Nike Sneakers are most likely to be fake. How to distinguish

Fake sneakers are big business. Sneakers from Nike and Adidas are expensive. But when you consider the high price of these top-brand sneakers and the ridiculous mark-ups they receive on the aftermarket, it is easy to see why there is so much demand for cheap imitations.

Some sources claim that the counterfeit sneaker market is worth up to US$450 billion. Sneakers are the most counterfeited goods on the planet. Fakes are becoming more sophisticated these days, making it difficult to distinguish the genuine McCoy from the fakes.

It is also difficult to determine which sneaker designs are more likely to be copied than others. The counterfeiters have even managed to reverse engineer sneakers from press materials and put fakes in circulation before the official release.

Now we have some data. StockX, the leading sneaker and luxury goods marketplace, recently published a report on their authentication process. It revealed some surprising stats about the number of counterfeit goods they have encountered, as well the top three most fraudulent sneakers they’ve encountered.

StockX has uncovered that the three most counterfeit sneakers StockX has detected in the past 12 months were all Nike Air Jordans. They’re all Air Jordan 1s and all have a connection with Travis Scott, a popular Houston rapper.

The Jordan 1 Fragment and Travis Scott are #2 and #3, respectively in high-top and low-top versions. It’s not surprising that Scott’s Nike sneakers are some of the most sought-after and hyped on the market. Fragment is also a highly sought-after brand.

The Jordan 1 High ‘Dark Mocha” is the most counterfeited sneaker. Although it isn’t a Travis Scott collaboration, it is very similar to the Travis Scott ‘Mocha” which is why it is so popular and why counterfeiters have been so eager to copy it.

StockX’s 11 authentication centers around the globe rejected more than 300,000 products valued at over US$100 millions last year. However, not all rejected products were fakes. StockX rejected 24% of all products due to manufacturing defects. Next came damaged boxes (20%) and used products (i.e. It’s not in mint condition) at 16%.

For comparison, fakes accounted for 14% of rejected products. This still works out at a staggering 42,000 products, most of which were sneakers. StockX’s authenticators have a 99.96% accuracy rate, so don’t be surprised if you forget.

How do I identify a fake?

StockX has huge authentication teams that inspect each sneaker every time they get it. But how can the average shopper tell if it’s genuine or fake? It’s not always easy. This is why sneaker authentication or ‘legit checking’ services are so popular right now.

It all comes down to common sense. You should not buy a sneaker that sells regularly for more than the retail price, or at a higher price than it is worth. Be aware of your senses. If they are very chemically scented, poorly made, or have an odd appearance, don’t buy them.

You should also ensure that the colourway or design is authentic and not a homage to another brand.

Specific sneakers, just like art pieces, will have certain features that can help you identify a fake. Legit Grails suggests that you look at the logo of the Jordan 1 “Dark Mochas” embroidered with the ‘Air Jordan’ logo. This is because fakes often have inconsistent shapes and sizes, as well as less precise letters.

Hot tip: Join an online sneaker community. Sneakerheads are happy to help you ‘legit-check’ your sneakers and recommend trusted sellers. You probably won’t shop at Taobao. This should be obvious.