Advice for a rookie?

[asianfeva]

Hi guys,

So, I want to get into the shoe game.  Looking ahead this year, there are some shoes I'd like to start my collection with: Black Metallic 5s, Banned 1s, True Blue 3s, and the Space Jams.  Of those four, my biggest wants are the 1s and the 11s.  But, I know that they can be hard to get.  How do you recommend I get them?

How crazy is it buying shoes in Canada?  I live in Toronto FYI if anyone is wondering.  Can reasonably expect to buy online at nike.ca if I act quick (e.g. 20 minutes after release)?  I'm not keen on camping out and I don't really want to get a bot or pay over resale.  Am I asking too much?  Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[rickscience]

As an older god, I'll keep it brief. 

It used to be easy to buy shoes in Toronto (99 – 2010ish). Now it's hard.

Your best bet is entering as many HOH raffles for the right to purchase those Js (and get friends and family to get more raffle tickets). 

If you shop online, "acting quick" isn't 20 minutes after release. Dunno about your chances regardless.

If you want them bad enough, pay for them on eBay. Give yourself a (realistic) budget and stick to it for your "grails" or whatever.

Good hunting and good luck...

 

[truenorth]

 
Hi guys,

So, I want to get into the shoe game.  Looking ahead this year, there are some shoes I'd like to start my collection with: Black Metallic 5s, Banned 1s, True Blue 3s, and the Space Jams.  Of those four, my biggest wants are the 1s and the 11s.  But, I know that they can be hard to get.  How do you recommend I get them?

How crazy is it buying shoes in Canada?  I live in Toronto FYI if anyone is wondering.  Can reasonably expect to buy online at nike.ca if I act quick (e.g. 20 minutes after release)?  I'm not keen on camping out and I don't really want to get a bot or pay over resale.  Am I asking too much?  Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Above poster said it the best.  If you don't like to camp, your best bet is to find the locations that do raffles and enter them.

However shoes like the Space Jams, may come a plenty, most of the 11's for christmas are always made in abundance.  BUT I could be wrong because that would just mean certain people will hoard pairs out of greed and selfishness.  In that case enter a raffle and if you strike out then you have to consider lining up at a First Come First Serve (FCFS) location to grab one.

Other than that, online is a different animal.  Trying to buy after 20 minutes may not work because pairs may be sold out by then... but then again depending on the quantity you might be able to still score.  With the "lineup for your pair" system on nike, I've been able to snag pairs even an hour after they released.  BUT that is given you keep your browser open and wait for your size to be added to your cart.  It's a little bit of luck, and a whole lot of patience if you're trying to score online. 

All I have to say is you need to put in the work if you want your pair.  No matter what quantities are made in this era, if its a popular or "hyped" shoe it will most likely sell out and "you will miss the boat." 

 

[krayzienike]

I recently bought WC4 and Maroon 6 on the same day (I'm not a Jordan collector but the Nike Air branding on these is nostalgic to me) and here's how it went down...

I woke up early in the morning on launch day (the Saturday of ASW) and the page for the product read the launch is at 10am. It had a countdown clock.

Once 10am hit, suddenly on the same page it allowed me to pick a size to checkout. I literally clicked right away. However, once you try to add your size to cart, it gives a pop-up saying you have to line-up and wait your turn to checkout like at a store, and to not close the window in order to not give up the spot. It never went to checkout after an hour and the window just closed on its own. Once I try to add again, all sizes have been sold out. Bummer right?

Anyway after lunch I checked the page again and somehow only size 13 popped up allowing to add to cart. That is exactly the size I wanted so I tried to add and miraculously it worked and I checked out with an order confirmation all within 2 mins. Later I read on Google and they say it could be because some people emptied their cart so certain sizes will pop back up for sale.

Later that day I happened to be downtown so I just walked into Foot Locker House Of Hoops to check out the store, after seeing that insane line-up at 306 Yonge. There I saw the Maroon 6 re-stock sitting on the shelf. I chatted with the sales guy for a bit and just asked to try on my size (I thought oh what the hell why not). After 5 mins he brought out a pair for me. I was kinda shocked that they are actually available since this model was previously raffled and not readily available for walk-ins. I didn't really need them but I bought them anyway as backup to the WC4s. After I took my pair, literally 5 people went up to the sales dude at once asking for sizes of the Maroon 6s.

I guess it's all luck of the draw. If you want something bad enough you will find a way to get it, be it eBay or oversea websites or Buy/Sell forums and paying resale prices. Just don't feel bad if you missed out the first time around, in time your chance will definitely come again.

My friend put in the extra effort and managed to get 9 raffles from different FTL HOH stores and only one called back.

 

[fabfive]

My advice: Find another hobby to sink your money into. Getting into the "shoe game" now is the worst possible time. All the shoes you listed are highly sought after and its gonna get very expensive and you're gonna have to put in A LOT of work just to get it. Re-sellers have killed it for the people who are really just into the shoes and not for the hype or Social Media fame. Now you gotta go through hoops just to have a CHANCE to BUY a pair of shoes?? That's some backward *** thinking. Like you need to enter a "raffle" for a chance to spend your hard earned money? That's just absurd.

Like someone said 99-2010 ish was a good time to get into it.

 

[d0uble0]

Just two simple advices

1. Retail or bust -- this will help you minimize your cost. Once you start to pay resale price, your threshold will increase overtime and you end up almost paying double or worse more
   
   
2. Don't get caught with the hype -- sometimes hype will make you "want" the shoe but when you step back and re-think, you will realize you actually don't want them.

 

[ill4eva]

You have to ask yourself the most important question:

WHY DO YOU LIKE SHOES?

If there is no emotional attachment whatsoever to your answer, then you're only getting into this because it's now mainstream. If you're one of those guys, then just save your money and put it towards something you are truly passionate about. I've seen way too many kids who have wasted their time and parents' money on this hobby despite the fact that they don't even appreciate shoes (e.g. lining up for What the Lebrons....then selling them DS 4 months later at $80 below retail, just so they have coin to buy another release. The worst cases are the kids who buy shoes, wear them 2-3 times, then try to pass them off as DS when they attempt to sell them).

If you truly do like shoes, then go with what doubleO said - avoid the hype. Buy shoes that YOU like. Don't buy shoes because some website, IG account or blogger is hyping them up. Hell, just avoid NT altogether too. If you can't resist avoiding these things, then just look at pictures of shoes and decide for yourself on whether or not you like them. Don't even read any information about them unless you genuinely want them. Half the hyped releases out right now would be outlet material if it wasn't for the fact that they were limited.

In terms of getting stuff that is limited - raffles and cyber camp outs are your only chance. I guess you could line up, but IMO, that is for suckers. Nothing screams "TRY-HARD" more than lining up for kicks. Lol.

 

[gmas]

My advice: Find another hobby to sink your money into. Getting into the "shoe game" now is the worst possible time. All the shoes you listed are highly sought after and its gonna get very expensive and you're gonna have to put in A LOT of work just to get it. Re-sellers have killed it for the people who are really just into the shoes and not for the hype or Social Media fame. Now you gotta go through hoops just to have a CHANCE to BUY a pair of shoes?? That's some backward *** thinking. Like you need to enter a "raffle" for a chance to spend your hard earned money? That's just absurd.

Like someone said 99-2010 ish was a good time to get into it.

This sums it up pretty well. The sneaker collecting hobby is f*cked right now...it's gone from something that used to be about being genuinely interested in sneakers, to now being all about perceived social fame and reselling. On Nike.ca, 20 minutes after release might as well be 20 days after release, unless you seriously luck out and catch a lone pair.

To get the really popular releases these days you basically need to do one of the following:
- Be willing to wait in a lengthy campout
- Get lucky in a raffle
- Pay resale

Depending on the release and how many pairs are in the city, if you go at opening to a store with a ton of pairs, you can still sometimes get a pair without too much trouble. Such was the case with the recent WC4's and the last few releases of 11's.

Do your homework and try to find less popular, out-of-the-way spots to give yourself a better chance as well. Homework does not mean asking on a forum.

Also, get to know price cycles for shoes. People scramble on drop day if they miss out, but hype (and prices) often die down a few days after release. If you're not wiling to do the 3 things mentioned above, having patience and staying on top of the various spots people post things for sale can usually net you some good deals (retail or very close). Again it depends on the release....this doesn't really apply to Yeezy's and other ultra hyped stuff.

 

[leafsfan]

Ya...online is gonna be tricky, I'd go in-person if I were you. I tried to buy The Master 12s online and they sold out instantly for me. Still looking for the shoes (size 13) if you know someone who couldn't resell em I'll buy it for resale or around resale, thanks!

 

[krayzienike]