The Yeezy Boost 350 released for the first time in June 2015 at $200 and began to dominate the world. It became the most famous and most popular of the Yeezy Boost range. The “Pirate Black” dropped in August 2015, the “Moonrock” in November 2015 and the “Oxford Tan” in December 2015. The Yeezy Boost 350 was voted “Shoe of the Year” in 2015. It was also number 9 selling sneaker in 2018 in money terms according to Matt Powell (sneaker analyst)’s list of best-selling sneakers in 2018. The Yeezy Boost 350 has experienced several changes since its debut. The V3 was recently announced, and hype is already building.
Scarcity is a thing of the past
The limited-edition strategy worked very well for Adidas and Kanye West by creating a cult following for the Yeezys. Unfortunately, the shoes were sold out as soon as they were released, leaving many fans disappointed. Buying them from resellers was the only option but then the resell prices were exorbitant, making the sneakers affordable only to rich people and celebrities. Yeezys were more likely to be seen on celebrity Instagram postings than on the feet of ordinary people.
Now the shoes have been released in great quantities for the first time in their history. All the potential customers, who previously could not access them, can now buy cheap Yeezys, and they are buying strong. Despite Kanye West’s controversy in the past few years, his fans’ love for his shoes has not waned.
Buyers are surprised that they can still find Yeezys weeks after their release but they are very happy. Now everyone is wondering whether the other models will be released in huge quantities as well.
Resellers affected by mass availability of Yeezys
The mass release of the Yeezy shoes is great news for the average customer but it is bad news for resellers. They used to make loads of money by buying the shoes and reselling them for at least three times their regular retail price. Only a few elite people could afford at least $1,000 for the sneakers. This helped to build the brand’s mystique, and also enriched resellers but it created resentment among the fans who could not access the shoes unless they had lots of money. Though Yeezy brand loyalty was strong, Adidas and Kanye West probably barely missed losing potential customers because of brand resentment. By this latest re-release, Adidas has clearly indicated that it has all the Yeezy brand fans in mind.
There is no risk of losing customers now. All the Yeezy fans worldwide have direct access to cheap Yeezys at retail price. Maybe the previous mystique is gone, but customer satisfaction is likely to maintain the cult status.
Future Yeezy Boost 350 V2 releases
The “Yeezreel” in standard and reflective versions will release in December 2019. The date will be announced soon. The “Yecheil” releases on December 15th, 2019 in a standard and a reflective version at US$220. “Yeshaya” is coming in January 2020 at US$220 in standard and reflective versions. All of them will be available in select stores and Adidas.com, and the Yeezy cult followers are hoping that they will be released in huge quantities so that they can grab a pair.