Yeezy, a collaboration between Kanye West and Adidas, is one of the most iconic sneakers released today. As the partnership was first announced in 2013, we saw many versions including 350, 750 and 950, with prices ranging from $200 to $600.
Since Yeezys for sale was first released to the public, many consumers have asked: “Why is Yeezys so expensive?”
In short, the reason why Yeezys is so expensive is due to many factors, such as brand, luxury goods and particularly high resale price, all of which we will introduce in detail below.
Contents
They are designer shoes
The first factor in the high price of Yeezy sneakers is that they are not meant to be sandals that can be bought for $25. The shoe designer Kanye West put forward the original idea of the Yeezy series.
Although he has no intention of increasing the brand price to a price that people cannot afford, he does want to give ordinary people a truly high-quality sneaker and thinks this is a high-end designer accessory that has a higher value than ordinary sneakers.
Compared with similar shoes, the price of this pair of shoes is about half of some high-end designer shoes, so for fans of Yeezy sneakers, the price maybe even worse.
Does the explanation hold?
Quora enthusiasts of Year pointed out that the price of the Yeezy series ranges from US$250 to US$550 per pair. Compared with some other luxury sports shoe brands, this commentator pointed out that Yeezys’ construction work takes fewer hours than hand-made work.
He pointed out that comparing the two with the existing designer brands does not prove Yeezys’ excessive price.
Everyone has their own opinions
When determining the value of items, consumers seem to have very different opinions. Quora’s writer spent a lot of time on Yeezy’s time, but he was right, but this is another point of view that may help explain why Yeezy is so expensive.
When Yeezy 750 Boost was released in 2015, it was a very special period of the National Basketball Association season. This is a very special release of Adidas, which is of great significance to the brand.
This is during the NBA All-Star Week. This is a very special moment. The Yeezy series occupies a central position, indicating that it is the preferred style of consumers, especially Yeezy 350 Boost even won the 2015 Best Shoes Award.
This model helps define the ten-year sports shoe culture, which is largely due to preferences and needs.
Limited Edition
If we want to compare high-priced sneakers, please be aware that other comparable brands (such as Nike) and other brands will also release limited editions.
If you look at certain prices for limited editions of other brands, Yeezy’s prices don’t seem to be different, and in some cases, their prices are even lower.
Unless you choose to buy second-hand goods, you won’t get them at bargain underground prices, but as the old saying goes, how much do you pay.
The limited number of limited editions is small, making the demand strong, and when the supply runs out, you will find new shoes that the knowledgeable Yeezys are willing to sell at higher prices. When they are difficult to obtain, this causes prices to soar or even higher.
Scarcity has caused enthusiastic followers, which in turn makes the Yeezy brand more valuable. Without good reason, no merchant will lower the price of a product to make it cheaper. Since they sell out like scones, there is no reason to reduce Yeezys’ cost.
Of course, some consumers will complain about the price and even refuse to pay the price, but when you have people who are willing to pay the asking price, the manufacturer has no incentive to lower the price. Just out of good business sense.
West and Adidas solved this problem to some extent by increasing the number of Yeezy shoes produced and making them more accessible.
Although this did not lower the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of Yeezys, it made them richer and reduced the number of suppliers who could sell them at high prices.
Brand Promotion
Ultimately, the real reason why Yeezy can have a higher price is the brand effect. First of all, Kanye West (Kanye West) influence and influence all over the world, over the years, he has become a leader in the fashion industry.
Secondly, in the process of promoting yeezy shoes, Kanye West personally presented a pair of celebrities, which is of course very good marketing and promotion. From DJ Khaled to President Obama, Kanye West personally donated sneakers to a few people.
Resale (supply and demand)
Now, when people ask questions, why Yeezys is so expensive, we have to study two factors
Retail pricing
As I mentioned in the introduction, Yeezy shoes range in price from US$200 to US$600. Many people may think this is a high price point. However, what’s interesting is that when you compare other designer sneakers from brands such as Dior, Chanel, and Prada, Yeezy is relatively cheap.
Although Adidas is primarily a sportswear brand, it has positioned Yeezy sneakers as a luxury item, which makes it more affordable than other products in the same class.
Resale pricing
The hype culture definitely revolves around Yeezy, which means that most of the time it is sold out online within a few minutes, and there are a large number of people patiently waiting to buy in front of physical stores around the world, only on platforms such as x or x Resell online. EBay etc.
Capitalism and hype culture
If there is one thing, we can know with certainty that capitalism and hype culture will never disappear. The desire to own the latest products, needs and desires are always a “thing”, if it appears in the form of spilling on yeezys, that is what consumers will do.
This reminds me of the famous Kanye lyrics
“Then I spent four hundred dollars
It’s like, “Nigga, you are not ready yet.”
It can almost describe the hype mentality!
Therefore, Kanye and Adidas will price what they think we will pay, and it will work every time!
Conclusion
Kanye West’s designer shoe collection (he called Yeezys) was very successful. They have been best sellers since they first hit the retail shelves in 2015.
Is Yeezy really that expensive?
The answer is, yes, they are expensive, but they are also part of exclusive footwear for those who need exclusivity. They can meet the specific needs of specific groups of people.
Although not everyone needs a pair of high-priced sports shoes, some people do. Yeezy’s products are geared toward target customers, and there is no sign that the price of these award-winning sports shoes will change at any time in the near future.
Coupled with the Adidas brand, designer Kanye West’s name, and the fact that there is a huge demand for them, these factors together make them expensive sneakers.