Still extremely upset with Jordan Brand/Nike

[jmadidas2001]

Originally Posted by AirJordans23

The bottom line is this...getting a chance to buy a pair of basketball shoes - the Air Jordan XI or otherwise - shouldn't be worth risking your safety or your life.  It's that simple.  The way Jordan Brand/Nike purposely limited the number of pairs of the Concord XI just to build up the hype and frenzy surrounding their release isn't just irresponsible, it's ethically deplorable.  I live in Indianapolis, Indiana and the mall I usually go to for Jordans - Lafayette Square Mall - was the mall shown on the national news, Pardon the Interruption, and SportsCenter in video clips with people literally ripping the doors off their hinges and trampling over each other just to get inside.  I watched it happen live, and was just as horrified when I saw the replays on television later.  I've been collecting since 1990 and this ONE release has absolutely drained any enjoyment or satisfaction I might've gotten from collecting Air Jordans in general.  
I'm a grown adult now, I've learned how to be responsible with my money and how to pay my bills and my taxes through discipline and hard work.  Collecting Air Jordans was always a fun hobby to me, a connection to the past, to my youth, and to the greatest athlete in team sports history.  I was very fortunate to have seen Michael Jordan play 6 times in person, during his prime in the 1990s, at Market Square Arena against Reggie Miller and the Pacers.  And each time I saw him, Jordan put everything he had into the game.  It didn't always work out for him...I was there when he unretired and shot 7-for-28 and the Bulls lost in overtime...but that intensity, that conviction, that indomitable will was always present.  I saw him try to rip Reggie Miller's face off and then score 40 points, many of them on impossible fallaway jumpers and angry, vicious drives to the rim.  I remember the player he was.  I remember everything he did.  But what I remember the most was the level of sheer competitive greatness that has never been surpassed both before or since. 

To me and others from my generation who grew up watching the "greatest player ever", Air Jordans aren't just basketball shoes or mere fashion statements...these MEAN something.  They're symbols of who we wished we could be like when we were little, symbols of what can be accomplished with hard work and determination.  But most of all, they symbolize *excellence*.  

That's why it's so infuriating when the quality of a lot of these retros released is so poor while the prices are so high.  And it's disheartening when it becomes near impossible to get a pair of a particular model - in this case the Concord XI - without a lot of undue physical and emotional stress.

All my friends and co-workers who know nothing about collecting Jordans have all asked me the same question regarding the XI riots...why don't they just make more pairs?  Why aren't they more widely available?  And that's a good question.  You never see people riot over Air Force Is or Chuck Taylors, yet those shoes do phenomenal sales every single year.  

Jordan Brand could've avoided this whole mess by doing two things - A) letting all the stores do pre-orders or reservations...putting a certain amount down to reserve your pair, then paying the remaining balance on release day (failure to pay means the pair goes back on sale to the public), and B) simply making more pairs and doing a few restocks both in stores and online.  A lot of stores in my area only got ONE pair in each size.  Supply was nowhere close to satisfying demand, and that's what fuels the frenzy to get a pair.  And this is just unacceptable.

In my opinion, only a class-action lawsuit against Jordan Brand/Nike by thousands of consumers will wake them up.  I don't have any legal expertise, but I'm sure there are some of you out there who do.  What can be done?  How can we unite to stand up to this corporate entity that does NOT care about our well-being and let our voices be heard?  Who can make them listen?  A debacle like this should NEVER happen again, and if it does one of these days somebody is gonna get killed.  Is that what it takes?  Does Jordan Brand want people dying over pieces of leather and rubber?  As a collector I can understand the desire to acquire these, as a rational person in the real world however I can never understand the lengths some people will go through to get them, all because of hype.  Michael Jordan was the greatest competitor in team sports history.  But we shouldn't have to be that competitive WITH EACH OTHER just to buy his shoes.  It's all just backwards and ridiculous.  MAKE MORE PAIRS.  IMPROVE QUALITY.  STOP OVERPRICING.

It's time that Jordan Brand actually reflected the defining trait of the athlete who founded it - EXCELLENCE.  We as consumers need to stand up NOW, and we need to be ONE.

I'm 35 years old.  This is not a memo.  It's a mission statement.

Seriously?

Blame the product/company and not the consumers?


Seriously?


The first thing that popped into my head when I read your post was the following:

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

It's not just shoes that cause certain segments of our society to lose all rational thought...it is cheap TVs and cheap computers among other things...where is your rant against Walmart, Best Buy, Toshiba, Sharp, etc??? 

Same thing has happened with Furbie's and Tickle Me Elmo's in the past...it is THE PEOPLE that are the the problem!  I recall a Christmas a few years back when the current generation of consoles was causing the same sort of problems at stores...did you band together and file a class action lawsuit against Microsoft and Sony at the time???

Sorry...I know you are trying to be serious and all...but, really? 

JM

 

[dr damon]

im an og head, and bottom line is, when collecting shoes went mainstream and got so hyped up, things started going downhill. Although the internet has done great things for us like getting us certain colorways or shoes released, it has also been detrimental at the same time. I too remember being able to walk into a store and buy a pair of the latest j's on release date, or even weeks later but unfortunately those days are long gone... Resellers killed our hobby, newbie collectors paying outrageous prices to resellers killed it, internet hype is killing it and nike getting cheap is killing it too. for us guys that have been around a long time buying and PLAYING in jordans and nikes(since 8 its getting to be about time (has been time ) for us to walk away. I know as far as jordan retros go, the higher prices and worsening quality have been a turn off to me personally. 180 for cheaply made concords which originally retailed for 125 is just not worth it to me personally, but is to others and thats ok if thats how they want to spend their money. same thing with zoom rookies, really bothered me 200 bucks for a flightposite with no zoom, just very disappointing. in any case, Phil is gone, the good old days are LONG GONE, and will probably never be back, so we have 2 choices, buy them or don't buy them. Nike is big business and the object of a business is to MAKE MONEY bottom line. if they happen to put out a great product and make money too, well thats great especially for us. if they can put out an inferior product, and make more money, well thats even better for them. as long as the consumer keeps buying inferior products at a higher pricepoint, nothing is going to change. our complaints are falling on deaf ears, because the money is rolling in and the shoes are going to sell out no matter what and they know it. I can't say that i'm upset , just disappointed, but business is business, of course, more profits, is better than less profits.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...

 

[Betonblck]

Can't get upset with JB.  They don't have a gun to your head.  Just save your money.  That is the way it's supposed to work, if they don't put out enough product or a high quality product, then keep your money. 

I'm just surprised that JB limited the quantity so much because people that buy XIs don't necessarily buy the other releases.  I understand the thought that people will just buy the other releases but a lot of people just buy XIs and that's it. 

 

[hollywoodjose]

I don't know how many on this site are from small towns but I have to travel an hour to get any GR Kobe/lebron/jordan, and 4 hours one way to get anything limited. In the town an hour from me they got 60 or less pairs of concords. My wife went with a friend and waited in line for hours and one of the stores was letting people buy 2 pairs and she heard more than one person in the line say they were only buying to resell. I can afford to pay the markup but I don't think I should expect to, is that the new norm? Why bother trying to pick anything up on RD, just pay2-3 times what it cost at the store so I don't have to wait in line? Or because there are people that don't have real jobs that can sit out in front of stores for however long it takes to get a pair if shoes they can make 200$+ on? I miss the days when u could go in early and get your shoes and only people that wanted to wear em were buying them. Oh well.

 

[prince726]

i think it mostly people to blame a lot of people hype them up on twitter or facebook so there more people trying to buy who normally wouldn't making it more diffucult and people think you make a lot from reselling sneakers so even more people go out just to resell and make a small profit i think when i was on line i think there was a small amount there just because they really like the sneaker the rest was resellers and people buying their one "limited" jordan for the year i got my 1 pair so im not mad wasn't that bad of a release

 

[eltouha]

Originally Posted by bigbadbennyism

Im sincerly sorry to all those who live in the States and had to endure such a fiasco, yes it is a fiasco, In Australia I walked into footlocker on Saturday afternoon (these released Midnight Thursday Night in my spot), there was no frenzy, no attacks, no rushing, no breaking down doors and no arrests.

I took a look at them, picked them up, looked at how awful the quality was (yes aesthetically they still look good) asked if they had my size, yes they did size 13, price $240AUD plus 10% off because Im a Footlocker member, so $216 AUD which is the same in USD at the moment, and simply said to the store person, its ok, I'll pass.

Chcking eBay today the re-sellers are in force, good luck getting a pair for cheaper than Aussie retail.

Seriously Im 36, retro sneakers are a passion of mine, but not for any of the reasons above, in all seriousness this whole situation is a joke, JB is a joke, the quality is a Joke and all for what? Seriously think about it?

if i were in sydney right now, i'd offer some fellow nt'ers retail + shipping pick ups for them. however, i'm in china atm and won't be back til feb.

do the good deed, mate. people remember this $!%@ at a time when you need a hand the other way around.

 

[bigben1986]

I agree with what your saying. I remember the days of when I would go and buy jordans and they would sell out. the store owner would simply say to me..."don't worry were gonna another shipment in about a week" and guess what?.....the other shipment would arrive. i got my pair and I was happy. why in gods name could nike/jordan not do this today? i know i know it aint like it used to be blah blah blah. but nike has more money than most 3rd world countries have. so why not over mass produce the concord? their not gonna lose money. no way no how! 

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by jmadidas2001

Originally Posted by AirJordans23

The bottom line is this...getting a chance to buy a pair of basketball shoes - the Air Jordan XI or otherwise - shouldn't be worth risking your safety or your life.  It's that simple.  The way Jordan Brand/Nike purposely limited the number of pairs of the Concord XI just to build up the hype and frenzy surrounding their release isn't just irresponsible, it's ethically deplorable.  I live in Indianapolis, Indiana and the mall I usually go to for Jordans - Lafayette Square Mall - was the mall shown on the national news, Pardon the Interruption, and SportsCenter in video clips with people literally ripping the doors off their hinges and trampling over each other just to get inside.  I watched it happen live, and was just as horrified when I saw the replays on television later.  I've been collecting since 1990 and this ONE release has absolutely drained any enjoyment or satisfaction I might've gotten from collecting Air Jordans in general.  
I'm a grown adult now, I've learned how to be responsible with my money and how to pay my bills and my taxes through discipline and hard work.  Collecting Air Jordans was always a fun hobby to me, a connection to the past, to my youth, and to the greatest athlete in team sports history.  I was very fortunate to have seen Michael Jordan play 6 times in person, during his prime in the 1990s, at Market Square Arena against Reggie Miller and the Pacers.  And each time I saw him, Jordan put everything he had into the game.  It didn't always work out for him...I was there when he unretired and shot 7-for-28 and the Bulls lost in overtime...but that intensity, that conviction, that indomitable will was always present.  I saw him try to rip Reggie Miller's face off and then score 40 points, many of them on impossible fallaway jumpers and angry, vicious drives to the rim.  I remember the player he was.  I remember everything he did.  But what I remember the most was the level of sheer competitive greatness that has never been surpassed both before or since. 

To me and others from my generation who grew up watching the "greatest player ever", Air Jordans aren't just basketball shoes or mere fashion statements...these MEAN something.  They're symbols of who we wished we could be like when we were little, symbols of what can be accomplished with hard work and determination.  But most of all, they symbolize *excellence*.  

That's why it's so infuriating when the quality of a lot of these retros released is so poor while the prices are so high.  And it's disheartening when it becomes near impossible to get a pair of a particular model - in this case the Concord XI - without a lot of undue physical and emotional stress.

All my friends and co-workers who know nothing about collecting Jordans have all asked me the same question regarding the XI riots...why don't they just make more pairs?  Why aren't they more widely available?  And that's a good question.  You never see people riot over Air Force Is or Chuck Taylors, yet those shoes do phenomenal sales every single year.  

Jordan Brand could've avoided this whole mess by doing two things - A) letting all the stores do pre-orders or reservations...putting a certain amount down to reserve your pair, then paying the remaining balance on release day (failure to pay means the pair goes back on sale to the public), and B) simply making more pairs and doing a few restocks both in stores and online.  A lot of stores in my area only got ONE pair in each size.  Supply was nowhere close to satisfying demand, and that's what fuels the frenzy to get a pair.  And this is just unacceptable.

In my opinion, only a class-action lawsuit against Jordan Brand/Nike by thousands of consumers will wake them up.  I don't have any legal expertise, but I'm sure there are some of you out there who do.  What can be done?  How can we unite to stand up to this corporate entity that does NOT care about our well-being and let our voices be heard?  Who can make them listen?  A debacle like this should NEVER happen again, and if it does one of these days somebody is gonna get killed.  Is that what it takes?  Does Jordan Brand want people dying over pieces of leather and rubber?  As a collector I can understand the desire to acquire these, as a rational person in the real world however I can never understand the lengths some people will go through to get them, all because of hype.  Michael Jordan was the greatest competitor in team sports history.  But we shouldn't have to be that competitive WITH EACH OTHER just to buy his shoes.  It's all just backwards and ridiculous.  MAKE MORE PAIRS.  IMPROVE QUALITY.  STOP OVERPRICING.

It's time that Jordan Brand actually reflected the defining trait of the athlete who founded it - EXCELLENCE.  We as consumers need to stand up NOW, and we need to be ONE.

I'm 35 years old.  This is not a memo.  It's a mission statement.

Seriously?

Blame the product/company and not the consumers?


Seriously?


The first thing that popped into my head when I read your post was the following:

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

It's not just shoes that cause certain segments of our society to lose all rational thought...it is cheap TVs and cheap computers among other things...where is your rant against Walmart, Best Buy, Toshiba, Sharp, etc??? 

Same thing has happened with Furbie's and Tickle Me Elmo's in the past...it is THE PEOPLE that are the the problem!  I recall a Christmas a few years back when the current generation of consoles was causing the same sort of problems at stores...did you band together and file a class action lawsuit against Microsoft and Sony at the time???

Sorry...I know you are trying to be serious and all...but, really? 

JM

qft

 

[dro3000]

Originally Posted by aphexacid

No. People need to do whats best for them, and not their "generation". Or what they remember their generation used to be like. This is not the 1990s. If you dont like the way things are, then don't participate. Call it quits.

You want to be that old man crying about how "they don't make em like they used to"? NO KIDDING! Its been that way ALWAYS. And not just for Jordans.

Man. Someone ALWAYS has to complain about something. Not enough iphones to go around. not enough jordans. not enough tickle me elmo. how much exactly is enough??

I'm 31, and you'd think people my age that supposedly are "original sneakerheads", also have enough common sense to vote with their wallet and NOT support the company you're complaining about.

If you DO, you're just complaining for the sake of complaining.


*EDIT*

And to add something else, OP: Completely WRONG in thinking that Nike limited the Concords.Its the exactly opposite. They were a general release and there were hundreds of thousands made. Its a popular shoe plain and simple. How much is enough? 10 million pairs? Should they just never stop making them at all?

QFT!!!


And to those complaining about the quality of the concords, you;re all entitled to your opinions of course but I have seen multiple pairs and besides one pair\s messy phylon near the toe and a few typical glue stains they're all as good as you can ask for.  I have a DS pair of OG B'red XI's that I can post plenty pictures of and show that they were FAR from perfect.  Some ppl like to put the OG's on a pedestal like they were perfect or something.  Sure there was more padding around the ankle on previous 11's but thats also when they were still considered a good basketball shoe now its more about the look and the hype more than anything.  And how many ppl who wouldn't say they are sneaker heads really look at the shoe and analyze it the way we do since we all seem to think we're 'shoe connoisseur' as our friend in Houston put it.  I bet most of em would pay more for what you call a poor quality 2011 retro than the 2001 retro with piss yellow soles......jus sayin

OP has a good point but on the other hand it's getting old hearing about all the quality complaints when some of em are honestly a little anal.  They're shoes, they're never meant to be trophies....we make em trophies

Just as aphexacid put it, if you don't like it stop buying the product.  Stop going out to the malls and lining up and beating each other down for these 'poor quality retros'.

 

[mr delorean]

Originally Posted by AKA LONGSTROKE

I do not agree with the OP's opinion that Jordan's meant something back in the day, because at least in NYC, they did not. Back then, especially during the first release of Air Jordan's, way before retro's became popular, many of his shoes simply sat upon shelves, never selling out. On the first release of the Concord XI's, I was able to walk right into the Athlete's Foot in Times Square, then buy a pair at least three weeks after the release, in a size 14.

horrible logic.  just because a retail product stays stocked on shelves for longer than three weeks doesnt mean it isnt extremely popular.  i bought some of the most popular colorways of original jordans six months after they were released.  nike has no motivation to produce numbers that satisfy demand because theyre busy filling in the gaps with hideous garbage that they also need to sell.  but for certain runs they damn well know are going to be crazy, they could easily alleviate the panic and even capture a lot of that lost resell revenue.  class action lawsuit is over the top, but op is the same age as me and might as well have been writing in frustration for me as well.  the black/cement 3 and white/black 11 are perfect examples of why my interest has waned over the years.

 

[mr delorean]

Originally Posted by jmadidas2001

Same thing has happened with Furbie's and Tickle Me Elmo's in the past...it is THE PEOPLE that are the the problem!  I recall a Christmas a few years back when the current generation of consoles was causing the same sort of problems at stores...did you band together and file a class action lawsuit against Microsoft and Sony at the time???

not the same thing, at all.  units continued to ship until everyone who wanted one had one.  may not have met schedule for the holiday deadline, but supply was equalized.

 

[hyalite]

It would be so easy for Nike and other retailers like FTL and FNL to avoid these problems by using a pre-order system. If everyone who wanted a pair knew they were guaranteed at least one pair, it would minimize the stampedes and violence. It would also kill the reseller market.

It makes no sense why they allow this in certain countries (where demand is much lower) but not in the US. The mall I went to had about 100 pairs total, and 300-500 people showed up. If everyone had been able to go home with 1 pair, there would have been no running, pushing, or trampling.

 

[west coast avenger]

LMAO!! This dude said class action lawsuit..........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAAAAA!!! I didnt even get a pair and I aint whining like this

 

[aka longstroke]

Originally Posted by mr delorean

Originally Posted by AKA LONGSTROKE

I do not agree with the OP's opinion that Jordan's meant something back in the day, because at least in NYC, they did not. Back then, especially during the first release of Air Jordan's, way before retro's became popular, many of his shoes simply sat upon shelves, never selling out. On the first release of the Concord XI's, I was able to walk right into the Athlete's Foot in Times Square, then buy a pair at least three weeks after the release, in a size 14.

horrible logic.  just because a retail product stays stocked on shelves for longer than three weeks doesnt mean it isnt extremely popular.  i bought some of the most popular colorways of original jordans six months after they were released.  nike has no motivation to produce numbers that satisfy demand because theyre busy filling in the gaps with hideous garbage that they also need to sell.  but for certain runs they damn well know are going to be crazy, they could easily alleviate the panic and even capture a lot of that lost resell revenue.  class action lawsuit is over the top, but op is the same age as me and might as well have been writing in frustration for me as well.  the black/cement 3 and white/black 11 are perfect examples of why my interest has waned over the years.

Uhhhh, what? It is well known throughout all circles that when Air Jordan's first hit the market in the eighties, they did not sell well and were not extremely popular as they are now. It is not even close, and this is a fact. There is no need to use logic and reason here, as the numbers prove this, unless you or I are trying to figure out why that was, but the evidence was clear. When Jordan signed with Nike, they were in financial trouble. The Air Jordan line gave Nike the profile that it needed, but access to his shoes in the eighties was not a problem as it is now, with people trampling over each other in malls to get them.  I was there, and I remember when his kicks got popular on the grand scale, as it was after the return from his first retirement.  

 

[hyalite]

Originally Posted by AKA LONGSTROKE

Originally Posted by mr delorean

Originally Posted by AKA LONGSTROKE

I do not agree with the OP's opinion that Jordan's meant something back in the day, because at least in NYC, they did not. Back then, especially during the first release of Air Jordan's, way before retro's became popular, many of his shoes simply sat upon shelves, never selling out. On the first release of the Concord XI's, I was able to walk right into the Athlete's Foot in Times Square, then buy a pair at least three weeks after the release, in a size 14.

horrible logic.  just because a retail product stays stocked on shelves for longer than three weeks doesnt mean it isnt extremely popular.  i bought some of the most popular colorways of original jordans six months after they were released.  nike has no motivation to produce numbers that satisfy demand because theyre busy filling in the gaps with hideous garbage that they also need to sell.  but for certain runs they damn well know are going to be crazy, they could easily alleviate the panic and even capture a lot of that lost resell revenue.  class action lawsuit is over the top, but op is the same age as me and might as well have been writing in frustration for me as well.  the black/cement 3 and white/black 11 are perfect examples of why my interest has waned over the years.

Uhhhh, what? It is well known throughout all circles that when Air Jordan's first hit the market in the eighties, they did not sell well and were not extremely popular as they are now. It is not even close, and this is a fact. There is no need to use logic and reason here, as the numbers prove this, unless you or I are trying to figure out why that was, but the evidence was clear. When Jordan signed with Nike, they were in financial trouble. The Air Jordan line gave Nike the profile that it needed, but access to his shoes in the eighties was not a problem as it is now, with people trampling over each other in malls to get them.  I was there, and I remember when his kicks got popular on the grand scale, as it was after the return from his first retirement.  

This statement is false.  When Jordan signed with Nike in 1984, they put a clause in his contract that if he failed to sell $3 Million worth of product in the first 3 years, Nike would be free to drop him.  The Air Jordan I not only reached this mark, but actually achieved $130 Million in sales in the first year alone, as well as $18 Million in apparel.  Had Air Jordan been its own company, it would have been the 5th-largest shoe company in the world in 1985.  This information comes from “Taking to the Air

 

[raptors29]

Originally Posted by Hyalite

Originally Posted by AKA LONGSTROKE

Originally Posted by mr delorean

horrible logic.  just because a retail product stays stocked on shelves for longer than three weeks doesnt mean it isnt extremely popular.  i bought some of the most popular colorways of original jordans six months after they were released.  nike has no motivation to produce numbers that satisfy demand because theyre busy filling in the gaps with hideous garbage that they also need to sell.  but for certain runs they damn well know are going to be crazy, they could easily alleviate the panic and even capture a lot of that lost resell revenue.  class action lawsuit is over the top, but op is the same age as me and might as well have been writing in frustration for me as well.  the black/cement 3 and white/black 11 are perfect examples of why my interest has waned over the years.

Uhhhh, what? It is well known throughout all circles that when Air Jordan's first hit the market in the eighties, they did not sell well and were not extremely popular as they are now. It is not even close, and this is a fact. There is no need to use logic and reason here, as the numbers prove this, unless you or I are trying to figure out why that was, but the evidence was clear. When Jordan signed with Nike, they were in financial trouble. The Air Jordan line gave Nike the profile that it needed, but access to his shoes in the eighties was not a problem as it is now, with people trampling over each other in malls to get them.  I was there, and I remember when his kicks got popular on the grand scale, as it was after the return from his first retirement.  

This statement is false.  When Jordan signed with Nike in 1984, they put a clause in his contract that if he failed to sell $3 Million worth of product in the first 3 years, Nike would be free to drop him.  The Air Jordan I not only reached this mark, but actually achieved $130 Million in sales in the first year alone, as well as $18 Million in apparel.  Had Air Jordan been its own company, it would have been the 5th-largest shoe company in the world in 1985.  This information comes from “Taking to the Air

 

[retroman134]

hey bro, just sue them lol, get a settlement and call it a day. I hope you get something cause JB is getting our sweat blood and tears oh cant forget about our dollars, wow it seems like they own us....yikes

 

[aka longstroke]

Originally Posted by Hyalite

Originally Posted by AKA LONGSTROKE

Originally Posted by mr delorean

horrible logic.  just because a retail product stays stocked on shelves for longer than three weeks doesnt mean it isnt extremely popular.  i bought some of the most popular colorways of original jordans six months after they were released.  nike has no motivation to produce numbers that satisfy demand because theyre busy filling in the gaps with hideous garbage that they also need to sell.  but for certain runs they damn well know are going to be crazy, they could easily alleviate the panic and even capture a lot of that lost resell revenue.  class action lawsuit is over the top, but op is the same age as me and might as well have been writing in frustration for me as well.  the black/cement 3 and white/black 11 are perfect examples of why my interest has waned over the years.

Uhhhh, what? It is well known throughout all circles that when Air Jordan's first hit the market in the eighties, they did not sell well and were not extremely popular as they are now. It is not even close, and this is a fact. There is no need to use logic and reason here, as the numbers prove this, unless you or I are trying to figure out why that was, but the evidence was clear. When Jordan signed with Nike, they were in financial trouble. The Air Jordan line gave Nike the profile that it needed, but access to his shoes in the eighties was not a problem as it is now, with people trampling over each other in malls to get them.  I was there, and I remember when his kicks got popular on the grand scale, as it was after the return from his first retirement.  

This statement is false.  When Jordan signed with Nike in 1984, they put a clause in his contract that if he failed to sell $3 Million worth of product in the first 3 years, Nike would be free to drop him.  The Air Jordan I not only reached this mark, but actually achieved $130 Million in sales in the first year alone, as well as $18 Million in apparel.  Had Air Jordan been its own company, it would have been the 5th-largest shoe company in the world in 1985.  This information comes from “Taking to the Air

 

[send one]

Originally Posted by DRO3000

QFT!!!


And to those complaining about the quality of the concords, you;re all entitled to your opinions of course but I have seen multiple pairs and besides one pair\s messy phylon near the toe and a few typical glue stains they're all as good as you can ask for.  I have a DS pair of OG B'red XI's that I can post plenty pictures of and show that they were FAR from perfect.  Some ppl like to put the OG's on a pedestal like they were perfect or something.  Sure there was more padding around the ankle on previous 11's but thats also when they were still considered a good basketball shoe now its more about the look and the hype more than anything.  And how many ppl who wouldn't say they are sneaker heads really look at the shoe and analyze it the way we do since we all seem to think we're 'shoe connoisseur' as our friend in Houston put it.  I bet most of em would pay more for what you call a poor quality 2011 retro than the 2001 retro with piss yellow soles......jus sayin

OP has a good point but on the other hand it's getting old hearing about all the quality complaints when some of em are honestly a little anal.  They're shoes, they're never meant to be trophies....we make em trophies

Just as aphexacid put it, if you don't like it stop buying the product.  Stop going out to the malls and lining up and beating each other down for these 'poor quality retros'.

I think your confusing quality and craftsmanship.

 

[aka longstroke]

Edit

 

[dankenstien88]

jmadidas2001 wrote:

---

AirJordans23 wrote:

---

The bottom line is this...getting a chance to buy a pair of basketball shoes - the Air Jordan XI or otherwise - shouldn't be worth risking your safety or your life.  It's that simple.  The way Jordan Brand/Nike purposely limited the number of pairs of the Concord XI just to build up the hype and frenzy surrounding their release isn't just irresponsible, it's ethically deplorable.  I live in Indianapolis, Indiana and the mall I usually go to for Jordans - Lafayette Square Mall - was the mall shown on the national news, Pardon the Interruption, and SportsCenter in video clips with people literally ripping the doors off their hinges and trampling over each other just to get inside.  I watched it happen live, and was just as horrified when I saw the replays on television later.  I've been collecting since 1990 and this ONE release has absolutely drained any enjoyment or satisfaction I might've gotten from collecting Air Jordans in general.  
I'm a grown adult now, I've learned how to be responsible with my money and how to pay my bills and my taxes through discipline and hard work.  Collecting Air Jordans was always a fun hobby to me, a connection to the past, to my youth, and to the greatest athlete in team sports history.  I was very fortunate to have seen Michael Jordan play 6 times in person, during his prime in the 1990s, at Market Square Arena against Reggie Miller and the Pacers.  And each time I saw him, Jordan put everything he had into the game.  It didn't always work out for him...I was there when he unretired and shot 7-for-28 and the Bulls lost in overtime...but that intensity, that conviction, that indomitable will was always present.  I saw him try to rip Reggie Miller's face off and then score 40 points, many of them on impossible fallaway jumpers and angry, vicious drives to the rim.  I remember the player he was.  I remember everything he did.  But what I remember the most was the level of sheer competitive greatness that has never been surpassed both before or since. 

To me and others from my generation who grew up watching the "greatest player ever", Air Jordans aren't just basketball shoes or mere fashion statements...these MEAN something.  They're symbols of who we wished we could be like when we were little, symbols of what can be accomplished with hard work and determination.  But most of all, they symbolize *excellence*.  

That's why it's so infuriating when the quality of a lot of these retros released is so poor while the prices are so high.  And it's disheartening when it becomes near impossible to get a pair of a particular model - in this case the Concord XI - without a lot of undue physical and emotional stress.

All my friends and co-workers who know nothing about collecting Jordans have all asked me the same question regarding the XI riots...why don't they just make more pairs?  Why aren't they more widely available?  And that's a good question.  You never see people riot over Air Force Is or Chuck Taylors, yet those shoes do phenomenal sales every single year.  

Jordan Brand could've avoided this whole mess by doing two things - A) letting all the stores do pre-orders or reservations...putting a certain amount down to reserve your pair, then paying the remaining balance on release day (failure to pay means the pair goes back on sale to the public), and B) simply making more pairs and doing a few restocks both in stores and online.  A lot of stores in my area only got ONE pair in each size.  Supply was nowhere close to satisfying demand, and that's what fuels the frenzy to get a pair.  And this is just unacceptable.

In my opinion, only a class-action lawsuit against Jordan Brand/Nike by thousands of consumers will wake them up.  I don't have any legal expertise, but I'm sure there are some of you out there who do.  What can be done?  How can we unite to stand up to this corporate entity that does NOT care about our well-being and let our voices be heard?  Who can make them listen?  A debacle like this should NEVER happen again, and if it does one of these days somebody is gonna get killed.  Is that what it takes?  Does Jordan Brand want people dying over pieces of leather and rubber?  As a collector I can understand the desire to acquire these, as a rational person in the real world however I can never understand the lengths some people will go through to get them, all because of hype.  Michael Jordan was the greatest competitor in team sports history.  But we shouldn't have to be that competitive WITH EACH OTHER just to buy his shoes.  It's all just backwards and ridiculous.  MAKE MORE PAIRS.  IMPROVE QUALITY.  STOP OVERPRICING.

It's time that Jordan Brand actually reflected the defining trait of the athlete who founded it - EXCELLENCE.  We as consumers need to stand up NOW, and we need to be ONE.

I'm 35 years old.  This is not a memo.  It's a mission statement.

Seriously?

Blame the product/company and not the consumers?


Seriously?


The first thing that popped into my head when I read your post was the following:

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

It's not just shoes that cause certain segments of our society to lose all rational thought...it is cheap TVs and cheap computers among other things...where is your rant against Walmart, Best Buy, Toshiba, Sharp, etc??? 

Same thing has happened with Furbie's and Tickle Me Elmo's in the past...it is THE PEOPLE that are the the problem!  I recall a Christmas a few years back when the current generation of consoles was causing the same sort of problems at stores...did you band together and file a class action lawsuit against Microsoft and Sony at the time???

Sorry...I know you are trying to be serious and all...but, really? 

JM





I have to say I agree with JM.  JB has very little to do with the madness, its the "Christmas-Crazys" that mess it up for the real heads who are just trying to get a pair to rock.  It really sucks, but we have to accept that our beloved Air-Jordans have become a Christmas fad like a Furby or Tickle me Elmo.


I dont think a class action suit would hold up against Nike/JB. I do however think that there are many malls and stores that could learn a few lessons about security and orginization through a lawsuit. I had been stressing how important security and having an organized number system for these releases to one of my local malls but nobody listened. Everyone I talked to on the phone said "I dont know where you are from, but this is a very nice area and we have not had any problems in the past". I tried to stress to this one old lady how hectic this release could get, but she had the "they are just shoes" attitude.


Fast forward to Dec 23 @ 5:30 AM -  Mall gates open - 4 people get seriously injured in the madness 

 

[hyalite]

AKA LONGSTROKE, no doubt you are right that it was much easier to get Jordans back in the '80s and that Jordan lifted Nike to a whole new level.  I wasn't disagreeing with you on that point.

The reason it was easier, however, is not because Jordans didn't sell well back then.  That's the only part I was disagreeing with.  They did sell well, they just didn't sell as fast.  Like you stated, the reseller era is what has made these releases so chaotic. 

If the scene had been this chaotic back in the '80s and '90s, I never would've had the opportunity to get any of the OG Jordans.  I never camped out or even waited in lines for Jordans back then, not even for the OG Concords (or the 2000 Concords for that matter).

 

[cdunk]

The fault does not fall all on JB, nor does it fall all on consumers; it's a mixture of both. A class action lawsuit will do nothing; how on earth can consumers prove intent, showing that JB intended to create these riots with this release? There is nothing legally wrong with creating hype through marketing measures, although there definitely are ethical issues as the OP pointed out.

My main point is that JB can certainly handle these releases better. They basically had a few ways of handling the release (strictly assuming sales and brand exclusivity are the main issues for JB). If they create enough XIs to satisfy demand, this may damage the brand's exclusivity in the future; think how big Tommy Hilfiger was back in the 90s. If they make the shoe expensive, such as a $450 price point, they may lose a big chunk of their core sneakerhead base. If they created so much hype by not creating enough supply, they'll get plenty of angry customers, but this may have been their best option in the long run as this option just fuels the brand. I'm sure there are plenty of people on this board and elsewhere who wouldn't bother buying these XIs if they see everyone and their mothers wearing them with option 1.

Anyways, we really don't know what JB's intent is; all we can agree on is that things do need to get better for both the consumer and JB.

 

[KMante]

Sometimes you just have to use common sense. JB isn't making anyone buy these shoes fellas.

The only reason why I continue to get these Christmas Jordan XI (Space Jams and Concords, not the Cool Greys cause they are fugly) is because I don't have to truly camp out for them in my area. It's more like a wait outside the store for 2-3 hours an then get them with no more than 30 people in line who for the most part know each other and are really chill.
If I was in a place where I had to camp out for 24 hours plus and I'm still not guaranteed a pair, then I would never do it. I would hope that a connect would come through or find a less hectic place preferably not too far to get the shoes if I really want them.

 

[flood401]

It is not so much that its the brand to blame for these riots its the stores.... The people who start the line at whatever time should be the first to get a pair and so on.... End of story. The limited release is so that they gain in price for a collector! For example who collects new cars as a hobby and keeps them.... Nobody because they depreciate, I don't want my jordans defacing in value because they make hundreds of thousands of pairs for everyone. Its like a signed sports collection its useful, fun, and has value.