Nike is struggling, and here is what they are doing: Over the past few weeks we have seen aggressive discounts worldwide. We have also seen Nike raise retail prices by $5-15 across a wide variety of models. MY THOUGHTS: Nike knows they overproduced shoes and the market is in the gutter. Them raising retail prices actually allows them to discount the product more. We have seem them consistently use a price skimming strategy. Definition: "Price skimming, also known as skim pricing, is a pricing strategy in which a firm charges a high initial price and then gradually lowers the price to attract more price-sensitive customers. The pricing strategy is usually used by a first mover who faces little to no competition." Assuming they have been able to reduce shipping costs, material cost (quality has been dog shit), and them clearly raising retail prices-> This allows them to trick us consumers into thinking we are getting a good deal when in reality they will still make the same amount of money. So if they charged $100 for an AF1, and gave us 25%, we would buy it but for some, may not be seen as the best deal. But if they charge $115 retail and give us 35% off, it may seem like a better deal than it really is tricking the consumer into paying that $75 regardless. I think they will continue to aggressively discount shoes, and as we get deeper in the Holidays, those discounts will get larger. Given the fact that Nike had over 3 million pairs of pandas last week in the US alone, they are heavily incentivized to get rid of all those shits, especially during the Holiday season, we can see them doing it by marketing the dunks as a good "Gift" item. ------- Another side note: There is no such thing as "backend leakers" or "shock drop leakers." Those 2 terms are long gone. Reasoning: Nike needs to sell their shit, and all the media outlets (twitters, instagram, monitors, "plug") are literally spreading the information as far and fast as possible allowing Nike to get the information out there, and allows them to sell more pairs. People seem to be shallow and forget that Nike is a for profit company, and we literally generate. MILLIONS of dollars in free marketing and advertising. There is no incentive to stop this, and you can CLEARLY seem them contributing to it and pushing it heavy. And based off of the performance of recent releases, it is very much needed. Name another company that can post a single picture on instagram, and have thousands of people repost it and spread that shit like wild fire. ---- Questions on my mind: - How long will this last? - Are there any other companies that have the mental and creative capacity to compete with what Nike has been able to do? - When will people get tired of Nike? If people get tired of the barnd, how will Nike be able to reinstate the old creative minds and rejuvenate this space with shit people actually want. (Nike lost its creativity that it had imo, all of their stuff is just reprinted, too readily available, and is not unique). -- DISCLAIMER: these are my own opinions based off of research, sources, and other things I can not disclose, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You do not have to agree with me or read this. Feel free to message me if you want to have an actual convo.