The sneaker market has been growing in popularity over the past years, increasing the demand for rare sneakers and the competition to buy certain pairs for retail.
Here’s an overview of the key alternatives on the Secondary Market you have for securing unreleased and sold out pairs (in no particular order).
All of these platforms are a type of peer-to-peer marketplace with the benefit of offering a middleman to receive the goods from the seller, verify the authenticity and condition before approving and sending them over to the buyer. For anyone buying more expensive sneakers, this is a reassuring step that includes some fees.
StockX
StockX is an online marketplace and app where you can find rare sneakers at resell prices which are authentic and new.
StockX Advantages and Differentiators
On StockX, you will only find sneakers which are brand new (referred to as Deadstock), meaning that you will get that new out-of-the-box experience even if you purchase a pair of sneakers which released 5-10 years ago.
StockX started out as the “Stock Market of Things”, meaning that they offer the opportunity for sellers to list at their preferred prices and for buyers to place bids at their maximum prices. This level of bidding can be beneficial if you’re looking at certain products that don’t have as much action and you can certain times pick up some older sneakers at steal prices.
StockX offers a multitude of products outside of sneakers, including: Apparel, Electronics, Trading Cards, Collectibles, and Accessories like Caps or Luxury Handbags.
My personal experience with StockX
I like the historic view on StockX showing recent sales as well as the opportunity to place bids on items. I’ve had a few surprise purchases a couple weeks after placing bids on older SB Dunks that didn’t have any high bids from potential buyers.
I have sold a couple of sneakers on the platform that I changed my mind on. I do like the simplicity of selling directly to the highest bidder and getting the shipping label to print directly.
I have bought about 10-15 pairs of sneakers on StockX and I have never had any issues myself with the authentication or Quality Control of the sneakers. I also once bought a pair of Apple Airpods Pro off StockX for $160 when they retail for $220, at the time of writing these last sold for $142.
Useful Links
- Nike SB Dunk Low’s sorted by Lowest Asking Price on StockX
- Yeezy’s for Under Retail on StockX
GOAT
GOAT has been establishing themselves as the main competitor to StockX when it comes to sneakers with a global marketplace for sellers listing sneakers and (more recently) designer bags, and apparel.
GOAT Advantages and Differentiators
Those searching for older sneaker models on GOAT have the opportunity to buy used sneakers along with those that could have defects or are brand new but missing the box. Sellers are required to take templated shots of the sneaker which ensure the right style code is assigned and that buyers get the chance to see all details on the product before clicking buy.
Another difference when buying on GOAT is that as a buyer you cannot place bids on items that you’re interested in, meaning that you will need to either buy the product at the size and price listed or keep track of the products for future reference.
My personal experience with GOAT
As a sneakerhead, I’ve loved using GOAT for selling my used sneakers that I’m not as attached to getting back pretty much what I paid for them after wearing them for 2-3 years.
A huge benefit with GOAT is that they credit your account with GOAT credits in USD that you can re-use to buy other pairs, which has been a very welcome feature when there’s a pair I’d rather have.
Useful GOAT Links
- Find sneakers under retail on GOAT
- Find the newest releases on GOAT
KLEKT
Klekt (sounding similar to Collect) is an EU based marketplace for mainly sneakers similar to StockX and GOAT. They also offer Streetwear and Accessories sold by third parties.
Klekt Advantages and Differentiators
The main advantage with Klekt is that if you are in the EU, you may find much better deals on specific sneakers when they are sold on that side of the pond.
Klekt offers an optional insurance fee which covers the full cost of your sneakers when buying.
My personal experience with Klekt
Being based in the EU, I have bought a couple of pairs off Klekt. When I’ve been looking for certain pairs of recent sneakers I have found the final price with fees to be about 10-20% cheaper for me. One thing I do like is that they have a strong partnership with Crep Protect and usually include some one-time use Crep wipes in the box for the end buyer. Klekt also sometimes has campaigns where you can find promo codes for a 10% discount or free shipping.
Useful Klekt Links
- Sneakers on Klekt
- Streetwear on Klekt
- Accessories on Klekt
eBay Sneakers
eBay has recently been branching out into the sneaker space over the past couple of years. If you are in supported locations, eBay offers the same type of authentication service as these platforms mentioned above and usually for lower fees. I can’t share more of an opinion on eBay since I have not had the opportunity to find any sneakers I was looking for which also have the “Authenticity Guarantee” when looking at my location (it needs to be listed on the listing with a blue checkmark).
Summary
I hope this was a useful overview of the main secondary marketplaces available. You can search directly for price comparison between these marketplaces on our site other online shops to find the best deals.