?

Yes. As mentioned above, this is the separator between GOAT and StockX. Among other things, GOAT offers used sneakers, and StockX does not. 

What happens if GOAT deems a shoe to be fake? 

GOAT strives to protect their buyers from any sort of scam or receiving fake shoes. As such, GOAT has implemented the following Buyer Protection Policy where buyer's are protected against purchases that are...

• received and deemed as inauthentic; 
•  received, but is the incorrect item; 
•  received, but does not match the item description or images; 
•  received, but is missing a key feature; 
• or never delivered.

So, is GOAT Legit?

In short, GOAT is legit. Just as with StockX, nothing about the platform is absolutely perfect...but GOAT does a pretty darn good job at ensuring that their customers are protected against fake shoes. 

And sure, the fact that GOAT sells used sneakers may make the authentication process more difficult, but the fact that they offer customers a more economical route to buying their grail pair of sneakers is commendable. 

Protect yourself by educating yourself

If there's anything you take away from this article, it should be this: the best line of protection against getting scammed is yourself. Do all you can to educate yourself on the sneaker community, the shoes you're looking to purchase, and the most trustworthy places to buy them from. 

Find a great deal on used shoes from GOAT? 

Find some of our favorite products listed below. Cleaning your used kicks immediately upon arrival is a great idea...you never know what kind of germs and bacteria are lurking in the cracks and crevices of your sneakers.