How To Start Collecting Sneakers
Tips on How To Start Your Sneaker Collection – Finish Line Blog
In one form or another, sneakers have been around for more than a century, believe it or not. From the original “plimsolls” of the 1870s, featuring a rubber outsole and a canvas upper, to Kanye West’s signature adidas Yeezy line featuring shoes that may look more at-home in a sci-fi movie, the trusty trainer has come along way.
Let’s say you’re interested in broadening your footwear horizons a little, maybe expanding your selections to include some more sneakers. But with a historical catalog stretching back literally decades, how does the aspiring sneakerhead know where to start?
We’ve got your back. The Fresh Press has assembled a crack panel of sneaker historians, industry experts and long-time lovers of kicks and asked them to take a look back at the first pair that set their hearts afire, how to start collecting sneakers, and how to find the right pair(s) for you.
The Panel
1. What was the first pair you begged your parents to buy you? Did you get them?
Russ Bengtson: This is actually a tougher question than it seems because my memory sucks now. The first pair I remember really wanting and getting was a pair of Nike Bruins when I was in fourth grade or thereabouts—this would have been before “Nike Air” was even a thing I knew about, either the late ’70s or early ’80s. I wore those until they literally fell apart. A few years later I asked for the original Air Jordans and haha, no. I was into adult sizes by then and they were $65. Wound up with a $35 pair of Air Ships from Marshalls instead. Like Mike, only earlier. —Madison Hartman: Growing up in the suburbs during the early aughts, Etnies and DC shoes were all the rage at my middle school. I desperately wanted a pair, but I was raised by a bargain shopper. Luckily the local outlet mall had a few bargain sneaker stores, so I managed to convince my mom to buy me a pair of white Etnies with a pink “E” logo. Sadly, my dedication to skateboarding lasted all of 6 months, at which point I broke my arm while skating in my garage. —Michael Sykes II: I remember this like it was yesterday. I was in third grade at the time and a huge Allen Iverson fan. The Answer IVs had just dropped and I wanted them badly. I remember seeing them in the Eastbay catalog we’d get at the crib and begging my folks for them every day for, like, three months. My birthday came and I finally got them. That’s probably where this all started for me. —Nitzan Bluvstein: Heelys. (Ed. note: Uhhh…ma’am? ) Okay, stay with me on this one because I know those shoes don’t give off even an ounce of “cool” but a) I wasn’t cool, I just knew what I wanted and b) the concept that your shoes could just magically turn into faux roller blades was the most late 90’s/early 00’s thing you could ask for. And no. No chance I got them because in reality they were basically just another toy. But those commercials were iconic. —Will Hardison: I was in the 7th grade and begged my parents for the original Air Jordan 12s in Obsidian/White-French Blue. Man, those were a beautiful shoe. Unfortunately, my begging didn’t work and I was unable to convince my parents to shell out the money. However, I didn’t give up and they finally caved when the black/red pair released a few months later and I still have the pair to this day. —Mike Taddow: 13-year-old me wanted a pair of Air Command Forces in 1991. My parents thought otherwise, so no, no I didn’t get them.
2. What are things an aspiring sneaker enthusiast should consider when buying their first, or first few pairs of, kicks?
RB: I’d say get something versatile and don’t put all your money towards one crazy pair, unless there’s one you absolutely want more than anything. You’re better off with a few pairs that fill different needs (a pair of runners, a pair of retro hoops shoes, a pair of current signature shoes) than one pair of super-expensive, super-exclusive joints that you’re going to stress over every time you wear them out the door. —MH: First and foremost, don’t buy sneakers that aren’t comfortable. The flashy, no-cushion sneakers I’ve bought sit in boxes while the cozy stuff stays in my weekly rotation, hype or no hype. Second, fads come and go just buy what you like and don’t worry about chasing down every trend. —MS: Be wary of price and try not to spend too much on kicks you might not even like in a month or two. It’s so easy to spend $100 or more to buy a shoe on resale right now. But if you don’t know a ton about that shoe or how it fits and how it looks on foot, you have to be wary. —NB: The best advice I ever got when I was first getting into sneakers was “get whatever the hell you want. ” For example, once I was obsessed with the Air Max 97 in Mustard — I texted every great sneakerhead I know and some friends for their honest opinion. And the funniest thing is friends gave their opinions (as asked, fine) but the folks I’d met within the sneaker industry all came back with the same “if you like it, get it. ”—WH: Don’t settle. In my opinion, your first couple pairs of sneakers should be versatile. Take my black/red 12s for example. It’s a shoe that doesn’t go with much other than black and red and to be honest, I didn’t wear them as much as I probably should have for them being my first pair. Your shoes are meant to be worn, so select a few pairs that you’ll wear and wear often. —MT: Never buy sneakers because everyone is talking about them. Buy them if (a) YOU think they’re cool, (b) they feel good on feet, and (c) you can afford them.
3. What, in your totally subjective opinion, is the perfect entry-level model/range/shoe for someone looking to start their sneaker collection?
RB: Air Jordan 1 highs. The OG colors and collabs are all prohibitively expensive, but they make enough different ones now that you can always find a pair of highs on sale. And personally I’d get a pair of highs in a nontraditional colorway before I got a pair of mids in Chicago (or, for that matter, any other) colors. —MH: Literally any Air Max. There are so many different silhouettes, colorways and collaborations that no matter what your price point or personal style is, you can find something that suits you. I also happen to think Air Max never goes out of style. —MS: Air Max 1 or Air Max 90. It’s really hard to go wrong with most colorways there and they’re really versatile in terms of the type of ‘fit you can get off with them. —NB: I think you can’t go wrong with Air Max, obviously. They’re a staple for a good reason, and I’ve had phases of liking the 90s over the 97s or being way too into the 95s for some time — so it’s really easy to figure out what silhouette works best for you. If you’re not super down to be polarizing with your kicks, I think the best bet is the 90s — I’m biased but the Volt and Purple colorways are incredibly cool and it’s definitely more of a chunky shoe but doesn’t feel as heavy as the 95s. They’re also not too expensive (~$120) and even though there’s definitely amazing kicks that are way cheaper, it won’t completely make your bank account cry. —WH: Whew, tough call here. My younger self would have said the Air Jordan line but as I’ve gotten older, Vans has stolen my heart. You can’t go wrong with several pairs of Old Skool Vans in various colors. —MT: For me, my first foray into sneaker collecting started off with trainers that could be worn casually. That was the wave in my time, so Air Max was heavy in my rotation when kicking off my collection.
4. What advice would you give your past self with regard to buying and collecting sneakers? You can be as broad or specific as you like.
RB: Don’t buy sneakers on sale just because they’re too cheap to pass up. If you weren’t willing to spend full retail on them, you’re likely never going to wear them. And wear whatever you want whenever you want because almost everything is just gonna get retroed again anyway. —MH: Don’t worry about trying to get every single hot sneaker. Yes, sometimes it hurts on a Saturday morning when you take an L but most of the time you forget about it a few hours later. Time heals all wounds. —MS: STOP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY ON SHOES YOU AREN’T WEARING YOU LOOK LIKE A DOPE. Oh, and always, always, always wear your shoes. Not wearing them is wack. —NB: Despite getting some very obvious clear advice to get what I want and forget what others think about it, it took me a second to really embrace it. Trying to get into sneakers I listened to what the voices I most enjoyed in the space were saying, instead of thinking what actually fits for me, my outfits, which kicks I think I can rock best, etc — and there were definitely some sneaker purchases I wouldn’t have made if I considered myself first before what was “cool. ” For example, I look absolutely terrible in a high Air Jordan 1. The shoe itself is one of my personal favorites to see on other people, but it just doesn’t work with the outfits I’m usually putting together for myself. So, I don’t need to have it just because others do. —WH: Don’t sell your sneakers. Yes, sometimes due to uncontrollable circumstances, we need to unload a few pairs, but hang on to as many pairs as you can. I’ve sold off most of my collection from when I was growing up and it makes me sick when I think about it. My collection was full of sneakers that all had their own story and represented my childhood. I wish I could open up my closet to find boxes full of those memories. Keep your kicks. —MT: Diversify the colorways of kicks to make sure you have the fits to compliment them. Also, clean them carefully and let them breathe.
5. What advice do you have for aspiring sneakerheads just getting started?
RB: The big thing is don’t get caught up in the whole “sneakers are an investment” thing. Figure out what you like and spend your money on that. Assume that everything you buy will be worthless someday. Wear your grails until they fall apart. And don’t turn it into a perpetual chase. If you miss out on a release, it’s fine. There’s just gonna be another one. And another one, and another one, and another one. —MH: If the story behind a sneaker is something you connect with – whether it’s who designed it, what it was inspired by or what the collection represents – that’s far more important than what sneaker Twitter thinks of that shoe. —MS: I would say they should try not to follow hype too much. I know it’s super duper hard, but it’s easy to get frustrated early when you’re not getting pair after pair. You might lose the love early and that stinks. So just buying cool models no one is touching is the way to go early on, in my opinion. —NB: Well, I am just an aspiring sneakerhead. And even saying THAT is a stretch. I am just really into expressing my style with sneakers when I’m out, but I’m still discovering the rich history that sneaker culture has and how I want to interact with it. There are so many amazing voices in the space right now putting out incredible written content, photography, etc that are engaging for consumers and people trying to get excited about the world of kicks. I would say just diving into any of their brilliant work is the best way for someone to get started. I wouldn’t even be able to list all of my favorites so I’ll kick off with a short list (the sincerest apologies to anyone I forgot, there are SO many): @fearofroya on Twitter, @shoehefner5 on IG, @alex_the_don on IG, @shegotgame on IG, and @coseezy on IG are some of my personal favorites and just tuning into all of their content is the best advice I can give. —WH: Buy what you like and ignore the hype! If you like a pair of shoes, that’s all that matters. Who cares if they’re limited, designed by so and so, or cost you $1, 000. At the end of the day they are on your feet and that’s all that matters. Some of my favorite shoes are sneakers that barely anyone has ever heard of or cared about, but I like and enjoy them. —MT: Be smart with your money. Just because you like a shoe right now, read the room and see if they’re gonna sit for a while (StockX is a good resource for this). If so, have the patience to wait for them at outlets or even for sales on the various online platforms.
6. Anything else you’d like to add?
RB: Wu-Tang is for the children. —MS: Create boundaries for yourself and always stick to them. If you don’t want to spend $30 over retail? Don’t. Don’t chase hype — buy what you like. If you think it looks cool, guess what? It probably does. Don’t worry about if you’ve seen it on Instagram or not. —NB: This is going to be incredibly corny but I became obsessed with getting new sneakers to be more bold in my style, and match my look closer to my at-times too-loud personality. But in general the coolest part has been the friendships and connections I’ve made with people just bonding over sneakers. It’s such a cool world to try and dive into and the people working in and around the space are some of the most genuinely cool people I’ve ever met. Follow their stuff and support their content because a lot of those brilliant men and women were doing this way before the rest of us caught on to how much fun it is to be obsessed with kicks to an unhealthy degree. —WH: (Ed. note: Will didn’t have anything extra to add, but insisted that this masterpiece of a photograph of himself be included. )
—MT: You don’t have to buy every release. Let the type of sneaker speak to your personal aesthetic/brand before pulling the trigger on a purchase you’ll regret the day it arrives at the crib. Lastly, if the kicks make YOU happy, don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.
How To Start A Sneaker Collection – 10 Tips – SneakerBinge
10 TIPS FOR STARTING A SNEAKER COLLECTION
Make sure your feet are done growing. You do not outgrow the kicks in your collection
Find some source of income. Get a job. Find some work. Use some of the leftover money to buy sneakers.
Buy to resell. If there is a huge sneaker release do everything you can to give yourself a chance to buy them. Enter as many raffles you can or even camp out if you have to. Resell the sneakers and use the profit to buy a sneaker to add to the collection
Buy a pair of sneakers and do not wear them for a couple years. Deadstock Jordan, Nike, and Adidas sneakers are almost always worth more than retail after a few years. The hard part is making sure you do not wear them even once. Once the value of the sneakers has gone up, sell it, and use the profits to add another sneaker to the collection
Know what you want to collect. Do you want a wide variety or a very specific collection? Sometimes the best collections are the ones that are only 1 type of sneaker. For example, collecting only Air Max or Ultra Boost or Jordan 11’s. Know what your favorite sneaker is and try to collect all your favorite colorways
Make sure you keep the sneakers in your collection clean. Beaters do not belong in your collection.
Find steals and deals to help build your collection. Pick up a couple of those sneakers that you like that is on sale or go to the outlets. The more sneakers that you can add to the collection the better
Find a good connection so you can get your hands on the exclusive sneakers or best deals
Get 2 pairs of hype release. Sell 1 and keep 1 for yourself
Go to some sneaker events like Sneakercon. Just make sure the sneakers are legit before you purchase
Video by Richie Le
Sneaker collecting – Wikipedia
Sneaker collecting is the acquisition and trading of sneakers as a hobby. It is often manifested by the use and collection of shoes made for particular sports, particularly basketball and skateboarding. A person involved in sneaker collecting is sometimes called a sneakerhead.
The birth of sneaker collecting, subsequently creating the sneakerhead culture in the United States came in the 1980s and can be attributed to two major sources: basketball, specifically the emergence of Michael Jordan and his eponymous Air Jordan line of shoes released in 1985, and the growth of hip hop music. The boom of signature basketball shoes during this era provided the sheer variety necessary for a collecting subculture, while the hip-hop movement gave the sneakers their street credibility as status symbols. [1] The sneakerhead culture has emerged in the United Kingdom[2] and the Czech Republic during the early 2010s. [3]
By the beginning of the 2020s, sneakerhead culture had become fully global in nature, partially due to “athleisure” attire becoming increasingly popular at both the low- and high-ends of the fashion world. [4] It also extended well beyond its original focus on shoes originally designed for use while playing basketball, with Kanye West’s Yeezy line of low-rise sneakers produced by Adidas serving as a well-known example.
Styles and marketing[edit]
Store display of new release Nike sneakers.
Several popular brands and styles of sneakers have emerged as collectors items in the sneakerhead subculture. Popular collections include Air Jordans, Air Force Ones, Nike Dunks, Nike Skateboarding (SB), Nike Foamposites, Nike Air Max, and more recently, the Yeezy line produced by Adidas but sold & marketed separately from its primary sneaker models. Shoes that have the most value are usually exclusive or limited editions. Also, certain color schemes may be rarer relative to others in the same sneaker, inflating desirability and value. More recently, sneaker customs, or one-of-a-kind sneakers that have been hand-painted, have become popular as well.
Nike, New Balance, and Reebok also have custom shops where people can choose from the color, lettering, and materials that they want. Adidas discontinued their custom shop in February 2019.
Nike continues to use basketball stars to market new sneakers. In 2011, the Zoom Hyperdunk was introduced through Blake Griffin (a Los Angeles Clippers player and NBA 2010–11 NBA Rookie of the Year). Nike has also employed celebrities from outside of the sports world to design and market new shoe lines. One example is the Nike Air Yeezy, designed by rapper Kanye West and released in 2009, as well as the Nike Air Yeezy II, released in 2012. [5] West’s relationship with Nike soured after that point, however, and in 2013 he parted ways with the company and migrated his Yeezy line of sneakers over to Adidas, which were originally produced only in limited numbers but expanded to millions sold with each “drop” beginning in 2018. [6]
Skateboarding, since about 2005, has been a major player in the shoe collecting industry especially with the variety introduced with the Nike SB, Vans, DC and Supra product lines. As of 2020, Nike Dunks – a model originally designed for basketball, but later embraced by skateboarders in low-top form (hence the name “Nike SB”) – had emerged as one of the most widely coveted sneakerhead shoes, particularly in terms of unusual collaborations with the likes of Ben & Jerry’s and the Grateful Dead. The most popular Air Jordan archival models – nearly all of which sell out within minutes after a new version is introduced, or a coveted retro colorway (e. g. the original Air Jordan 1 in its black-and-red “bred” colorway that was later banned by the NBA) is reissued – include the Jordan 1, 3, 4, 5 and 11.
Sneakerhead subculture[edit]
The sneakerhead subculture originated in the United States during the late 1980s and had gone global by the end of the 1990s. Hardcore sneaker collectors in Britain, Europe, [7] and the US[8] buy online and go to outlets, sneaker events, swapmeets, parties, and gatherings in search of rare, deadstock, vintage, and limited edition shoes to invest in. [9] Given the extent to which former cult favorite sneakers have become popular with mainstream consumers, however, new launches of “hot” sneaker models increasingly take place via online raffles through sneaker and skateboarding boutiques, as well as Nike’s SNKRS phone app and Adidas’s similar Confirmed app.
Originally popular among urban black youth and white skateboarders, by the 21st century, it had also gained a sizable Asian following especially in the Philippines, Malaysia, [10] India, and China. [11] That said, sneakers have had cult followings in Japan – where many American fashion brands remain highly covetable – since the 1990s, [12] and outside the US, Japan is one of the only markets where limited-edition styles (particularly Nikes) sold solely within the country have had region-exclusive drops. [13]
Sneakerheads collect sneakers from different brands depending on their preference. In terms of collectible sneakers that can usually be resold for well above their original retail price, the most coveted brands among sneakerheads are Nike, Air Jordan and Yeezy; models from more mainstream manufacturers such as New Balance, Puma, Vans and Reebok rarely yield significant returns, with the exception of certain collaborations with various athletes and, increasingly, celebrities with no direct ties to pro sports, including Rihanna, Drake and Vogue global editorial director Anna Wintour. [14] Nike (including the company’s Air Jordan brand) and Adidas are generally the most popular brands targeted by collectors. Popular fashion trends in sneaker culture usually overlap with streetwear[15] trends and styles.
As of 2016, the most desirable[16] colors for sneakers and apparel were black, [17] red, [18] and white[19] due to their longstanding association with late 1980s new wave music, the Michael Jordan era of basketball, [20] and old-school hip hop. [21] By 2021, however, bright colorways of Nike Dunks – particularly “collabs” with high-profile streetwear designers such as Virgil Abloh’s Off-White line and Sacai – began eclipsing even many Air Jordan 1s in popularity. Air Jordan 1 “mids” are the most wanted shoe.
Sneakerhead slang[edit]
A pair of grey “tonal” Nike low top sneakers
During the 2010s, teenage sneakerheads influenced by hip hop fashion and skater subculture began to develop their own jargon. Commonly used words include:[22]
“A. C. G” – All Conditions Gear, a brand of sneakers produced by Nike[22]
“ADC” – Adidas dot com[22]
“Beaters” – Sneakers worn despite creases, scuffs, stains, and smell[22]
“Bots” – Custom-written computer programs designed to cop sneakers in mass quantities, with varying degrees of success; much like the sneakers they’re used to purchase, the most desirable bots are sold in limited quantities and frequently resold via online forums such as Discord for well above their original purchase price[23]
“Bred” – Black and red sneakers;[22] if in reference to the original black-and-red Air Jordan 1 design, “banned” is used as a preferred synonym[24]
“B-grade” – Shop-worn seconds sold at a discount[25]
“Chucks” – Converse All-Stars, though the “Chuck” nickname has been used to describe them since at least the 1950s (e. Chuck Taylor All-Stars), in reference to their original designer, Chuck Taylor
“Coke whites” – Pristine white sneakers[22]
“Crispy” – Clean[22]
“Colorway” – The combination of colors or symbols on a pair of sneakers
“Cop” (used as a verb) – To purchase or acquire
“Cozy boy” – Fashionable but also comfortable[22]
“Deadstock” – A pair of sneakers that has never been worn[22]
“Deubre” – Also called lace tags are popular on shoes like Air Force Ones
“Don’t sleep” – Used literally relative to sneaker drops, e. collectible Nikes that are most often released at 7:00am West Coast time in the US, when many sneakerheads would normally be asleep; informally used as a synonym for “don’t forget”
“Dope” – Fashionable
“Double up” – Buying two identical pairs of sneakers[22]
“Drop” – Release of a new sneaker[26]
“Feezy” – Fake Yeezys
“Fire” – Very good[22]
“Flop” – Poorly sold
“Fresh” – New and cool[22]
“Fugazi” – Fake
“GOAT” – Greatest Of All Time[22] (most commonly a reference to Michael Jordan, in sneakerhead terminology, or the reseller store of the same name)
“Garms” – Clothes[22]
“Grail” – Very rare sneakers, as in Holy Grail, and commonly priced well north of US$1, 000 for a new-in-box pair
“GR” – General release, or common
“Gum sole” – Sneakers with solid rubber soles in their original light beige color[22]
“Gutties” – Scottish slang term for trainers/sneakers.
“Heat” – Rare sneakers that draw looks
“Hypebeast” – Trendies who only buy the latest release. Hypebeasts buy whatever the celebrities are wearing and tend to copy people like hip-hop artist Kanye West. By 2020, hypebeast became a derogatory term in many countries for a hipster whose style had begun branching out into designer streetwear. [27]
“High Top(s)” – A shoe that rises above or on the ankle mainly used for ankle support during sports. [22]
“J’s” – Another name for Jordan brand shoes
“JB” – The Jordan Brand logo (see below)[22]
“Jumpman” – Basketball player Michael Jordan, but in sneakerhead culture more commonly used to describe the Jordan logo depicting Jordan created by legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and first seen on the Air Jordan 3 (and most new Jordan designs since then)[22]
“Ice” – Sneakers with transparent soles
“Instacop” – Impulse buying[22]
“Kicks” – Shoes
“L” – Loss/unable to purchase
“Lit up” – Great[22]
“Lows” – Also called low tops are shoes that sit below the ankle [22]
“Mids” – Situated between highs and lows in the Air Jordan 1 lineup, but generally viewed as much less collectible
“NIB” – Unworn, new in the box (as is required to sell shoes via popular reseller StockX)
“OG” – Retro re-release of an original design or colorway, derived from the term “original gangster” but generally limited to describing variations of the Air Jordan 1 High
“Quickstrikes” – Limited edition sneakers and prototypes with a regional early release, especially Nikes, [28] and are highly desirable[29] status symbols for American sneaker collectors. [30]
“Reseller” – A person who buys large quantities of unworn popular sneakers to sell at a profit;[31] also used to describe retail stores, both online and off, that sell collectible models at prices usually well above original retail, including StockX, Stadium Goods, Flight Club and GOAT
“Red October” – Very rare red sneakers by Nike and rapper Kanye West[22]
“Silhouette” – Design of a sneaker
“Sitting” – Referring to sneakers produced in large quantities that go unsold
“Slept on” – Unappreciated by the wider community
“Steezy” – Stylish[22]
“Tackies” – South African teenage slang for sneakers
“Threads” – Clothes
“Tonal” – Sneakers in a single color, as in monotone. [22]
“Trainers” – British slang for sneakers
“Unauthorized / unauthorised” – counterfeit[32]
“VNDS” – Very Near Dead Stock sneakers that have been tried or worn once/twice and that look new while maintaining clean, spotless soles and no marks/signs of wear. (View More)
“W” – Win/successful purchase
“Wild” – Amazing[22]
“Yeezy” – Sneakers designed by rapper Kanye West[33]
Industry growth and reselling[edit]
In response to the significant surge of interest in sneakers between 2010 and 2020, the sneaker market has begun to expand into a variety of different, and oftentimes unique, venues. The growth of online retailing and auction sites has provided sneaker collectors with new methods to find the rarest shoes. Sneaker retailers have begun to adopt creative means to release these limited-production sneakers. Some have implemented a raffle system – for both online sales as well as in-store ones, in some cases – where the winners are chosen at random, while others have implemented a first come, first served model. The SNKRS app was launched in 2015 by Nike to give more access to the latest sneaker drops in addition to expanding its consumer audience. [34] The app implements multiple variations of raffle systems – most notably 10-minute-long “draws” – and as of 2020 mostly eschews the older first come, first served model, given that the large majority of shoes sold via SNKRS are heavily hyped. (Nike still sells the vast majority of its products via its separate, non-SNKRS-related app, along with sales through traditional brick-and-mortar sellers such as Foot Locker as well as large department stores. )
Due to the popularity of these rare sneakers and streetwear culture, the emergence of a large-scale counterfeit market has risen to meet the demand for these highly sought-after sneakers. However, in response to the large counterfeit challenges, new companies have taken off. [35] The shoe reselling market is currently dominated by StockX and GOAT. Sneakers have some of the highest resale multiples among retail consumer goods, and the two aftermarket websites (each of which also allows for buying and selling via custom-designed phone apps) currently have a de facto monopoly on the niche, though eBay launched its own authenticated-sneaker initiative to compete with them (and mitigate their reputation as a common outlet for counterfeit sneaker sales). [36] The old-school sneakerhead community routinely expresses distaste for the resale community, especially buyers who only do so for profit’s sake, not appreciation for sneakers’ history or artistry. [37]
Apps like SNKRS were made to give ordinary buyers a fair chance to purchase a given pair, but with mixed results. While Nike has the financial wherewithal to continuously improve the app to prevent bots from exploiting it, this is generally not the case with small, independent sneaker boutiques; on many such sites, bots and proxy servers in particular (which “spoof” IP addresses to obfuscate the fact that dozens, hundreds or even thousands of purchase attempts are being made from a single buyer’s computer) have made it effectively impossible in most cases for people to purchase hype sneakers via scheduled drops before they sell out, which typically happens within 2-3 minutes and sometimes within a matter of seconds. While StockX and GOAT have not disclosed how many sellers on their platforms sell goods en masse, they’re believed to be the most popular outlets for doing so; StockX sold $1. 8 billion in merchandise in 2020 alone (including sportswear and some other lines, but predominantly sneakers). [38] Sneakers are resold for prices that can range from a modest 15%-20% above retail, and up to a 10x (or 1, 000%) return on the most coveted, low-production drops.
These sites provide a trusted platform where buyers can buy shoes from sneaker resellers, though on occasion both are accused of delivering counterfeit shoes that somehow passed their “legit checks, ” the specifics of which are kept close to vest. On both StockX and GOAT, a buyer places an order for a given pair of sneakers, and the seller sends the purchased item(s) to StockX or GOAT facilities for inspection and verification; products are shipped to buyers if they’re successfully authenticated. [39] StockX allows registered users to watch and track resale prices in real time, along with publishing longer-term pricing & sales trends for sneakers that have been available for extended periods of time. [40] Additionally, sneakers bought from StockX arrive with a QR coded tag on the shoes as an ostensible guarantee of their authenticity, but some buyers have nonetheless claimed that the shoes they’ve received are fakes – though given the opaque nature of online sneaker reselling in general, it’s rarely possible to discern whether such claims are accurate.
See also[edit]
Benjamin Kapelushnik (sneaker reseller)
Just for Kicks (documentary film)
Sneakerheads (TV series)
2010s teenage fashion
References[edit]
^ Skidmore, Sarah (15 January 2007). “Sneakerheads love to show off shoes”. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
^ “United Kingdom ‘sneakerheads’ the rise of streetwear and being an Sneakerhead in the Uk”. Urbanworld Streetwear. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
^ “Czech ‘sneakerheads’ flaunt their best trainers”. Czech Position. Archived from the original on 20 June 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
^ “Athleisure Has Finally Gone High Fashion”. GQ. Retrieved 1 Oct 2021.
^ Kim, John. “Nike Air Yeezy 2 – Officially Unveiled”. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
^ “Finally, Yeezys You’ll (Probably) Be Able to Get Your Hands On”. Retrieved 1 Oct 2021.
^ Charles, James (January 24, 2015). “Sellers pay the price as eBay fails to deliver on its promises” – via
^ “Finance & Footwear: Investing In Sneakers Could Pay Off Big In The End”. May 5, 2016.
^ Taylor, Ian. “The Best Sneakers To Invest In: Converse Chuck Taylor”. AskMen.
^ “Malaysian sneakerheads”. Archived from the original on 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
^ “Nike fan buys his first flat by pawning collection of 283 pairs of Air Jordan trainers”.
^ “To The Max: How Tokyo Became A Sneaker Mecca”. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 1 Oct 2021.
^ “The Coolest Japan-Exclusive Sneaker Releases Ever”. 26 Nov 2020. Retrieved 1 Oct 2021.
^ “The Best Sneaker Brands In The World Right Now”. FashionBeans. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
^
^ “Why a Sneakerhead Destroyed His Rare Air Jordans”. Washington City Paper.
^ Chandran, Nyshka (September 28, 2016). “Why sneakers such as Yeezys are a solid investment: StockX”.
^ “New Exhibit Laces Together Sneakers And History”.
^ “A Sneakerhead Turned His “Laser” 1s Into fragments and Breds”. Complex.
^ “Jordan low bred”. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
^ Kurie, Brendan. “Sole sensation: High-end sneaker culture thrives in New Bedford”.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y “Your Definitive Guide to Sneaker Slang”. Coveteur. April 18, 2017.
^ “Everything You Need to Know About Sneaker Bots”. 27 Jan 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ “The History of Michael Jordan’s “Banned” Sneakers”. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
^ Sneaker glossary
^ “Grundbegriffe des Resellings • Sneaker-Reseller”. September 11, 2018.
^ Hipster hypebeast
^ Nast, Condé. “Five Easy Steps to Re-Selling Your Sneakers on the Internet”. GQ.
^ “Here’s Our Favorite Sneakers Worn at Nike’s Air Max Con in New York”. Highsnobiety. March 25, 2016.
^ “VladTV // Sneakers”.
^ “Reselling Sneakers Might Be a Better Investment Than Buying Stock in Apple”. Complex.
^ Chesler, Josh (July 22, 2015). “10 Sneaker Terms You Need to Know When Getting Into Kicks”. Phoenix New Times.
^ Sneaker guide
^ “Just Did It: My long road to redemption on Nike’s SNKRS app”. For The Win. 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
^ “GOAT raises $25M more to expand its mobile sneaker marketplace”.
^ “Explore your passion for sneakers — let eBay take care of the paperwork”. CNN.
^ “Nike Will Probably Never Eliminate Resellers, and Here’s Why”. Complex. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
^ “StockX’s Annual Snapshot Report Sheds Light on Market-moving Trends, Industry Insights, and Record Growth in 2020”. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
^ Griffith, Erin (2019-06-26). “Buy Low-Tops, Sell High-Tops: StockX Sneaker Exchange Is Worth $1 Billion”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
^ “How To Make A Fortune Selling Sneakers”. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
Further reading[edit]
Michael Khan, “Sneakerheads show sole devotion to footwear”, The San Diego Union-Tribune (September 28, 2004).
Richard A. Martin, “The Rebirth of the New York Sneakerhead”, The New York Times (July 11, 2004).
Michael Tunison, “‘Sneakerheads’ Kick It Up a Notch in Search for That Rare Pair”, Washington Post (Saturday, February 17, 2007): D01.
Eric Wilson, “Front Row; Sneakerhead Bonanza”, The New York Times (March 23, 2006).
Bloomberg, “Sneaker Culture and Street Wear on Bloomberg TV”, Bloomberg TV (January 31, 2012).
Cool Hunting, “‘Where the Ladies At'”, Cool Hunting (October 11, 2005).
Douglas Brundage, “A Close Reading of Hypebeast’s “Streetwear Impact Report”, Medium (May 26, 2019).
External links[edit]
Sneakerhead University on – series about sneakers etc.
Sneakerhead News in Brasil.
Sneakerhead News in spañol.
Frequently Asked Questions about how to start collecting sneakers
How do I start a sneaker collection?
How To Start A Sneaker Collection – 10 TipsMake sure your feet are done growing. … Find some source of income. … Buy to resell. … Buy a pair of sneakers and do not wear them for a couple years. … Know what you want to collect. … Make sure you keep the sneakers in your collection clean.More items…•Jan 6, 2018
Where do I start with my shoe collection?
Popular collections include Air Jordans, Air Force Ones, Nike Dunks, Nike Skateboarding (SB), Nike Foamposites, Nike Air Max, and more recently, the Yeezy line produced by Adidas but sold & marketed separately from its primary sneaker models. Shoes that have the most value are usually exclusive or limited editions.
What sneakers do people collect?
Is it worth investing in sneakers? Reselling sneakers requires hard work and success isn’t guaranteed. If you’re passionate about sneakers, it might be a worthwhile investment provided you work hard and learn the business. In this way, investing in sneakers is no different than investing in any other asset.May 13, 2021
