StockX is an online marketplace, where buyers and sellers meet to trade popular trainers and accessories including exclusive and collectible items.
It’s known for trainer sales but you can also buy and sell a range of other things such as accessories, clothes and electronics.
If you’re hoping to buy a one-off item, such as a pair of Air Jordan 4 trainers or a set from the Yeezy range, StockX probably has a pair for sale.
You can also sell through the platform, although it works slightly differently to similar companies including Depop, Facebook Marketplace, and Vinted, leading to questions over whether StockX is legitimate.
Here we look at:
- What is StockX?
- Is StockX legit?
- How is StockX so cheap?
- Is StockX ethical?
- StockX alternatives
What is StockX?
StockX is an online marketplace, mainly for buying and selling high-end trainers.
The idea behind StockX is to buy and sell limited edition, unworn trainers. It’s not the place to sell your well-loved shoes; it’s strictly a marketplace for luxury brand-new items. It says it operates more like a stock market, allowing buyers and sellers to set the final prices.
Sellers set a price, and buyers can either choose to buy the item straight away, or they can bid for it with other buyers. This is a bit like the eBay model. Everything is done anonymously, so you won’t know who is buying or selling, and sellers don’t add photos or descriptions, as is the case with some other online marketplaces.
Once something is sold, the seller sends it directly to StockX, where a team verifies whether it’s legitimate or not, attaches a StockX label to it, and send it on to the buyer. When you buy something on the platform, you’ll be shown a 12-month history of how similar items have sold, which should give you an indication of the price the item will go for.
A few examples of trainers you can buy right now on the platform include:
- Jordan 4 Retro trainers: buy for £195 or you can bid (the last sale was £196)
- Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 trainers: buy for £345 or you can bid (the last sale was £317)
- Nike Air Max 1 ’86 OG Golf trainers: buy for £216 or you can bid (the last sale was £132)
- Adidas Gazelle Indoor trainers: buy for £181 or you can bid (no previous sales)
- Puma Suede trainers: buy for £113 or you can bid (the last sale was £164)
- New Balance 9060 trainers: buy for £111 or you can bid (the last sale was £140)
Is StockX legit?
StockX is a legitimate company, and it was founded in 2015 by Dan Gilbert, Josh Luber, and Greg Schwartz in Detroit, where its headquarters are, and it has more than 1,000 staff members.
It employs people all around the world in different roles, including people hired to verify the items being sold. In a recent company update, it said it has rejected £73 million worth of fake goods and stopped around 300,000 items from being sold on the platform. It also said it’s stopped £24 million worth of fake trainers specifically
It also has a StockX buyer promise and if a buyer receives the wrong item or they’re not happy with it, they need to contact the platform within ten days and it will be investigated.
StockX’s chief executive officer, Scott Cutler, said: “We’ve continued to see strong demand on our marketplace, despite consumers having faced economic challenges over the last year.
“This speaks to the strength of our customer – the StockX user is very passionate about the brands they know and love, and yet they remain steadfast in their desire to diversify their closet and discover the next big thing.”
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How is StockX so cheap?
Buyers who go through StockX may be able to find cheaper prices than going directly to a retailer. That’s because it is a secondary market and buyers can bid for prices.
Prices aren’t set by StockX. Instead buyers bid on them in a live marketplace which means items can often be cheaper than buying direct.
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Does StockX work in the UK?
You can buy from StockX in the UK and in most countries around the world. When you are given the final purchase price, you’ll also be shown any extra fees or taxes that you need to pay.
Buyers in the UK may need to pay processing fees or import taxes, all of which are shown when you make a bid on an item.
Sellers pay a fee, which is a percentage of the sum they sell something for. There are different tiers of sellers; the more items they sell, the lower the fee they pay to StockX.
For example, someone in tier one will pay a fee of 9% of the sale of an item and they have no minimum requirements for the number of sales they make, while a seller in tier three must have quarterly sales of at least 40 items and will then pay a fee of 8% of each sale to the company. The minimum seller fee for people in the UK is £4.50.
Before you use the platform, it’s worth checking to see if there are any StockX discounts available as it often releases voucher codes for money off or free delivery.
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Is StockX ethical?
StockX is a platform that allows buyers to find one-off rare items that often sell out quickly when they are released by big brands. These items are verified by the platform, so buyers should be reassured that they are buying a genuine item and not a fake.
StockX says: “We believe that the cultures of both our customers and team members must be celebrated. Building both an inclusive work environment and consumer experience for all who engage with us is the foundation of our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.”
However, despite this, it isn’t without its controversy. It was sued by Nike in 2022, for example, over claims that counterfeit shoes were being sold on StockX.
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StockX alternatives
One of the closest rivals to StockX is Kicks Crew, an online platform for luxury trainers, which is based in New York.
Goat is another online platform, allowing people to buy and sell luxury items. However, in order to sell on the site you must be approved and it says it “only allows a select group of sellers”.
There’s also Flightclub, which sells rare trainers but these are at a set price and there’s no option for individuals to buy and sell. It’s aimed at people looking for one-off trainers and it has three physical shops in America.
For second-hand items, there’s also Depop where you can find a wider-range of shoes and clothes. Marketplaces including Vinted, eBay and Facebook are all good options for picking up a second-hand bargain too. There are no guarantees as to the condition of an item or whether it is a genuine brand or a counterfeit.
Read more: How to sell your stuff on eBay, Facebook Marketplace and more
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