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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not understand why buying these trainers is so difficult?!

44 replies

eleflump · 03/01/2022 18:07

DS2 would like to buy a pair of Nike Air Jordans with his Christmas money.

Admittedly I am a dinosaur who has never heard of them, but having spent an hour googling it seems that I am searching for a needle in a haystack.

I naively logged onto the usual websites where I have bought his trainers before, but quickly realised that it wasn't going to be that simple.

Am I missing something - I take it that it's a deliberate marketing strategy to make buying them so difficult?!

OP posts:
Strictlyfanoftenyears · 03/01/2022 18:08

Get DS2 to look for them?

Rainartist · 03/01/2022 18:10

My friend has been looking for these since before Christmas to no avail. I suspect there's an import issue...

Original poster
eleflump · 03/01/2022 18:24

Thanks Strictly - he did, but after I saw the websites he was thinking of buying from which were obviously dodgy I thought it was safer to take over the search.

OP posts:
MrzClaus · 03/01/2022 18:26

Which ones is he after? The Nike website itself has some on (mids, basketball etc). If it's a specific style / size it's worth signing up for mailing lists, they sell incredibly quickly!

Nixbox · 03/01/2022 18:28

I bought some in December from Nike and also JD Sports. Is it a particular style he is looking for?

Nowayoutonlydown · 03/01/2022 18:32

It's a bit like that with a lot of Jordans,
Be there for them to drop at 8 am on release day on the app, in a store thats likely to have stock at opening time, enter a raffle or bot.....or face paying resellers for a hugely inflated price.

It's not easy with Jordans, you've got a fight on your hands if there's a buzz about the release of that particular shoe.

Stockx, GOAT or Ebay are your friends. Any sneaker over £100 on ebay goes through an authentification process now too so that's handy in helping you be certain your DS2s shoes are legit if he gets his hands on them.

droplist and grailerfy are good for giving perspective dates and stockists which might be useful for DS2 in future- but if he wants sought after shoes really you're better off getting him to hunt for them.

If he's in any doubt as to the legitimacy of trainers he's considering checkcheck is a good app for checking them out. Costs a few $ a time but beats losing £100/200+ on a pair of trainers with poor quality.

loudbatperson · 03/01/2022 18:33

I have always bought my sons directly from Nike. However with so many things having supply issues you may have a wait.

Do not order from unknown sources.

1WeekTillChristmas · 03/01/2022 18:34

Have you tried

Foot asylum

Branleuse · 03/01/2022 18:36

If youre not in a big city you might have more luck online.
The Nike website obviously, but I got the ones ds liked from here
www.endclothing.com/gb
Theyre a legit shop and they arrived quickly

Galliano · 03/01/2022 19:14

As a dinosaur you would surely recognise them from first time round - they were absolutely ubiquitous in the late 1980s!

I don’t think it’s a supply chain/brexit issue at all - you’re right that they are made in very limited runs to increase desirability. I have the Nike and snkrs apps on my phone and set up alerts for drops. Some of these allow you to just buy a pair if you are quick enough but others you get put into a draw (and I’ve experienced not being drawn so there is genuine demand outstripping supply situation). There’s a draw on Jan 5th in the snkrs app for some Jordan 1s in an autumnal looking colour way which you could diarise to join.

I bought DD some from here: kick game which I recognise as a real shop. I bought them just before new year and the price has subsequently doubled but they do have a few pairs for boys still under £200.

DH bought some from Schuh a couple of years ago just because he wasn’t allowed them in the 1980s (too expensive). He just bought them because we saw them and they didn’t seem hard to buy at the time - I remember us deliberating between colours. If he wears them now he gets loads of comments from young lads.

Original poster
eleflump · 03/01/2022 19:47

Thanks everyone - it seems like there are more being released in the next couple of months so I will tell him to make a note of the dates and see if he can be quick enough to buy from a reputable shop.

Seems a strange business model with Nike selling them for a decent price and then resellers making more profit!

OP posts:
Original poster
eleflump · 03/01/2022 19:53

Sorry - with the draw thing - you enter a draw to win the chance to buy a pair? Is that right?!!! Shock

OP posts:
StartingGrid · 03/01/2022 19:57

Just to say, Nike have definitely had supply chain issues thanks to Covid, not sure if back to normal now though

Galliano · 03/01/2022 20:15

@eleflump

Sorry - with the draw thing - you enter a draw to win the chance to buy a pair? Is that right?!!! Shock
Yes - you specify a size and provide payment details then are charged if successful. The window for entering the draw is a few minutes and you find out straightaway at the end of this so no risk that you end up buying umpteen pairs of shoes
Original poster
eleflump · 03/01/2022 20:40

Thank you for that - blimey, every day's a school day!!!

OP posts:
MrMistoffee · 03/01/2022 20:41

They are collectors items. My friend has ten pairs, unused, on display Hmm

Ohpulltheotherone · 03/01/2022 20:42

You need to get on to the pre sale lists etc if they are specific styles.
Following sneaker pages on Insta is a good idea too.
Nike members sign up as some releases you have to be a member to buy - I mean it’s literally just an email on their website so they can market spam you but saves you faffing around on the release morning trying to log in etc.

It’s big business OP! Ya can’t just pick up a pair of limited release trainers at your local JD sports! Grin

Sunshineandrainbow · 03/01/2022 20:45

I often get Jordan release emails sent to me left over from the days when Dd used to love them. So worth signing up to them.
Hope he gets some he loves.

catwomandoo · 03/01/2022 20:47

I've been told a place called 'unboxed' is the place.

We got some on ebay for DS for Xmas. They were a bugger to find though

ancientgran · 03/01/2022 21:00

@eleflump

Thank you for that - blimey, every day's a school day!!!
It really is isn't it. Seems really strange and like you remember the Dunlop Green Flash being what everyone seemed to want, they were easy to get as well.
ancientgran · 03/01/2022 21:02

@MrMistoffee

They are collectors items. My friend has ten pairs, unused, on display Hmm
It gets more and more mystifying. God I feel old.
KiloWhat · 03/01/2022 21:03

@MrMistoffee

They are collectors items. My friend has ten pairs, unused, on display Hmm
This makes me a bit sad
RusholmeRuffian · 03/01/2022 21:12

Check out the drop date.com for release info or sneakernews.com

Original poster
eleflump · 03/01/2022 21:16

It’s big business OP! Ya can’t just pick up a pair of limited release trainers at your local JD sports

I am starting to understand that - I have to admit that I wonder why they just don't make more though...!!!

As if life isn't complicated enough!!! Hmm

OP posts:
CombatBarbie · 03/01/2022 21:18

Is he after a specific pair? DD9 asked for the black red +white ones for Xmas, junior 2, we got them from sports direct.