Adidas is one of the most popular shoe brands in the world, and being one of the top shoe companies can also have some sort of drawbacks.
One of these drawbacks is their competitors copy or imitate most of their popular products.
Counterfeit Adidas sneakers (also referred to as replicas, knock-offs, or imitations) are everywhere. This is a good reason why you should learn how to spot fake Adidas shoes to save yourself from the trouble and stress of acquiring a fake pair of sneakers.
The good thing is this guide can help you distinguish fakes from authentic Adidas shoes, so you won’t be victimized by fake shoe sellers.
Learning how to tell if Adidas shoes are fake or not isn’t that difficult, so let’s get started!
How To Spot Fake Adidas Shoes
A fake pair of Adidas can be identified through an intensive visual inspection. It does not matter if this is the first time you’re doing this as long as you know what to look for to differentiate fake shoes from authentic ones.
One of the first things you’ll want to do is take a close look at the materials used. genuine Adidas shoes are made with high quality materials that feel premium to the touch. If the materials used look and feel cheap, then there’s a good chance the shoes are fake.
Unfinished Seams
Original Adidas shoes have high-quality even stitches and undergo rigorous quality checks before being released to the market. Meanwhile, fake Adidas sneakers often have unfinished seams on them that’s an obvious sign that they’re imitations.
The seams of authentic Adidas shoes are neat and have no traces of glue on them. If you see any obvious flaw with your shoes, then there’s a good chance that they are fake.
Noticeable Glue Stains
As mentioned earlier, Adidas shoes undergo strict quality checks and having glue stains are a clear sign that the shoes are poorly manufactured and are faux.
Genuine Adidas shoes are made with precision and attention to detail, so if you see any sloppy craftsmanship then chances are you’re looking at a fake pair.
Fake Adidas Logo
An easy way to distinguish if Adidas shoes are fake or not is by looking at its logo. Original Adidas sneakers have their logo stitched or embossed on their tongue or sole.
Fake sneakers commonly use stickers as their logo. Some may also stitch the logo, but by just looking closely at them you can tell that some of the letters are not evenly spaced or the logo simply looks odd.
Right vs Left
Authentic Adidas shoes when placed side by side won’t have any difference between them, except that they are pointing in two different directions.
Same height. Same size. Same high-quality materials.
Fake sneakers usually fail on at least one of those criteria.
Extra Laces
New and original Adidas shoes come with an extra set of laces neatly packed in a plastic bag.
Meanwhile fake Adidas often are missing an extra pair of laces, or if for some reason they do, it’s not going to look organized. Also, original Adidas laces are made with higher quality materials and are thicker than the usual laces you can buy in a flea market.
Note: Not all Adidas models have an extra pair of laces in their box, but in case it comes with those, check the manner that they were packed inside.
Obvious Signs Those Adidas Sneakers Online Are Fake
The vast majority of fake sneakers are now sold online. Manufacturers of fake Adidas shoes are marketing their products on the Internet since laws and regulations with regard to online shoe retailers are not that strict and may vary from country to country.
The good news is that you can easily tell if Adidas shoes are fake or real by just looking for these signs.
Unrealistic Price
The most affordable pair of original Adidas shoes can fetch anywhere between $50 to $60. And these are just the most simple or basic Adidas sneakers. Meanwhile, a well-recognized and in-demand pair can fetch upwards of $300.
But it’s not surprising to see a pair of Adidas shoes selling for less than that. Even the most popular ones.
If the price seems to be too good to be true, then that might really be the case and you’re looking at fake Adidas shoes. High-end Adidas sneakers usually retail for around $100-$250, so if you see a pair that’s selling for much less than that then chances are they’re not the real thing.
We tried to search for a pair of Adidas shoes in a famous online store, and lo and behold, we can get a size 8.5 Adidas sneakers for less than 20 bucks.
Grabbed Pictures
Fake sneaker sellers don’t often post actual pictures of what they are selling. They get their photos from other people’s websites or directly from Adidas’ websites.
If they cannot provide you with the actual pictures of the Adidas shoes you wanted to buy, then it might be better for you to get them someplace else.
Here’s a good example of fake sneakers being sold using stock pictures.
“Rare” Colors
You may come across an online store saying they are selling rare Adidas sneakers. If this happens, you better double-check on the Adidas website if they do indeed have that color combination for that specific pair.
If not, then you should not waste your money and time getting those fake Adidas shoes.
Unverified Sellers
Since most fake online sellers lurk on the Internet. It’s best if you can be more cautious when dealing with them.
Look for reviews or feedback from previous customers. Negative feedback about the authenticity of the shoes they sold is a clear sign for you to stay away from them.
As much as we want to support startups, we’re against piracy and fake sellers. If you’re a new business and you’re selling fake products, we wish you good luck in life but not in your business.
If you ever encountered or experienced buying fake sneakers from a certain online store, share it with us, so we can warn others. We have a list of verified sellers that you can get 100% authentic shoes from, and also a list of fake sneaker sellers you should avoid at all costs.
Tip: If you prefer getting your new pair of Adidas shoes online, then check the Adidas official online store first if the pair you want is available with them. It can save you from trouble if you’ll be getting your shoes from them directly.
How To Tell If Adidas Shoes Are Fake Or Not
If for some reason, you’ve already bought a pair of new Adidas shoes but are not confident about their authenticity, then you should follow this step-by-step guide on how to tell if Adidas shoes are fake or not.
Check the box
Boxes that original Adidas shoes come with always have proper labels and tags on them. The serial number on the tag on your shoes should be the same as the one on the box.
The most common colors of Adidas shoe boxes are black and shades of blue. There are also some shoe boxes that are white or, like the one pictured above, a shade of orange.
Inspect the logo on your shoes
As mentioned earlier in this guide on how to spot fake Adidas shoes, the Adidas logo can tell you if you have an original pair or just an imitation.
There are no authentic Adidas shoes for sale today that use stickers for their logo. So the Adidas logo should not look odd. The word “Adidas” should be legible and have the proper spaces between its letters.
Try your Adidas shoes out
Fake sneakers are usually made with a different type of material so the texture and weight may differ compared to authentic shoes.
This is similar to other shoe brands like Nike and Reebok. You may find out if Nike shoes are fake or not with this step.
Now that you have your sneakers with you, try them out first.
Fake Adidas shoes are usually smaller in size compared to the original version despite having the same indicated size, and they often weigh more and feel heavy on your feet.
Check the tag
The tag on your Adidas shoes can tell you right away if they are fake or real. The letters in the tag should be properly spaced and there should not be any misspellings.
Authentic Adidas sneakers will not have the same serial number on both shoes. The left shoe’s serial number will be different from the right shoe.
If they are the same, then you got a pair of fake Adidas shoes.
Check the weight
One more quick way to spot a fake Adidas shoe is by simply picking it up and feeling its weight. Genuine Adidas shoes are made with high-quality materials and construction, so they tend to be heavier than their counterfeit counterparts.
Of course, this isn’t always foolproof since some fake manufacturers have gotten better at mimicking the weight of real Adidas shoes.
However, if a shoe feels significantly lighter than you would expect it to, there’s a good chance it’s not an authentic Adidas product.
Verdict: Authentic or Fake Adidas?
After doing all those steps, you should now be able to spot fake Adidas sneakers. You don’t need to consult a professional or expert since by just following this guide you should be able to tell if the Adidas shoes are fake or not.
Adidas Authentication Checklist
To summarize what you learned here, use this checklist to identify if the sneakers are authentic or not.
How To Spot Fake Adidas Sneakers Checklist
| Features | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Are the Adidas shoes priced correctly? | ||
| Is there a difference between the tag inside the Adidas shoes and the one on its box? | ||
| Are the sneakers posted on a trusted website? | ||
| Can I see the actual pictures of the Adidas shoes? | ||
| Are there any noticeable defects in the actual shoes? |
Any “No” answer requires further investigation to find out if the sneakers are real or fake.
Solution: Buy Adidas Shoes From Reputable Sellers
Tired of buying fake shoes?
Maybe it’s a great time for you to know which sellers to trust and which ones to avoid.
Buying your products from our Online shop or official retailers is the best way to make sure they will be authentic.
If you buy them in other places, like flea markets, street vendors, or internet sellers, the chances they will be fake are greatly increased.
– How Do I Know If My Product Is Authentic? by Adidas US Website
If you need help finding the best stores to get your next Adidas shoes, then you should check these sellers out.
Fake Adidas Sneakers FAQs
With Adidas sneakers being so popular, it’s no surprise that there are a lot of fake and counterfeit versions out there. If you’re not careful, you could end up spending a lot of money on a pair of shoes that aren’t even the real thing!
Luckily, there are some telltale signs that you can look for to help spot fake Adidas shoes.
There are many companies that manufacture and sell counterfeit Adidas shoes that you should be wary of. Here are some of the most common questions asked by those people shopping for authentic Adidas shoes.
What’s the easiest way to spot fake Adidas shoes?
The easiest way to spot fake Adidas shoes is by checking the tag on each shoe. As we told you already, the serial number on the right shoe should not be the same as the one on the left shoe. Fake Adidas shoes would have the same serial number.
How to tell if Adidas sneakers are fake or not without seeing them personally?
You can tell if Adidas sneakers are fake or not without seeing them personally by asking the seller for the actual pictures of the shoes before paying for them. If the seller agrees to send you the actual pictures, ask him kindly if he can give you a close-up of their tags.
You must see the actual pictures of the tags on your soon-to-be shoes first before
Can I return fake Adidas shoes?
If you’re dealing with a reputable seller, this would not be a problem. Unfortunately for you, if you received fake sneakers, then there’s a low chance that you’ll be able to return your recently bought shoes.
Fake Adidas sellers can make it difficult for you to return the shoes and get your money back.
The best thing to avoid this kind of problem is by preventing it from happening in the first place. That’s why you should verify first the authenticity of the sneakers before paying for them.
Are Adidas shoes made in China counterfeit?
Adidas has several factories all over the world, and China is one of the countries where they make some of their sneakers.
Having a pair of Adidas shoes that are made in China does not automatically mean that they are fake or counterfeit. You should check the tag of your shoes first, so you can tell if they are fake or not.
However, we cannot blame you if you’re worried since most fake sneakers are made in China.
There are a lot of fake Adidas sneakers out there, but if you know what to look for then it’s easy to spot them! Counterfeit shoes will usually have poor-quality materials, construction, and laces, and they’ll also be selling for much less than what original Adidas sneakers cost.
Next time you’re looking to buy some new kicks, keep these tips in mind so you can avoid buying fake Adidas vs real ones.