Secondhand Shopping is HOT right now. So are FAKES.
Shopping secondhand is a growing trend, particularly for fashion items, including sneakers, handbags, and accessories. StockX is an immense player in the game, valued at nearly $4 Billion. Earlier this year, Nike accused StockX of selling look-alike versions of its shoes and asked a federal judge to force the online marketplace to remove the alleged knockoffs from its website.
While Nike is a brand known for fiercely protecting its intellectual property, its recent lawsuit against StockX is unique, as noted by Leah Chan Grinvald, associate dean and professor of law at Suffolk University in a recent article by Fast Company. Manufacturers audit for counterfeiting regularly, and they buy their own products from resellers all the time, according to Grinvald. However, it’s uncommon for a manufacturer to actually sue a retailer for selling products that may have been counterfeited.
“They rarely bring cases against the seller, but in this instance, StockX is different from an Amazon or eBay, in that Amazon or eBay just tells consumers, ‘Buyer beware! We’re just a marketplace!’” says Grinvald. “Whereas StockX takes that next step . . . and says we’re verifying that the shoes you’re buying are authentically Nike.”
This case raises important considerations for both sellers and consumers: Consumers need to be aware that even seemingly-legitimate sources can sell fake items, even if authenticity is purportedly guaranteed. Sellers need to be increasingly vigilant about verifying the authenticity of items they sell.
One of the fundamental purposes of the new website shopsmallsustainable.com is to connect consumers with local businesses where they can buy pre-owned items from sellers who guarantee the authenticity of the things they sell. The site aims to connect carbon-conscious consumers with vetted local businesses where they can purchase authentic pre-owned goods, including fine jewelry, designer watches, luxury handbags, and collectible sneakers.
We partner with resellers including boutiques, consignment shops, jewelers, and pawnshops. Each of our referral partners has been carefully vetted to confirm that they have training and technology in place to ensure the authenticity of items they sell and robust return policies that protect the customer.
Consumers already know how important it is to shop locally. Now, shopsmallsustainable.com connects them with local businesses where they can be a part of the circular economy and reduce their carbon footprint by buying pre-owned while shopping small local businesses!
