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Why Guys Buy Fakes (and Girls Don’t!) by Lori Lobenstine The numbers don’t lie. Over 97% of fake sneakers are bought by guys. Most “sneaker variant” websites don’t even bother to sell sneakers smaller than a size 8 men’s. (For a good listing of fake websites, try: solepedia.com/Fake_Websites) Those are for you, boys! Now you might point out that there are some women’s sneakers on those sites. Yup, that’s so you can buy them for your poor girlfriend, who’ll kiss you on the cheek and then try not to be seen wearing ‘em!
But why are guys vulnerable to buying fakes? There are two primary reasons: Why Guys Buy Fakes Reason #1: Ego Guys think they’re too smart to get tricked, too much of a true sneakerhead to fall for even a well-detailed fake. Same reason they fall for other “fakes”, right girls?
But back to sneakers and egos. In a Sneaker Freaker interview, Richard Stanwix, Head of Brand Security for Nike, estimated that up to 98% of shoes at any given time are fakes. So it is sheer ego to think that YOU know better, (and everyone else is a dork.) At one point or another, guys, you’re gonna get faked, especially if you shop online. And you know when we’re going to find out? When you’re telling some female sneaker fiend that she probably got her very legit kicks from her boyfriend, and she points out to everybody that your “Invisible Jordans” are beyond fake!
Reason #2: Lack of attention to detail. When SoJones.com interviewed a large-scale variant seller, who went only by “Mr. Nike Air Force One”, he frankly acknowledged that, “You can make it very clear all over your web site that the shoes are fake, and they just don’t read it. Don’t ask me how or why, but it seems like variant customers simply shop with pictures and read no text. You try and tell them, ‘the shoes you are buying are fake.’” It’s true. Many of the web’s sneaker variant sites do tell us they are NOT related to Nike, adidas, etc. For example, on bigtimekicks.com they clearly state “We do not claim these items to be original or authentic. We only guarantee that the quality of our products is second to none.” (Whatever that means!) So guys, learn from the women in your lives. We’re more likely to read directions, ask for help when lost, and yes, read the fine print! Why Girls DON’T Buy Fakes Reason #1: Sizing They don’t make them in our size. Many female sneakerheads with little feet are relegated to finding the flyest kicks that come out in kids’ sizes. Their vintage size 2 Nike OG Bakins are definitely the real deal. There ain’t fakes on those! (Also note that kids’ sneakers frequently have different visual and technical details than the men’s versions, so don’t assume they’re fakes. Know your stuff before you call a girl out…)
Reason #2: Scrutiny Our sneakers are under extreme scrutiny. Guys all-too-frequently doubt that females know about their kicks, so those of us who DO, we know our kicks are under fire every day. Our sneakers represent us to a world that doesn’t think we exist, so we take pains to come correct. We read the details on websites, read the articles about fakes, ask for advice and know our shit. Unfortunately, when one girl comes out with sloppy fakes, guys think none of us know about kicks. I say the only girls coming out in fake kicks are the non-sneakerheads who are getting their kicks from their boyfriends!
All that said, girls actually have more reason to buy fakes than guys do. The primary beef people have with the actual fakes is that 1) they don’t fit right, 2) they’re much lower quality, and 3) when they’re not trying to nail every detail, they come out with some awful colorways. But we're used to all this! Since our favorite brands don’t always bring the heat in our sizes, we're often stuck wearing 2-5 pairs of socks inside our Holy Grails. We’re also used to lower quality if we have to buy kids’ sneakers (sad but true). We’re even used to wack colorways (pink with purple? again? really?). Come to think of it, maybe we’d do better with fakes. Just think if some smart variant company started bringing the heat in small sizes. Hmm, maybe I better get to China and make some moves…. JUST FAKING!
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