Shoppers Line Up at 4 AM for Nike Air Jordan Retro 13s

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Now I know that some sneakers,..............er, athletic shoes, have a certain cachet, but IMO, this is ridiculous.

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TAMPA - 'Twas three days before Christmas, and outside the mall, shoe-hungry shoppers were so anxious, authorities had to be called.
It seems about 200 people began gathering at Westfield Shoppingtown Citrus Park early Wednesday - some about 4 a.m. - to get their hands on a pair of new shoes that were a blast from the past.

The sporting goods store Finish Line had about 160 pairs of Nike Air Jordan Retro 13 shoes - at $150 a pop, $160.50 including tax - that it planned to sell beginning at 7 a.m.

The only problem was the mall did not open until 8 a.m., Hillsborough County sheriff's officials said, and people were trying to get in any way they could.

``Some customers were trying to get in through closed stores,'' said sheriff's Maj. Bill Davis. ``Some people were getting irate because they wanted to get into the store.''

The sheriff's office started getting calls about the problem, so they sent 13 deputies to the scene, including the shift commander from the adjacent district headquarters.

Order quickly was restored in the form of a line. Customers were allowed to enter, about 10 at a time, so they could buy the shoes, said mall manager Laurie Goldman.

The shoes, made famous by former National Basketball Association superstar Michael Jordan, flew off the shelves in about an hour.

``At that price, they better make people jump all the way to the ceiling,'' one deputy said.

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I checked the net, and it seems that you can buy those shoes for $199- all over the place. OK, $50 IS a significant savings. But what is it about athletic shoes, that people would line up at 4 am to get them?

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The rabid shoppers appreciated the savings, but even more they were exulting in being part of a Minor Local Event. Not only would they be thrifty, they would be Conspicuously Thrifty. They would come home with the shoes and with a story of Heroic Hunting and Gathering.

The world is full of peculiar egos and peculiar ego boosters.

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When I see stories like this, I truly despair for the future of the human race.

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I would NOT buy anything from Nike.

There are several boycotts still in force in various countries around the world due to their despicable record with their work force.

Canada Boycotts

Vietnam Boycotts

Early call for Nike boycott

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With reference to the poll, however, getting up at 4am is no biggie for me: I'm generally up thereabouts anyway.

If it was for a purpose in which I believed, I would have no problem with lining up (or whatever) at that time ...

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Someone was trying to explain to me the mystique of this particular shoe. It's interesting that this shoe, when it was first introduced years ago, spurred the whole phenomena of kids getting robbed of their sneakers and many parents, frightened and worried for their children's safety, refused to buy it. Ten years later, Jordan/Nike reissue the shoe and tap into the "gotta get it now since I couldn't have it then" mentality. Hence, the sneaker store as madhouse at 7am.
Whatddaya think? Marketing at it's finest?

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I can't see doing it for a monetary savings, but I can see doing it to get an otherwise unattainable or almost unattainable item. I don't think I'd do it for myself but I definitely would for someone dear to me. I wasn't involved but I recall a few years back around Christmas when the cabbage patch dolls were all the rage. Whenever word got out of an incoming shipment, mobs were at the door waiting to get in. I think most parents would do it in preference to seeing a disappointed child on Christmas morning. Yes, I know children should learn about reality and disappointment but I consider Christmas and birthdays the wrong time to teach such lessons.

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Foreveryoung, why are you up this early?

Needless to say, I never would get up at this hour,
unless it's an emergency. Otherwise, nothing can be
that enticing.

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CalamityJane wrote:

Foreveryoung, why are you up this early?

I'm one of them 'early to bed, early to rise, makes a WOman ...'

Nah, it's more that I have deadlines to meet and that entails working early in the day in order to meet them ...

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I won't hardly stand in line to buy anything, much less overpriced shoes.

I think the disappointment felt over not getting the "it" toy or product is felt more by the parents than the children.

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They didn't say in the article whether parents were buying the shoes for their kids............or themselves!

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eoe wrote:

Someone was trying to explain to me the mystique of this particular shoe. It's interesting that this shoe, when it was first introduced years ago, spurred the whole phenomena of kids getting robbed of their sneakers and many parents, frightened and worried for their children's safety, refused to buy it. Ten years later, Jordan/Nike reissue the shoe and tap into the "gotta get it now since I couldn't have it then" mentality. Hence, the sneaker store as madhouse at 7am.
Whatddaya think? Marketing at it's finest?

marketing at its finest sits in the white house....but it is a good example.

A few years ago me and a friend had the idea to buy broomsticls wholesale, paint stripes on them, mark them up 1000% and sell them as the Stickity Stick. A new environmentally friendly, imagination stimulating kids toy with countless uses limited only by the childs inventiveness. I was actually serious about it but my friend, showing an astounding lack of vision IMO, backed out and I didn't have the resources to give it the full marketing push it needed. I couldn't get anyone else interested either. Too bad, it would have sold like the Pet Rock IMO.

Point, people will buy a turd if you put a stripe on it and a girl with big tits in front of it.. or a bunch of American flags.....

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I'd bet my next-to-bottom dollar that it was teenagers or older people buying the shoe for themselves. Little kids don't care. Jordan retired, what, five years ago?

Bear, I'm with you on you can seel anything if you put a girl with big breasts in front of it or,these days, an American flag around it but I don't get the stripe. Why is that in particular so appealing?

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I doj't know...Jordan is icon status....

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Mo would have loved the Stickity Stick.

Seriously.

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Well yeah, I guess he is. Alot of parents will buy them for their little kids because they want them to have a pair, not because the kid wants them. My sister-in-laws' son spends oodles on sneakers for his three year old. Like the kid even cares yet???

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You know, boomerang, when i read Bear's description of the Stickity Stick, I was somewhat intrigued myself. I'd bet it would sell like hotcakes.

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Yeah, eoe.

Everyone is always asking what kind of things Mo likes to play with so they can decide what gifts to buy him.

"Sticks, rocks, shovels....." is my reply.

Nobody wants to give a stick as a gift but that's what he really likes.

If they could BUY him some fancy stick maybe they'd get him something he really likes instead of a bunch of junk that will be quickly overlooked in favor of a stick.

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well, I'm looking for investors...always....

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boomerang wrote:

If they could BUY him some fancy stick maybe they'd get him something he really likes instead of a bunch of junk that will be quickly overlooked in favor of a stick.

Now that remark got me to thinking. Over the years, kids have been recipients of toys that are sophisticated technologically, at the expense of simple toys that allowed kids to use their imagination.

Maybe Stickety Stick will turn the tide.

Bi- Let me know when you are offering an I.P.O.!

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Shoppers Line Up at 4 AM for Nike Air Jordan Retro 13s

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