eBay Makes Moves for Domination over the Multibillion-dollar Sneaker Resale Industry

eBay announced on Tuesday that it is for the very first time, eliminating fees for North American sellers on any sneaker sold for $100 or more. Previously, the e-commerce company charged fees of up to 10% for sellers, which deterred some sneaker heads from using the platform.

Sneakers on resale marketplaces like StockX and Stadium Goods have gone for as much as $20,000. However, some resellers prefer to use their own websites and platforms to avoid having to pay a middleman’s seller fee.

The move is an effort to further break into the global sneaker resale market, which a recent Cowen & Co. analysis estimated could be worth $6 billion by 2025. Nearly six million sneakers were sold on eBay in 2019, according to eBay’s sales data.

eBay’s head of men’s footwear and apparel, Jeff Chan, said in a press release, “As the originator of the sneaker resale game, eBay continues to be a top source for emerging and collectible styles, and with high demand, we want our sellers and buyers to get in on the action. For our community of diehard sneaker heads, eliminating selling fees allows them to turn their kicks into more cash to fund future purchases, and results in a more robust sneaker inventory for shoppers everywhere.”

eBay has also partnered with sneaker resale marketplace Stadium Goods and is launching a series of Yeezy sneaker drops beginning Tuesday and ending Friday.