Reserving shoes frowned upon?

The manager at my spot lets me drop of the cash the friday before RD, Then in the morning when he opens the store he pays for my pair.All I have to do is go to the mall at 11:00 and grab my pair . No waiting in lines for me.
 
Man all the manager by in my city do that I remeber i went to a footlocker and asked about the concords dude asked me what size shoe I wear I said 10.5 he laughed said good luck we only got 2 and ones for me and I'm selling the other one for $300. Shady
 
Originally Posted by MurdaMilJoker

Man all the manager by in my city do that I remeber i went to a footlocker and asked about the concords 
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i wish i could reserve sneakers would help the stress when release dates come closer..tryna tell my 16 year old brother to get a job at footlocker so i can get the hookup
 
My store here in australia puts PRE-ORDER posts on facebook for all retro's.
Not a FL just an independent store that prefers to operate this way.
Its good for size 13 people like me who don't get the same numbers of stock on RD that common sizes get.
 
Officially its never allowed because they all
Want them sold asap.
But for good customers who are reliable that
They really buy them in the end, some managers
Or sales associate do that.
its all about trust and social network.
 
Most of these chains are shady always hoggin a pair for themselves before selling to the customers, but i'd do the same if i worked at one of those stores LOL.
 
If it weren't for preordering I wouldn't have gotten my Concords or Cements. I actually tried to do the online and early morning get up for the Playoffs...I'll never do it again.
 
Originally Posted by El Bro

Yeah, back in 2000, footaction did it all the time for star club members. You would pre buy them, and the shoes would ship to you on release date. Thats how I received my Infrared VI's back then. I remember when I couldve easily did that for the 11's that were going to release in 2000 as well. Amazing how they catered to the customer back then, and now and days people have to give that kind of treatment to stores to make a connect. Screw that, Ill never ask for a hookup or kiss anyones #@$ just to be able to buy a shoe.
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That's all I did back then.
Ah, the good ol' days.
 
Ahhh, the good old days (college). I can remember the Finish Line workers raising the gate for me before the line was allowed in on OG XII white/red and obsidian release day (two shoes, one day = crazy). One of each for me, one of each for my girlfriend (only Jordans I ever got that stuck-up brat to wear; she took FOREVER to try on and figure out her men's shoe size, even though the workers all know how to convert), one of each for a buddy, and a white/red for another buddy. My favorite worker got the sale and the manager helped carry the bags to the car.

A few of the people in line were grumbling when I came back through the gate (and it was closed again) with all my stuff. As I walked towards the door (and I'm not a jerk about stuff like that, I had my eyes straight ahead and was talking to my girl quietly about going to breakfast), this 40-something dad who was in line with his teenage son barks out, "Hey! We've been waiting in line for a long time!" at me, not the manager.

I sent the ladies along (no reason for them to be around angry people) and approached the dad and son. The guy starts in on me about showing up and going through the gate, buying a bunch of stuff the people in line are not going to get, etc... After letting him have his say, I turned to the son.

He was a little mad, but looked up at me and waited to see what I wanted. I told him, "This is a great life lesson for you. I'm not trying to be smart here. This is important: Sometimes in life, you are going to do EVERYTHING right and still not get what you want. It might even be unfair, but there are always going to be people who are able to get what they want before you do. Today, I'm that guy. I'm not saying this to brag, but I spend a lot of money in there and they take care of me. Someday, that might be you. What would you do if they told you that you could buy anything in the store before everyone else? Would you wait in line?"

The kid kind of chuckled and said, "I'd do the same thing as you." You could tell a part of him thought that would be great and he was no longer mad at all.

I asked him what size he wore. He was 10 and I had not bought any of that size, so I told him he had that going for him. Then I teased him that it was a good thing he wasn't a 12 (my set and my buddy's set were 12s and the single was a 10 1/2). He laughed, I laughed, his dad just stared at me. I wished them a good day and headed out to the car.

The ladies were out there and were wondering what had happened. I told them everything was ok and asked the manager if she would please pull a 10 in each color and hold them under the counter for the kid to choose from when they got in. She, of course, remembered the kid from his dad getting loud. I got her to agree to be real nice to the kid and kind of let him feel like a star by taking him aside and explaining that his stuff was set aside. She told me later that he bought the red ones.

FNL hooked it up until I graduated and moved to a new city. I was able to establish a program with a local FA. It took on various forms. For whatever reason, virtually all the workers at the various stores in the mall knew little to nothing about Jordans. This was around 2002 and the retro machine had not cranked up yet to the way it is now. A lot of you younger collectors may not remember those days, but there were not that many retros each year until around 2004 or so. Back then, you had to work the phones, call your buddies, try to get a look at release postings at different stores (it seemed like not all stores got the same promotional literature back then). A lot of times, I knew most or all of what was coming that year and my FA people, in particular, were clueless. I guess they thought it was cool that I knew a lot about upcoming releases, samples that had been spotted, etc...

So they took care of me.

At first, I would buy a gift card for the total purchase price prior to release (as mentioned in previous posts by other members). Then, it moved on to simply setting my stuff aside and letting me pay when I came in. I'd come stand in line to make it look good, but the manager would escort me through the employees' entrance and past the mall guard who stationed himself inside that hallway early mornings on Jordan releases. The guard got to be cool with me and, after while, let me go on my own. He knew I would just go through the store, pop out on the other side of the gate, and just magically be first in line when the doors were unlocked later. That guard didn't care who got Jordans as long as people weren't running around the mall before it opened (before he started guarding the employee entrance this would happen). Sometimes, to mix it up, I would not put the hold on a pair and go through the tunnels and not bother my buddy at FA to let me through. There was a service tunnel that ran out to the main mall right next to FA. He'd notice me standing out there and be like, "What are you doing here? I didn't think you wanted these" or something like that. More on this strategy later.

While standing in FA one morning before going outside the gate, I literally saw that guard HAWK DOWN these two guys who had got in early somehow. The guard was a retired cop (he said) and looked like Hightower from Police Academy. He was terrifying. As the intruders were approaching the gate, Hightower came out of the service tunnel right next to the gate. They all froze. Then the intruders bolted. Those two dudes were running for their lives; they looked genuinely scared. Unfortunately, they both ran the same direction - back towards the doors down a straight hallway. Hightower, in full mall cop regalia, exploded down the hall. The manager and me were standing right there when it happened, so we tossed open the gate to watch the pursuit. The runners were about 20-30 yards down the hall (looooong hall) and one of them was making this funny, high pitched humming sound. Hightower came up on them (the intruders were about dead even) and, without breaking stride, reached out with both hands and grabbed them simultaneously by the backs of their necks. He didn't say a word; they stopped running and kept fast walking all the way to the door and out. Then Hightower started chewing their butts and we went back in to tell the workers.

FA took care of me for several years. I'd toss the manager (he ALWAYS ran the Jordan releases) a gift card for dinner for him and his wife; I'd bring him 6-packs of good beer; I even hooked him up with a couple of collectors I knew who sold in his size (his store did not get urban releases and my buddies got a lot of them) and scooped a couple pairs from my urban stores when his store was not getting a release. It was great. And then it all went away.

Apparently, his bosses found out about my shoes being held and the same being done for 2 or 3 other guys. All of us who got that treatment spent a lot of money in that store on Jordans, clothes, socks, other Nikes, and even cleaning supplies. We were constant customers who virtually always wanted the most expensive stuff in the store: Jordans, Jordan clothes, Air Maxes, and the like are not cheap and we never went in there to buy some GR entry level runners. Again, not to be cocky, but there is something to be said for recognizing special customers and taking care of them. Several of my family members owned small businesses over the years and I saw this sort of thing go on first-hand in their shops. To me, this was normal. However, FA management forced my guy out (if he quits they don't have to pay unemployment). You know the drill: We'll give you a good reference, but you are done here.

Fortunately, I had also began developing a relationship with City Gear in a different city, down by my mom's house. They had an urban account, so they would get things my mall did not. So I started getting to the CG mall super early and was first in line every time for about 6 or 8 releases in a row. The workers got to know me because of my out-of-state license (had to show it to use my debit card) and they thought it was great that I came all that way for shoes. They got to know my mom too, as she would come with me just to check it out. So one day as I'm checking out, the manager pulls out this black binder and asks me to fill out this sheet with my name, size, e-mail, and phone. She then told me I could pre-order most (not all) Jordan releases in the future and they would include my pair in their request. According to her, CG bought merchandise in lots and then distributed it to its stores. She did not go into great detail, but said she could just make sure to get a 12 in most (not all) releases I wanted and then I could pick them up later in the day. She asked that I be discrete when coming to pick up as the list was not public knowledge. So I'd just go in around lunch, go to the counter, tell them my name and what I had waiting for me, and away we go. It's been good since then with that store. They are very kind and courteous and I am appreciative and humble. I still come down from time to time without a pre-order just to do the line up. I don't mind sitting for hours before another person gets there, so I go at the appropriate time (sometimes with mom) and bring along reading materials and a phone for entertainment. Then we play the "Hey! It's the traveler!" game when they get in for the day.

Mom had a hookup (yes, mom) with Foot Locker for a bit where they were doing midnight releases. She'd get to the store and they would let her in the gate. She'd buy whatever was releasing and then the manager would walk her out through the employee tunnels to her car. That lasted for about a year or so, but then there was a bunch of turnover at the store (they say there were no firings) and mom's hookup went away. However, she is now a CG lister AND can also pick up things in my name. I must say this comes in handy around my birthday and christmas. I'm old enough that I don't mind not being surprised and there is something very cool about your mom calling to tell you she just got a call from CG and she is going to take care of this one.

As you can tell, I have no problem with hookups. There was a time in my life when I did not have one and I always appreciated the fact that others did. I'm not going to hate on someone who has figured out a way to make himself or herself stand out to the workers. The activities of others, in this regard, are of no concern to me. I get what I get where I get it and that is it. I've been in other cities for releases (vacations and such) and had to figure out how to get in the mall, get first in line, etc... Those times make me appreciate the hookups even more.

Here are a couple tips I'll leave you with in regards to maintaining your hookups.

First, don't tell people. Loose lips sink ships and salty people will try to ruin it for you sometimes.

Second, show the manager or worker who takes care of you your appreciation. As you build your rapport, get to know them a little and give them things they will value (see above).

Lastly, and most importantly, figure out how to be first in line on your own and do that from time to time. Sometimes I wouldn't ask them to hold stuff because I knew there would be a bunch of them available. The workers always thought it was cool that I was standing there when they got in, they'd be like, "I didn't know you were coming" and I'd get to laugh and scoop them via my first in line status (thanks, Hightower). Showing them that you are playing an active role in assembling your collection and not leaving it all up to them goes a long way towards establishing their respect for your dedication and may cause them to want to help you even more in the future when you do need a favor.

In my experience, the hookups appreciate when you don't put it on them EVERY RELEASE. Do a little work on your own here and there. If they offered to hold something right off the bat, I'd take it. However, there were some releases which I knew would be hectic and those would be the releases I'd go to them about early. Then, when you pick up slip them that little gift you brought.
 
Being In a manager position reserving can go one of 2 ways good or bad. I most definitely agree with my man with the good read that your customers that spend in the store ALL THE TIME not just releases should be taken care of but there is a process which that should be done and those guys/ladies understand that. At the end of the day I feel managers need to be ethical in the decisions they make bc 1 frustrated customer can ruin your career over a $160 shoe.
 
I know a few mom and pop stores that do this in LA area, none of the big stores tho like FTL, FNL etc.
 
after i missed out on concords by three people at finish line (the only store in champaign, il that had them), i went over to footlocker to check it out and ended up chatting up the manager. he ended up letting know that they were getting some pairs sent over from another store after christmas and ended up setting aside 2 pair for me.
 
if youre an employee you should be able to get a pair of all the limited kicks regardless
 
my uncle has some high up mall management job at the Riverwalk mall in San Antonio, and he tried to hold me a pair of wc 4s, but at the last minute on release date, the dm saw all their other pairs being held and had a fit. At footlocker Montgomery mall, I came in at the end of the day to see an employee receiving his pair that was set aside. I'm guessing it does just have to do with who the dm is and how the store is run.
 
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