One identity check, not two: your shop goes live faster
Sellers told us that verifying their ID twice was slowing them down. We listened. The identity check Stripe runs when you set up your payouts is now the only one you need, so your shop goes live as soon as your setup is done.
Our partnership with Didit, the company that ran the second check, ends on 1 November 2026. Rather than wait for that date, we are rolling the change out now.
- One identity check. Stripe checks who you are while you set up payouts. That check now covers everything.
- No second wait. Your shop goes live as soon as your photo, first listing and payouts are done.
- The same standard for every seller. Nobody is paid without passing Stripe's check.
You never have to verify your ID twice.
What was going wrong
The second check was meant to take a couple of minutes. For too many of you it did not, and the complaints we heard most were these.
- Verifying twice. Stripe had already checked your name, date of birth and address when you set up payouts, then we asked for your photo ID and a selfie all over again.
- Waiting days for a manual review. Checks that could not be decided automatically went to a review queue, and some sellers waited days for an answer while their shop sat hidden.
- Stuck on "Under Review". Leaving the check before the selfie step left some sellers staring at an "Under Review" screen with no way to try again.
- Checks closing part way through the month. The check ran on a monthly allowance. When it ran out, new sellers were told verification had closed until the first of the next month, and their shops could not go live until then.
Moving to one check, done by Stripe at the moment you set up payouts, removes every one of these.
What changed
| Step | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Profile photo | Needed | Needed |
| First listing | Needed | Needed |
| Payouts set up with Stripe, including Stripe's identity check | Needed | Needed |
| A second ID check with photo ID and a selfie | Needed | Gone |
| When your shop goes live | After the second check came back | As soon as the steps above are done |
How it works now
- Add a profile photo. It is the first thing buyers see on your shop.
- List your first item. From £30. It waits, hidden, until your shop is live.
- Set up payouts with Stripe. Stripe checks your name, date of birth and address against official records and confirms you are 18 or over. If it needs more proof, it asks for a photo of your ID and a selfie.
- You are live. Your shop and listing appear to buyers straight away.
What this means for buyers
- Every seller still passes an identity check before they can be paid.
- You pay Sole Obsession at checkout through Stripe. Sellers never see your card details.
- Every order is still sent tracked, in plain packaging.
What changes if you sell with us today
- Already verified? Nothing changes. Your shop stays exactly as it is.
- Waiting on an ID check, or stuck on "Under Review"? You can stop waiting. If your Stripe payouts are set up, your shop goes live without it.
- Payouts not set up yet? That is now your last step. Your dashboard takes you straight there.
Questions
Do I need to do anything?
Only finish setting up your Stripe payouts if you have not already. Your dashboard shows anything still to do.
Stripe has asked me for my ID. Is that the old check?
No. Stripe sometimes asks for a photo of your ID and a selfie when it needs more proof of who you are. Follow its steps, and once Stripe is happy, you are live.
Does anything change for Featured sellers?
Nothing. Featured keeps the same price and perks, and there is no ID check for it either.
Is my personal information shared with buyers?
No. Your legal name, date of birth and address stay with Stripe. Buyers only see your shop name and the details you choose to add.
Ready when you are.
Finish your setup and your shop goes live straight away.