June 20, 2022

Written byJimmy McPherson

Does Flight Club Sell Fake Sneakers?

Flight Club is regarded as one of the safest mediums in which to purchase sneakers. Let's find out if Flight Club sell fake sneakers or if it's only rumored.

Flight Club is one of the largest sneaker vendors out there. They have revolutionized sneaker selling with their consignment system. Founded in 2005, they̵7;ve sold millions of sneakers to customers through their website and their brick-and-mortar locations. Today, we’re taking a look at whether or not Flight Club sell fake sneakers and Air Jordans.

We dug deep and researched StockX and GOAT as well to get to the bottom of the fakes fiasco.

What is Flight Club?

Instead of us attempting to explain this massive sneaker retailer, here’s what Flight Club has to say about themselves:

Established in New York City over fifteen years ago, Flight Club revolutionized sneaker retail as the original consignment store for rare shoes. Carrying the rarest exclusives and collectible sneakers, Flight Club has evolved from a one-stop sneaker destination, to a cultural hub for sneaker enthusiasts and novices alike. With three brick-and-mortar locations in New York City, Los Angeles and Miami, Flight Club remains the premier source for authentic, rare sneakers. (Flight Club)

Flight Club is one of the most trusted sources, as you’ll learn from this article, in the sneaker business. Complex, the massive media/entertainment company, runs a show with Flight Club called ‘Sneaker Shopping’. Joe La Puma takes A-list celebrities sneaker shopping as they talk through their personal experiences with sneakers.

Resellers capitalize greatly on Flight Club’s consignment system because of the sheer numbers that are available. Millions of people can be reached by both the in-store locations and online website, so your sneakers have a huge chance of getting sold quickly.

Flight Club Selling Process

Before we get into this article it’s important to understand the selling/verification process of Flight Club. So here it is:

1. Go to their selling page and create your submission. You have a choice of shipping or dropping off your shoes at your nearest Flight Club.
2. Once your shoes have reached Flight Club, they will undergo internal authentication and review before confirming your listing.
3. Time to wait. You will receive your compensation via bank transfer or PayPal, depending on your choice, once the shoes are sold.

If the verification process results in your sneakers being ineligible to be sold on the platform, your sneakers will simply be sent back to you. This doesn’t mean that the sneakers are not authentic, but could possibly mean they are not in pristine condition. The commission is 9.5% + the selling/cashout fees involved with actually receiving payment from the vendor. All in all, it’s a pretty fair system with a pretty fair percentage compared to the alternatives.

The Rumors

When you look up something like “StockX sold me fake shoes” you get tons of different pages of people posting their individual stories and problems with StockX. When you do the same with Flight Club, you only get a few stories. The first can be found on Reddit:

I bought a pair of UNC Off Whites off the flight club website around two weeks ago and received them yesterday. Apart from the LC (legit checker) on this sub and on my main FB LC groups, I have also approached a friend, where they all pointed out the main flaws in the unbalanced right shoe, the stitchings on the swoosh and the 85 tag. Fortunately I did not remove the attachable sneaker tag yet so I should be able to get this resolved with Flight Club.

Reddit User, 2018

The user posted some photos of the Off White UNC 1 and was met with skepticism. From what people could tell, the sneaker was legit. I even took a look at the photos and couldn’t find anything glaringly obvious. It’s important to remember that any time people are spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of sneakers, they are always going to be really careful. They may even get a little crazy about a detail.

People are also always trying to gain eyeballs on the internet, and fake sneakers are a great way to do that, especially when people are so dialed into the issue. Since most other sites and stores had a few fakes slip through, people are now even more curious if Flight Club sell fake sneakers or not. There are always going to be rumors.

The Reason Behind Flight Club’s Prices

One thing Flight Club is known for is its price uptick. They are notoriously more expensive than other resell options, but there is a reason why. Prominent applications like StockX, GOAT, and eBay all have reputations throughout the sneaker community. Some good, some bad, but one thing they all have in common is that nobody thinks they are perfect. Flight Club is highly regarded as the most perfect option if you want to safely ensure that the sneakers you are receiving are 100% legit.

Of course, a reason behind the sneaker enterprise’s higher prices is due to their consignment model, where people send their sneakers to get advertised and Flight Club takes a percentage. But people are willing to pay more because of the guarantee that they are able to provide. It’s a guarantee of safety, a guarantee of authenticity.

Does Flight Club Sell Fake Sneakers?

No. Flight Club does not sell fake sneakers. In fact, just the opposite. Flight Club is one of, if not the #1, authentic vendors for sneakers on the secondary market. Their authenticity is rooted in their physical stores, which is a surefire way to ensure a company is selling a legitimate product. Rumors will always be swirling throughout platforms like Reddit and Twitter, but they are inevitable. Millions of sneakers are processed through their systems and sold to customers who return satisfied because they receive legitimate sneakers.

If you ever get a chance to visit one of their physical stores, I highly suggest it. Not only will you get a sense of a legitimate sneaker reseller, but you’ll also see the high standards this business is run. Platforms like StockX and GOAT are great resources, and always will be. But 100% trust will never be possible with either as they simply do not have that physical store connection. Visiting a club in one of the 3 big cities means you will actually be able to fully inspect your sneakers before you buy them. The biggest sneakerheads in the game shop there, so why shouldn’t you?

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Author

Jimmy McPherson

Jimmy is the former founder of Midwest Soles, a sneaker and streetwear reselling company. He's a current business student with a continued passion for sneakers and sneaker reselling.