“Nike” has long since become not just footwear, but a mass cultural phenomenon. But if we’re not talking about Chinese “knockoffs,” all kinds of Nice and Nikke, then the prices for brand-name new releases and classic styles are frankly steep. At least if you buy them from intermediaries in Russia. It’s not a fact that a well-known store has original Nike shoes. It has happened before: you buy a pair, check the number on the official website, and it’s not in the registry of original sneakers. Yes, that happens even with well-known stores in Russia, especially online stores. Sneakers from top brands such as Adidas, New Balance, or Nike itself cost on average 50% more in our country than in the USA.
This is evident even from official online stores. And then there are such “monsters” as 6PM, Amazon, or eBay itself, where you can look for even better deals, cutting the price by another one and a half or even two times. The point is that in Russia there is a “brand-name” markup from the flagship brands, plus margin costs for intermediaries, warehouse expenses, store rent, salaries, and so on. Buying good shoes in Russia is frankly unprofitable. This situation creates a favorable “window” for ordering Nike from the USA. It’s worth taking advantage of.
Black Friday sale for self-service purchases through the prostobox.com service.
At the origins of Nike footwear
How did Nike sneakers break into the global top? It all started with a meeting between the famous track-and-field coach Bill Bowerman and runner Phil Knight, a freshman at the University of Oregon. After his studies, Phil embraced the idea of pushing aside the expensive German sneakers that were trending at the time with cheaper Japanese counterparts. In those days, the market was split between professional running shoes from $30 a pair and cheap but uncomfortable sneakers for five bucks. Phil and Bill decided to fix this by creating a “middle” price point. In 1962, Phil began exporting Japanese Tiger sneakers to the USA, creating the company Blue Ribbon Sports. Knight’s parents’ laundry room became the warehouse for the first three hundred pairs.
Phil Knight did not forget his mentor and in time invited Bowerman to become a partner. Besides Bowerman’s trainees, the new product was sold at running practice venues from Knight’s car. It is believed that the first pair developed by Bowerman went to runner Otis Davis, and he won two “golds” at the Olympics wearing them.
In the first year, one thousand three hundred pairs were sold, bringing the partners their first eight thousand dollars. A year later, Phil and Bill had already hired their first employees, having earned $20 000, and in 1965 the first Nike sneaker store (which was also a workshop) opened in Santa Monica. That year the partners had already “raked in” $100 000.
Nike from the USA “Swoosh”
By the way, speaking of the first employees. Knight hired his university running rival, Jeff Jonon. He was the one who sold the first Tiger shoes from a van, and he was also the one who surveyed athletes about exactly what kind of sneakers they wanted to buy in the future. He passed the information on to Phil and Bowerman, who were already developing their own models and strategy.
It was Johnson who, in 1965, dreamed of Nike, the Roman goddess of victory. The idea was liked, so the first in-house sneakers from Blue Ribbon Sports were named Nike. And the first model under the Nile brand was the “marathoners” with a nylon upper that replaced traditional leather. The new model did not crack in the sun, which in those days was a problem for many sneakers.
So, the name and the team. But what about the famous crescent “Swoosh”? Its creation is credited to student Carolyn Davidson. In fact, Phil Knight did not like a single one of the options Carolyn proposed, but the sneakers desperately needed a recognizable logo, and through gritted teeth he chose the Swoosh, promising to “get used to” it. At the time, Carolyn received only 35 dollars for her work, but over time she received a diamond ring with a black checkmark - the “swoosh” - and 500 Nike shares as a token of gratitude.
Nike: the beginning of success
Nike became what we know it as in the 70s-80s. The springboard to success was the Moon Shoe, presented at the 1972 Olympics. By the way, its sole was created by Bill Bowerman through experiments with rubber and his wife's waffle iron. The solution became groundbreaking thanks to excellent traction on the track and excellent resistance to wear. A pair of Moon Shoes even became the most expensive sneakers in history. In 2019, it was sold at Sotheby's for 440 thousand dollars.
And at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, quite a lot of Olympic runners were already shopping at the Nike store. However, the creators of Nike did not plan to limit themselves to the professional sports market. Soon Americans were wearing Nike, and soon swooshes adorned tracksuits, baseball caps, hoodies, and much, much more.
But real success came after Nike caught on with street gangs of all skin colors and eye shapes. Coming to school in the wrong sneakers meant trouble from a "competing organization." The guys might not understand. It wasn't for nothing that Michael Jordan turned them down three times with their lucrative offer. His religious upbringing did not allow him to support them. In the end, big money won out.
Nike USA legendary sneaker models
The famous Nike Air technology was based on the idea of Frank Rudy, a former NASA engineer. At first, he was turned down both by Nike and its competitors, but Rudy was persistent, and at the second interview the company bought his development. And it paid off.
The idea of an “air cushion” in the sole compared favorably with the usual rubber tubes, which became compressed after active use. But the sole from Nike stayed soft and springy for a long time. Air technology became Nike’s hallmark for many years.
- Nike Air Max. To this day, the most popular model. Its signature feature is a transparent “portal” through which the cushioning air unit can be seen. This solution was proposed by Tinker Hatfield, inspired by Paris’s Pompidou art center with its external communications. In 2019, the Air Max incarnation, Graviton, was the most popular both on Nike’s official website in America and on online platforms like 6PM.com. By the way, there “Graviton” will cost you from $50, while in Russia its price exceeds a hundred dollars (7600 rubles).
- Nike Air Force. High-top sneakers with shin protection. This type of footwear is popular in the NBA and on the streets of New York and Los Angeles. Over time, it became associated with the street culture of black neighborhoods. On Nike’s official website in America, their price starts at $90, while here they start at 9 thousand rubles (about $120).
- Nike Air Jordan. “Signature” sneakers that became iconic. The first pair was an exclusive for Michael Jordan, and later the model went into production, getting its own logo with Michael in a jump. Air Jordan 1 Mid in the Russian Federation will cost somewhere around 9 - 9.5 thousand rubles. If you order these Nike from America, they will cost $110, saving you a thousand to one and a half thousand even with shipping. Add to that the more diverse selection Americans have.
Where to buy Nike in the USA?
The most obvious place is Nike.com. We recommend first checking the discounts section, but even without them, the large selection and prices one and a half times lower than in the Russian Federation make shopping there attractive.
- Amazon.com. Where would we be without Bezos's brainchild? Here you will find 60,000 Nike items. There are sneakers, clothing, and headwear here, both new and from older collections.
- Zappos.com. Probably the most top and popular online shoe store in the USA with excellent service. Thousands of sneakers, and now Nike clothing as well. You probably won't find especially выгодных discounts here, but delivery to the Prostobox warehouse in the USA will be free.
- 6PM.com. One of the main sale platforms in America. Discounts up to 70%. Here you can easily save a couple or three thousand rubles on a pair, even taking into account delivery to Russia. Delivery to the Prostobox warehouse will be free for orders from $50, and for that money you can quite well find excellent branded sneakers.
In addition to the obvious advantages like price and a wide selection, shopping in the USA guarantees the quality of the models, because the American market is protected from counterfeits much better than the Russian one. So choose sneakers to your taste, and Prostobox USA package delivery service will take care of reliable delivery.
To start shopping, register on the Prostobox website and get a USA address for independent purchases.
Our advantages.
An address in the tax-free state of Delaware allows you to shop in any USA online store without VAT tax. VAT is the equivalent of our sales tax, which the buyer pays when purchasing goods.
Filling out and submitting a customs declaration for purchases in American stores by a Prostobox buyer from 5$.
With us you can calculate shipping of Nike shoes from the USA to Russia or Ukraine. We have prepared a simplified but accurate shipping calculator. You will like it.
When can you buy nike sneakers in the USA at a discount?
Dear visitors! Please note that the lowest prices on nike sneakers are on Black Friday. Use the services of Prostobox.com specialists to get the best service. However, significant discounts and sales are held regularly. Nike is a famous and popular company that has a huge number of partners all across America. There is no day in the year when they do not have a promotion or sale.
Current sales and promotions in American online stores for customers from Russia and Ukraine.
What to do if the store declines card payment?
Dear visitors to our website. In this case you can use the order purchase service from the official website with a Prostobox buyer. Our buyers will purchase the order using their own cards and addresses, and will also help arrange delivery to any city in Russia and Ukraine.
According to statistics, every fifth package from Amazon USA contains Nike sneakers.
From 3,99$ and 100 grams shipping from USA stores to Russia
Full-cycle mail forwarder intermediary Prostobox.com.
Our recommended stores with their own buyers.
Amazon.com USA order purchase and delivery of orders with Nike from the USA to Russia and Ukraine.
Ebay.com USA order purchase and delivery of orders with Nike from the USA to Russia and Ukraine.
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