A lot of people assume that the role of the StockX Authentication Team is just to sniff out fakes, but there’s a whole lot more that goes into making sure you get exactly what you ordered – whether that’s sneakers, apparel, collectibles, electronics, or something else.
We caught up with Adam Pentifallo, the Team Captain of the Melbourne Authentication Centre, to find out what else the team are looking for when they authenticate items, and some of the common reasons things get rejected.
Q: First up Adam, how many items would you estimate you’ve personally authenticated in your time at StockX?
I can’t give you an exact number, but I can tell you it’s thousands and thousands. A lot.
Q: What’s the craziest thing you’ve had to authenticate so far?
We get a lot of crazy stuff every single day as you could imagine. The most memorable item would have to be a pair of Nike SB Paris Dunks which sold for a mind boggling amount, around $79,000 AUD. I also authenticate a lot of collectibles, including KAWS figures and Bearbricks.
Q: When it comes to authenticating, is it just fakes you’re looking for, or is there more to it?
There is a lot more to authenticating than just your legit check. With such an extensive catalogue there are many items that look similar especially when items are re-released over the years, so first off you want to make sure that it’s the correct item, the correct size, if there are any manufacturing defects, and of course if it has been used.
Most of the time when an item doesn’t pass our checks, it’s not for being fake – it’s because it’s the wrong product or has manufacturing defects.
Q: Explain more about manufacturing defects, what does that usually look like?
We see manufacturing defects all the time – everyone forgets that these items are mass produced, so from time to time you do get defects, big and small. Ranging from a mis-stitch all the way to a shoe that hasn’t even been glued to the sole correctly. Obviously we know these things happen so we take this into account, and as sneaker fans and collectors ourselves, we’re always evaluating whether something is a minor blemish or a major defect.
Q: What’s one thing you think people should know about authentication at StockX that they might not already know?
All of us at StockX have industry knowledge and experience, we have a massive amount of knowledge that we have built over the years from all areas of the world. When you buy an item from StockX we’re not just checking its authenticity, we’re making sure you’re getting the item in the condition that you would want to receive it.
