Why is one shoe four prices on four sites?

Why does every size have its own price?

On a resale site, each size of a shoe is its own small market. The sellers of a US 9 compete only with each other, so a US 9 and a US 12 of the same pair can sell for different prices on the same day.

Some sizes are made in smaller numbers. Some sizes are wanted by more buyers. Either one pushes the price of that size away from the others. That is why the price on a product page means little until you pick your size. Choose the size first, then read the price.

Which number is the site showing you?

A resale product page can show three different prices for the same size, and the site chooses which one to show in large type.

• The last sale. What the most recent buyer paid for that size. On a size that sells rarely, this can be days or weeks old.
• The lowest listed price. The cheapest price a seller will accept right now. This is what you pay if you buy immediately, before costs are added.
• The highest offer. The most any buyer is offering right now. StockX calls a buyer's offer an Offer, and the button to buy at the lowest listed price Buy Now.

When two sites show you two numbers, check that they are the same kind of number. A last sale on one site and a lowest listed price on another can be far apart even when the market has not moved.

What gets added before you pay?

The price on a product page is rarely the price you pay. Each site adds different costs, and some include them in the shown price while others add them at checkout.

StockX sells new pairs through what it calls its Verified Marketplace. There, it says, buyers pay a processing fee plus import duties and sales tax based on the delivery address, and the fees depend on the price, the location and market conditions. Shipping is shown before you confirm. Used or unusual pairs are sold through a separate Listings Marketplace, with a flat 3% processing fee and a minimum of $3.95. On that marketplace, sending the pair to StockX to be checked is optional and costs $12.50.

GOAT says items marked Instant have already been checked and ship from its own facilities or a partner. The price shown for an Instant item can include a processing fee of up to 8%, which can make the Instant price higher. GOAT says item prices may include taxes or duties, and that shipping is calculated at checkout.

eBay prices are set by each seller, with shipping shown on the listing. In the United States, eBay says eligible sneakers sold for $75 or more are sent to an authentication centre before delivery, and those listings carry a blue checkmark badge. If a pair fails the check, eBay says it goes back to the seller and the buyer gets a full refund. The rules differ in other countries.

Those are each platform's own descriptions of its fees and checks. They describe what each platform promises, and that promise is what you can point to if something goes wrong.

Why does the price change with where you live?

A resale site shows prices in your currency, converted from wherever the pair is. If the pair has to cross a border to reach you, import duty and sales tax may be added. StockX says both are based on the delivery address. GOAT says its item prices may already include them.

That means two people in two countries can look at the same pair on the same site and see different totals. It also means a site that includes tax in the shown price can look more expensive than one that adds it at the end, when the totals are the same. Compare the totals.

What do the condition words mean?

Resale listings use a short set of words for condition, and each one has a set meaning.

• Deadstock, often written DS, means new and never worn, usually in the original box.
• Near deadstock, often written VNDS, means worn once or twice, or tried on, with no visible wear. Ask the seller exactly how many times.
• Used covers everything else. Look at the photos of the soles and the toe box to judge how much.

A deadstock price and a used price for the same size are two different markets. Most sites let you filter by condition. Set the filter before you compare anything.

Should you check the brand's own shop first?

Yes, if the colourway is recent. Some pairs that look rare in a video are still sold by the brand, or by shops the brand supplies, at the original price. Search the style code on the brand's site before you open a resale site. If it is in stock in your size, that price is the one to beat.

How do you compare four prices on equal terms?

1. Use the same size everywhere. A price only compares with another price for the same size.
2. Use the same condition. New and unworn is one market. Used is another, and its prices depend on how worn the pair is.
3. Go as far as the checkout page on each site, with your own address, without paying. That is the only place the full total appears.
4. Compare the totals, then compare the delivery times. A pair that ships today from a warehouse can be worth a higher total if you need it this week.
5. Check what happens if the pair turns out to be fake or wrong. The cheapest total with no check and no refund carries more risk than a higher total with both.

What does the price history tell you?

Most resale sites show recent sales for each size. Look at them before you trust any single number. A price that has been steady for months is a fair guide to what you should pay. A price that jumped last week may fall again, and a price that is falling may keep falling.

Check which release you are looking at, too. Many famous colourways have been sold more than once, and each release is a separate product with its own price history. The chapter on retros and reissues explains how to tell whether a pair in a photo is the first release or a later one.

What does a video tell you about the price?

Nothing about today's price. The person in the video may have bought the pair at the original price on release day, years ago, or received it for free. A creator who says a pair cost a certain amount is telling you what they paid, on the day they paid it.

Videos do move prices, though. When a pair appears in a popular video, more people search for it, and on a resale site more buyers for the same number of pairs pushes the listed prices up. If you are looking at a shoe right after it appeared in a video that many people watched, check the recent sales for your size before you pay.

When is a price too low?

Once you know the going rate for your size and condition, a listing far below it needs a reason. A worn pair, a missing box or a seller in a hurry are real reasons. With no reason at all, a low price is the clearest warning sign a listing can give. The chapter on legit checking covers what to ask for next.

Where does Snagfit fit in?

Snagfit starts one step earlier. You upload a photo of the outfit, and it shows you the shoe it found with shopping listings for it or for the closest match on sale. The price on a listing is the price at the time of the search, and on a resale site it is often the price for one size only.

Treat that price as a starting point. Open the listing, pick your size, and follow the steps above to see the full total before you decide.