The Art of The Plug
Merry Christmas EVE everyone!!!! We hope this holiday season will be a great one for you.
Just thought I'd take a moment & actually re-post something from our past life blog with a more current date, because, well...it's needed. So without further delay...
Whether it is working at a sneaker store, being related to the manager of said store, or being one of the few who are luck enough to know people 'in the know', whether they work for a footwear company or not, there is a constant discussion going about, for what is simply known at the 'Plug'. ...sneaker plug to be exact.
A 'sneaker plug' is: a person, business, usually in the form of a middleman who can provide footwear to a particular consumer under a code of conduct that includes lesser or no restrictions in reference to the normal procedures of the seller-consumer purchasing relationship.
In other words: you get kicks in advance & almost always never miss a release.
In my journey through the sneaker world, I've come across plenty of instances of people who have seemed to master the art of the plug, but, what really is this sneaker plug business all about? And, is it even worth going through the trouble? To most, it isn't an easy endeavor at all to accomplish. However, with my research & conversations I've had with people & companies in the footwear world, I figured I'd share a few tips with you for anyone considering taking this challenge on, wherever you may be. (Location is a huge part of it; I'll explain later on).
1.) HAVE YOUR FINANCES IN ORDER | Finding a sneaker Plug is cool & all, but it's only effective if your are prepared to pay for whatever shoes you're wanting, at the time they are available to get. Most plugs tend to accept payments a day or earlier in advance, generally before the shoe releases on it's confirmed day. And said plug expects you to pay BEFORE they make any step in the process, just to ensure that you mean business. You can, however, wait until the official release date to make the purchase, whether online or meeting face-to-face, in store, etc. Note, though, if you're going to brag about having a plug, make sure you give them something to do. It's a give & give situation, so when they say they have that shoe you want, make sure you can pay for that shoe that you want.
2.) BE MINDFUL OF WHAT PAYMENT SYSTEMS WORK BEST | Anybody can say they have this shoe or that shoe & post all over social media, claiming to be able to secure you a pair. Yet, the majority of them have done some digging & found ways to be crafty, keeping the fine print hidden from most. As the consumer/buyer it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to gather as much info about a potential plug as possible; probably the main & most important step: GET THE ACTUAL PLUG'S FIRST & LAST NAME, not just their tag/handle/username/alias. Check out their site, or store, go through their posts, and most importantly, ASK AROUND FOR REFERENCES from those who've commented & interacted with this person/business.
If they take payments online, & claim to use PayPal, be sure to find out if they are a Certified PayPal user. Oh, yeah: NEVER PAY FOR ANYTHING OVER THE INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA BY WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM, OR ANY OTHER MONEY TRANSFER SERVICE. There is no way to protect & secure your payment. Once you pay, that money leaves you & the recipient has your cash, whether you get the item or not. Trust me when I tell you, there are TONS of money payment apps & methods being created daily. Only go with the most reputable: PayPal, CashApp, Bank-to-Bank Transfers, or as always, cash. Cover all your tracks, cause if you find those Yeezys & pay that price, and then the next week said person vanishes from existence, IT'S ON YOU.
3.) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS KEY TO ADVANCEMENT | Understand that having a sneaker connection is a privilege, NOT a priority. Keep that in mind when working with them. They are more than just people who get you kicks; most of the time, plugs are those who have long-standing connections with people in the sneaker industry, either bloggers & YouTube-ers (S/O to NitroLicious, Mr. Foamer, Qias, Kustoo, Nightwing, BULL1T, just to name a few), or even owners of shop spots in your area, outside of the chain brands like Finish Line & House of Hoops/Foot Locker & also possibly employees of those chain stores. Even if your plug is a friend or relative who works with a brand, no matter how or who, always acknowledge the opportunity & show gratitude. Don't blab and give away all your info, but, simply be grateful. As DJ Khaled puts it so eloquently:
4.) ITS ALL ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP | Yes, this is the part that goes unsaid, though it's the best for last cause it's the most important. It's all about who you know, but moreso, who you're willing to get to know. If you have a favorite go-to sneaker spot.....next time you go there, take some time out to just walk around the place....not just your section. Enjoy the views & decor. Greet the employees & owner, if they're around. Ask them how they're doing and how their day is going. Heck during the holidays, bring them some Starbucks & donuts (Krispy Kreme of course), & maybe when it's hot, get them some pizzas and punch. Just because....as long as you're not weird or stalker-ish with it, then you'd be stuck with a bunch of food like you're obsessed. Compliment them on how well their service has been to you & how well they do currently. Let them know that it's your favorite place to come for shoes. Give props to the manager personally, shake their hand. TRY TO LEARN EMPLOYEES BY NAME. Trust, that will go a long way. Share stories back & forth about your love of shoes and what moments started your passion, maybe you'll find out things you can relate to them with.
The are of the plug is the relationship; and the closer the relationship, the greater the trust. The greater the trust, the more willing the plug will be to go above & beyond to make sure you're taken care of. Relationships = Trust = Priority = Top Notch Service
At the end of the day....the customer is always right. Plug, or no plug. Good luck in your endeavors. I hope I've given some good points to go by.