FOR sneakerheads, Nike’s SNKRS app provides unprecedented access to order the latest, the greatest, and the most coveted from the Swoosh without needing to fall in line. But the ratio of Ws to Ls for would-be buyers has become meme status within the community, with many buyers rueing their bad luck (or perhaps bots) in their quest to cop the greatest grails.
The Philippines does not have a SNKRS app at the moment. In fact, the official Nike app only arrived in the Philippines last July. However, we do have access to the Nike SNKRS site at nike.com/ph/launch. Using the Nike app, you can also get access to key drops if you’re a member.
In addition, Pinoy sneakerheads also have Park Access, a site operated by local Nike store/retail partner Green Tee Inc. The Park Access Instagram account often announces, to great fanfare, that it is opening up reservations for many grails, exclusive to Nike Park members. Retailers like Titan also run their own reservation draws for cops.
In any case, Complex’s Brendan Dunne reported that the top brass at Nike headquarters is aware of many customers’ perception of its ecommerce app.
Nike VP reportedly assesses SNKRS app fairness
“Our community is becoming disenfranchised by our low fairness numbers,” reportedly said SNKRS global vice president Ron Faris during an internal meeting, according to Complex.
Faris added, “Our fairness numbers are not where they should be. They’re at, like, the mid-20s; they need to be in the 80s.”
As a result, one slide showed at the meeting purportedly said: “High heat, hype is ‘killing the culture’ and consumers are migrating towards New Balance and smaller, independent brands.”
Another slide showed that demand within the SNKRS app rose by 70 percent compared to the past year, but that Nike was only able to fulfill 7 percent of the demand, compared to 13 percent for 2019 and 2020.
However, Faris reportedly defended the app against the accusations of bots, claiming that "Nike does a good job defending against sneaker bots that seek to cheat online launches," wrote Dunne.
Nike did not respond to Complex’s requests for comment.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
