This week, Kanye and adidas fans were greeted with some unexpected news: the Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Black is scheduled to restock on Black Friday. The classic colorway first released back in June and it instantly became one of the most sought-after sneakers in Yeezy’s vast anthology. Now, buyers will have a second chance to cop this beloved colorway at retail. Meanwhile, on StockX, news of the restock is already shaking up market prices, as buyers and sellers react to the imminent increase in supply.
The Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black originally released in both reflective and non-reflective colorways, and the non-reflective colorway proved to be one of the most popular releases of the year. Judged by StockX market share, or total dollars spent, it was the second biggest release of 2019, just behind the Travis Scott Jordan 1 High. As for sales volume, we saw more than 48,000 pairs resell on our marketplace, making it the second highest-selling sneaker released this year, trailing only the high-volume, lower-margin 350 Clay.
Even more impressive than the sales numbers were the price premiums. In 2019, the Yeezy 350 V2 silhouette had an average price premium of 60% across all colorways. And many of the newer models had even lower numbers: for example, the Lundmark and Cloud White 350s resold for 40% and 30% above retail, respectively. But the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black resold for an average of $450, or a price premium of more than 100%. Back in 2018, when restocks and oversupply were depressing the Yeezy resale market, it seemed unlikely that we’d ever see a new 350 silhouette flipping for 2x retail. The success of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black was a loud and defiant sign that 350 resale still had life.
Which brings us to the Black Friday restock. Ever since news of the restock hit, we’ve seen a frenzy of activity on our marketplace. Sales volume has spiked: on Wednesday, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black was the top-selling sneaker on our marketplace, beating out several popular newer releases.
The effect on resale prices was dramatic. Earlier this month, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black was flipping for around $420 – not far off from it’s 2019 average. But over the last couple days, we’ve seen a significant price decline. The following chart shows average resale prices over the last 2 weeks:
By Wednesday night, the average resale price for the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black had fallen below $350, and price premiums were down to 55%. The Black Friday restock was only a few days out, but resale prices had already declined by around 20%, and average premiums were basically cut in half. This was great news for buyers looking to cop an early pair and hedging against a Black Friday L. But for resellers and collectors, it was a difficult few days.
This decline is right in line with what we’ve come to expect from Yeezy restocks. Looking at the historical data, restocks tend to reduce resale prices by between 30% to 60%, on average. So it’s possible, even likely, that we’ll see a further decline in prices, especially once the restock actually hits on Friday. That said, given the popularity of the colorway, there is every reason to believe that resale prices will eventually rebound in the medium and long-term. So potential buyers should act sooner rather than later, and resellers should curb their despair.
