140,000 Won 'Jenny Sneakers' Sold for 200,000 Won on Secondhand Platforms [Chosun Price Records]

⑬ Sold-out Samba, Available on Resale Platforms...
30-40% More Expensive Than Retail Price... Consumer Complaints Increase

The sneaker market is stirring as a secondhand and limited-edition product trading platform operated by Naver has emerged. Even if the product is not a limited edition or a hard-to-find luxury item, if it is 'sold out' at regular stores, the platform adds a premium and additional fees. Recently, the Adidas Samba shoes, popularized by BLACKPINK's Jennie, have a retail price of about 140,000 KRW, but on the platform, buyers must pay over 200,000 KRW to purchase them.

Adidas Samba OG. Photo by Adidas Official Online Store

On the 14th, the price of the Samba OG (Original) shoes on the official Adidas online store was 139,000 KRW. The Samba model, originally released in 1950 as a soccer shoe, gained fame again a few years ago as the 'Jennie shoes.' The shoes Jennie wore are specifically the Samba ADV (Black), but amid the recent classic sneaker trend, all Samba lines including OG, RM, and Vegan are receiving attention. Currently, all sizes of popular colors such as Cream White Core Black and Core Black in the Samba OG product are sold out on the Adidas online mall.

However, they are available for purchase on Cream, a secondhand and limited-edition product trading platform operated by Naver. But to buy the Samba OG product, buyers must pay a premium of 30-40% above the retail price. Prices fluctuate constantly like stock prices depending on product demand and supply.

As of the 11th, the price of the popular color Cream White Core Black in the most sought-after women's shoe size, 240mm, is 186,000 KRW, and the highest-priced size, 290mm, is 195,000 KRW. These are approximately 34% and 40% higher than the retail price, respectively. The situation is similar for another popular Adidas product, the Gazelle Indoor shoes. The Gazelle Indoor in Bleeding Pink retails for 169,000 KRW, but on Cream, the price for size 240mm is 200,000 KRW, and for size 215mm, it reaches 300,000 KRW.

As of the 11th, to purchase the popular Samba OG color Cream White Core Black (240mm), you need to pay a total of 195,100 KRW including Cream fees and shipping costs. Photo by Cream capture

On top of this, platform fees and shipping costs increase the consumer burden. Cream charges up to a 3% brokerage fee for smooth transactions, including product inspection services and providing real-time price and transaction status. Shipping fees (5,000 KRW for fast delivery, 3,000 KRW for standard delivery) are separate. Assuming a purchase of Samba OG Cream White Core Black (240mm) via standard delivery on Cream, the total cost would be 195,100 KRW (resale price 186,000 KRW, fee 6,100 KRW, shipping 3,000 KRW), which is 40% higher than the retail price.

Nike's 'Resale Ban' Drastic Measure Met with Fair Trade Commission's 'Correction Order'

Nike's experience with resale controversies shows that Adidas has limited options to curb the sharp rise in resale prices.

In 2022, the resale market saw not only buyers for investment purposes but also professional resellers, causing prices of Nike limited-edition shoes to soar more than tenfold above retail, leading to consumer dissatisfaction. As reselling scarce Nike shoes at a premium became rampant, Nike introduced a 'resale ban' clause to sanction resellers. However, in November last year, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) ruled that resale ban clauses of three companies, including Nike, Chanel, and Herm?s, were unfair, making it impossible to prevent professional resellers' activities.

The FTC emphasized that a person who purchases and acquires ownership of goods has the right to dispose of them legally, and resale ban clauses could unjustly restrict contracts between customers and third parties.

Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies diagnosed, "Excessive resale deprives consumers of purchasing opportunities," adding, "It seems that resellers are driving up shoe prices." She further stated, "Resale platforms should monitor whether the same business repeatedly sells products and block commercial resale activities by professional resellers," and criticized, "Allowing resale transactions at the expense of consumer rights is a dereliction of platform responsibility."