Every pair on this site has had one owner before you. The grade is our way of saying how much life it has already had, in plain terms, before you spend anything.
Three grades, no scores out of ten
We use three: Pristine, Premium and Excellent. None of them is a polite word for damaged. They describe wear, and wear is not the same as a fault.
Pristine
Like new, little to no wear. Never worn outside, or worn once or twice. Nothing on the upper, nothing on the sole, and the shape is still exactly as it left the box.
Premium
Gently worn, very well kept. Someone wore these and looked after them. From a step away the pair reads as new. Up close you might find a faint crease across the toe, or the first hint of cream on a white midsole.
Excellent
Pre-loved, light to moderate wear. Honest signs of use that we photograph rather than hide: creasing, a yellowed sole, the odd scuff. Shape, sole and stitching are all sound, and there is plenty of wear left in the pair.
How the grade is decided
By hand, after the pair has been cleaned and inspected. There is no algorithm and no certificate. It is a judgement made by someone who has handled a lot of shoes, and we would rather under-promise now than argue with you later.
The photographs are the real description
Every listing is shot as that exact pair. Not a catalogue image, not a similar pair in the same size. If a sole has gone cream, you will see it before you buy. That matters more than the word we put next to it.
Wondering whether a used pair is the right call at all? Are pre-loved sneakers worth it puts the numbers against a first copy and against retail.