Last Updated on February 25, 2024
Are you looking for second-hand sneakers or handbags that are practically brand new? Then you have probably heard of StockX. But how trustworthy is this platform and what can you expect as a customer? Our guide puts all the cards on the table so that you can make an informed decision about whether you want to become a StockX customer or not.
Who Is StockX?
In a nutshell, StockX is the middleman between buyers and sellers. Kind of like eBay. However, whereas you can sell everything on eBay, StockX focuses more on fashion-related items such as sneakers, designer handbags, and accessories. You will also find a lot of technology and collectables at StockX. In addition, these items are second hand but in order to be accepted as a listing, they must also be undamaged and mostly unused. No worn items are sold at StockX.
StockX employs an authenticator team that uses a strict assessment process to ensure that each listing consists of an item that is not damaged or broken – and that the handbag or watch is legit. The marketplace sells millions of products every year but while that supports its legitimacy, the company is not without its problems.
Is StockX Legit or Not?
The quick answer is yes, you can trust StockX. The site really goes out of its way to verify that all products are high-quality and legit. The website itself is safe to browse and use as a buyer or a seller. In terms of malware, StockX protects users with high-end security to keep your personal information secure from prying eyes.
That being said, some StockX customers have received phishing emails from scammers claiming to be the marketplace or something similar. However, StockX itself is not a scam and can be trusted with your transactions and payment details. They will never send you dodgy emails to glean your payment details for dark purposes.
Does StockX Offer Buyer Protection?
This is where most people hesitate to join StockX as buyers. Indeed, when you hear about the marketplace’s stance on buyer protection, the chances are that you will also experience the urge to think twice. These days, customers expect a level of assurance because let’s face it, there are unfortunately a lot of scammers out there who use marketplaces to sell items through fraudulent claims and images. Most buyers rightfully fear getting ripped off completely – as in, the product that they paid for never existed in the first place.
The bad news is that StockX does not offer any kind of buyer protection. The company verifies a product and then seems to wash its hands off the deal. Indeed, once a sale is made, StockX considers it as a final agreement and does not allow swaps or refunds.
There is one rare exception. When a buyer does not receive a product, StockX will consider giving you a refund in full. But with so many marketplaces offering truly excellent buyer protection, we feel that this policy is somewhat outdated. After all, when a buyer makes an honest mistake and buys the wrong size shoe, they should have the opportunity to return the item (since they cannot use it).
How Do I Buy Something on StockX?
StockX mainly runs on a bidding system. As a customer, you can browse through the categories and when you see an item that you like, you can place a bid on it and hope that the seller loves your offer. Should the seller be satisfied with your bid and accept it, StockX considers the sale as completed – and final.
The seller then has to send the item to StockX where the staff will authenticate the product. Once the item is cleared, it will then be shipped off to your address.
As a footnote, StockX does make it comfortable for customers by offering a wide array of payment options. It accepts the usual suspects like PayPal, Visa, other major credit and debit cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay, as well as lesser-used merchants and gift cards.
Can I Cancel My Order on StockX?
Unfortunately, StockX does not allow you to cancel an order once you hit that buy button. The marketplace has a very strict policy about keeping sales final and therefore, does not allow any cancellations. For this reason, you might want to fight impulse buying with this marketplace. Also, ensure that you choose the correct size of shoes or product before you finalize the sale.
How Long Does Shipping Take?
Shipping time with StockX is a hard creature to pin down. But in essence, the main thing that influences the waiting time is how long the seller takes to send the product to the marketplace for authentication. But once the staff has the item, it usually takes between 7 and 12 business days for your order to be delivered.
Who Carries the Costs for Shipping?
The shipping fee is the responsibility of the buyer. This amount will be shown to you before purchase so that you are fully aware of this additional cost. You can expect to see the shipping fee during the bidding stage or at the checkout point. Since StockX sells on a global scale, the costs are different depending on your location.
Can I Track My StockX Order?
Yes, you can. There are two ways to track an order with StockX. For the first one, you don’t have to do anything and it’s quite useful if you do not have the time to constantly where your item is. StockX does all the work by sending you an email with information every time the order details about your product are updated. This way, you will see exactly where your package is.
You can also log into your account at StockX and go to the “buying” tab. There you will find the item that you have purchased and all the shipping details.
Does StockX Have a Good Customer Service?
While StockX offers customers brilliant verification services and plenty of payment options, we feel that the marketplace will not win any prizes for its customer service. The latter is hard to contact and they won’t be understanding if you want to cancel a sale due to mistakenly buying the wrong size of boots. You can contact them via email but customers often wait weeks for a response, let alone for their issues to be resolved.
If you want to get it straight from the horse’s mouth, we suggest looking at other customers’ experiences and their reviews on TrustPilot.com.
Our Verdict
We love StockX’s hands-on approach to ensuring that their customers get what they pay for. Indeed, their authentication staff literally look at the product at their facility and don’t just rely on listing images and the promises of sellers. We also find the myriad of payment options and detailed package tracking very useful.
We found a few things lacking, though. First, the fact that buyers have no protection is an outdated policy and something that might make other marketplaces (those with buyer protection) appear more attractive to potential customers. Secondly, the strict no-refunds policy and the excruciatingly slow response from customer services are also something you should be aware of before creating an account with StockX.