State of Sneakers: What The Sneaker Game Will Look Like in Five Years

A look at the future of this sneaker thing.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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This State of Sneakers week has been eye-opening for us (and hopefully for you) as we've come to realize the good, bad and just downright sad things about sneakers. That said, we've really never been more optimistic about the future of things. With more people in the game, it means that the consumer can become a powerful player if they play smart. You know, chess, not checkers. While we all know resellers can get some of those coveted retros, we also know that we can change things with the purchasing power we have. The Nike RSVP system is a perfect example of that. Twitter releases weren't working, sites were overloading and now there's more opportunity to pick up shoes locally (at least in theory). That said, technology surrounding releases is bound to change to better the process for consumers. It may not seem that way on Saturday mornings but even Nike wants to make us happy with our buying experience. Technology within sneakers is also changing at a rapid pace. For better or worse, is up to sneakerheads to decide. There are some things that we can see coming down the road, however, regardless of whether we like it or not. Check out What The Sneaker Game Will Look Like in Five Years and let us know where you think the state of sneakers will be in five years.

 

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Prices will continue to rise as long as people continue to buy.

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The Nike Plus System will measure things you didn't even think of.

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More celebrities will have their own signature sneakers.

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ID programs will become even more customizable.

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LeBron's signature sneakers will be retroed.

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Some of you reading this will be working in the sneaker industry.

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The sneaker market will become even more competitive.

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A sneaker customizer will launch his own footwear brand.

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Local sneaker spots will become more appreciated.

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Performance will become important again.

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