Here’s how Insider reporter Shoshy Ciment covers the booming multi-billion dollar sneaker resale market

Here’s how Insider reporter Shoshy Ciment covers the booming multi-billion dollar sneaker resale market

Grace O'Connell-Joshua: You focus on athleticwear, streetwear and sneakers. What a cool beat! How did you get into covering the industry? 

Shoshy Ciment: I did not have a serious interest in sneaker culture before I started covering it. I started off covering retail generally as an Insider fellow in 2019 and on a whim, decided to head out to cover a pop-up shop for sneakers from an Adidas and Arizona Iced Tea collab that were going for 99 cents that summer.

When I got there, the scene was complete chaos. I ended up being one of the first people to break the story about how police had to shut down the pop-up after two teenagers were assaulted in massive crowds of angry people who were willing to get violent for some shoes. This was my first real-world exposure to the sneakerverse and I knew I wanted to continue to learn more about this culture and its enthusiasts. From there, I started interviewing people in the industry, on the retail and resale side, and continued to read and learn more.

O'Connell-Joshua: What do you think is driving the sneaker resale market? Why are consumers switching over to resale instead of buying directly?

Ciment: The sneaker