Limited edition sneakers become money-making tool for millennials
People stand in a long queue to buy J.W Anderson X Converse limited edition sneakers at Lotte Department Store in Seoul, Dec. 9. / Courtesy of Lotte Department StoreBy Kwak Yeon-sooA growing number of Korean millennials are making a fortune by purchasing and reselling limited edition sneakers and luxury goods, according to industry officials Tuesday.According to the data from online thrift store thredUP, the resale market is projected to grow from 28 trillion won ($24 billion) in 2018 to 48 trillion won in 2020. “There has been a changing perception toward the resale market. People no longer regard it as thrift shopping, but view it as collecting scarce and limited edition goods,” a thredUP official said in a report.The data showed that purchasers look for luxury items, vintage living goods, art toys and rare shoes designed by popular hip-hop stars or in collaboration with trending artists. In particular, sneaker fans are willing to pay thousands of dollars for hard-to-find shoes and trade up quickly for the latest models. Rare or limited-edition collaboration designs can
