 Years ago, sneakerheads stored up buried treasure in the form of deadstock (unworn, unboxed) sneakers. Many Jordan collectors and SB enthusiasts alike would put classics on ice in hopes of them accumulating monumental value for resale or the ultimate neck-breaking moment years after their release. Across the world, shoe lovers would spend endless hours searching eBay and forum listings in hopes of finding an unworn pair of their holy grails.At the height of the deadstock hype, a pair of $100 Air Jordan 3 Retros from 2001 went for as much as $800! Consumption patterns have clearly changed as sought after OG’s are seen going for similar rates to their retro counterparts. In addition, re-sellers are now taking hits by selling them for less than retail. With that said, are the days of deadstock dead? Nice Kicks offers a quick autopsy of what might have killed deadstock. |
Blogs- At the turn of the millennium, most closet sneaker heads found fellowship in the form of online sneaker forums. The days of hiding copies of Eastbay and KICKS under ones bed were over with the advent of websites like Nike Talk and ISS. Forums were a great way to discuss kicks with fellow collectors. Conversely, this dialogue created tons of hype and led to a competitive environment for showcasing pick-ups. Sneaker heads would turn to blogs for the most reliable and up-to-date release news. Blogs made it easier to find information by posting news as it released and cutting down on the silly discussion posts that often made it hard to navigate forums. Readers soon became enticed by new releases and quit chasing originals.
