Guide to buying used sneakers
Why You Should Buy Used Sneakers
As long as Hype Stew has been in business, there is one piece of advice given to anyone looking to buy high end sneakers, buy used. The amount of money you save is incredible and if you follow these steps you'll grab a pair so clean that nobody will ever know the difference. With these tips you'll be able to build a collection full of heat for pennies on the dollar.
Below we go through some tips to make sure you get the shoe you want without breaking the bank!
Make Sure Your Shoes Are Authentic
Authenticating your shoes is a subject we've tackled before. Click the picture above for our 9 tips to legit check your sneakers. This offers insight into how professionals perform authenticity checks on high end shoes. These are the same methods that all your favorite companies use to authenticate their shoes. Buying used can be risky if you don't know how to authenticate, you don't want to shell out money for a knock off.
Authentic Jordan 4 Sneakers with Cracked Midsole Paint
Check for Critical Defects with the Sneakers
There are few things more disappointing than buying a used pair of kicks just to find out they're completely trashed. This is why you need to know what defects to look out for. The first red flag is the dreaded midsole crack. There is no easy fix for this particular defect, so avoid it at all costs. Midsole repaints are costly, time consuming and relatively difficult. Next, make sure to look for any heel separation, this happens when the glue on the heel begins to break down and seperate from the shoe. This can happen because of age, leaving the shoe in heat or improper handling of the sneaker. Next look for heel drag, this is a sign that the shoe has been heavily worn and probably isn't a pair you'll want to buy. Signs of heel drag are discolored rubber on the heel of the sole, sometimes bad enough where the second lair of rubber is exposed (which means the shoes basically have a hole in the bottom). Lastly look for leather or rubber scuffs. There aren't the same as the light paint scuffs that come off during cleaning (we will address these in the next step). Rather these are scuffs that are so deep that they have damaged the sneakers base, which is only repairable with a repaint. If you are going to spend good money on a pair of authentic used shoes, you want to make sure they will last!
Learn to Clean Shoes Like A Professional
If you want some professional tips on how to properly clean your sneakers, check out our Guide to Cleaning blog here. There are plenty of tricks that you can use to get your sneakers looking nearly new again. If you have a scuff, like the one above, simply put some nail polish on a rag and quickly buff it out. If you have dirty soles, hit them with Angelus Foam All Purpose Foam Cleaner and scrub them down with the cap for fantastic results. If the shoes have dirt in the fabric, throw them in the washing machine on the cold cycle, and let them air dry for great results (check out our tutorial on this here). Knowledge is power and youtube is your best friend, a little elbow work can help you save a ton of money on sneakers.
Disinfect Sneakers Before Wearing
This one should go without saying, but always disinfect used sneakers before wear. It doesn't take long and it might save you some grief down the road. Upon arrival to Hype Stew, each shoe is disinfected, both for our safety and yours. Our preference is 10 Seconds Shoe Disinfectant, followed by a second session with our in house spray (it's primarily water and alcohol). This kills any bacteria or fungus in the shoe as well as MRSA. It also deodorizes the shoe, which is an added bonus (It kind of smells like cherries)!
Buy From Trusted Sites
When buying online you might not have the opportunity to check out the shoes beforehand, be sure to use PayPal if available. With Paypal Buyer protection you are able to secure your purchase to make sure you don't end up with fake shoes, ,damaged shoes or no shoes at all. If someone tries to burn you, make sure you take pictures and report them to PayPal within 150 days to get your money back! Similarly, your credit card company offers buyer protection, just make sure to report any fraudulent activity immediately. Make sure to do a little research before buying and never use unprotected payment methods (gifted PayPal transactions, cash app, Venmo) for online purchase.
Your best option is buying from trusted sources and reputable businesses, like Hype Stew Sneakers. As a matter of fact, you can even shop with us at the link below... How convenient.