The first question every sneakerhead and wannabe reseller should ask is: Where to buy sneakers? Because when you know where to buy your kicks, it’s easy to know where to sell them. So whether you’re in it for the flex or the flip, knowing your shopping options is a great idea. You know, it’s easy to take Ls when you try to cop in retail, so buying sneakers off resale platforms isn’t a foreign concept. And with sneaker brands dropping production, the resale industry is sure gonna enjoy that! So let’s take a look at the different options you have, shall we?
Where to Buy Sneakers – The Marketplaces
StockX
The stock market of pop culture. Are you into collectibles? Sneakers? Streetwear? Even electronics? Well, you’ll totally find whatever you’re looking for there. The coolest thing about StockX though is that you can see the different transactions. Throughout the item’s existence on the platform, you can see all the transactions and their average value! Of course, that includes sneakers, and the value of kicks can change depending on multiple factors. These factors are the stock numbers, the asks/bids, and even when a person purchased the kicks.
In terms of fees, StockX takes a 10% transaction fee if you’re an entry-level reseller. This percentage drops gradually depending on how many sneakers you sell. You should also keep in mind that there’s an additional 3% processing fee for buyers. But well, even the best platforms will get into a couple of controversies. And StockX’s latest controversy is the removal of the “Verified Authentic” tag!
Grailed
So Grailed kinda looks like a sus platform although it’s pretty legit! You can flip anything on there. From sneakers all the way to magazines, you can flip any of that stuff. The upside here is that you can even buy pre-loved items. So if you like to be all sustainable, Grailed is a nice place to go shopping!
As for fees, the website takes a standard 9% commission. However, there are still PayPal fees to account for. If the transaction is within the US, the fees are 3.49% + $0.49/transaction. If we’re talking internationally, it’s gonna be 4.99% + $0.49/transaction. So keep that in mind!
GOAT
GOAT is a pretty cool place to sell and buy sneakers. It has the authenticity checks of Grailed and the market of StockX. So it’s definitely a place where to buy sneakers and be chill about it. Although it’s a bit more costly than StockX, it’s a hard competitor! Furthermore, you can normally always find what you want there. However, beware of the fees starting with a 9.5% commission for sellers with an extra $5 fee. Moreover, the commission becomes 25% if the seller receives a lot of cancellations. Add to all that a 2.9% fee for PayPal. So apparently, you get what you pay for. And all of these fees explain the big difference in the reselling prices of kicks.
Flight Club
It’s been several years since the $60 million dollar merger. The One that got two of the biggest sneaker marketplaces together. This deal merged a reputable reselling app (GOAT) with the famous consignment shop. However, Flight Club will charge a 9.5% in commission fees plus a $5 seller fee, in addition to a 2.9% cash-out fee.
Stadium Goods
Stadium Goods is a renowned sneaker consignment shop where even the biggest of celebrities would buy their sneakers. It’s 100% legit and safe to shop at. Many Sneaker Shopping with Complex episodes take place there. However, it could get pricey. If you’re looking to sell sneakers, you can give them your shoes and they’ll do the work for you. You never know, maybe a Saudi prince will buy your pair. Oh, it’s also worth mentioning that Farfetch acquired Stadium Goods by the end of 2018!
eBay
Although eBay introduced authenticity checks for sneakers, fakes can still slither their way in. Since anyone can create an account, enough fakes have been bought from these types of sites. That kinda steers serious sellers and buyers away from the platform altogether. Luckily, eBay uses PayPal where buyers and sellers alike can get some sort of protection. But we’d suggest you keep an eye on reviews and the history of the sellers before you go for it. Now, in terms of seller fees, there’s a 12.9% fee on sneakers you sell for under $150.
Social Media
You can find and follow many sneaker reseller accounts on Instagram. They won’t shy away from letting you know how to get in touch about a sneaker. You can drop a DM or an email and ask for your sneaker of choice if they have it. It’s a bit risky, but you can keep an eye out for account growth, positive or negative comments. That way you can decide for yourself the legitimacy of that account. You can even make your own account to sell your sneakers there.
On Facebook groups, you can mingle with people who want to sell their sneakers. You can also sell your own kicks. But we wouldn’t say it’s the safest way to go since there is no authentication whatsoever. It’s a trust game when it comes to social media. So naturally, we’d recommend only doing deals with trustworthy sources. Finally, there’s sneaker Reddit, where there are specific subs where you can flip kicks!
Discord
If you’re in premium Discord groups, you can easily sell or buy sneakers with its members, if the group allows it. The kind of community in Discord is pretty safe, especially if it has paid membership. Moreover, the community knows the real worth of your kicks. That way you can avoid So it’s a good way to break into the reselling world.
Where to Buy Sneakers for Retail
Alright so, we just went over most things in terms of resale. But where to buy sneakers if you only wanna pay retail? You’ve got so many different options. Footsites, Shopify, Adidas, Nike, and many more. And if you wanna flip some Yeezys, especially after everything that went down, check this out. Mind you, buying from these sites isn’t nearly as easy as buying from the aftermarket. You’ll definitely need a sneaker bot like NSB to go on a retail shopping spree. Of course, you can try to go for it manually, but that would mean you’ll only get one shot at copping your favorite kicks.
Conclusion
All being said, if you’re a buyer, we say go to StockX for their lower prices, and if you’re a seller, take your kicks to a consignment shop. Better yet is if you have personal clients who will pay you for sneakers directly without a middleman. Similarly, if you personally know a reseller, they can get you the sneakers you want for an agreed-upon price. It’s a win-win for you and the reseller. But don’t forget to style them Jordans, or rock your Yeezys the right way!
