Buying Jordan Retro 1 For Dummies

[BR-YYC]

Hello,
I am completely new to this Forum and I decided to join out of total despair, hoping to get some answers. Pardon my innocence, and you can laugh at this post, I am OK with that - I am loosing my mental mind trying to find a pair of Jordan Retro 1 Highs for my Son. Now, it has been full 6 months of me trying to buy ONE pair, just one...unsuccessfully - and this is what I have tried so far. Waking up at the silliest times of night - 4AM, 5AM, workdays, weekends.... when releases are happening on Nike website, or on Footlocker App. We live in Canada, so it is a bit different (no Champs option to buy online) but we still get the option to reserve or log in when the release is happening on .ca sites.
No luck! Every time I tried there was something else missing (phone number, postal code not valid, this/that....) - when I finally had everything in order, credit card entered - no purchase happened. "Sorry, you have not been selected. Better luck next time" That is Nike website story. Footlocker - entered the reservation in, reservation magically disappearing from our profile (called Footlocker support center - they see it on their end, we don't see it on our end). Release time - app is having issues EVERY single time, crashing big time. No sizes available, sorry this product is no longer available, sold out etc etc...
Went to stores multiple times, since products are showing online, but you can't purchase - they search ALL of the Canadian inventory - nothing, zero shoes available. I mean, what is the point of having them online, if they are no available?! Called many friends all over USA, they tried searching websites and stores in person as well - no luck. Champs in Canada told me the only way is calling the store every single day to check if they are dropping anything (currently doing that).
My main question here, I guess, is - is it at all POSSIBLE to Buy Jordan Retros on line??? Is it a real thing? Or is it just a big hype, and you can never ever buy them online?
I am well aware of re-selling websites, that have them available for 2x, 3x the price. That is not my option. I have heard stories about "Bots" who have multiple accounts and some software gizmos, so at the time of release can buy 100-200 pairs at once, where poor me is trying to get one. Now, is that a true I don't know, I can't tell.
But really, people - am I here trying something impossible? Are you as a regular, normal customer stand a chance to buy these shoes?
If there is something like "Buying Jordans 101" or a thread that would be helpful to read here, please share.
Thank you so much from one very annoyed Mom who is just trying to make her kid happy

 

[spoonmanofthehour]

Bots have overtaken online. There is a possibility that you can still purchase online, but it is difficult. You have to try exactly the day and time that specific shoe releases. The Jordan 1 High OG sells out extremely fast. It’s hard to get for even the experienced shoe collector(without a bot).

 

[BR-YYC]

Bots have overtaken online. There is a possibility that you can still purchase online, but it is difficult. You have to try exactly the day and time that specific shoe releases. The Jordan 1 High OG sells out extremely fast. It’s hard to get for even the experienced shoe collector(without a bot).

That is insane for bots - so it is real?!
Yes, my latest attempts were on the dot! The very minute release opens, I try...It takes me literally 30 sec to enter CC info, and usually at 4:01 (if release is at 4AM) I am done and looking at the little green thing spinning.... waiting for the verdict, LOL

 

[3god]

Be willing to pay resale or move on from sneakers.

 

[jj66]

Be willing to pay resale or move on from sneakers.

This

 

[sneakaprince]

Be willing to pay resale or move on from sneakers.

This

OP I feel for anyone (especially kids trying to get into the sneaker space in 2021). It's legit just too much work and stress.

I haven't hit on a retail pair of 1s in at least 2 years, mind you I've been collecting 1s almost religiously for the past decade. I've been collecting sneakers in general for nearly 20 years.

I wouldn't tell you to give up but I would say if you really want them find a way to pay lowest possible resell either before release or after. Alot of 1s can be had for 1 over retail within a month or so of release. After 6 months prices tend to trend upwards and eventually it just gets kind of insane. The great thing is there are always more sneakers dropping kw and days.

 

[vndragonslayer]

Be willing to pay resale or move on from sneakers.

Pay resale. Give up. Or join dark side and give middle finger to jb/nk n go Ua. Not that I condone it

 

[BR-YYC]

This

OP I feel for anyone (especially kids trying to get into the sneaker space in 2021). It's legit just too much work and stress.

I haven't hit on a retail pair of 1s in at least 2 years, mind you I've been collecting 1s almost religiously for the past decade. I've been collecting sneakers in general for nearly 20 years.

I wouldn't tell you to give up but I would say if you really want them find a way to pay lowest possible resell either before release or after. Alot of 1s can be had for 1 over retail within a month or so of release. After 6 months prices tend to trend upwards and eventually it just gets kind of insane. The great thing is there are always more sneakers dropping kw and days.

Thank you so much for all the details and info. Crazy world for sure! Tough for kids, whenever he sees someone wearing them, my Son keeps saying - how can this person have it, how come we can never get them online.

 

[OG_Snkr_Fan]

OP, don't give up.. I go hard at trying to pay retail. Just keep trying. I know CA might have limited options, but FTL is basically impossible. Don't get into botting, you will just spend alot of money just trying to buy and sell the sneakers to recoup your investment.

Keep Trying. Nike Talk Forum will help you, just stay tuned on the forums. Sometimes we beat the bots when we find out of a release happening.

 

[sneakaprince]

OP, don't give up

Nike Talk Forum will help you,

The one thing about collecting that I cherish more than sneakers is this community. I been on NT for nearly 15 if my 20 years collecting.

NT has helped me get a countless number if shoes and I've given back a ton to this community as well. If all you get from your AJ1 search is a somewhat membership here, trust me you already won.

 

[rainking]

That is insane for bots - so it is real?!
Yes, my latest attempts were on the dot! The very minute release opens, I try...It takes me literally 30 sec to enter CC info, and usually at 4:01 (if release is at 4AM) I am done and looking at the little green thing spinning.... waiting for the verdict, LOL

Thank you so much for all the details and info. Crazy world for sure! Tough for kids, whenever he sees someone wearing them, my Son keeps saying - how can this person have it, how come we can never get them online.

Yup, bots are real, as others said. This is the absolute worst time in history to be trying to get into sneakers, especially Jordan 1s. I've been doing this for 30 years, and also like others said, it's become virtually impossible to buy anything--not just Jordan 1s--for retail price right now. The only options are to just keep trying and eventually get lucky on one of the websites or the SNKRS app, or pay resale, I'm afraid.
I feel bad for you and your son, but you shouldn't feel bad at all. Even those of us who understand it all and chase it hard, who've been doing it for literally decades, are basically in the same boat right now. When your boy asks how someone else can possibly have them, the reality is the person is either wearing a pair they bought before everything went nuts in the past year, or they just bit the bullet and paid resale.

 

[206to813]

Y’all some lying MFers

“keep trying”
“Niketalk will help you”
“Might get lucky”

I see y’all

Be willing to pay resale or move on from sneakers.

Ding ding we have a winner! That’s it, close the book

 

[3god]

Y’all some lying MFers

“keep trying”
“Niketalk will help you”
“Might get lucky”

I see y’all

Ding ding we have a winner! That’s it, close the book

Bout time you realized I AM the truth teller around here.

 

[spoonmanofthehour]

Bout time you realized I AM the truth teller around here.

 

[wayniac211]

Pics

 

[sneakaprince]

Y’all some lying MFers

“keep trying”
“Niketalk will help you”
“Might get lucky”

I see y’all

Ding ding we have a winner! That’s it, close the book

If you haven't gotten help from NT with certain releases you following the wrong threads. AJ1S are tricky because nots basically eat all the online stock.

When 1s would sit back in the day help was plentiful. NT most recently provided me with a ton of options to purchase the Silver Snake AF1 and the Infrared Air Max 90. Had I not been a member of this site I highly doubt I would have had access to a pair at retail.

 

[3thaman]

First off this is the worst time to be buying Jordan 1 high’s so we all feel your pain. You can keep trying SNKRS or enter online raffles but this is my experience with a 13 yr old myself. Buy him the mids, they’re a little easier to get. Got my son the royal mids and he was tickled, yes he understands they aren’t the OG highs like mine but he really doesn’t care and with the rate his foot grows I still wouldn’t pay retail for OG highs for him anyway.

 

[spoonmanofthehour]

First off this is the worst time to be buying Jordan 1 high’s so we all feel your pain. You can keep trying SNKRS or enter online raffles but this is my experience with a 13 yr old myself. Buy him the mids, they’re a little easier to get. Got my son the royal mids and he was tickled, yes he understands they aren’t the OG highs like mine but he really doesn’t care and with the rate his foot grows I still wouldn’t pay retail for OG highs for him anyway.

3thaman , I thought you were a kid yourself! That’s actually smart that you do that for right now.

 

[3thaman]

3thaman , I thought you were a kid yourself! That’s actually smart that you do that for right now.

Lol don’t know how to take that spoon! He’s my youngest my oldest is 23.

 

[206to813]

Bout time you realized I AM the truth teller around here.

Broken clock

 

[206to813]

If you haven't gotten help from NT with certain releases you following the wrong threads. AJ1S are tricky because nots basically eat all the online stock.

When 1s would sit back in the day help was plentiful. NT most recently provided me with a ton of options to purchase the Silver Snake AF1 and the Infrared Air Max 90. Had I not been a member of this site I highly doubt I would have had access to a pair at retail.

I been on Nt since 2003
This poor lady isn’t asking us to reminisce about the old days, she’s trying to get OG 1 highs in 2021. I just have 3 words- stockx, goat, eBay....

 

[3thaman]

How do you all do the quotey thing with our name and pic???

 

[spoonmanofthehour]

How do you all do the quotey thing with our name and pic???

@ then the username.

Yeah, you are older.

 

[jacksodk]

Like I'm just really falling out laughing at 206to813 comment. But, it's the truth. If you buying og 1's, you might as well just pay resale. And the cost of bots really ain't worth it unless you a major reseller. You have to be lottery ticket lucky now to almost get a jordan 1 or almost any J for that matter now for retail. Funny thing is, just a year ago, 1's sat on the shelf and people were complaining of all the colors coming out and they need to put the 1 in the vault cuz it was too many and they literally were sitting on the shelves for months on end. Now, sell out is in .000000001 seconds and by raffle win only

 

[spoonmanofthehour]

Like I'm just really falling out laughing at 206to813 comment. But, it's the truth. If you buying og 1's, you might as well just pay resale. And the cost of bots really ain't worth it unless you a major reseller. You have to be lottery ticket lucky now to almost get a jordan 1 or almost any J for that matter now for retail. Funny thing is, just a year ago, 1's sat on the shelf and people were complaining of all the colors coming out and they need to pit the 1 in the vault cuz it was too many and they literally were sitting on the shelves for months on end. Now, sell out is in .000000001 seconds and by raffle win only

Only a few colorways sat on shelves, not the majority. I couldn’t even obtain the Purple Toe’s.