Resale refers to the secondary market where streetwear and sneakers are bought and sold after initial retail release, typically at prices above original retail. Resale has always existed as community circulation, allowing pieces to find owners who value them and enabling access to sold-out or discontinued items. However, industrialized reselling has transformed parts of streetwear into speculative assets. Professional resellers use bots to purchase multiple units at retail, immediately listing them at 2-10x markup. Platforms like StockX, GOAT, and Grailed have legitimized and scaled the resale market, with StockX even introducing stock market-style pricing and IPO language. Critics argue this prices out the communities that created demand in the first place, while defenders note it reflects genuine market value. The resale market for sneakers alone is estimated at over $10 billion globally.
Resale
The practice of buying streetwear items to sell at markup on the secondary market.
Origin & Etymology
Standard English term for secondary sale, adopted by streetwear communities to describe the specific phenomenon of selling limited releases above retail price. The practice accelerated in the 2010s with platform infrastructure.
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Related Terms
Drop
A scheduled, often limited product release that creates urgency and community ritual around new pieces.
Deadstock
Original, unworn, and unused product, typically still in its original packaging.
Grail
A highly coveted, often rare piece that represents a personal holy grail for a collector.
Cop
To successfully purchase or acquire an item, especially a limited release.
Hype
The collective anticipation and excitement surrounding a brand, release, or collaboration.