What originally started out as just a sneaker you wear while playing basketball has now created a multi-billion dollar industry for reselling sneakers. According to the research firm Piper Sandler, the sneaker resale industry was worth $10 billion as of 2021. Abbie Weaver is a sophomore at the University of Oregon and is an avid sneakerhead. She runs her own sneaker resale business online as a young adult. She seeks out rare, new, limited-edition sneakers to purchase and resell online for a higher profit. “This business can be pretty easy because all you have to do is post the sneakers you want to sell, wait for them to sell, and then ship them,” Weaver said. Resellers need to consider the sneaker’s model, style, and color because it all factors into how much the value will increase after the initial purchase.
Weaver has always loved Nike shoes, so when she saw her peers in high school making money off reselling sneakers, she decided to try it out for herself. Weaver already knew a lot about what shoes were the most expensive and the most popular. However, she had to research and learn how to profit from the shoes that she was purchasing. Abbie Weaver’s mother, Deanna Weaver, said, “with social media your generation is finding new and easier ways to make money. Abbie has always had a love for sneakers, and it’s exciting seeing her be able to use that to her advantage.” For Weaver and other young adults reselling sneakers has become a popular business endeavor because it allows them to earn a living without working a 9 to 5 minimum wage job.
Weaver plans to continue her sneaker resale business and hopes that it could benefit her in the future. She intends to graduate college in the spring of 2024 with a major in advertising. She hopes that her knowledge of sneaker culture and background in advertising will help give her the opportunity to work with Nike and pursue a career in sneakers and fashion.