Lebron X Shoes To Cost $300

[Rudi]

:wtf2:

Is the basketball shoe world ready for a $300 shoe?

The market might get tested when the LeBron X is released later this year.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a Nike Plus-enabled version of the shoe -- that has motion sensors in the shoe to track various metrics including how high the player jumps -- will retail for $315. Although Matt Powell, an analyst for market retail tracking firm SportsOneSource, tells ESPN that he believes the price will be $290.

Nike spokesman Brian Strong would not comment as to the accuracy of the price.

In 1986, Nike's Air Jordan II broke the $100 basketball sneaker barrier. Sixteen years later, the company hit the $200 price tag when it released the Air Jordan XVII.

Despite a rough economic environment, Nike has been able to pass on the rising costs of materials to its consumers with little resistance due to the premium associated with its high-end product.

SportsOneSource reported last month that sales of sneakers that retail for more than $100 were up 30 percent on the year and sales of basketball shoes that cost more than $100 were up 50 percent. Between the Nike, Jordan and Converse brands, Nike owns roughly 95 percent of the basketball shoe market in the United States.

While many will be fixated on the price, Powell said it's being blown out of proportion. He estimates that Nike will make only about 50,000 pairs of the Nike Plus-enabled LeBron X's compared to 200,000 to 300,000 pairs of the regular version of the shoe, which he expects to sell in the $175 range.

"This is all about electronic componentry," Powell said. "The plus version of this shoe is a very expensive shoe for a very specific audience: the high school or college athlete that wants to improve their game by measuring their progress by wearing the shoes."

SOURCE: ESPN

 

[JimLeavy59]

Black people will buy it.

 

[FirstTimer]

Black people will buy it then be killed for it.

Fixed.

 

[Camby23Land]

White people spend ridiculous amounts on shoes as well. There's a crowd for it that will buy it. Not a bad idea.

 

[JimLeavy59]

I could see spending 300 bucks on a nice ass pair of dress shoes and hell for 300 bucks you could get a nice suit but 300 bucks on a pair of sneakers? :nope:

 

[ralaw]

Meh, sneaker heads will buy them as well as those guys looking to profit on ebay. Personally I think James' shoes look like crap and always have, so I woudln't even pay $20 for them. There is a market for shoes at this price and Nike knows it.

 

[JimLeavy59]

I wonder how many people will use their whole welfare check to buy these damn things.

 

[MrBill]

I wonder how many people will use their whole welfare check to buy these damn things.

 

[JimLeavy59]

:kobe:

 

[ralaw]

I would like to know the percentages of whites versus blacks that buy Jordans, James' shoes, etc, because much like hip hop music I find it hard to believe that blacks can financially support the business alone. Obviously the media takes great joy in filming ignorant blacks waiting in line to get the shoes, but I bet whites support these types of prices the most.

 

[seaplus]

he didn't say anything about race

joke gif i know i know... just saying

 

[MrBill]

he didn't say anything about race

joke gif i know i know... just saying

Implied racism based on a stereotype is still racism. If he had said a bunch of people on welfare were cashing their checks to buy meth then it would have been inferred that he was speaking about white people.

 

[JimLeavy59]

:shifty:

 

[A Tasty Burgerr]

While many will be fixated on the price, Powell said it's being blown out of proportion. He estimates that Nike will make only about 50,000 pairs of the Nike Plus-enabled LeBron X's compared to 200,000 to 300,000 pairs of the regular version of the shoe, which he expects to sell in the $175 range.

People just see $300 and stop reading. Its $300 because its the Nike+ version and has a microchip and transmitter and shit in it. The normal shoes are obviously still expensive but not much more expensive than most Nike basketball shoes on the market.

 

[Realist]

Sad some comments people make here...

back on topic.

Meh, sneaker heads will buy them as well as those guys looking to profit on ebay. Personally I think James' shoes look like crap and always have, so I woudln't even pay $20 for them. There is a market for shoes at this price and Nike knows it.

:yep: when do they come out??

 

[MvP]

People just see $300 and stop reading. Its $300 because its the Nike+ version and has a microchip and transmitter and shit in it. The normal shoes are obviously still expensive but not much more expensive than most Nike basketball shoes on the market.

This. The regular versions will be around $180. Still expensive, but reasonable for sneakerheads.

Also, for whatever reason my town and the surrounding areas are filled with sneakerheads. White, asian, black, doesn't matter. Sneakers are big fucking business around here. I know plenty of resellers as well, and have personally been looking into becoming a sneaker flipper myself. If you have connections/know how to market yourself it could be a great side income.

 

[Point Blank]

This. The regular versions will be around $180. Still expensive, but reasonable for sneakerheads.

Also, for whatever reason my town and the surrounding areas are filled with sneakerheads. White, asian, black, doesn't matter. Sneakers are big fucking business around here. I know plenty of resellers as well, and have personally been looking into becoming a sneaker flipper myself. If you have connections/know how to market yourself it could be a great side income.

Which is why it's nearly impossible to cop anything online nowadays. Everyone wants to resell all of a sudden. Smart way to get money, but as a collector myself..It's fucking annoying.

 

[ryne candy]

don't they know they can catch ammonia just to get shoes by waiting in line....

:violin:

 

[Realist]

don't they know they can catch ammonia just to get shoes by waiting in line....

:violin:

What?:huh:

 

[red33]

funny how people get up in arms over shoes for 300.

you guys realize jeans cost tht much? u know how much designer shoes cost for girls? bought my fiance a pair of shoes for 800 one year. Sht dont even get me started on purses. Then we got sht like watches and even wallets for guys.

shts crazy out there. but i guess what im trying to say is that there is a market out there and its thriving.

only bad thing i can think of this is that shoes like this are usually associated with inner city youth and i could see that being a problem.