Jordan heads, I need your opinions for an A+.

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Apr 23, 2011
Hey Niketalk family, longtime follower of the forum here and Sneakerhead. I am conducting research for my Consumer Behavior class at McGill University on the topic of the recent dominance of retro sales for Jordan brand (despite the lack of quality). My hypothesis is that the majority of purchases are based on nostalgia, exclusivity and with the help of the emergence of virtual communities. I need an accurate sample to choose from of actual Jordan consumers, and what better sample than the forum I check everyday. PLEASE help me simply by posting the reason you purchase retros, and if you wouldn't mind, your age and I will be forever in your debt. I am new to posting threads so if I am breaching any kind of forum rule (couldn't see one on the rules/terms section), then death by firing squad or smt. Thank you in advance, your opinions on the daily keep my entertained, and if I can bring an A+ to fruition than all those who participated will have a place in my heart.

-Vader

(*sry for the long post)
 
My reason for purchasing Jordans Retos is part nostalgia. But for the most part it is for the love of the shoes.

Age 44
 
Nostalgia, Grew up watching MJ and always admired the designs of his shoes every year. It was like Christmas when you saw the design of the new Jordan on tv, and then you went to the store to buy it.  

Age: 25
 
Me reason for purchasing Retro Jordans is part nostalgia. For the most it is for the love of the shoes.
 
- 22
- I really don't purchase retro's like I used to. I think this year I've purchased less than 10 pairs total so far. Most of my shoe money goes to the kobe line (purchased well over 15 pairs of vi's) and the NSW line. Reason why I stopped purchasing jay's like I used to is because of the lack of quality (and quality control...all the excess glue is
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) and the premium asking prices. When I did purchase, it was because I actually liked the shoe. Had absolutely nothing to do with the the man. I was born and raised in Indy and I grew up hating the guy (Reggie FTW
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). The only jordan I've ever had nostalgia for would be the black and red XII's. They were the first jordans that I EVER asked my parents for and I still remember (vividly) the day my mom and I went to go buy them. I don't know what made me love them, but I saw them for the first time at my older cousins house when he and his best friend (jason gardner) had them on and it was love at first site. For that, they will remain my favorite jordan of all time. Hope that helps my man!
 
Nostalgia is a big part in my Jordan purchases because every time I purchase a pair it brings me back to that great time when MJ was still stunning the world, but it's not my main reason. Even though MJ did some great things in Jordan's I-IV, I don't like any of those styles and have never bought a single pair of any of those models. Jordan's are as much about fashion as they are function and have always been that way to me. I rock em whenever possible including at work, at play or on the court. When it comes to buying Jordan's, I have in the past and still today only buy the styles and colors I like personally, not by what's most hyped or what MJ accomplished in them.
Age 33

Good Luck on that A+ 
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My reason for purchasing Jordans is because they're some of the best looking shoes out there. That and the colorways really bring me to buying the shoes. 
I'm 19
 
Nostalgia
28 years old
Grew up watching mj and admiring his game, used to want his shoes but parents didnt buy them for me. I first bought retroes because I didnt have a chance to get the shoes when I was young.


the last pair of retros I bought was the12/11 package, im over it now and understand why my parents didnt buy them for me.........
 
I try to not buy retros at all. I have a personal rule of: Don't buy Jordans made after 2004. I have about 20 pairs of Js, only 4 are post 2004.

Exceptions:

05 Blk/Maize XIIIs because the quality was solid and I really liked the colorway.
09 White/Red XIIs because I think they are more comfortable than OG XIIs. No joke.
10 White/Red XIIIs because I needed a cheap pair of White/Red XIIIs since I already have DS OG W/R XIIIs.
11 Banned Is - I think many here would agree that this release's quality in comparison to the nonsense that JB has been puttin out in the last 6 years is an utter anomaly.

Age 23.
 
23
I buy retros, because I was too young for the og's, and my parents never copped them for me. To me, they are the freshest shoes to this day. And the quality is fine for me (ignorance is bliss) I guess in a way, I don't know what I am missing with the og's anway.

In short, I like the way they look and are good quality to me. 
 
Age 23

I buy retros only if they hold some sort of significance to me. I was a kid when MJ was winning titles but the man dominated the sports industry at the time. 11s,12s,13s and 14s, are my favorite because these shoes just bring me back to my childhood and remind me of how inspiring and captivating it was to watch MJ play the game back then. Even 17s are special to me because I remember it was the first pair of Js I bought with my own money. I remember ordering mine over the phone through Eastbay and getting them in that briefcase. I thought I was the coolest kid in school rocking those with an authentic Wizards MJ jersey. All in all, if I do buy any retros today, its because of nostalgia. But, I really am sick of the awful quality. JB is perfectly aware that we buy for nostalgia which is why they know they can get away with putting out trash.
 
age-35
reason why i buy- because i wasn't lucky enough as a child to have jordan's. grew up during the glory days of jordan playing even though i wasn't a jordan fan (magic johnson was my favorite player as a kid). buying retro's brings me back to a time i can connect with my childhood. now i do skip a lot of retro's now than i did in years past because of the quality issues, price increase, and change in shape and materials. hope u get enough responses for that 'A'.
 
i also have a nostalgic love of jays, but i don't care at all of exclusives. i wish every colourway had enough to go around to everyone who want them. no one in my real life cares at all for jays. it's just my thing, and i do it alone. i'm not out to impress anyone, but people tend to be impressed with passions, irrespective of what it's about.

age 34 (in australia)
 
I love the shoes and knowing that wearing them makes me one step closer to being like Mike!

Age 16
 
Age 20.

The shoes are classics. Looks simple and clean. Always been a fan of Bball shoes in general but parents never bought em for me back then, so that i got money...
 
19
I bought Jordans originally to play in (Jumpman Team Bizness in 02), 05 Last Shot XIVs (nostalgia/ sentimental value/ basketball), 06 black and gold XIX SEs, and Jumpman Team Flows (both the XIXs and Team Flows I got to play in and got each for 10 bucks from my former PE teacher (RIP, died in 08, was an NCAA referee too)).

But, pretty much aside from the XIVs in 05, I haven't bought another Jordan for retail since, because of quality, and to be honest I really don't see the point anymore. 

I would say that recent retros have increased in numbers because "classic" color ways have dropped such as True Blue IIIs for example, it's pretty much all hype that is leading to these particular sales. That and the status symbol Jordans still hold within some regions (in a lot of the these regions and I'd say in general, it's more the status symbolism than the hype that is driving sales). Either way the market is mostly made up of Hype beasts (people who buy because the shoes are "cool" or "in style"; also status symbol in Jordan's case, and not because they actually like them) and uninformed consumers (in regards to quality and/or past releases), collectors and informed consumers have always been the minority for Jordans.
 
25
Nostalgia.

Grew up watching MJ and been a fan since elementary school. Collected everything MJ from basketball cards to posters, jerseys, etc so shoes came naturally. Today, I pick and choose which retros I buy now considering the decline in quality. Wear a pair from the early 2000's and compare it to the more recent retros and there is no argument in the difference of comfort and quality. With the flooding of re-re-retros in the market it's easy for me to pass on a release and instead hunt for older pairs that I missed in the past.
 
Nostalgia...
Who didn't watch MJ while growing up?... 

I'm buying them now 'coz simply I can't afford them back then...

28 
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27
Nostalgia, grew up in Chicago during the bulls hay day , back then they we're larger then life to the City ,some of my first shoes I can actuallly remember were Jordan I's that my mom purchased at a Rogans shoe store in the burbs for $5 a piece (little kids sizes of course) I loved them so much becuase they were "high Tops" I always remember getting "last years" jordans at a discount during grade school. I wear Jordans to this day because how awsome he was on the court and I feel as if they represent the city that I'm from also.
 
Age 23

Reason: I grew up loving the designs and what they started representing with Jordan being the greatest. That made his already great designs a status symbol.
They it became Nostalgia after a while, remembering how I had them as a kid or wanted them as a kid and knowing I can get them now if I want...that's the only reason I still check for Jordans now...ONLY reason
 
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