YouBetterTrade is the first online marketplace for shoes, streetwear, and collectibles in the Middle East. They have all of the current footwear, from Yeezy 350s to Jordan 1. They are revolutionizing the sneaker market in the UAE via their app.

They remove the hassle of online buying and selling by facilitating easy transactions via their platform. For buyers, they no longer need to engage themselves in confusing bidding systems, or worry about getting fake products. 

For sellers, they don’t have to waste their time selling on underwhelming platforms. They can get a payout in just two days after verification. Sneakers are insanely popular now and YouBetter Trade is making a splash in the UAE for the local sneakerheads.

The last decade has seen a huge shift in how sneakers are worn. Donning a pair is no longer frowned upon in the workplace (in many cases) or for more formal occasions. At the same time, the continued dominance of the athleisure trend has had a significant impact on the growing sales of sneakers – paired, of course, with the pursuit of comfort. This existing trend only accelerated during the pandemic as lockdowns made people further prioritize comfort, which resulted in a rise in sales of loungewear, athleisure, and flat shoes, such as sneakers. 

As such, sneakers have moved from sportswear-exclusive footwear to objects with serious fashion credentials. In fact, footwear is now the biggest selling category in the online luxury market, and sneakers have made a significant contribution to this growth.

The growing presence of “sneakerheads,” i.e., avid sneaker fans that collect and trade sneakers, has ensured the continued demand for such footwear, and more specifically, cemented the staying power of an array of specific sneakers styles as cult status symbols. 

Nike and Adidas routinely release limited edition shoes associated with a celebrity, hip-hop star or athlete, and it is not unusual for people to go to extreme lengths to get their hands on these rare models, queuing through the night or paying hundreds – if not thousands – for certain pairs. 

Examples include Nike’s Air Yeezy 2 “Red October,”  Air Jordan x 1 Off-White “Chicago,” and Kanye West’s Air Yeezys, which were put up for auction by Sotheby’s in April for $1 million, not only making them Sotheby’s most expensive shoe listing ever, but making them a shining example of the heights reached by the lucrative sneaker resale market. 

From sport to fashion, sneakers dominate the consumer market. Yet, despite their adoption by the mainstream, sneakers retain their coolness as cultural icons.