A Beginner’s Look At Sneaker Reselling Terminology

Every niche has its jargon, and the sneaker reselling game is no different. If you are a newcomer you may find it a bit difficult to navigate some of the often weird sneaker reselling terminology used in this world. Fear not, however, as this article is designed to bring you up to speed with the latest lingo, so you can enter the game knowing what means what. If you have experience in the sneaker world then this article is probably not for you. If you are a beginner though then it’s time to dive in!

Deadstock (DS) – When you’re scrolling through sneaker listings, you’ll often see “DS” or “deadstock”. This means the sneakers are brand new, unworn, and often still in the original box. Deadstock items will fetch the highest prices on the resale market.

Grails – A “grail” is a sneaker that a sneakerhead highly covets, often a rare or significant release. For some, grails are the Holy Grail of their collection, the piece de resistance that they’ve been dreaming of owning. A grail for one person may not be a grail for another, but there is usually a general consensus within the community about what garners a “Grail”.

Highs and Lows – If you’ve browsed sneaker listings, you’ve likely come across “highs” and “lows”. These terms refer to the height of the sneaker. Highs, or high-tops, extend over the wearer’s ankle, while lows, or low-tops, do not. The difference isn’t just aesthetic; it can also impact a sneaker’s performance, comfort, and most importantly price.

Collab – “Collab” is short for collaboration. In the sneaker world, this refers to when brands join forces to create a unique sneaker design. Collaborations can be between brands, such as Nike and Off-White, or between a brand and a celebrity, like Adidas and Kanye West with the Yeezy line. These collabs often stir a lot of hype, making them a hot ticket on the reselling market.

Bots – This term refers to software that people use to buy sneakers faster than humanly possible. Bots can be controversial due to their potential to monopolize limited releases, often leaving manual buyers without much of a chance. However, many successful resellers use bots to stay competitive.

Cook – “Cooking” is when a reseller successfully purchases a hyped sneaker. So, if you’ve “cooked” a release, you’ve got the goods and are ready to serve up some profits. In order to cook a release, you are going to need top-quality knowledge of where and when an item is being released. Luckily, Juiced can provide you with the latest information on the most profitable sneakers, collectables, NFTs, Tickets and more being released. You can sign up for free by clicking here. We also provide numerous tools to help your reselling journey including an auto-checkout tool.

Brick – A “brick” is a sneaker that doesn’t resell for much more than its retail price, if at all. In other words, it’s a sneaker that doesn’t deliver the reselling profits one might hope for. However, they still usually have some level of demand.

General Release (GR) – Unlike the limited drops that are usually done by way of raffles or something similar, ‘General Release’ or ‘GR’ is widely available at most retailers. Despite this, many GR’s can still prove profitable such as the Panda Dunk, which for years went for above retail price. For more on the different release mechanisms used in sneakers, we recommend checking out our full piece on the subject here.

Colourway – This term refers to the range of colours applied to a sneaker design. Some colourways, like the ‘Bred’ (Black/Red) or ‘Royal’ (Black/Royal Blue) in the Air Jordan series, have become iconic in their own right.

VNDS – ‘Very Near Dead Stock’ or ‘VNDS’ refers to sneakers that have been worn but are in near-new condition. It’s one notch below ‘Deadstock,’ but still a high grade in the reseller’s condition spectrum.

That concludes this article where we looked at 10 words you must know before you start reselling sneakers. Of course, there are dozens of other words you will need to know before you are an expert, but they are for another blog another time.

Sean O Reilly

Authored this article.