Sneakerhead
SubCulture
Brief History
What is a Sneakerhead?
A person who collects trades and/or admires sneakers as a hobby, job or addiction.
Sneaker collecting began in the late 1970's as part of the breakdance “b-boy” and hip-hop movement in New York City. Unique shoes were a cornerstone of early hip-hop and sneakers were constantly customized, and heavily cherished. Once a b-boy found a shoe he liked, it wasn’t uncommon for him to buy more than one pair. Since then, different sneaker trends have developed and consumers have increasingly engaged in one of the most diverse collecting hobbies ever. Today, it's ordinary to see a large amount of the worlds population with a pair of sneakers. However, sneakerheads in particular live in a different class when it comes to owning pair of unique shoes.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31500/sneakerheads-brief-history-sneaker-collecting
zachariahqisabels.blogspot.com
Understanding the Value Equation
Utilitarian Values
Pros
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Many members of the sneakerhead community actually don't have any emotional attachment to the "look" of the shoe, and buy them because they comfortable or useful for certain activities.
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Resellers and wholesalers see sneaker collecting as a business and a means of making great sums of money.
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Since many sneakers are released as limited editions, some collectors search far and wide just to have these certain sneakers to fufill a set or series.
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For those who aren't as sneaker savvy and have an "OG" pair of sneakers (in good condition), could sale them online and potentially make a small fortune.
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SneakerCon and trade shows are a great way to keep young people involed in something positive and also learn a lot of business skills in the process.
Cons
Hedonic Values
Pros
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For many consumers sneakers provide an outlet to express themselves and make a statement by simply wearing a particular set of sneakers.
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Allows individuals to take part in and embrace a hobby that is very mainstream, "hip", competitive and is constantly evolving.
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Some people get the opportunity to relieve childhood fantasies, presented by owning a pair of shoes that they couldn't afford growing up.
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Just as the old Jordan phrase states " make me like mike", many consumers feel that wearing their favorite players shoe creates a bond between them and the athlete. Even in some cases giving them improved athletic ability.
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Being a sneakerhead gives the collector a sense of pride in their collection, in knowing that they may have rare sneakers that no one else has.
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The sneakerhead community is real close knit, and real members share a special bond no matter how long you've been collecting sneakers. It provides a forum for all involved to express themselves within similiar company.
Cons
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Some consumers turn into hoarders, and "love" their shoes to the point that aside from not wearing them, they cant even be touched.
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Collectors may fall victim to poor budgeting and potentially place themselves in debt from ill advised shoe purchases.
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Some consumers will camp out for days to be the first to "cop" shoes on new release dates.
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Teenagers perform poorly in school because all their efforts are focused towards their "image" and being a sneakerhead.
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In some cases consumers entire lives are compromised in order to fufill the need to collect sneakers, including loosing loved ones and their jobs.
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Since sneaker reselling and wholesaling are very lucrative, often times knock-off or "B-grade" shoes are often sold to less knowledgable buyers.
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Online sites that sale shoes as an alternative to in-store buying often are quickly sold out or crash from heavy trafficking.
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Many consumers fall victim to poor judgement and overpay for shoes, because they were told they were worth a particular price.
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Some collectors buy in bulk, with only the intent to resell which takes away the opportunity of others to have a pair they really love.
galleryhip.com
Ch.2, pg. 29
Value Equation ch.2, pg. 28
Ch. 2, pg. 29
The consumer value equation is examined below by listing examples of how some consumers determine their reasoning behind the overall worth of their sneakers. Each side of the equation are highlighted by the pros and cons of both hedonic and utilitarian values.