On Nov. 24, eBay closed a deal to acquire the sneaker-authentication business of Sneaker Con Digital, which operates in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and Germany. Terms have not been disclosed. The companies have been collaborating since October 2020, with Sneaker Con providing a panel of experts to review a sample of the sneakers purchased on the auction site and back up its guarantee of authenticity. The program has since authenticated some 1.55 million sneakers. Founded in 2009, Sneaker Con runs an online marketplace of its own and holds sneaker conventions – for buying, selling and trading – around the world. The authentication business began in 2018 in support of the other functions. According to its CEO and co-founder, Alan Vinogradov, the events business is not part of this transaction and will continue as before.

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