For many years, athletes either went barefoot or made do with leather wraps. But thanks to the invention of the sneaker in 1876, sports changed forever.
The market for collecting sneakers is better than ever before thanks to cheap, rapid manufacturing and international shipping. Sneaker trends can iterate very fast, leading to new lineups every year. The result of this booming sneaker economy has created a special type of person: a sneakerhead.
A sneakerhead is just a person who loves sneakers and collects them en masse. But being a sneakerhead is more than just loading up your cart at an online retailer. Keep reading as we show you how to become a sneakerhead.
Every Sneakerhead Has a Budget
It goes without saying that if you run out of money, you can kiss your sneaker collection goodbye. A good pair of kicks can cost a pretty penny. You won’t exactly be purchasing a new pair every day.
The last thing you want to do is be paying for sneakers with money you don’t have–i.e. a credit card. So, learn to make a budget. Set a small sum of money–that you don’t need for anything else–aside each month.
If you can, put this money in a savings account or somewhere where it is doing something useful while you build it up. Hopefully, you aren’t purchasing a new pair of sneakers more than once a month!
This way, you can save up several hundred dollars for your next purchase. And while you’re waiting to save up that money, it leads to another benefit: being able to really think about your purchases.
Think Long and Hard Before You Purchase a Pair
People say that whenever you make large purchases, you should use the two-week rule. This means that rather than purchase something on impulse, you wait two weeks. Chances are, by the end of those two weeks, you may no longer want it so badly.
Unfortunately, we live in a consumer-driven culture. Businesses spend millions and millions of dollars on market research. Their end goal is to find out how they can make us spend more than we need to
Advertising in this day and age is very effective. There’s a reason many people can walk into a store with no plans to buy and walk out with something brand-new. Understand that this psychological manipulation is real, and then you can be more judicious with your money.
The two-week rule is arbitrary. Some people feel that it’s better to have a one-month or two-month rule. But if you still want something very badly even after several months, there’s a good chance that you will enjoy the purchase.
If you plan to buy Jordan 4s and you still want it after six months, then it’s safe to say you really want it!
Get As Many Reviews As You Can
Plenty of sneakerheads like you have already spent the money on the pair you are currently eyeing. They will write articles and post YouTube videos going into great detail about their purchase. Before you sink your funds into a new pair, pay close attention to those reviews.
What tends to happen is you will fall in love with the external appearance of the shoes. But it’s hard to gauge how they feel and perform unless they are on your feet.
As you read or watch more reviews, you will likely notice a trend between them. They may all point out similar problems. Pay close attention to these problems, and consider whether they would be a dealbreaker for you.
Avoid the temptation to make light of any issues that reviewers mention. It’s easy to assume that these issues are not that serious just because you like the idea of the shoe so much. You don’t want to find out that it is a much bigger problem once you have purchased it.
Wait for Sales
Unless you are rich, there is no way on this earth you would want to pay more than you have to. Even the top name brands go on sale. Sales are an essential tactic for shoe companies to clear out existing inventory.
Find a way to track the price of shoes. You can use an online price tracker, for example, to see how the price has changed over time. Pair that with a coupon or deal tracker, and you have the perfect combination.
If you wait for a sale, you can sometimes get your dream pair of kicks for up to half off the original price. This is especially the case when your preferred shoe company is gearing up for the next season of sneaker trends.
However, do be wary that sometimes steep sales can be indicative of a bad product. Even if the price drops drastically, you should still do your research via reviews.
Take Care Of and Store Your Shoes
Now that you have your shoes, you want to treat them as best you can. Store them in a safe, dry place where they won’t gather dust or be at risk of pests.
Cycle through your shoes so you don’t wear the same pair multiple times. After you have worn a pair several times, take the time to clean them. Join a community like Hypebeast to stay on top of the latest developments.
If you take good care of your shoes, then you can sell them as they appreciate in value in their old age. At that point, you may be able to sell the shoes for many times their original value. If all goes well, you could more than recoup the costs of being a sneakerhead.
Bulk up Your Sneaker Collection Today
Becoming a sneakerhead is about making your love for great shoes into reality. But before you begin your journey into collecting sneakers, keep the above tips in mind. These will help you save money and better appreciate the sneakers you do buy.
