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You can’t get every sneaker under retail. However, with experience, you can improve at determining which sneakers will even be eligible for a lower price than MSRP.
How To Get Sneakers Under Retail
Getting kicks under retail involves deciding whether the sneaker is hyped or not and then checking in after release to see if stock is moving. For better prices, finding coupon codes and checking aftermarket sites for slept on pairs also helps.
Step 1 – If You Really Want It, Buy It
An issue with trying to get every sneaker under retail is that often times you have no idea if a shoe is going to sit or sell out immediately. Typically the pairs that sit eventually get discounted, although instant sell outs sometimes wind up that way too.
My advice here is if you really want a sneaker, then don’t mess around trying to see if a sneaker will go on sale. Buy it at retail when available and be happy you’ve secured a pair.
An example I can give here is the Laser Blue Air Max 90. I really wanted a pair of these kicks. When they dropped, I bought them for more than retail!
These 90s eventually went on sale, but it didn’t bother me at all. When you really want a shoe to the point where you are getting it right when it comes out, no questions asked, you accept it may eventually be available cheaper than what you paid. But in this case it’s ok because you really wanted the shoe! In my opinion it is worth the price at retail to get something that you absolutely must have in the collection.
Step 2 – Decide If The Sneaker Is Hype Or Not
If you don’t need a certain shoe badly, but would be ok with getting a pair, the next step is to determine if getting the shoe below retail will even be possible. This is probably the trickiest part of the whole process.
Certain models and brands will sell out immediately. Things like Jordan 1s and SB Dunks are risky to try and wait for a better price than retail. Other pairs will sell out, but then sit on aftermarket sites at or below retail. Many pairs will sit and eventually hit clearance.
like these to go on sale,
likely they will sell out instead.
Nike SB Dunk Low Laser Blue
Luckily for you, you don’t absolutely need to get this shoe, and have passed step one above, so if you are unable to get the shoe under retail, it won’t be as big of a deal. In this step, check aftermarket sites before the shoe drops to see what pattern the prices seem to have. Unnaturally high? Sudden peaks and drops? This info is not super reliable but is still a data point to consider.
Next, take a look at social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook (particularly groups revolving around that sneaker brand) and Instagram. Check store announcements about the shoe and read through the comments. Try to get an idea at this point if people are really hype for the shoe or if it seems to be going under the radar.
Step 3 – Check In On The Sneaker After Release
Once it seems apparent that a sneaker is going to sit, check back in on various websites where it has released (or aftermarket sites if the shoe sold out but is sitting under retail).
Many times, a sneaker will gradually sell out over a couple days so if it seems like sizes are disappearing, you might consider locking down a pair at retail, which is better than resale. If the shoe still seems to be sitting though, patience can be a reward here as the sneaker might be headed for the sale rack.
As for the aftermarket sites, sometimes a shoe sells out, but then sits on sites like eBay for retail or below. While a sneaker commanding huge resale prices may fluctuate in price, pairs going at or below retail often times eventually climb in value. These types of kicks often wind up being good looks that were slept on.
Step 4 – Find the Cheapest Price and Coupon Code Stack
What’s better than a clearance shoe? A clearance shoe with an extra percentage off!
at some spots that had coupon codes,
for a very low price!
Once a sneaker is on sale, the next step is to search for that style code and colorway on Google and see if it’s even cheaper elsewhere. If a shoe hits sales on one site, it’s likely on sale on others as well. I provide style codes on my reviews for exactly this reason!
Also, for sites that the sneaker is on sale, look around for coupon codes for those sites. Sometimes a code can stack on an already rock bottom price for a ridiculously low bottom line. I’ve gotten pairs for over half off using this method.
A resource for codes like this can be accounts on Twitter such as snkr_twitr and KicksDeals. These are affiliate pages and as such it is in their best interest to post the best deals and coupon codes to get as many people copping kicks using their links as possible.
All in all, patience is a virtue for many kicks. While aftermarket sites, resellers and the unpredictability of hype make finding pairs under retail a little more challenging these days, you can still come up. Keep in mind, you win some, you lose some. Things don’t always work out with you getting the best price. I think there’s a balance, sometimes you wind up paying a little more, sometimes you get a huge steal. It’s the huge steals that often make the most unique investments in a collection. It’s also a good reason to not only chase the most hyped and overpriced kicks!