Responsible Purchasing

1. What mystery boxes are — and aren’t

SneakBox is retail with a reveal. You pay a fixed price ($29–$499), you always receive a real pair of sneakers with a stated guaranteed minimum retail value, and the odds of every outcome are published before you buy (see how our fairness system works). No box is ever empty and no outcome is worth nothing.

But we’ll be direct with you: the not-knowing is part of the appeal, and that same not-knowing can pull some people into spending more than they planned. SneakBox is not an investment, not a way to make money, and not a substitute for buying the exact pair you want at retail. It’s entertainment-shaped retail — treat it that way.

2. The one rule that matters

3. Practical budgeting guidance

• Decide your number before you open the app. A monthly sneaker budget set in a calm moment beats a decision made mid-reveal.
• Set that number as your in-app limit (Section 4) so the app enforces it even when the moment is exciting.
• Think in pairs, not pulls. Ask “would I pay this for a pair of sneakers today?” — not “what might I pull?”
• Store credit is still your money’s worth. Selling back at 85% and letting credit sit is fine. Credit is not a reason to buy another box.
• Check your history monthly. Your complete spend history is always visible in the app (Section 5). Look at the total, not the highlights.

4. The in-app toolkit

Every tool below lives in Settings → Responsible Purchasing in the app, and every one of them can also be activated for you by emailing support@sneakbox.app.

Default spend limits

Every new account starts with a default monthly spend limit already applied — you don’t have to opt in to protection. You can lower it, or raise it after the cool-down below.

Your own daily, weekly, and monthly limits

Set a hard cap on your spending per day, week, or month. Once a limit is reached, purchases are blocked until the period resets — no override, no “are you sure?” loophole.

• Lowering a limit takes effect immediately.
• Raising a limit takes effect after a 24-hour cool-down. A limit you can raise in the heat of the moment isn’t a limit.

Purchase cool-downs

Add a mandatory pause between purchases. With a cool-down active, the app won’t sell you a second box until your chosen interval has passed — a built-in moment to decide whether you actually want another.

Temporary timeout

Block yourself from all purchases for anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days. Your account, Vault, and credit remain intact — you can still ship pairs and manage your account — you just can’t buy. A timeout cannot be lifted early.

Permanent self-exclusion

Close the door entirely. Self-exclusion permanently blocks purchasing on your account and — because we verify identity at signup — blocks new accounts opened under your identity too. Self-exclusion is irreversible except through a formal waiting period, and we will never market to a self-excluded person. Before it takes effect, we help you resolve your Vault: ship or sell back anything outstanding so nothing of yours is stranded.

Full spend history

Your complete purchase history — every box, every sell-back, every shipment fee — is visible in the app at all times and exportable as a file, so you (or anyone helping you budget) can see the real total.

5. Signs worth paying attention to

None of these mean something is wrong on their own. But if you notice more than one, it’s worth a pause:

• Regularly spending more than you planned to.
• Opening boxes to chase one specific pull, rather than because you’d be happy with the range of outcomes.
• Hiding purchases from a partner, family, or yourself.
• Buying another box right after a disappointing reveal, to “fix” it.
• Spending money that was earmarked for something else, or borrowing to buy.
• Feeling relief when a limit stops you — that’s the limit doing its job.

If any of this sounds familiar, set a lower limit or a timeout today (they take effect immediately), and consider the resources below.

6. Confidential help

SneakBox is a retail product, not gambling — every purchase always delivers a real pair with a guaranteed minimum value. But if purchasing stops feeling like fun, these confidential resources help regardless of what the product is called:

• National Council on Problem Gambling helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) — free, confidential, 24/7, call or text.
• ncpgambling.org — screening tools, chat support, and local referrals.

Reaching out is not an admission of anything. It’s the same move as setting a spend limit: deciding your money should go where you want it to.

7. Our commitments to you

• No marketing to minors, ever. SneakBox is 18+ with identity verification (Age & State Eligibility), and our marketing is never aimed at or placed for underage audiences.
• No “one more box” pressure mechanics. No countdown timers on your decision to buy, no streaks that punish stopping, no prompts to buy again after a reveal.
• Odds always published, before purchase, every time. See Fairness for how every open is independently verifiable.
• No marketing to self-excluded users. Self-exclusion removes you from every marketing channel we operate, permanently.
• Limits with teeth. Lowering protections is instant; loosening them always has a cool-down.

8. For families and partners

If you’re concerned about someone else’s spending on SneakBox, contact support@sneakbox.app. We cannot share account details with you without the account holder’s consent, but we can explain the tools available, and if you believe a minor is using the service we will act on that immediately (see the Refund & Returns Policy on purchases by minors).

9. Talk to us

Want a limit set, a timeout applied, self-exclusion started, or just a human to walk you through the options? Email support@sneakbox.app or visit Support. Requests to add protections are actioned same-day and never questioned.