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Just A Thought
What's up with my Kickz and Sneakerz family? How are you all maintaining? You get your vaccine shot yet? Yeah, me neither... anyways, has anyone been able to snatch any kicks? I grabbed a few here and there and I'm pretty pleased with myself.
Then I started thinking about the shoe game and how the market is setup to prey and capitalize on the consumers who truly want the products. It is unfair and unnecessary to gouge the way resellers and secondary markets do. I feel like there is time for a shift, one that puts power back into the hands of consumers, collectors and aficionados alike.
What if as a whole, the sneaker community rejected the secondary market? Let's just think about this for a minute. Who buys and supports these platforms and resellers? We do!! So what if we operated in unity and discipline, making a stand against the resell market?
If we do not preorder from resellers or pay their high prices that leaves them stuck with the product right. Just abandon Stock X & GOAT as options for shoes, hop on the "retail or bust" bandwagon. If I'm not able to secure my shoes for MSRP then it was not meant to be. What do you think would happen?
I know people will say "doesn't matter, the game will still go on" but how if no one is playing? How many times do you think resellers would run out to grab more stock if their last two- three runs were less than stellar due to lack of sales and interest in high priced kicks. Leaving them with more stock than they would prefer, they would have to make adjustments and lower prices to move the necessary units...right?
WE HAVE THE POWER!! We are the ones paying and supporting their hustle by paying absurd amounts of money on kicks because we love them. We complain about resell and scarcity of products, but what if we did not play their game and put our money elsewhere? I believe the sneaker community could truly make an impact felt by the secondary shoe market. It will take real unity and extreme discipline for it to happen, which is probably why it will never happen.
Lack of unity is the reason for the way the sneaker culture is now. Everyone is alone, but in it together. Sneaker events are a shadow of what they use to be, secondary market is as big as ever and everyone is driven by money. No camaraderie through a mutual love & respect for sneakers. No showing love and trading kicks straight up or only charging what you paid to get kicks to someone who truly wanted them and missed out. Now it's rape prices on worn kicks, trade plus cash because an app said my shoes are worth more or "you really want? Give me $500" even though the shoes retailed at $200. THIS, is where the culture is at now...an underground, abstract culture built on originality, creativity, mutual love and respect. Now the culture has been monetized and lacking everything that made it what it was, it is really discouraging.
As always.... cop heavy, keep em clean & the soles icy!! #Salute
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