This entrepreneur made $1.5 million in sneaker sales by focusing on eBay not the newer resale platforms like StockX and GOAT

• Chris Holbrook, or Sneaker Jesus, is the top sneaker seller on eBay.
• The 33-year-old, who did over $1.5 million in sales in 2019, made 90% of his sales on eBay.
• Here's why the reseller says he stays away from platforms like StockX and GOAT and instead focuses on eBay to grow his business.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When eBay first launched in 1995, the sneaker resale scene was starting to gain traction. Today, there are many platforms for navigating and participating in the multi-billion dollar industry, but some eBay devotees remain loyal to the platform that bills itself as the originator of the game.

More than 5.7 million sneakers were sold on eBay in North America in 2019. And there are more than 1 million sneaker listings on eBay every day, on average.

Newer resale platforms like StockX, GOAT, and Stadium Goods have become popular in the last decade and many resellers are finding success turning tremendous profits on those apps.

But for Chris Holbrook, or Sneaker Jesus, eBay will always be his go-to marketplace for running his business, which brought in $1.5 million in sales in 2019.

"I still can't believe how far we've come with eBay," Holbrook told Business Insider. The 33-year-old, who holds the title of eBay's top sneaker seller, said he remembers when the platform launched in 1995 and when he created his own account in 2003.

Holbrook said he initially created his eBay account to sell basketball cards and some of his old Jordans. The first shoe he remembers selling was the Air Jordan 1 Royal Blue, which he sold in 2003.

"I can't remember what they sold for, but I was shocked at how much profit could be made off a used sneaker," Holbrook said.

Holbrook says eBay is better for developing relationships with customers

In a previous story, Holbrook explained the details of how he grew his business to become the number one sneaker seller on eBay. 90% of Holbrook's 2019 sales, which amounted to more than $15 million, came through eBay. The other 10% came through various resale platforms like StockX and GOAT.

According to Holbrook, choosing eBay was a major key to his success.

"We've dabbled in other sneaker platforms, but frankly avoid selling there as much as possible," Holbrook said, explaining how platforms like Stockx and GOAT do not allow the seller to build up a brand in the way that eBay does.

Other resellers have avoided StockX and GOAT for this reason, as well as the various fees per transaction for sellers. eBay recently eliminated fees for North American sellers on any sneakers sold for $100 or more.

While the limited fees on eBay might be a big draw for many resellers, Holbrook says that developing a loyal client base is his main reason for choosing the platform.

"I want my customers to be raving fans when they shop with Sneaker Jesus," Holbrook said. Such notoriety is more difficult to accomplish on platforms like StockX or GOAT, which keep the seller's identity a secret and leave little room to grow a customer base of people who will shop regularly.

"People chose to shop with Sneaker Jesus because they know who they're getting their shoes from," Holbrook added. "We're a legitimate vetted figure in the sneaker community."