If you are a relatively sane person operating in the real world who does not also cross into the Yeezy fandom, you might be wondering what the heck is up with these shoes.
The truth is that Yeezy’s resell for so much for several reasons. The shoes are expensive to begin with, the brand is huge, and it’s hard to get your hands on them.
All of these factors mean that when you get a pair of Yeezy’s, you can basically resell them for any price that you want and chances are that somebody will pay it.
We all thought that the worst people were ticket scalpers, but that was before the lucrative business of buying up Yeezy’s was born. People are making bank, and most of them aren’t even fans.
The original price
The first thing to consider when you are reflecting upon what on god’s green earth could make a shoe worth so much money is that they cost a lot to begin with.
The person who buys them at these releases isn’t buying an $80 shoe and reselling it for $2000.
No, these shoes are over $200 to begin with as a general minimum. This means that they cost a lot to get, which means they get to charge that much more when they resell them.
As a product, Yeezy’s are expensive before the resale, so when you see people pushing them online for thousands, that’s how it happens.
They know that people will spend too much to get them because they cost too much to begin with.
Of course, no price is too high for Kanye fans, which is probably what makes it such a lucrative business to begin with.
The fact that it’s crazy hard to get them at all
For those who are unfamiliar, one does not simply go online and buy a pair of Yeezy’s.
Oh, no. You can’t just go online and snag a pair of Yeezy’s when they drop.
You have to sign up in advance to be notified of when they are going to drop, and then you get to hope that you can move fast enough to get them before they sell out.
To be clear, they sell out fast. Getting a new pair of Yeezy’s is like the shoe equivalent of trying to get tickets to go see Hamilton. It’s damn near impossible, but if you pull it off, you’re a legend.
Since you can’t just go buy Yeezy’s and the releases are incredibly limited, it is easy to understand why the resell value on them is insane.
Because of the limited releases, these shoes are incredibly rare. That means that the people who do have them are essentially collectors, and they know that people will pay top dollar to get those shoes after missing out on a release.
This is an unfortunate part of the Yeezy shoe game. Now that people know they can make money selling these shoes, they’re all in the pool trying to get the shoes before any true fans of the Yeezy brand can catch them.
There are sharks in the water and they want you to pay thousands for a shoe.
The yeezy brand
The fact of the matter is that the Yeezy brand carries weight. Fans of Kanye are diehard fans, and they will support him in any way that they can.
More importantly, as far as fashion goes, Kanye is known for making a name for himself in the industry.
These shoes aren’t just some obscure fan purchase, but a completely signed, sealed, and delivered promise of quality and design.
The brand itself is worth a ton, which is why everything that he drops costs so much money to begin with.
People will pay for the name, and everyone involved with the business knows that. The only issue is now that other people know that too.
People made jokes for ages when Kanye released a sweater that had holes in it, but the reality is that other people still bought it.
Like any designer brand, Kanye knows that he can make these products and charge a lot of money for them simply because they have his name. It helps that the shoes are fashionable and on point, more or less identifying anyone who has them as a true trendsetter.
The fact that they are legit shoes
The biggest thing to consider when it comes to the pricing on Yeezy’s is the fact that they hold their value.
This is possible because rather than being some fickle fan prize, these shoes are made by the biggest names in the shoe game and are actually great shoes.
Though some overpriced designer items are meant to be seen more than they are meant to be worn, that is not the case here. Kanye is pairing with Adidas, Nike, and other big names in the athletic shoe industry.
His unique twist on making the perfect shoe for streetwear in addition to actual use is a pretty big deal.
Anyone who has an appropriate pair swears by the boost.
Even the biggest haters of Kanye and his brand would be hard pressed to be able to convince anyone that the shoes aren’t of tremendous quality. They really are well made.
Related: What To Look For When Buying Shoes
Conclusion
If you like crushing the dreams of others, there is money to be made reselling Yeezy’s.
Though you probably won’t make a ton, for a quick buck, it’s a guaranteed payout. However, for true fans who are frustrated by the ever increasing price tag on these shoes, we feel for you.
The great thing about Yeezy’s is that they are awesome shoes. Unfortunately, the fact that they are not only awesome, but incredibly rare, makes it difficult for you to get your hands on a pair.
Just remember, keep signing up for the drops, and one day you might just have a pair of your very own, hopefully for less than $2000.