GOAT is a US-based online sneaker marketplace for buying and selling deadstock and pre-owned kicks. But is GOAT legit and safe to shop from? How does it work, and are their sneakers authentic?
In this GOAT review, I’ll share everything you need to know about the platform, whether you’re looking to resell sneakers or buy the perfect pair.
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What Is GOAT?
GOAT is the world’s largest online sneaker marketplace that offers 370,000 products from over 350 brands, such as Air Jordan, Saint Laurent, and Supreme.
The platform allows sellers to resell brand-new and used sneakers and offers buyers a second chance to purchase rare or previously sold-out pairs.
GOAT was founded in the US in 2015 by Eddy Lu and Daishin Sugano as a way to counter the issue of dupes buyers often faced when buying sneakers on eBay.
Since then, they have expanded their product line to include luxury and streetwear apparel, bags, and jewelry.
Although GOAT is based in the US, they accept sellers from various countries, but only after a strict vetting process.
Overall, GOAT is a user-friendly platform for sneakerheads to buy and sell. They offer a safe way for buyers to get authentic sneakers and for sellers to reach trusted buyers.
Is GOAT Legit?
GOAT is a legitimate company based in California, USA, that attracts over 12 million website visits a month. They have ratings of 4.1/5 on Trustpilot and 4.9/5 on the Apple App Store, which should make you feel confident shopping with them.
GOAT acquired Fight Club in 2018, another popular sneaker retailer with stores in Miami, LA, and New York.
The company’s legitimacy is also supported by significant multi-million dollar investments from venture capital firms such as Index Ventures, Accel, Matrix Partners, Upfront Ventures and Webb Investment, with a valuation of $3.7 billion.
Moreover, GOAT partnered with the French football club Paris Saint Germain in 2022 to serve as their official style partner, bolstering their reputation in fashion and sports.
Is GOAT Safe?
Buying from GOAT is 100% safe because they have a “Buyer Protection Policy,” which guarantees refunds for damaged or inauthentic items.
GOAT also provides a secure buying process by vetting the goods before they’re shipped.
Here’s how GOAT works.
When you buy a product, the seller first sends it to GOAT. There, the item undergoes a detailed check to confirm its authenticity. Once verified, GOAT then ships it to the buyer.
This verification process ensures that you get genuine products and receive what you order.
For sellers, this careful checking builds trust with buyers, which makes them more confident in purchasing from the platform.
What Products Does GOAT Sell?
GOAT offers 370,000 products, including new and pre-owned items, for men, women, and kids on their online store and app.
While the platform is known for its wide range of sneakers, it also offers luxury and streetwear items.
Their product line includes:
- Bags
- Blazer
- Cardigan
- Hoodies
- Jackets
- Jewelry
- Shirts
- Shorts
- Sneakers
- Sweatpants
- T-shirts
- Vests
Customers love the high quality and authenticity of GOAT’s products. However their product pages do not feature customer reviews.
Also, browsing can be time-consuming due to limited filter options on the product catalog pages. However, GOAT has a search bar at the top for finding specific items.
In short, GOAT sets itself apart by selling only authenticated products from vetted sellers, though the website design and shopping experience could be improved.
How GOAT Works for Buyers
GOAT offers new and pre-owned items from popular, upscale brands on their marketplace and processes orders within two to ten days.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to shopping on GOAT:
Open An Account
You can shop on GOAT without an account, and you can check out as a guest. As a guest shopper, you will need to give your email and other information.
Even though registering an account is not required, it’s a good idea to sign up to enjoy discounts, updates on the latest arrivals, and promotional offers.
Plus, your shopping cart details are saved if you need extra time to decide on your purchase.
To sign up, visit the GOAT homepage. Hover over “Account” at the top right, and click “Create Account” from the dropdown.
Enter your name and email, decide if you want email promotions, and hit “Create Account.” You’ll then get an email with a link to activate your account.
Shopping On GOAT
First, you must decide if you want to buy new or used sneakers (or other item).
New items are guaranteed to be new and authentic, while used items vary in condition and include images for clarity.
Then, you must choose your size to see the price. You’ll see the following options:
- Buy New: This category has three listings. “Under Retail” are sneakers yet to be verified by GOAT, meaning they’ll be sent to GOAT for authentication before reaching you. “Instant” sneakers are already verified and ready to ship from GOAT’s warehouse. “New with Defects” are brand new but have minor cosmetic flaws, such as a hanging thread.
- Buy Used: These are pre-owned sneakers in good condition with slight wear and tear.
- Make Offer: This auction-style option lets you set a price. GOAT displays a “Top Offer” price placed by a buyer and a “Last Sale” price to help you understand the sneaker’s market value.
After adding items to your cart, proceed to checkout either as a guest or a registered member.
How Long Does Goat Take To Ship
GOAT delivers orders in three to ten business days, depending on your country and chosen delivery method.
Most items from GOAT are shipped to their facilities for inspection before reaching you.
For buyers in the US, the usual delivery time is seven to ten business days. However, in some cases, it might take up to 30 days for GOAT to receive, review, and dispatch an item.
Items marked “Instant” are pre-verified and shipped directly from one of GOAT’s facilities or a partner. These typically arrive within three to four business days.
Next day shipping is available in the US for most “Instant” items. However, you should know that GOAT has facilities all around the world, and you don’t get to choose the dispatch location.
Some US customers have reported delayed deliveries, as their orders were shipped from international locations.
What Is GOAT Storage?
GOAT Storage is a service that lets buyers and sellers store their items at one of GOAT’s warehouses.
For buyers, it’s a way to save space at home by having GOAT store their purchases in their facilities. Sellers can use this service to keep their sneakers at GOAT’s warehouse for reselling.
To use GOAT Storage, choose it as your shipping option at checkout for eligible items. GOAT will then keep your items in storage until you decide to have them shipped.
If you want to retrieve your items from GOAT storage, you can request for the items to be shipped back to you through the app.
Go to the “Profile” tab and press the “Ship” button. You will be charged a withdrawal and applicable shipping fees for your items.
What Is GOAT’s Return Policy?
GOAT’s return policy allows you to request a return within three days of delivery to qualify for a refund.
This policy doesn’t cover the following items:
- Used items
- Auction items
- Pre-release items
- GOAT Storage items
- Items marked “Final Sale” at checkout
- Items shipped to China
- Custom items
- New items with defect
- Special items like vintage or sample
To initiate a return, use the GOAT app and select “Request Return” once you receive your order.
GOAT will then send you a return shipping label the same business day. You must ship the item back within three days after receiving this label.
Once GOAT gets your return package, they’ll process the refund within seven days. The refund amount will be the price paid minus return shipping costs.
What Payment Methods Does GOAT Accept?
GOAT accepts various payment methods, including major credit cards and trusted providers like Apple Pay and PayPal.
Here’s the list of global payment methods available for your GOAT orders:
- American Express
- Discover
- JCB
- MasterCard
- Visa
- Affirm
- Afterpay
- Alipay
- Apple Pay
- Giropay
- Google Pay
- Klarna
- Paypal
However, not all payment methods are available for auction listings. Also, promo codes do not apply to auctions.
Payment methods that are accepted for auctions include debit and credit cards, along with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
How GOAT Works For Sellers
When a customer places an order, sellers must ship their items to one of GOAT’s facilities to verify the authenticity before GOAT ships it to the customer.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started as a seller on GOAT:
Open An Account
All sneaker sellers must be approved by GOAT and there are only a limited number of apparel and accessory sellers.
To apply to become a seller, go to the “Sell” tab in the GOAT app and provide the necessary details. Once approved, you’ll receive an email and app notification.
Upload Product Images
Once you have a seller account, you can list items for sale.
Find the item’s SKU (usually on the box or inside the item), set the condition and price, and upload the required photos.
Photos are mandatory for items that are used, new with defects, or if your seller rating is below 100.
Ship To GOAT
When you sell an item on GOAT, you must ship it to a GOAT facility within your region or country for authentication.
Here’s the process:
- Confirm the order: As soon as you receive an order, confirm it in the app.
- Generate shipping label: Tap “Generate Label” in the app. GOAT will provide a prepaid, pre-addressed shipping label.
- Ship the item: Drop off the package at the courier indicated on the prepaid label. Do this within three business days of the order placement.
- Update order status: After dropping off the package, update the order status to “Dropped Off” in the app.
If you’re a seller near Flight Club stores in Los Angeles, New York, or Miami, you can drop off your orders directly at these locations. To be eligible for this option, your return address in your profile must be close to one of the Flight Club’s retail shops.
Note: If you ship your order from a country different from the one in your profile, GOAT can charge you a processing fee of $30 for each item, which will be deducted from your seller account balance.
Get Paid
GOAT charges a seller fee based on your location and a commission fee tied to your seller rating.
Here are the seller fees:
- $5 for United States
- $6 for Austria, France, and Slovakia
- $8 for Australia, Italy, and Spain
- $10 for Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Sweden, Thailand, China (drop-off), and Philippines
- $12 for Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Portugal, and Romania
- $15 for China
- $25 for Guam
- $24 for Malta
- $30 for countries not mentioned in the list
Here are the commission fees by seller ratings:
- 90 or above: 9.5% + seller fee
- 70 to 89: 15% + seller fee
- 50 to 69: 20% + seller fee
- Below 50: 25% + seller fee
Your earnings are added to your GOAT account for cash out as soon as GOAT specialists have verified your items.
Cash-out through ACH or PayPal incurs a 2.9% fee. You can cash out with a minimum of $25 in earnings.
What Is GOAT Clean?
GOAT Clean is a service offered by GOAT where a team professionally cleans, grades, and photographs your pre-owned items.
The commission fee for this service is 30% for items priced at $350 or below and 25% for items over $350. This fee covers the seller fee, cash-out fee, and shipping.
How Does GOAT Authenticate Sneakers?
GOAT authenticates sneakers by various means, such as digital authentication, hands-on verification, and machine learning technology.
Since GOAT sees more sneakers than any other marketplace in the world, they use these data points on each shoe feature to distinguish authentic sneakers from fakes.
Plus, their team of authentication specialists goes through rigorous training and examines various details like labels, stitching, textures, and colors.
GOAT’s authentication centers are mainly in the US, with additional facilities in Japan, Hong Kong, China, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands.
If you choose “Ship-to-Verify” and the item is found inauthentic or not as described, GOAT will attempt to source the same item from a different seller.
If a replacement isn’t available, they will inform you during the verification process and issue a full refund.
GOAT Pros and Cons
GOAT is the go-to place for buying new and used sneakers online. However, GOAT has some drawbacks, such as a small return period and inability to select a warehouse.
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of GOAT:
GOAT Pros
- Assurance of authenticity: GOAT verifies each and every product on their site before it’s delivered to the customer.
- Easy cancellation: Customers appreciate the helpful customer support team, especially in situations like ordering the wrong shoe size, where they assist in easy cancellation or return requests.
- Extensive collection: GOAT boasts an impressive selection of brands and products to choose from.
- Different buying options: GOAT not only sells new and used sneakers but also offers different shipping options and the chance to buy new sneakers with minor defects at a discounted price.
GOAT Cons
- No reviews: Unlike most online stores, GOAT doesn’t have a customer feedback section on product pages. This means you won’t have access to user feedback or images before making a purchase.
- No facility selection: GOAT has facilities all around the world. If you’re living in the US, you might receive an order from GOAT’s Kuala Lumpur facility, which can increase the delivery time.
- Low return window: GOAT requires customers to request for a return within three days of delivery.
The Truth About GOAT Reviews
While GOAT has a strong review rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot from over 14,000 customers, it scores only 1.1 out of 5 stars on Sitejabber based on 200 reviews.
Customers have complained about receiving counterfeit products, difficult returns, and slow response from customer support.
Here are the most common GOAT reviews you’ll find online, along with tips to avoid these issues:
GOAT Review #1: Counterfeit Products
While GOAT has a thorough authentication process to spot fakes, customers have complained of receiving counterfeit products.
However, some of these complaints are wrong in calling the products dupes. For example, in the above review, the customer justifies the sneakers as dupes because the order was shipped from Malaysia.
What you may not know is that GOAT operates a facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. If they can’t fulfill an order from your country, they send it from international facilities, especially for pre-verified orders.
To avoid this issue, choose “Under-retail” sneakers, where the seller ships the order to GOAT for verification after you place the order. Keep in mind that the delivery time for such orders is seven to ten business days.
To speed up delivery, GOAT usually chooses facilities in your home country and avoids international options.
For your information, here are the facilities GOAT has around the world so you aren’t surprised when you see the country in your tracking details:
United States
- Atlanta, GA
- Carson, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Colombus, OH
- Fontana, CA
- Los Angeles, CA (Flight Club)
- Miami, FL (Flight Club)
- New York, NY (Flight Club)
- Teterboro, NJ
Europe
- Germany
- London, United Kingdom
- Rotterdam, Netherlands
Oceanic
- Hong Kong
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Manila, Philippines
- Shanghai, China
- Singapore
- Tokyo, Japan
GOAT Review #2: Short Return Window
GOAT’s return policy states that all returns must be requested within three days of delivery. They then send a return shipping label, after which you again have only three days to return the order.
As a result of the short return period, customers are often anxious about the timely pickups and delivery of return packages to GOAT.
Plus, GOAT does not cover the cost of shipping. The cost of the return label is deducted from the refund amount.
There’s also the risk of return cancellation if the returned items don’t match their original condition or if packaging materials are missing.
This is why you must meticulously verify the items’ condition before initiating a return. If you’re in a remote area, avoid purchasing from GOAT (or any other sneaker marketplace) unless you’re sure about your size.
GOAT Review #3: Slow Customer Support
GOAT’s customer support team, while helpful, typically responds within two to three business days.
Plus, GOAT doesn’t have a phone number or live chat where you can call or chat for any urgent order issues.
That’s why you should avoid placing complex or urgent orders on GOAT, given the slower response times of customer support.
GOAT Alternatives
If GOAT doesn’t meet your expectations, here are other GOAT alternatives to consider:
StockX
StockX is a Detroit-based company that mainly deals with deadstock on their marketplace. That means every product (except refurbished watches and electronics) must be brand new and never worn.
StockX operates on a bid-ask system. Sellers set prices, buyers make offers, and sales occur when either party accepts the other’s price.
Sales are charged to the buyer’s card as soon as the sale occurs.
Fight Club
Flight Club is a sneaker consignment store with locations in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. They also have an online store where you can buy and sell sneakers.
GOAT acquired Fight Club in 2018. However, unlike GOAT, you need to submit your sneakers to Fight Club for verification. After this, Fight Club works with sellers to determine sale prices based on shoe condition, rarity, and size availability.
Fight Club then lists them in their retail stores, flightclub.com, goat.com, and the GOAT app.
Kicks Crew
Kicks Crew is a Hong Kong-based company headquartered in Los Angeles that sells sneakers and other streetwear items.
They only sell authentic, unworn, and pristine items. The maximum order quantity is one unit per order.
While Kicks Crew has a wide selection of sneakers, they are more known for their rare and limited edition sneaker collection.
Should You Buy From GOAT?
GOAT is the number one destination for buying sneakers online because they offer various buying options like new sneakers with minor defects and used sneakers in good condition.
However, there are some factors you should consider before purchasing from GOAT. For example, their strict return policy only allows return requests within three days of receiving the goods.
In addition, GOAT has a slower response time of two to three business days.
Despite these concerns, GOAT boasts over 12 million monthly visits, and they have a reputation for product quality. Plus, return policies across online sneaker sellers tend to be on the lower side, so there’s not much you can do.
However, if your home country doesn’t have a GOAT facility, I would suggest avoiding purchasing from this platform altogether.
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Steve Chou is a highly recognized influencer in the ecommerce space and has taught thousands of students how to effectively sell physical products online over at ProfitableOnlineStore.com.
His blog, MyWifeQuitHerJob.com, has been featured in Forbes, Inc, The New York Times, Entrepreneur and MSNBC.
He's also a contributing author for BigCommerce, Klaviyo, ManyChat, Printful, Privy, CXL, Ecommerce Fuel, GlockApps, Privy, Social Media Examiner, Web Designer Depot, Sumo and other leading business publications.
In addition, he runs a popular ecommerce podcast, My Wife Quit Her Job, which is a top 25 marketing show on all of Apple Podcasts.
To stay up to date with all of the latest ecommerce trends, Steve runs a 7 figure ecommerce store, BumblebeeLinens.com, with his wife and puts on an annual ecommerce conference called The Sellers Summit.
Steve carries both a bachelors and a masters degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Despite majoring in electrical engineering, he spent a good portion of his graduate education studying entrepreneurship and the mechanics of running small businesses.
