With the issues regarding "early release" websites, how does that affect your buying decision now?

[cdunk]

By now I think most people know about the issues (whether they are fake or just unauthorized shoes made in Nike factories and materials is another discussion) with buying from AR, Marquee Sole, VMV, etc.  Knowing all this stuff, how does this affect the way you obtain your Jordans?



For me, it definitely affects the way where I obtain Jordans.  I used to buy from any website that sells authentic Jordans (by the looks of course), but now it's so muddled in what you can call "authentic" shoes.  From now on I will only buy from websites that I know are authorized Nike retailers, such as FNL, FL, FA, Eastbay, etc.  Theoretically sites such as PYS are authorized retailers as well, but how do we really know for sure where they're getting their shoes from?  Do we just go by their word now?  Is there some way to actually confirm that they are Nike retailers?  




I personally don't want to contribute to an activity that I know ultimately funds unethical activities in the end (such as fake shoes funding illegal activities in China.....who knows what "grey market" shoes actually fund).  I stopped buying Jordans and Nike shoes in general after the FR 3s dropped in 2007, because I decided to not support Nike anymore because of many different issues (yeah, I know, I'm crazy.  I don't support a bunch of other crap either).  Now having said that, I broke down and bought the Concords this year just because it's a shoe I've loved so much (I'm definitely not perfect lol).




So where do you guys stand?  I'm in no way trying to tell you what you should do with your money.  I'm just curious to how this issue changes things for those who only care about the authenticity of shoes, if not for the ethical implications.  

 

[putting in work]

Never bought from those early release sites... doesn't affect me.

Good luck and wish the best to those it does affect.

Peace.

 

[WhatisLove]

Originally Posted by CDUNK

 Is there some way to actually confirm that they are Nike retailers? 

I think this is the most important question now.  If you can't actually confirm this, then it's not worth the risk.

Of course, if you're buying from a small seller (reseller, etc.), I guess requesting receipts are the only way to be sure (or have a chance at being sure, anyway).

 

[tipsy]

Obviously they aren't Nike Retailers 

 

[xsalvioutlawx]

Whether people consider these fakes or the real thing, the fact is that these early release pairs are not authorized to be sold by JB or Nike.

Technically, that means they're not legit.

I personally stay away from them. Paying hundreds more just to have a pair of shoes early that many people don't even consider to be real? Not worth it.

Not to mention there's plenty of people that look to stay away from buying these promo pairs or w.e they're called so it's obvious many people have problems with early releases.

It's not worth buying them for the price just to have them early, than if you ever want to sell them late down the road, you're going to run into some problems.

 

[23rakim45]

I once contemplated purchasing from these sites, but after the whole Ray Allen episode there is no way in hell I'll ever deal with those sites.

The funny thing is, all the sneaker blogs and the very threads here on NikeTalk still use these websites as the go-to spot for pictures of upcoming releases!

So what does that say then about the sneaker collector community in general with regards to their attitude towards these "grey market" sites.

Obviously good enough to use their product shots as reference material!

 

[aphexacid]

Its definitely affected me. I've been an online shopper exclusively for the past few years, simply because i hate going to malls and interacting with idiot employees. I buy everything i can online.

Some releases i used to just hang back, and scoop a pair off of ebay from a trusted seller. But now, i won't buy anything new from anyone off of ebay except for sellers i know have brick and mortar stores, and have nike accounts. I don't trust anyone anymore to be honest. Everyone is trying to make a buck, but they wont get mine.

So if i can't score online on RD, my options are limited to a handful of retailers on ebay.

I've seen too many joe shmoes on ebay that are doing the ole switcheroo. they have their pair they bought from finishline, and then they put their air randy pair up with the finishline receipt.

NO thanks.

 

[baltimoregutta]

With the exceptions of FTL/FL/FA/Eastbay, I won't buy from sites that don't have their own Nike/JB account. Too much shady business.

 

[ninjahood]

doesnt affect me one bit...i always used those sites as a reference to future releases....

 

[1man2lives]

Sounds like a general topic. Considering there early foams....

 

[DJ Shift]

I've never bought from vmvinc, airrandy, marquee, etc. It's usually either ndc (which usually comes through for me) or the usual chains (FTL, FTA, Champs, FNL) and Shiekh/Shoe Palace.

 

[kingkong8624]

I just wait till RD. I either get it in person or NDC. No need to worry.

 

[beerdrum108]

Originally Posted by ninjahood

doesnt affect me one bit...i always used those sites as a reference to future releases....

Same here. No way I'm going to pay prices above retail just to get a shoe earlier than the rest of the world. If you can't wait to buy a sneaker that's authentic for certain, something's wrong with your brain. 

 

[mrkane]

Wish everyone would boycott early release sites, but hey it's their money and wishful thinking. How many times will
it take for someone to get sneakeRAPED to get a clue. What happend to dudes that bought those dingey %%% Concords
from SDS. Didn't see them in the concord thread towards the end

 

[mr delorean]

the entire secondary resell market is tainted. i wont buy on ebay now, either.

 

[KMante]

Never bought from an early release site so idk.

 

[cdunk]

Originally Posted by mr delorean

the entire secondary resell market is tainted. i wont buy on ebay now, either.

I think that ANY online store that doesn't have a B&M location is tainted; as I said before, just how do we know what we're getting now, unless you have a rock solid rep? 



I think with eBay it can still happen.  Proof of receipts and correct tagging from various retailers can still show where it's from.

 

[cashm0neyand1]

If you are not confident that you are getting you moneys worth, buying an authentic product then dont buy it. I personally would never buy from those Asia early sellers ever again. Cost alot more and you are likely to get a crappy product.

 

[dolladp]

I don't buy from early release sites so it doesn't affect me. I'm not going to wear the shoes for months or maybe a year after it releases anyway so there's no need to pay double for some shoes to have them early and question the authenticity. I can wait until they release personally...

 

[eltouha]

with the unauthorised shoes matching and sometimes exceeding the official stuff in terms of quality, i am wetting my lips with these developments. however, i won't pay more than retail for any shoe, so the early release sites are not really an option.

on the other side, there are alternative sources for such high grade stuff.

I wear all my kicks, so if i can get my hands on unauth pair for retail or less, I will.

 

[jayem]

I do a little bit more research, I mean there are releases that don't make it up here.
So there's a small list (very small), where I trust on getting my shoes fix.
But I've always gone with this motto:
"If I can't get them on release day, oh well"

 

[kopnkicks]

I've never dealt with any of these early release sites. Something always seemed fishy to me.

I won't even mess with mom and pops anymore either. Some of these spots out here will try to sell A grade fakes for well over retail like you're stupid.

Yeah they're A grade fakes but fakes none the less. One spot tried to tell me they re-released the space jams a few months before

the Cool Greys dropped last year. They were clearly fakes and they wouldn't let you inspect them either...FSR almost a year after RD??? C'mon son

If I can't do a full inspection on RD for retail or with a disco it's a no go. FTL, FA, FNL, CHAMPS ONLY. FOR RARE ONLINE RELEASES ....NDC ONLY.

I'm not taking any chances!

 

[hypent500]

my decision and what has come up recently has changed and will never buy anything lower in reputation than promo shoes. even with their questionable methods of bussiness the quality has been the same if not better than common authorized stores like niketown, footlocker, etc. ive bought their early release V's(black based), and their recent concord xi's(although i didn't purchase them months ago and bought them on RD, too busy to fall in line and too old to deal with the hype!). ive also bought from vmvinc, and marque and i can tell you from experience that the purchases are automatic crap at best. so now i will have to take my chances and go through the crap that release day garauntees as far as feeling comfortable knowing the shoe i just purchased is indeed authentic although possible being less quality than a purchase from a website like prom shoes, and uptempo, and pickyourshoes. those three being the only websites i would chance at getting an authentic pair 100%........

 

[mr delorean]

Originally Posted by CDUNK

Originally Posted by mr delorean

the entire secondary resell market is tainted. i wont buy on ebay now, either.

I think that ANY online store that doesn't have a B&M location is tainted; as I said before, just how do we know what we're getting now, unless you have a rock solid rep? 



I think with eBay it can still happen.  Proof of receipts and correct tagging from various retailers can still show where it's from.

problem with ebay now is, even a receipt doesnt guarantee they didnt pull a switch.

 

[kalon2000]

not taking chances. the only places i have copped early have been Pickyourshoes, sneakerst, and sneakerpost. none of the european places.
the most i've paid over retail (including tax) is 60. Paid $240 (to guarantee a pair, got my 2nd and a 3rd off NDC) for one of my pairs of concords...$235 for cool greys (1 month after release)...$225 for flints (this past week)...$200 for BC3s (3 weeks early, from sneakerpost).

From this point it will be NDC, Eastbay or in store.