Official LeBron X Thread Vol. 3

[nikedealer]

unfortunately Sneakerheads are NOT nikes targeted demographic...sneakersheads make a very small and insignificant impact to the overall bottom line at nike...it's a necessary evil in that it does build buzz for a line but trust..Phil Knight isn't keeping the private jet fueled on what NT wants needs or desires...

I read a report a few years ago, and I could be mistakin it's been so long, but the best selling product in the Nike line was the Cortez (or possible the AF1 can't remember) its not because of limited this or camp out that or resellers...it's cause these sneakers appeal to all demographics and more importantly there are no geographical biases...some little kid in Topeka Kansas got some beat down Cortez in his closet...and his mom buys him a fresh pair once a year...

Again...Nike is a wholesaler...yes they do have direct to consumer retail available...but the bulk of its business is done with FTL Corp..FNL Corp..Sports Authority... Even Federated (Macy's etc) is there customer....when they adjust the price it's cause THEY buck...not us...and yes part of it is they are unsure of there margins now if they have to pass the increase on...but went put in prospective....And I've said this before.. whole sealers don't make money on Corks... They make a KILLING off the fitted hat, socks, and tee that MATCH the corks....(and possibly those kicks for the wife or kid on the way out so you don't feel bad about dropping $300 on kicks for yourself)

Corks, limited, whatever...it's just to get you in the door...

Ayi... you are correct in some aspects but let me correct a few points..

In the last 5 Years Sneakerheads or the Energy releases have started making up a LARGE portion of different signature lines.

Since the HoH inception (and its some what lack of execution on the concept) Sig lines have done well across the board on limited releases..

Just imagine...   15 colorways released on a semi limited basis giving every store a two size run limit except for larger stores.  This beats out doing 3 or 4 colorways on a much larger distrution of 4 to 5 size runs per store.

Although the Bron line has become somewhat saturated with colorways its giving options plus the Digital Division making money on NikeIDs.. Thats pure profit. 55 percent for Basketball 45% for Digital which Nike keeps all of it.

Now NSW is making money on the Corks as well.  That isnt going to Nike Basketballs bottom line.  So you have different divisions competing for dollars on the same signature athlete.

Nike Cortez used to be a California shoe, just like AF1 were (to avoid a DC/BMore/NYC argument) East Coast shoe.  Both have popularized into cross regional shoes.  Just as the Foamposite has.

Nike also makes a ton of money on their "Basement" Division which sells to stores such as *****, Modells, Kohls, and other non traditional Sporting Goods stores for families.  This is where you will see take Downs and shoes such as the infamous "Monarch" which has sold almost more than any other shoe in Nike's History.  Designed by Jason Mayden.

While you are right on the biggers buyers such as FTL and FA balking at prices they also get to RTV shoes unlike other buyers... so if it doesnt sell they can return it and get a credit it.
Some mom and pops cant afford to risk high inventory so they dont buy everything offered and Nike either doesnt produce it or lowers the price.

This is based on Consumer demand and prior buying habits on particular models.  Ex:  Zoom BB was a great shoe in booty colors.. Didnt do well so Buyers didnt want to touch the BB2 at high numbers... making the BB1.5 a Euro only release due to it being a Euro inspired shoe.  If that makes sense.

As to your point of using Corks to get you in the door.  This is a practice heavily used at Nike.. but its to get recogniztion of not only other limited or almost limited shoes but inline (general released shoes).

I think for the most part you made a lot of good points.. but Id hate for some folks to think thats the exact way it goes down.

Each One Reach One Teach One I say...

 

[squatchnt]

Nike Cortez used to be a California shoe, just like AF1 were (to avoid a DC/BMore/NYC argument) East Coast shoe.  Both have popularized into cross regional shoes.  Just as the Foamposite has.

 

Grew up on the east coast wearing cortez waaay before AF1's. Can't argue the AF1 post though. Nikes biggest sellers are suprisingly the White AF1; Air Monarch IV and Benassi Slide.

 

[sneakerjesus]

View media item 301036

 

[traviswm52]

honestly, the only color thats selling for 280 something is the "hype" colorway. the other colors can be had for 100-200 with patience.

thats y im dont complaining about prices. just have to use jedi mindtricks to get better prices

I agree. I'll definitely get the home cw, but just going to wait for that price drop just like it did last year. 

 

[ihust1e]

honestly, the only color thats selling for 280 something is the "hype" colorway. the other colors can be had for 100-200 with patience.

thats y im dont complaining about prices. just have to use jedi mindtricks to get better prices

Meh I hear you but I end up usually waiting too long and missing out.

Ala Lebron IX Elites Aways....SAT at my outlet at $180....then the one weekend I was out of town they dropped to I think $130. I come back. Alllllll gone

 

[joulze]

I know several years ago the Nike Air Force One was Nike's top selling shoe over all the other Nike shoes including Jordan. The reason for that was that at that time the Nike Air Force One was a very popular shoe almost as popular and Jordans with a lot of promotion from Athletes, Rappers (Nelly Air Force Ones song) and the back and forth at the time between Nike Air Force One vs Bape when the very colorful shoe theme was very popular also played a reason why, but the key thing was at this time while the Air Force One was getting all this promotion the average price for a pair of AF1 lows was $60 - $65 with special themed pairs running around $80 to $100. So basically you had a shoe that was just as popular as Jordans but for almost half the price. But now we've all seen a large drop in AF1 sales over the past years due to n=Nike trying to charge Jordan and Lebron prices for a shoe that was $65- $100. So baisically if there's ever a shoe that's very popular and endoresd by the right people, and at a good price point they will either out sell the higher shoe or become more popular because it's more obtainable. And Nike's marketing team just like any other smart successful company will target whatever demographic the most that's consuming there product.

There's a reason we get pictures of shoes that come out months down the line leaked into this forum, a reason we get stock photos of shoes, pricing information sometimes before the people who even work at the store know about it. Or if it it's so much complaining about a price increase that price is all of a sudden reduced. Like or not Niketalk does play a role in Nike's Marketing.

 

[theprinceofde]

honestly, the only color thats selling for 280 something is the "hype" colorway. the other colors can be had for 100-200 with patience.

thats y im dont complaining about prices. just have to use jedi mindtricks to get better prices

Exactly, the only Elite to sell out on RD last year was the hype CW which was Miami Vice, SB whatever you want to call it.

They will release for 285, they will sit at 285 and I will purchase after they have sat and no longer 285

 

[sk33termcg33]

Rock or someone else with info on these types of things:

Is there a steady increase from each of the previous models of LeBron's to now as far as sales go? I know there are other variables in play, for example public perception (he was loved at first, hated at Miami, now starting to be loved again), price points (AZGs were 110 lmao, miss those days...), and supply (including amount of colors released), that have changed from the first shoe till now, but let me re-phrase my question:

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...

Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

 

[bigj505]

honestly, the only color thats selling for 280 something is the "hype" colorway. the other colors can be had for 100-200 with patience.


thats y im dont complaining about prices. just have to use jedi mindtricks to get better prices

Meh I hear you but I end up usually waiting too long and missing out.

Ala Lebron IX Elites Aways....SAT at my outlet at $180....then the one weekend I was out of town they dropped to I think $130. I come back. Alllllll gone

its about finding that delicate balance. footlockers had/have them for like 180 also... throw a certain coupon on top of that and you are near $100 below msrp. The timing isnt always obvious but if the price is solid for you then its time to seal the deal. $180 at your outlet was still $70 below msrp. Getting 3 colors below retail would have saved your $210 off the jump.

 

[kevininsd]

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...

Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

No idea on the sales decline, but as for Lebron needing Nike or vice versa, I think a better question might be is there a company out there with the technology lure or even the branding that could lure him away from Nike?  The X's aren't a lot of people's favorites, but how do they compare them to say the DRose 3.5?

 

[bigj505]

Rock or someone else with info on these types of things:

Is there a steady increase from each of the previous models of LeBron's to now as far as sales go? I know there are other variables in play, for example public perception (he was loved at first, hated at Miami, now starting to be loved again), price points (AZGs were 110 lmao, miss those days...), and supply (including amount of colors released), that have changed from the first shoe till now, but let me re-phrase my question:

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...

Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

my simplest justification for lebron pricing comes from his contract that he has with nike.

they have to make a profit at the end of the day and lebron is certainly not getting paid peanuts for their endorsement.

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...


Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

No idea on the sales decline, but as for Lebron needing Nike or vice versa, I think a better question might be is there a company out there with the technology lure or even the branding that could lure him away from Nike? The X's aren't a lot of people's favorites, but how do they compare them to say the DRose 3.5?

Technology is a small piece of the pie. It's all about $$$ to the endorsee and Lebron desires to be a billionaire.

 

[sk33termcg33]

Exactly LeBron could ball in bum *** retro Js and still be beast. All the tech and stuff is just gravy, and not to mention, a huge marketing tactic that Nike pulls off extremely well. Wade left to Li-Ning because of his part ownership stake in the company, I seriously doubt it was the tech that drew him there....

 

[mister friendly]

Rock or someone else with info on these types of things:

Is there a steady increase from each of the previous models of LeBron's to now as far as sales go? I know there are other variables in play, for example public perception (he was loved at first, hated at Miami, now starting to be loved again), price points (AZGs were 110 lmao, miss those days...), and supply (including amount of colors released), that have changed from the first shoe till now, but let me re-phrase my question:

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...

Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

Nike needs nobody!

They could give Blake Griffin, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Dirk etc etc this sig line and I did still buy it. The reason I buy Lebrons is because its Nike flagship Basketball sneaker ( I know some people make like Kobes better) not because of Lebron

 

[mister friendly]

Rock or someone else with info on these types of things:

Is there a steady increase from each of the previous models of LeBron's to now as far as sales go? I know there are other variables in play, for example public perception (he was loved at first, hated at Miami, now starting to be loved again), price points (AZGs were 110 lmao, miss those days...), and supply (including amount of colors released), that have changed from the first shoe till now, but let me re-phrase my question:

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...

Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

Nike needs nobody!

They could give Blake Griffin, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Dirk etc etc this sig line and I did still buy it. The reason I buy Lebrons is because its Nike flagship performance Basketball sneaker ( I know some people make like Kobes better) not because of Lebron

 

[kevininsd]

Exactly LeBron could ball in bum *** retro Js and still be beast. All the tech and stuff is just gravy, and not to mention, a huge marketing tactic that Nike pulls off extremely well. Wade left to Li-Ning because of his part ownership stake in the company, I seriously doubt it was the tech that drew him there....

I would actually love to ball in a Way of Wade...they look pretty nice, similar design to the J 3, in my opinion.

 

[goldenticket21]

Heard the blue denims turned into an HyperStrike relesae

 

[tekthemaestro]

imo lebrons r just the BEST shoes to ball in. but thats cuz i primarily am a 3. so for a big guy hands down the cushioning in the lebron is 2nd to none. but if i was a pg, id prolly lean towards the d rose or the kobe or something.

 

[serstylz2]

Heard the blue denims turned into an HyperStrike relesae

That means this thread will be Corks all over again

 

[nikedealer]

Rock or someone else with info on these types of things:

Is there a steady increase from each of the previous models of LeBron's to now as far as sales go? I know there are other variables in play, for example public perception (he was loved at first, hated at Miami, now starting to be loved again), price points (AZGs were 110 lmao, miss those days...), and supply (including amount of colors released), that have changed from the first shoe till now, but let me re-phrase my question:

Does LeBron need Nike at this point, or does Nike need LeBron? If LeBron were to leave his deal whenever it runs out, would that be a bigger loss to him or to Nike? I know this is a little off topic but this kinda stuff is real interesting to me...

Any info would be appreciated, and those settings keep growing on me but I need to chill with the $180 drops here and there every other week it seems lol.

When you say a steady increase that was a statement not question right?

Public perception has nothing to do with the Price hikes over the years.

INflation and the need for a higher Profit Margin.  The prices go up from Factory Contractors.. but lets be real.. the costs on Lebrons are quite Low to make.  Nike isn't making all that money.

They sell for a price.. the retailer sells for a price.

Bron will always need Nike before Nike needs him.  If there was ever a time Bron could have left and made an impact on the shoe industry is going with Under Armour.

However they just didnt have the resources and reach Nike has when pitching.  It wasnt hard to stay with Nike when they've done all they have for him Marketing and Shoe production wise.

Can you imagine all the underground stuff happening at another shoe company?  Not a chance.. a few PEs but not to the amount you see with Nike.

His crew got kicks for them and his mom as well... and these werent one or two.. but so many they were seen all over the place.

Altho some janky stuff was going on up on the campus.. but I digress.  Its a good marriage.. but Nike can put their shoes out without a Sig Athlete and be ok.. It just helps with that Athlete.

 

[the docster]

Thanks for dropping some knowledge on us

 

[laokratwr]

That means this thread will be Corks all over again

not by me.despise the denims.would only buy to flip.on a different note anybody wearing his corks...?any crumbling still?

 

[joulze]

Heard the blue denims turned into an HyperStrike relesae

Makes since because it's seeming like after the Settings drop there's nothing else left for the regular X's and will be time for the Elites. So Nike's going to have to squeeze the Denims in somewhere in between the Settings and the Elites

 

[BtownKj]

Rock always coming with with knowlege. :up

 

[Champagne_Taste]

There were a few more colorways that some guy posted a few weeks ago the only 2 regular colorways I remember he said were dade county and superhero.

 

[nikedealer]

Im talking to Gentry about coming on both my shows to discuss the Cork releases as well as the direction of NSW and what role they will play with signature athletes coming up including Lebron...

People can hate on Gentry all they wanted... but he took Jordan to great heights and it's declined somewhat since he left.  People can say what they want.. but his return to NSW has been a great one for both Nike and NSW..

You wouldnt have gotten the Cork release otherwise.....