WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH NOVELSHIP

A PLATFORM BUILT ON TRUST -
NOW UNDER PRESSURE

In the sneaker world, trust is currency. And right now, Novelship is starting to feel broke.

Headquartered in Singapore and launched in 2018 by co-founders Richard Xia and Chris Xue, Novelship began with a clear purpose: to fill a glaring gap in the Asian sneaker resale market. At the time, global players like StockX and GOAT had yet to truly plant their flags in the region. For sneakerheads across Southeast Asia and Oceania, getting grails shipped in from the US meant outrageous conversion rates and eye-watering international shipping fees. Novelship promised something better; regionally accessible prices, reduced logistics pain, and local-market insight. For a while, it worked.

AUTHENTICATION UNDER FIRE

Like StockX, Novelship operates on a bid-based marketplace model, allowing buyers and sellers to set their own price points while the platform takes care of the transaction logistics. And, like StockX, it sells the promise of legitimacy, every pair sold is “authenticated” before landing in your hands.

But that word, authenticated, is starting to lose meaning. With Nike’s ongoing lawsuit against StockX uncovering multiple instances of fakes passing through their checks, the entire resale ecosystem has come under scrutiny. Consumers are now asking harder questions, not just of StockX, but of any platform claiming to offer verified products. If StockX, with its billion-dollar valuation and global infrastructure, couldn’t catch counterfeits, what does that mean for smaller players like Novelship?

THE ADVANTAGE THAT’S SLIPPING AWAY

When Novelship first hit the scene, StockX didn’t have a global office footprint beyond North America. Today, things are different. StockX has boots on the ground across Asia and Australia, expanding its authentication centres and marketing reach. The regional dominance that once gave Novelship its edge is quickly shrinking, and the platform’s recent behaviour suggests it's struggling to keep pace.

I’ve been a Novelship user since 2022, when I picked up a Fragment Dunk High ‘Beijing’ and an Acronym Blazer Low ‘Black Olive Aura.’ The experience then felt premium. The sneakers arrived tagged and accompanied by neatly printed authentication documentation. Even the packaging felt curated. But my most recent purchase, a pair of Air Force 1 ‘Linen,’ told a different story. No tags. No documentation. Not even a packing slip. A smooth transaction, sure, but the polish was gone.

THE COLLAPSE OF SOCIAL PRESENCE

But the real rot is happening in plain sight, on their social media feeds.

Seven months ago, Novelship’s Instagram wasn’t groundbreaking, but it at least had structure: consistent graphics, product carousels, some attempts at engaging the community.

Today? It’s chaos. Design quality has nosedived. Political AI Slop of Donald Trump, J. D. Vance, and Elon Musk making sneakers?

Their engagement is flatlining. The most alarming shift? Novelship has started promoting custom sneakers. For a platform that stakes its brand on authentication and legitimacy, this is a red flag. You can’t sell yourself as a gatekeeper of what’s real while pushing customs that blur the lines.

Meanwhile, competitors are running laps around them. GOAT and StockX are still pushing sleek, curated content that feels in tune with culture. They partner with influencers, tell stories, and host events. Novelship, by contrast, feels silent, no major collabs, no fresh voice, no narrative. Just product posts that no one’s interacting with. It looks like a company that's either cut its entire content team or given up on marketing altogether. Neither option is promising.

TRUST IS EVERYTHING & IT’S SLIPPING

Trust, once lost, doesn’t return easily. In a resale market awash with counterfeits, every decision, every package, every post, every claim, either reinforces your credibility or chips away at it. Novelship’s recent moves point to the latter. Their packaging downgrade, their lack of transparency, their confused messaging around customs, they all signal a platform losing its grip on what made it viable in the first place.

The resale market is in a precarious place. Nike’s lawsuit against StockX hasn’t just rattled the big dogs; it’s forced a shift in how resale platforms communicate legitimacy. The messaging is more cautious, the consumers more sceptical. And with StockX expanding its reach across Asia and Australia, Novelship no longer holds the regional monopoly it once did. If they can’t differentiate on price, service, or trust, what’s left?

SO, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

If Novelship wants to stay in the game, it needs to clean house and rebuild its foundation, fast. That means going back to basics:

• CLARIFY YOUR VOICE

  • What does Novelship stand for today? If you’re the platform sneakerheads in Asia can trust, prove it. Double down on transparency. Tell the story of your authentication process. Post behind-the-scenes content. Explain your standards. Educate.

• STOP CUTTING CORNERS

  • The missing tags, the absent documentation, the silence on social, these aren’t minor issues. They’re signals that something’s off. If you’re saving costs, be upfront. But don’t let that cost be your brand’s integrity.

• REINVENT THE FEED

  • Your Instagram is your storefront. Treat it like one. Ditch the rushed graphics & AI slop. Drop the customs. Bring in real design talent, real storytelling, and consistent community engagement. Think campaigns, not just content.

• BUILD COMMUNITY, NOT JUST SALES

  • Host drops. Feature collectors. Interview sellers. Build regional pride. Give people a reason to engage beyond transactions. That’s what GOAT and StockX have nailed, they’ve made resale feel cultural. Novelship needs to do the same.

• RETHINK THE VALUE PROPOSITION

  • With StockX now in the region, you’re no longer the only option. What makes you different today? Is it better pricing? Faster shipping? Local flavour? Whatever it is, shout it louder. Because right now, the silence is deafening.

FINAL THOUGHTS

What made Novelship special, regional relevance, lower fees, a sense of trust—is slipping away. And in the sneaker resale world, once you lose credibility, you rarely get it back. Novelship isn’t dead, but it’s drifting. And unless they make bold moves to rebuild brand trust, redefine their offering, and reconnect with their audience, they’ll find themselves outrun by the very platforms they once outmanoeuvred.

The culture is watching. The ball’s in their court.