Sneakers are increasingly becoming part of fashion trends for women, but hot new pairs (like Cardi B’s Reebok collaboration that we highlighted recently) can sell out quickly and be difficult to track down at fair prices. Between scalpers getting them first and reselling them at exorbitant markups, labour shortages negatively impacting supply chain efficiency, and sneakerheads simply being quick with the mouse, it can be a challenge to grab your favourite sneakers –– especially if they’re new releases.
With all that said, there are a few workarounds that can be quite effective. If you’re looking to get your hands on some new, stylish sneakers, here are a few tips.
Scour Social Media
Even if posting on Instagram or Twitter isn’t your thing, social media can still be a wealth of useful information. Granted, that information isn’t always trustworthy; Vox noted just a couple years ago that false stories actually gain more traction on social media than real ones. But provided you can be discerning about the sites that you use and the sources you check for information, you should be good to go.
Once you have that covered, you can go about checking well-known shoe brands and retailers, together with prominent social media sneakerheads, so that you find information about new releases and other news as quickly as possible. We’d definitely recommend following well-known, in-demand brands like Nike and Adidas. Popular sneakerheads to follow on Instagram include yunglexia and anisa.dash.
Join An Online Sneaker Community
You can also look for an online community of other sneakerheads that doesn’t rely on social media influencers to deliver news and insights. The SoleSavy platform showcases the potential benefits of such a community. Members provide worthwhile, legitimate information, having sifted through the online rumours and speculation. This particular platform also provides direct purchase links from various retailers, and the links and related sneaker stock are monitored, so that you don’t waste your time chasing down sold-out pairs.
Having a community of like-minded people can do wonders for helping you find the sneakers you want. These are friendly and well-meaning groups that are simply enthusiastic about shoes (and sometimes other apparel), and which filter out much of the clutter and disinformation you might find elsewhere. And in some cases, you might even get news before the average sneakerhead online does, simply because of the large communities who are on the look-out for the latest releases.
Befriend the Local Sneaker Store Manager
This may sound a little simple, but sometimes it’s all about who you know. Plus, if you’re a true sneakerhead, it’s natural for you to be friends with a shoe company employee or retail manager anyway! The bottom line though is that if you have someone on the inside, so to speak, you may be able to ask that person to hold the pair you want as a favour –– or at least to give you some helpful insights about when your shoes will become available. Just be sure to return the favour by buying them a coffee or another little thank you gift.
Check Stores in Bigger Cities
Fashion and apparel companies tend to focus their marketing and releases in bigger cities with larger, denser populations. There is a reason why New York City is one of the best places when it comes to tracking down the latest fashion trends. However, Canada is also coming up on the fashion scene as well, with high-end Canadian brands like Markoo and Urbanovitch on the rise, and with cities like Montréal and Toronto having become hot spots for major international labels (including in footwear).
And no, you most likely don’t have to travel to these cities to get your shoes; the internet is your friend, and online shopping is a godsend for finding the stylish sneakers that you are looking for (as long as you know your size in the particular brand that you want).
Buy Online
To expand on the previous point, if you buy the shoes online, look at the bigger retailers first. Check the news and monitor the drops –– and have your optimized internet speed and mouse-clicking finger ready. Since most drops only meet about 10% of the demand, sneakers sell out fast.
If you miss your chance at the big stores, look at the smaller ones that shouldn’t have that much of a markup. And if you strike out there too, auction sites such as eBay are pretty much your last chance of getting the stylish sneakers early. Unfortunately, due to the nature of auction sites, the prices begin inflated, and bidders often pay much more than that. But it’s always worth a look.
We hope this guide will help you the next time you’re tracking down some stylish sneakers! Visit us again at DIVINE for more news and tips about fashion, beauty, and other hot topics.
