Can we Ever beat the resellers?

Let’s be honest: no one really likes resellers. And if yours is a life lived under a rock, allow me to explain. They’re an ever-growing community of people with a unique ability to scoop up what’s on everyone’s most-wanted list, selling them for much higher prices. Ten years ago, it was a sweet, cute side-hustle for aspiring entrepreneurs, a bit like your niece with her first lemonade stand. Today, it’s a cutthroat billion-dollar industry, taken over by business sharks with ruthless efficiency. 

Aided by our seemingly endless obsession with drop culture, it is a fast-growing industry. Our normalisation of limited fashion releases is good business for brands – and the likes of Supreme, Nike and Fear of God have made millions from it by leveraging consumers’ fear of losing out to pull in the big bucks. For resellers, it’s a pretty simple game: buy a whole lot of what they want at retail price and sell it for a lot more.

Take my purchase of the Yeezy 500 Blush, for example. They retailed for a cool (but too ridiculous) £180. Say what you want, but it’s a price worth paying for what is undoubtedly one of Kanye’s best creations. But as luck would have it, I’d have no chance of securing a pair doing its initial release. Some reseller bought up enough stock, forcing me to fork out a hefty £240 for a pair. Back in the day, things were a little different. A stroll into your local high street or shopping centre was enough to secure a pair of the hottest drops. In today’s drop culture, a few laptops, an alarm, prayers and a lot of luck might just get you over the line. 

How hard is it to get the product straight from the source? Can they be beaten?!

And to make matters worse, there isn’t exactly a simple solution to the problem. Armed with an army of bots (software programmes), resellers are nigh unbeatable. If you think about it, it’s a bit like having several lottery tickets – it increases your chances of winning the product raffles. But don’t be fooled into thinking of being a reseller is effortless and straightforward. They’re expensive – and unless you can confidently count yourself blessed with tech-savvy skills, they’re hard to programme and use. All this renders normal, modest consumers powerless and vulnerable to ridiculous price increases on goods. 

The solution isn’t simple, but thee is one. Price, you see, is largely determined by supply and demand. The more of something there is, the cheaper. The less of it there is, the more expensive. The total amount of Yeezy 350s on the market will have an impact on the resale market. That’s supply. And the total amount of enthusiastic style fans – willing to part with their hard-earned cash for a pair – also has an impact on the resale market. That’s demand. If by some weird coincidence there are more Yeezys than the total demand for them, the market for resale markets will be non-existent.  Flip that scenario – where demand is a lot more than supply – and the bot-wielding resellers have a whole lot to play with. 

If you’re wondering exactly what my point is, put it this way: say no. Don’t buy from resellers. Yes, it’s tempting. Strolling around town with the latest pair of Jordans or dunks is the dream of many a people. But if we’re ever going to get somewhere, sacrifices are inevitable. Refusing to pay the extra £50, £100 or £200 goes a long way. If we all do it, it’ll pretty much collapse the resell market. So, yeah, it can be done. Hard? Yes. Why? Because hell would probably freeze over before we all collectively decide to stop entertaining resellers.

And hell would freeze over before we collectively decide to stop wanting these products.

The Final Verdict

Despite the strong tone taken, I’m minded to think of resellers as neither bad nor good. They’re annoying, sure – but like with all things, someone, somewhere will be looking to make some money. It’s the circle of life. And if all really wanted to change things, we’d give the desperate chase of products, choosing to accept defeat when things don’t always go our way. 

Will that happen? Probably not. See you in the next drop queue, I guess. 

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