How to Spot Fake Nikes

Investigate Nike shoes sellers on the Internet., Avoid sellers that substitute stock shoe photos for pictures of actual Nike shoes., Avoid items that claim to be "custom," "variant" or "sample" Nike shoes., Avoid Nike shoes priced far below their...

7 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Investigate Nike shoes sellers on the Internet.

    Be extremely cautious when purchasing Nike shoes on the Internet.

    Since you don’t actually have the physical product in front of you, you can very easily be throwing money at a fake shoe.

    To avoid purchasing a fake:
    Read website ratings and reviews before buying anything.

    Bad reviews is an obvious sign that the seller is not reliable or reputable.

    However, be careful because some sites will choose to only show “good” reviews.

    Do a third party search by inputting the seller in a third party search site and examining their reputation there instead of on the seller’s site.

    Ensure you are protected from fraud.

    Some online websites provide their customers with a return policy, even if the seller is a third party of the site.

    Having security that you will get your money back will protect you losing if you do happen to purchase fake Nike shoes.
  2. Step 2: Avoid sellers that substitute stock shoe photos for pictures of actual Nike shoes.

    A stock shoe photo is more aesthetically appealing but it’s not what you should be looking for when purchasing shoes online.

    A photo that is obviously shot within a home ensures that the pair actually exists and its condition can be matched with the photo.

    You could try to contact the seller and ask them to take another photo of the shoe with an item that determines the date or authenticity of the photo.

    For example, ask the seller to take a photo of the shoe next to today’s newspaper. , True Nike shoe samples only come in men's U.S. size 9, 10, 11, women's 7 and children's
    3.5.

    There are also no such real Nike shoes that are “custom” or “variant”.

    View the seller's entire inventory.

    For unknown reasons, counterfeiters tend not to sell U.S. sizes 9 or 13 and above.

    Older Nike shoes that are out of production are almost never available in a full sizing run.

    For example, if you're searching for a pair of vintage Nikes and find a site that has a stock of 200, they are likely fakes. , The shoe is either fake or extremely damaged.

    Generally, a Nike shoe that is priced in half is most likely fake.

    A reasonable discount is more realistic, especially if the shoe is a limited edition or vintage.

    A seller might price it extremely high and offer you the chance to haggle to a ridiculously low price.

    Be careful, especially since you don’t have the physical shoe to verify its state and existence.

    Check the shipping estimation.

    If it will take between 7 and 14 days to deliver your shoes, they are likely traveling from China (a verified source of fake Nike shoes) or from another distant country.

    If you must order Nikes online, it's best to purchase them directly from the company's website or from the list of authorized , It is almost guaranteed that any shoe available before the official release date will be a counterfeit.

    These shoes may look like an upcoming design but are most likely modelled very closely to look like it.

    Early release photos allow counterfeits to be produced without originals to be compared with and many people fall into the trap of attempting to get their hands on a pair before everyone else. , Once you find shoes you like, take more steps to verify their authenticity.

    Double check with Nike or a trusted retailer's website to compare them with an image of the original shoe.

    Ask the seller to verify that the shoes are authentic.

    You can also ask for their supplier's contact information for further information.
  3. Step 3: Avoid items that claim to be "custom

  4. Step 4: " "variant" or "sample" Nike shoes.

  5. Step 5: Avoid Nike shoes priced far below their normal value.

  6. Step 6: Don’t buy shoes that are available before the official release date.

  7. Step 7: Verify your Nike shoes.

Detailed Guide

Be extremely cautious when purchasing Nike shoes on the Internet.

Since you don’t actually have the physical product in front of you, you can very easily be throwing money at a fake shoe.

To avoid purchasing a fake:
Read website ratings and reviews before buying anything.

Bad reviews is an obvious sign that the seller is not reliable or reputable.

However, be careful because some sites will choose to only show “good” reviews.

Do a third party search by inputting the seller in a third party search site and examining their reputation there instead of on the seller’s site.

Ensure you are protected from fraud.

Some online websites provide their customers with a return policy, even if the seller is a third party of the site.

Having security that you will get your money back will protect you losing if you do happen to purchase fake Nike shoes.

A stock shoe photo is more aesthetically appealing but it’s not what you should be looking for when purchasing shoes online.

A photo that is obviously shot within a home ensures that the pair actually exists and its condition can be matched with the photo.

You could try to contact the seller and ask them to take another photo of the shoe with an item that determines the date or authenticity of the photo.

For example, ask the seller to take a photo of the shoe next to today’s newspaper. , True Nike shoe samples only come in men's U.S. size 9, 10, 11, women's 7 and children's
3.5.

There are also no such real Nike shoes that are “custom” or “variant”.

View the seller's entire inventory.

For unknown reasons, counterfeiters tend not to sell U.S. sizes 9 or 13 and above.

Older Nike shoes that are out of production are almost never available in a full sizing run.

For example, if you're searching for a pair of vintage Nikes and find a site that has a stock of 200, they are likely fakes. , The shoe is either fake or extremely damaged.

Generally, a Nike shoe that is priced in half is most likely fake.

A reasonable discount is more realistic, especially if the shoe is a limited edition or vintage.

A seller might price it extremely high and offer you the chance to haggle to a ridiculously low price.

Be careful, especially since you don’t have the physical shoe to verify its state and existence.

Check the shipping estimation.

If it will take between 7 and 14 days to deliver your shoes, they are likely traveling from China (a verified source of fake Nike shoes) or from another distant country.

If you must order Nikes online, it's best to purchase them directly from the company's website or from the list of authorized , It is almost guaranteed that any shoe available before the official release date will be a counterfeit.

These shoes may look like an upcoming design but are most likely modelled very closely to look like it.

Early release photos allow counterfeits to be produced without originals to be compared with and many people fall into the trap of attempting to get their hands on a pair before everyone else. , Once you find shoes you like, take more steps to verify their authenticity.

Double check with Nike or a trusted retailer's website to compare them with an image of the original shoe.

Ask the seller to verify that the shoes are authentic.

You can also ask for their supplier's contact information for further information.

About the Author

M

Mark Phillips

A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.

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