Chasing rare and authentic kicks
I have worn sneakers for most of my life, wearing other forms of footwear (i.e. leather shoes) only on occasion. So, I know that the demand for limited-edition and rare sneaker styles is high, resulting in auction bids as high as over half a million US dollars. But with the flourishing e-commerce space, the chances of getting duped and buying fake sneakers are also high.
The question for me always is how can “sneakerheads” make sure their purchases are authentic?
Then I discovered Ox Street, a digital marketplace that offers the best way to buy and sell authentic sneakers.
“Ox Street comes in as the middleman between resellers and buyers, assuring customers that everything that goes through us has been 100% authenticated for that worry-free experience in getting your sneakers,” said Ox Street marketing manager for the Philippines Jasper Delegencia. “Add to that our base of operations being centered on the APAC region with a dedicated team in the Philippines introducing initiatives that are specific to Filipinos.”
Ox Street, founded in 2019 by its CEO Gijs Verheijke, has a team of experts that guarantees authentic sneakers on their website and helps protect sneakerheads against fraudulent online sellers. Ox Street operates in eight markets in Southeast Asia. In 2021, it joined forces with the Carousell Group, the leading online classified ads group in the greater Southeast Asian region.
It’s a reliable e-commerce website where you can get the latest sneaker styles. According to Delegencia, the Top 5 most purchased sneakers recently were the Nike Dunk Low “Panda” and “Valerian Blue,” the Jordan 1 Low “Bred” and “Shadow Toe,” and the Travis Scott Air Max 1 “Baroque Brown.”
“For the Philippines, Yeezy Slides and Nike Dunks have stayed strong on Ox Street throughout the year and will likely maintain their popularity,” he added. “Both models have been in our ‘most purchased sneakers in the Philippines’ for the past 24 weeks. New Balance is gradually starting its entry into the mainstream, as well with searches for the brand growing five times in 2022, compared to 2021.”
More than maintaining authenticity and offering the latest sneaker styles, Ox Street also listens to its customers’ insights and values what they have to say in each market.
“Pinoy sneakerheads vary greatly depending on the individual,” shared Delegencia. “One approach that is important to us is talking to our customers, not just with surveys or emails but having full conversations on what they think of Ox Street, how their experience is, and what they want to see as well. This is a direct example of Ox Street’s authentic identity —both in making sure customers get their worry-free, authenticated pair and lending an ear listening intently to what they have to say.”
As the demand for sneakers rises, Ox Street also strives to meet the customers’ needs and wants by innovating the space for sellers and more.
“As the bridge between pop culture and sneaker culture narrowed in the past decade, more and more new sneakerheads have not only been buying sneakers for themselves but reselling as well, which is another portion of the user base we are building — to onboard sellers that are open to expanding their reach to buyers not just in the APAC region but globally,” he added.
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For authentic sneakers, visit https://oxstreet.com/.
