Just Jordans: Why Are Jordans So Expensive?

Are you dreaming of filling out your closet with as many pairs of Jordans as possible?

Many of us are, but the major concern is the high cost of Jordan sneakers. But why is it that Jordans are so expensive? What makes them in the same price range as products from luxury brands?

Well, let’s look deeper into how the Jordan brand got started and what makes them so expensive. You can then consider whether it’s worth your investment to buy Jordans.

Here’s what you need to know about the magnificence of Jordans:

History of Jordans

In the mid-1980s, Michael Jordan was becoming more popular as a basketball player. While he wasn’t the #1 player, it was clear that he had the skills and charisma to become a major celebrity.

Nike saw an opportunity to capitalize on Michael Jordan’s fame. They decided to sponsor him and request him to wear Nike sneakers on the court.

They decided to create the Nike Air Jordans sneaker as an alternative to the Converse All-Star shoes. The latter is what most basketball players wore until then.

The new Jordan sneakers caught everyone’s attention. They were unique among basketball sneakers. As such, they quickly became collector’s items!

Why People Buy Jordans

So how did Jordans become so popular throughout the world? It all coincided with Michael Jordan’s rise to fame.

Today, he remains a basketball icon, and Jordans remain popular among shoe enthusiasts. Even among ordinary collectors, you might want to invest in Jordans. You can learn more about why people love buying Jordans.

There are some models of Jordans that are rare and have sold for six-figure sums. Even if you don’t buy one of these models, the average pair of Jordans will certainly cost more than your average sneaker.

What this means is that any pair of Jordans might sell for a great profit if you maintain them well.

The Brand Recognition

One of the things that create product value is the brand behind it. The Jordan brand remains popular across generations.

Even basketball enthusiasts who look up to LeBron James or Steph Curry still admire Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is also one of the rare celebrities who doesn’t try to alienate his fans based on their political leanings.

This was epitomized with his phrase on how Republicans also bought sneakers! The odd thing is that’s it is contested whether he made such statements.

But, until very recently, Michael Jordan was largely silent about his political views. This has made him a favorite among Americans and has been great for the Jordan brand.

Many other celebrities and brands make firm political statements. In some cases, it might help their brand image. In other cases, it can backfire and harm their sales!

But for now, it seems that Jordans are loved by Americans of different political leanings. This, coupled with Michael Jordan’s legacy, has led to Jordans remaining so popular among sneaker enthusiasts.

Why Jordans Became Collector’s Items

So it’s clear why Jordans have become popular sneakers among basketball fans and fashion enthusiasts. But what makes them great as an investment asset?

For any asset to become valuable to investors, the price has to appreciate as time progresses. With Jordans, there are a few models that are created as limited editions.

For example, there’s the Dior X Air Jordan 1 High OG. This was a limited-edition sneaker that was raffled off among 5 million fans! The winners paid $2K for the sneaker. In total, only 8,500 sneakers were made for this model.

They are high-quality sneakers and use premium leather that is rare among most sneakers. As such, if you own a pair, you can expect to sell them for a much higher price than you paid for them!

This particular sneaker is a great example of a collector’s item. It was released in 2020, so even at just over a year, it’s got a high resale value. Imagine if you owned this sneaker today and sold it in ten years!

But this brings us to the question, will Jordans remain collector’s items? We need to look at whether Jordans will remain expensive in the future.

What Will Continue to Make Jordans Expensive

The main reason why many Jordans are expensive is because of their low supply and high demand.

This is a basic rule of economics. If any good or service has a low supply but a high demand, the provider can raise the price. If the good or service is from a recognized provider (brand), this further boosts its value.

So, now this brings the question of whether Jordans will remain a popular investment going forward?

Nike will likely continue to produce limited-edition Jordan sneakers. Many sneaker brands see the value of producing limited-edition sneakers that collectors will love.

Until we see a decline in the popularity of sneakers, we likely won’t see Nike halting the production of limited edition Jordan sneakers.

The second factor is to consider if Jordans will remain a popular brand. This all depends on Michael Jordan’s popularity. It also depends on Nike’s popularity.

As of now, there doesn’t seem to be a decline in popularity for either Michael Jordan or Nike. But both parties have now been vocal about political and social issues. This will attract many customers but also detract others.

There are also other basketball players winning over fans today. It’s possible that the basketball heroes of today might overtake Michael Jordan’s popularity.

As such, a collector must have a definite plan of when to buy and when to sell. You want to have an end date when you wish to sell any pair of Jordans that you buy!

Collect Jordans

Now that you know why Jordans are so expensive, you likely value them even more!

They are great collector’s items, and you might want to consider buying them as an investment. Even if you wish to buy them just for wearing, you’ll stand out from the crowd.

While perhaps not considered a luxury good yet, Jordans might become popular among wealthy collectors.

You can find more articles on luxury goods and sneaker collecting on our website!