Hoka shoes failed authentication. I know these are authentic!

[tjtennis]

Hoka bondi 8, bought in London. Paid going price. New, but I no longer had box.  The authenticator simply said “did not seem authentic”.   What kind of information is that?  
I’m actually fine with not selling them, but I find this very demeaning. eBay implies I was selling fraudulent merchandise. It’s only the second time I have ever sold anything on eBay and certainly never will again.  Made the mistake of using the authentication process, thinking I was helping out the buyer. Apparently I have no recourse to clear this accusation. 
Wasted my time and especially that of my buyer. 

[simba6]

Like any umpire or ref, it's a judgement call.  Won't get them all right all the time.  

[baantiques]

They should.

If they aren't, they're doing it wrong.

[inhawaii]

Did you tell the authenticators that you "know" they're authentic?

[chapeau-noir]

They're authenticating HOKAS????  Good grief. I mean, they're an excellent shoe but geez.

Feeling demeaned is taking it personally - I would say it's more annoying than demeaning - the authenticators were obviously not up to the job on this.

There are other places to sell those Hokas - no worries. 

[selsa84]

As always so helpful and intuitive 

[selsa84]

I know right. Thats like authenticating a Sketcher. 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Authenicators make errors.

A customer sent a early 20th century tobacco baseball card to PSA for grading and authentication..

It had an uncommon brand back. The authenticator obviously had not seen this back and did not check an appropriate reference. He said he could not authenticate it. On the same report the customer had another uncommon card rejected. I am sure because the had never seen one before.

The card had been in my collection for 30 or more years, and I knew its provenance, and have seen enough authentic cards with that back. It happens.

I offered to take it back, but my buyer decided not  to send it back, no doubt because the thought it was genuine as well.

[chapeau-noir]

I understand, but Hokas - I'm sorry, they're excellent for their purpose and a quality shoe with a deserved good reputation in the running community, but they're just regular running shoes. I see them everywhere. It's like authenticating New Balance. 

[aldelbertmatthew]

I go to flea markets around me where there's tables upon tables of sellers and plenty of them sell 'authentic' sneakers that are questionable at best. Lots of Nike, Adidas, Yeezys, Coach, Jordans and some less common fakes like Vans Old Skools.

You know what brand I NEVER see on those fake sneaker tables? Hokas. I'm dead serious when I say out of the 5 years I've gone on and off to these flea markets that I haven't seen one counterfeit Hoka One One sneaker there. Same with On Clouds, Saucony and Altras, I never EVER seen them at these fake sneaker tables at flea markets.

Whoever failed to authenticate them should have had a second authenticator take a look at them.

[blurryrobot]

---

@chapeau-noir wrote:

 It's like authenticating New Balance. 

---

Ah, my friend, we are ALREADY down the rabbit hole, and on the other side of the looking-glass, some weirdo has the job of authenticating grandpa shoes. 

[chapeau-noir]

I wear New Balance and purchase them from the Ugly Shoe Box/last year's models four pair at a time because I run distance so go through them. I wore Hokas for a while, too (last year's models at a discount). Half the people at my gym wear Hokas. Honestly, this authenticating business feels like a real racket, kind of like the dopey high-priced 'streetwear' that the street has no use for but hey - authentication!

[mismi427]

Yes just had same thing happen to me . My are brand new in box and was to told they didn't pass and that I was in violation.

[crogs571]

I can't even get ebay to take down a listing that has the box for one pair of shoes and a completely different pair of shoes picture with said box. Even sent them the name of the shoes and the colorway and what the shoes on the box are, and they don't care. So the idea authenticators they use can't get it right, is just par for the course. 

[ebooksdiva]

Authenticity Guarantee works when the item is purchased then the seller sends it to an Authenticator. Authenticity Guarantee doesn't monitor listings or look at reports of listings, eBay's AI does that. 
This thread is from 2023, and will likely be closed due to age.