Launched in 2015, GOAT is one of the most popular and trusted platforms for buying and selling sneakers today. In a Business insider report, GOAT is ranked as the world’s largest marketplace for high-end sneakers, valued at $250 million.
However, before you make your purchase, below are some of the frequently asked questions regarding this sneaker platform that you might need to know.
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Is GOAT Legit & Safe For Trading Shoes?
First off, Goat is a genuine site, and the chance of getting scammed is incredibly low. The team behind this resale marketplace promises to do everything in its power to confirm the authenticity of the items sold through this platform. Moreover, GOAT does not tolerate the sale of fake/illegal goods.
GOAT does not only provide a platform for buyers and sellers, but they also verify the authenticity of the items to prevent counterfeits on their resale marketplace. However, being a marketplace literally means any verified sellers can market their shoes through the app.
So how exactly does the GOAT team execute quality control?
Well, GOAT has employed a ship-to-verify model from its early ages. That means when someone buys a pair of shoes from a vendor, they don’t get shipped directly to the buyer. Instead, they’re shipped to GOAT’s team first.
GOAT, with their team of experienced footwear specialists, inspect each item, confirming whether they are authentic and in the condition promised by the vendor. Then the products are shipped to the buyer with GOAT’s verification of authenticity. Upon verification, the product is shipped to the buyer.
On the other hand, if the shoes are found to be fake, or not as described, GOAT will not dispatch the product and will offer the buyer a full refund. Retail shoes listed on GOAT are pre-verified and shipped directly from their trusted boutique/retail partners. Besides, they have a money-back guarantee in case they make an erroneous determination.
How Does GOAT Authenticate Sneakers?
With endless shoe listing on the marketplace, tracking down knock-offs one-by-one is next to impossible. GOAT, however, employs its propriety AI technology to stomp out fake deals- an expert-trained AI image recognition system to help screen out fake items instantly. The system is designed with a massive rundown of signs that can prompt detections.
They also have several Amazon services tools that are designed to verify the authenticity of the products, for instance by replicating the key features and specifications of every item digitally. Indeed, GOAT has an all-assisted process to detect fake shoes before they even reach the experts.
Ultimately, this platform acts as a middleman between sellers and buyers and sellers to approve the authenticity of their products. Apparently, they do that so well, seeing that they are among the top 100 selling apps.
How Does GOAT Work?
Vendors, including retailers, boutiques, and individual resellers list their products for sale on the GOAT marketplace, where buyers peruse the listing. As stated before, sellers must first ship their products to GOAT for authentication, after which the product will be shipped to the buyer. Items that are marked “Instant Ship” on the marketplace are also pre-verified and ready for shipment from GOAT trusted facilities.
How Long Does It Take To Process The Delivery?
As mentioned, all products except for pre-verified Instant Ship are dispatched to the GOAT headquarters for authentication before they are delivered to the buyer.
It can take three or four business days to get shipped to GOAT, one-two business days to verify the product, and another three-to-four days to deliver the order to the buyer. In other words, it will take approx. seven to ten business days to complete a shipment to the buyer’s address in the United States.
GOAT also provides Next Day Shipping services for instant orders with a delivery address within the nearby states. It will most likely take one or two days for the product to be delivered to the buyer. One thing, however, this shipping option is not accessible for military bases or Post Office Boxes addresses.
Buyers ordering apparel and accessories in the United States will typically have to wait for four to eight business days to get the products delivered.
Deliveries for international orders, however, may vary due to customs. Similar to other shipments, emergencies, or unexpected weather conditions may cause delays in item delivery.
Does GOAT Have Retail Locations?
Yes. GOAT has retail locations situated in Los Angeles and New York City, subsequent to the acquisition of the famous sneaker marketplace, Flight Club in 2018. Another thing worth mentioning is that GOAT accepts return policies on the New-No Box, New in Box, accessory, and apparel purchases and even through their GOAT Clean program as long as the products remain in the same condition as when delivered.
Products that are marked Final Sale, special items, GOAT storage, special items, and used items such as Sample, Vintage, ID, Defect, Custom, and Pre-Release are final and may not be exchangeable or returnable. Also, Goat does not condone returns, refunds, and exchanges on products shipped to a freight forwarder or a delivery address in China.
As you may have already figured out, GOAT is similar to StockX. The main difference between the two is that you can purchase used sneakers on Goat, whereas StockX only deals with brand-new shoes. Apart from that, the service works the same StockX. You can choose to bid on shoes or buy them instantly.
The Bottom Line
Overall, GOAT is a reliable service that lives up to what it promises. It has its fair share of strengths as well as downsides. Can you get scammed? The odds are minute. Be that as it may, you might find yourself a little frustrated by their customer services as a seller.