Florence, September 4, 2023 – sneakers, watches, comics, as well as t-shirts and furniture. Everything that is limited, exclusive, maybe”resold“. Rather resell. But what exactly does resale mean? This phenomenon is native to America and is spreading everywhere, including Italy.
It consists of buying a limited edition product and reselling it at a higher price when it is no longer available in stores (both physical and online).
In other words, when it’s out of stock. Do you know the kilometers when new shoes or new watches come out? pushing, discussions, what choice of stores sell a maximum of one piece per person? Here are the consequences of the phenomenon. The last turn in chronological order occurred in recent days. buy yourself a new Swatch.
It has several similarities with the stock market: treating products with the same approach that you would treat stocks on the stock exchange; I take them at a low price, wait for the price to rise, and then sell them.
A new trend of course, but not new, which finds its maximum expression in the world of sneakers.
Particularly in Air Jordans. Decades have passed since they revolutionized the shoe market. Era 1984 and the brand stepped onto the scene, redefining the sport shoe canon, making collaboration its forte.
Travis Scott, Virgil Abloh, Dior and Off White, among the most important. From the day of launch, interest in each model Jordan it remained high.
Especially for the elderly. Suffice to say, a 1985 pair recently appeared in Texas signed Michael Jordan when he was with the Chicago Bulls, he left for $38,000. “Nostalgia, wandering nostalgia” is hummed by a few.
The nineties
The ones from the generation that bought sneakers to wear. To show them to friends wear them making two shots in the basket, feeling, if only for a second, NBA MVP. Because yes, it’s beautiful, it’s beautiful, but at the end of the day, it’s still basketball shoes. But that in the 90s there were much more of them.
They were a bridge to America, a glittering piece of the States at their feet. There were those who saved pocket money, those who begged their parents. There are still those for whom it is enough to hear their name to make their eyes shine and recover a little. teen joke. Next to the nostalgics, right behind them, are those who eat with their hands.
“If I hadn’t worn out my first Jordans in the parks, I would have sold them for 5 thousand at a resale,” JAx’s verse speaks for itself. And that sums up the thinking of many. The ones that threw away their sneakers like regular shoes.
Sure, other times might be more magical, but looking at the Jordan sales figures 90s discomfort can come to anyone. However, the phenomenon of resale is prevalent mainly among young people.
Interconnected and fashion-conscious, immersed in the Web, they have changed the approach to the world of objects. Creating various business opportunities and generating millions and millions of euros in revenue in recent years.
Also contributing to the birth specialized platforms and stores specializing in the resale of exclusive and limited edition items. In short, there are those who have built their careers through reselling.
Resale as a profession
AND Leonard Pascinelli, owner of the Icy sneaker shop along with Gabriele Macri, is a perfect example. Always a big shoe lover, over the years he has studied the market looking for opportunities.
He first opened a digital store, which he later brought to life by opening in the city Grosseto physical store. The store, which in a short time has become a leader in the south of the region, also supplies hunters, influencers and celebrities.
Mambo Losco, Capo Plaza, Anna, Rove, Carolina Stramare, just some of the well-known names that are available in the Maremma store. “In the beginning, I bought out of passion,” explains Pascinelli, “I took shoes to wear. Then I saw that the market was growing and I went on this adventure.”
An adventure that turned out to be an incredible success for Pascinelli: “I created a company with another sneaker enthusiast, Gabriele. He is an expert. digital purchasesand almost always manage to find rare specimens, – adds the entrepreneur. “We opened our store in 2021,” he concludes.
Drawings and auctions
Is it really that simple? Absolutely not. You need to be able to find the most sought-after shoes, and being limited, this is not an easy task. “Exist auctions and sweepstakes organized by brands, they give you the right of first refusal,” Leonardo restarts, “but it’s not so obvious to win them.”
But in fact, this world needs an extensive network reliable contacts. This is where the middleman comes into play. “Stores like ours rely a lot on their own knowledge. When a limited edition pair of shoes comes out, there is always someone who buys a few, knowing there is a market. We contact them (or vice versa) and try to negotiate a price,” he explains.
It is here that we understand that there is a community behind this world. Consists of relationships, trust and contacts. Finding rare items is essential for earning. In fact, there are shoes that, after the end of the official sale, can even increase their value tenfold.
The iconic Air Jordan shoes are an example of this: “Jordan products are in high demand, especially when it comes to collaborations. Examples include both celebrities and Nike for Travis Scott, as well as other brands such as Nike for Off White or Nike for Dior. The second ones come even for 10 thousand eurosAnd we have them in our store.
Other models
In addition to Jordans, Dunks and Yeezys also have a good price. Indeed, Pascinelli and Macri have plenty of them in the store. But also the Supreme, in clothes. But, as Pascinelli recalled, it is precisely the uniqueness and limitation dictate your successdespite the fact that the tastes of each customer are different: “Mostly young people buy in the store, but you can often meet adults. Nikes attract everyone, from the little boy to the father who accompanied him. From university students. for high school students. The market is not homogeneous,” concludes the entrepreneur, who is already planning other store openings with his partner. In short, a new sector, but one that is slowly asserting itself. Which has been with us for many years. and who does not intend to slow down.