Just a few short weeks ago, Nike announced a Valentine’s Day themed Air Force 1 Low, which the brand cleverly titled “Love Letter.” Set to release on February 13, the sneaker paid homage to the intimate holiday with a Tulip Pink and University Red colorway, while miniature heart shaped perforations decorated the toebox.
Air Force 1 ’07 ‘Valentine’s Day’ Release Date
All it took was applying the prototypical colors and symbols of love to an already timeless shoe, and just like that, Nike found a way to turn a pair of sneakers into the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Marketing lol.
As soon as the announcement went public, social media lost it. Snapshots of the design floated around on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, until eventually, the shoes popped up in the least convenient location – my girlfriend’s “For You” page. Immediately, she started begging. For days, it was all she talked about.
Initially, I was hesitant to even give her the time of day. I figured with the shoes being a limited, holiday release, the price would be through the roof. After further research, however, I discovered that the retail price was only $130.00.
That isn’t cheap, but it’s hard to find a quality pair of sneakers for much less these days, especially ones from a prominent brand. So, I figured an extra twenty or thirty bucks would be a small price to pay for a smile on her face, particularly at such a special time of year.
I began studying up on the shoes, searching for different websites that I could visit in order to buy them and I even downloaded a few apps on my phone to ensure that I would be able to get a pair. And, for at least a week, it was all I could think about. I was anticipating the early morning release, dishing out a pretty penny and more than anything, the excitement of being able to look her in the eyes and say, “I got ‘em.”
Day after day, I checked Nike’s exclusive SNKRS app to confirm that the release time hadn’t changed and time after time, it read the same – “February 13th, 10:00 AM.” The days leading up to the release dragged on until eventually, they didn’t.
The night of February 12th, I got ready to make it the best Valentine’s Day ever. I set five or six different alarms, asked my mom to call and make sure I was awake and I even went to bed before midnight, which for me is unheard of. Just a few more hours and a weight would be lifted off of my shoulders.
I woke up from my slumber the next morning, threw together a quick breakfast and got my laptop and phone ready. I wasn’t taking any chances.
As soon as the clock hit 10:00, I made my way to the purchase screen. I selected the shoe, made sure that I had the correct size and just as I was getting ready to checkout, I saw the wretched words…“Sold Out.” In a matter of seconds, and I mean that quite literally, the shoes were gone. I sat in my bed shocked at how quickly the footwear had disappeared, not just in that size, but across the board. All I could manage to do was ask myself, “How does that happen?”
Well, I’ll tell you exactly how. As sneakers have grown in popularity in recent years, especially with regards to limited edition releases, small companies and entrepreneurs have taken it upon themselves to buy as many pairs as possible with the intent to resell them at a higher price. But they don’t do it themselves. Instead, they have ‘bots’ programmed to make the purchase for them in a mere fraction of a second, so quickly that by the time a consumer makes it to the checkout screen it is too late.
Since my failed purchase attempt, I have searched far and wide for a pair of these sought-after shoes still listed at, or close to, the retail price. My search has been anything but successful. The lowest price is currently $165.00 and that is for a gargantuan, size 14. My girlfriend’s size, a women’s 6, is listed at $461.00.
https://stockx.com/buy/nike-air-force-1-07-qs-love-letter
To say that I am frustrated with the current market is an understatement. While I am fully supportive of individual business endeavors, it bothers me to think that one individual is capable of taking away such a high-demand product from hundreds of people. More importantly, they are taking away the inherent joy that comes with that.
Obviously, the inability to purchase these shoes did not ruin my relationship; my girlfriend was more than understanding. But even two weeks later, I am left contemplating how happy she may have been to open a box with those shoes inside.
Stanley out.
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