This Saturday we get the official release of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow, and with it, a 3rd act in the great drama of Kanye and his Yeezy line. First, there was the insane hype and popularity that attended the original debut of Kanye’s adidas collaboration four years ago. Then, in 2018, we had the controversial 2nd act, as Ye’s political blasphemies and unending sneaker restocks polarized fans and customers alike (while shrewdly keeping his name on everyone’s mind). Now, it feels like we’ve entered a different, 3rd act. The craziness has died down, as have the restocks. And now, his sneakers glow in dark.
Earlier this week, sneakerhead insomniacs were treated to a surprise midnight shock-drop of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow, and available pairs sold out in just minutes. Though supply was limited, the speed of the sale strongly indicates that demand for the colorway is robust. Another indicator of strong demand is the current resale price. Despite an influx of supply from the shock drop, prices for the 350 Glow have remained surprisingly high.
Last week, pairs of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow were routinely flipping for over $500 on StockX- double their $250 retail value. After the shock drop earlier this week, resale volume increased significantly: as of today, more than 2500 pairs of the 350 Glow have resold on our platform- a sizable figure given the official release is still a day away. But while prices have indeed fallen in response to the increased supply, they haven’t fallen particularly far. As of Thursday night, they were still flipping for an average of $420, for a price premium of 70%.
These pre-release price premiums for the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow compare favorably to other recent 350 releases. After its first 2500 pre-release sales, the Yeezy 350 Clay had a price premium of 55%, and the Yeezy 350 Static had a price premium of just 30%. The fact that the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow is currently holding onto its 70% premium, despite the surprise shock drop and the attendant boost in supply, suggests demand for this colorway is stronger than most.
Ultimately, though, the biggest factor is supply. It remains to be seen how many pairs adidas will make available on Saturday, and how those numbers will align with market expectations. Will the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow sell out in minutes, as they did on the night of their surprise shock drop? Or will they end up sitting on virtual shelves like many other 350 releases have done over the past year? Recent 350 history suggests two very different possibilities.
In the case of the 350 Clay, release-day supply exceeded demand and expectations, and the result was a long-term decline in resale value. Measured as a percentage of release-day price, the 350 Clay lost nearly 10% in their value over the first 60 days on the market. As of today, they are reselling for an average of $320. While that still represents a healthy premium over retail, it’s the lowest the Clays have sold for in their entire resale history on StockX.
Compare that to 350 Static and Static Reflective. In these two cases, it seems that the market initially overestimated supply. As a result, post-release prices climbed quickly over their first 60 days on the market. The Yeezy 350 Static gained 20% of their release-day resale value in those first 2 months. The Yeezy 350 Static Reflective performed even better, gaining 40% of their release-day resale value.
Given current prices, it’s clear that demand for the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Glow is fairly robust, and there is good reason for resellers to be optimistic. We’ll find out on Saturday if supply is limited enough to sustain them.
