Estate planning as a GOAT account holder

GOAT is a resale marketplace for sneakers, apparel, and accessories operated by 1661, Inc. (GOAT Group). Sellers list items and, once an item sells and is authenticated, earnings accrue as a seller balance (shown as "Credits" in the app) that is cashed out by ACH bank transfer through Dwolla or by PayPal. Sellers can also store physical inventory with GOAT on consignment through GOAT Storage. The estate-relevant assets are the unpaid seller balance — money GOAT owes for completed, authenticated sales — and any sneakers consigned in GOAT Storage, which the seller still owns. GOAT does not publish a deceased-seller or estate-transfer process, and its rules make seller accounts non-transferable.

1661, Inc. (GOAT Group) reviews transfer requests for GOAT balance on a case-by-case basis after the account holder's death. Approval is at the company's sole discretion, and documentation requirements must be met before any transfer is considered.

What happens at death

GOAT does not publish a dedicated deceased-seller or estate-succession procedure. Its Terms of Use grant only a limited, non-transferable license and include a standard no-assignment clause, and its seller rules state plainly that "Users may not buy, sell, transfer or share seller accounts," with suspension as a stated consequence. So the seller account itself does not pass to an heir, and there is no documented beneficiary designation or self-service account transfer. There are, however, two recoverable money assets the estate can pursue, which is why the policy is classified as case-by-case rather than forfeited. First, the unpaid seller balance: earnings are added to the seller account as cashable "Credits" once items are authenticated, and are paid out by ACH bank transfer (via Dwolla) or PayPal once the balance meets the cash-out minimum; this balance is money GOAT owes and is a claim the estate can make. Second, any sneakers consigned in GOAT Storage remain the seller's property and can be withdrawn (a Retrieval Fee applies) or sold. Because GOAT reviews these situations individually rather than through a published estate process, the estate must contact GOAT support with proof of death and proof of authority to act for the estate. One time risk to note: after two years with no registered activity, GOAT's inactive-seller rule gives a seller 30 days after an emailed notice to withdraw consigned items or reactivate the account, after which the seller relinquishes all right, title, and interest in those consigned items and authorizes GOAT to donate, destroy, or otherwise dispose of them — so stored inventory can be forfeited if the account is left dormant for years and then unaddressed.