As sneaker culture becomes increasingly popular and counterfeit shoes proliferate, the market demand for "sneaker identification" is growing. Currently, to determine the authenticity of a pair of sneakers, one must seek out sneaker appraisers on sneaker resale platforms and elsewhere for authentication.
However, manual authentication has several drawbacks. One major issue is the difficulty in fully trusting the results. Humans, unlike machines, cannot process data with absolute accuracy. Sneaker appraisers primarily rely on experience, but the high demand for sneaker authentication means there is a shortage of qualified appraisers, leading to varying levels of expertise in the market.
Furthermore, even reputable sneaker appraisers can make mistakes, and there's no guarantee of consistency among different appraisers due to potential biases and external influences.
Additionally, as human beings with emotions and desires, sneaker appraisers may be susceptible to external influences. There have been cases where sneaker appraisers collaborated with counterfeit shoe dealers to produce high-quality fakes, especially for models difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake.
#Identification efficiency is difficult to guarantee
Sneaker appraisers, like all humans, can experience fatigue, affecting their efficiency over time, especially when faced with high demand for authentication. During peak periods, such as shopping festivals, delays in authentication can occur due to the limited number of qualified appraisers.
Black technologies related to sneaker identification
In addition to manual authentication, various brands are researching black technologies related to sneaker identification.
Entrupy
Entrupy, a technology company in the LVMH Group project La Maison des Startups, initially focused on luxury goods authentication. Recently, after more than a year of research, Entrupy introduced black technology specifically for sneaker authentication.
The technology, called "Legit Check Tech," consists of a mobile app and a box for photographing sneaker features. After selecting the brand and capturing images of the left and right sneakers in the box, the system automatically analyzes and authenticates the shoes in about 60 seconds, boasting high efficiency.
Furthermore, Entrupy CEO Vidyuth Srinivasan claims that extensive testing of hundreds of fakes has led to algorithm upgrades, ensuring the accuracy of "Legit Check Tech" at 100%.
However, "Legit Check Tech" currently only supports authentication for sneakers from two brands: Nike and Adidas.
GOAT AI Identification
As a sneaker resale platform, GOAT has invested in sneaker authentication efforts. In addition to training appraisers, GOAT utilizes advanced technologies such as AI and machine learning to build a comprehensive sneaker database. AI assists appraisers by quickly identifying suspicious points during authentication.
Nike anti-counterfeiting technology
Nike, as a sports brand, has also invested in anti-counterfeiting measures, starting from the source. In the previous year, Nike introduced RFID anti-counterfeiting buckles on its sneakers.
Additionally, last year, exclusive QR codes and embedded RFID chips were added to shoeboxes, effectively providing each sneaker with an identity card for anti-counterfeiting purposes. With anti-counterfeiting measures implemented at the source, authentication becomes unnecessary.
With the continued development of these sneaker black technologies, the need for sneaker appraisers may diminish in the future, alleviating concerns about sneaker authenticity.
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