Maybe you have a pair of sneakers you’re not enamored with anymore. Maybe a new pair you want is dropping and you don’t have the cash to go get it. Maybe you really want something that’s been sold out for a long time. Maybe you just want to switch things up a bit.
What do those four things have in common? They’re all a good time to look at trading some of your kicks. Trading can be a nice alternative to buying and selling, as there’s usually no money involved, and both parties come out of the deal with something that they wanted.
However, it’s not quite as simple as finding a shoe you want and trading something you already have for it with no hassle, like trading cards was back in the day. Sometimes you’ve got to put in a little more work, and I’m here to help make that process a little easier for you. Check out a few tips on trading kicks below.
Be Patient
If you’re looking for a particular shoe as part of a trade, be patient. It’s unlikely that someone out there is willing to let go of exactly what you want for exactly what you’re willing to trade. Take your time and play the field a little bit. There’s no need to get frustrated and upset when you don’t immediately find the trade that you had in mind.
Stick To Your Guns
A large part of trading kicks is haggling. If you know that the trade you want to make is fair for both parties (or even if you’ll come out a little ahead….that happens sometimes if you’re slick), don’t let whoever you’re trading with try to change the deal on you. Be firm and respectful, and you can make the trade happen more often than not.
Don’t Make Unrealistic Demands
Nobody wants to trade their whole collection for your 8/10 condition Bred XI’s. Nobody wants to drive an hour to your house to drop shoes off because you don’t have a car. Nobody’s willing to meet you late at night. A trade involves two or more parties coming together to exchange goods, and if someone on one side of the equation is making unreasonable demands, it’ll likely fall through. Try to find a middle ground when it comes to things like meeting places and transportation.
There you have it. Nothing too off the wall, just three simple rules you can follow to make the process of trading kicks much more simple and hassle-free. Now go out there and get after the shoes you’ve always wanted to cop!
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