Track upcoming sneaker releases, size restocks, and limited edition drops

Sneakers have grown to be more than just footwear; they have become a significant part of popular culture. Besides buying sneakers, collecting them has become a popular hobby for many enthusiasts. Collectors view them as investments with the potential to appreciate. This has led to a growing secondary market where collectors buy, sell, and trade sneakers.

The wait for sneaker release dates is almost a phenomenon. Digital queues on e-commerce sites have sometimes even led to stockouts in mere minutes. Many sneaker releases are limited-edition and create a sense of exclusivity and urgency among potential buyers. The scarcity of these sneakers often leads to high demand, resulting in long lines, online queues, and even resale markets where the sneakers are sold for much higher prices.

Why do stockouts plague sneaker releases?

Sneaker culture has grown exponentially, with many consumers eager to get their hands on the latest releases. This surge in demand often outpaces the supply, leading to stockouts. The sneaker resale market significantly contributes to stockouts, as resellers use automated bots to buy limited-release sneakers online swiftly. This can cause stockouts in minutes, with resellers aiming to profit from the high resale value.

Sneaker enthusiasts vigilantly track websites like Nike, StockX, GOAT, and Stadium Goods due to high demand for sneakers and stock-out issues. Whenever a new sneaker drops or a popular one is restocked, there’s a race to secure these hot-ticket sneakers online.

The endless struggle of Sneakerheads: Juggling between sneaker releases and restocks

The pursuit of buying a pair of coveted and limited-edition sneakers can be arduous. You might relate when we say that buying a pair of your favorite sneakers is both a rewarding and demanding experience. Challenges arise due to:

• Limited information: Sneaker companies often release limited details about restocks or new releases, making it difficult for enthusiasts to stay informed.
• Inflated prices: When sneakers sell out, the resale market can inflate prices significantly, making it costly for collectors to acquire desired pairs.
• Counterfeits: The growing sneaker culture has led to the proliferation of counterfeit products, making it challenging for collectors to ensure the authenticity of their purchases.
• High competition: The immense popularity of sneakers leads to intense competition among sneakerheads, causing quick sellouts and challenges in securing desired pairs.
• Bots and scalpers: Automated bots and scalpers purchase limited-edition sneakers within seconds of release, leaving genuine buyers disadvantaged.
• Time investment: Keeping track of restocks and releases requires significant time and effort, including following various sources of information, such as social media, websites, and online forums.
• Geographic limitations: Some releases are exclusive to specific regions or stores, making purchasing difficult. Shipping restrictions, customs fees, and taxes further increase the overall cost.

Many sneaker enthusiasts have started using web monitoring tools like Distill to track sneaker restocks more effectively. In this article, we will guide you to use Distill to set up sneaker alerts to increase your chances of scoring your favorite kicks. We will cover 5 use-cases, namely:

1. Track sneaker restocks for your size
2. Get alerts when new sizes are available for your favorite sneakers
3. Monitor sneakers with “coming soon” labels for availability updates
4. Track the upcoming releases and launch calendar
5. Set up alerts for price drops on sneakers

Feel free to navigate to any section that is relevant to you. Please note that the article is written with nike.com as an example. You can follow the same steps to track any other website too.

1. Steps to track sneaker restocks for your size

Step 1: Download and install the Distill Chrome Browser extension. Distill is also available for Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. Once downloaded, we suggest you pin Distill to your browser.

Step 2: Navigate to the Nike website and search for the shoe of your choice. For example, if you are looking for Jordan shoes, you will need to follow a navigation path via Men >All Shoes >Jordans.

Step 3: For this example, we will be tracking the product page of Air Jordan 1 High G. Notice how unavailable sizes have been greyed out. If you notice your size is unavailable, follow along the next steps to get notified as soon as it becomes available.

Step 4: Click Distill icon at the top right of your browser and select “monitor parts of the page.” Then click the part of the section where your size is displayed but is greyed out. For example, we will track the when the size “M 6.5/ W 8” is back in stock.

Step 5: Choose “CSS selector” as the option from the drop down and paste the text [name='skuAndSize'][disabled]~* selector in the text box. This will select all the sizes that are currently unavailable.

Step 6: Choose your browser as the device (This will help you run local checks as long as the browser is open). Choosing a local device will help you run faster checks.

Optional: You can set a name for the monitor to help you identify it better in the Distill watchlist.

Set an interval for Distill to check the webpage. In our example, we’ll check the product page of Air Jordan 1 High G for a size “M 6.5/ W 8” every 15 minutes for new updates.

Choose a mode of alert by clicking “add action.” Based on your plan; you can choose between email, sms, discord, slack, and webhook calls. Paid users even get access to mobile app push notifications.

Step 8: Under the “Conditions” tab, customize alerts to notify you if your size sneaker is restocked on the product website. Select “Text” and “does not have” from the drop-down options and type in ypour size, for instance, “M 6.5/ W 8”. Click the “Save” option.

How does the condition work?

The “disabled” attribute is applied to form elements like buttons or input fields to prevent user interaction. When present, the element appears visually disabled, preventing users from clicking, typing, or making selections. In Step 5 the selector picked up all sizes that are unavailable and out of stock.

When the applied condition- “Text”, “does not have”, “M 6.5/ W 8” is true, it means the button is now enabled, indicating the size is available for purchase. Distill will trigger an alert when the condition is true so you can purchase your size immediately when it’s restocked.

JSON to get sneaker size restock alerts

Alternatively, you can download the JSON file below for a ready-to-use monitor that you can import into your Distill watchlist. Follow the simple steps in this article to import monitor JSON into your watch list. Once imported, you can customize the monitor to track any sneaker on nike.com. Refer to this section for steps on configuring your monitor.

Monitoring elements in a web page using outer HTML selector:

Alternatively, in Step 4, you can click the size you want to track for restocks. Click the caret symbol and select “Expand selection” 1 time. Notice how the black boundary of the tile chosen reads “div” which is short for “division.” Expanding the selection to div allows you to select the specific “size” container on the page to track it for any changes.

In the visual selector window, you’ll be able to view your selections as an XPath. Click on the dropdown under “text” to select the “Outer HTML” option and untick the text box. “Outer HTML” refers to the complete HTML code representation of an element in a web page, including the element itself, its attributes, and all its contents. In our case, the element of interest is size. Follow the same sequence of steps and apply the condition “Text does not have disabled”. When this is true, it means the button is now enabled, indicating the size is available for purchase.

JSON to get sneaker size restock alerts using Outer HTML selector

Troubleshooting tip:

Sometimes websites will throw a cookie pop up to remember information about your visit. These interfere with setting up a monitor or to keep them running. To solve this you can use Distill’s profile for cloud monitors.

Distill’s profiles help track changes on websites that require cookies.

You can reach out Distill forums for any questions while setting up your monitors. You may also be interested in reading a post on tracking nike.com for product availability and a forum query on how to monitor a pair of trainers for restocks using html elements.

2. Get alerts when new sizes are available for your favorite sneakers

If your size is not listed on the Nike Sneakers product page, it could be due to sold out cases, a limited size range for the model, or geographical differences in availability. Sometimes you may not find your size due to technical issues on the website or the sneakers being in pre-release or awaiting a restock.

Don’t be disheartened if this is the case. Distill will send alerts whenever your size gets listed on the product page.

Here are the steps to get notified of new sneaker size additions using Distill:

Step 1: Navigate to the page of your favorite sneaker. For our example, we have chosen “Air Jordan 1 Mid”. Say, the desired size is not listed (for example, there is no size below 7. We want size “M 6 / W 7.5” sneakers).

Step 2: Click the Distill extension and proceed to click “Monitor Parts of the Page” and select any size with a mouse click.

Step 3: Choose “CSS Selector” from the drop down and paste the selector text [name='skuAndSize']~* in the box. Hit enter and notice how the entire size section is highlighted to be tracked. Verify your selection by cross-checking the text displayed in the visual selector. Now click “Save Selection.”

Step 4: You’ll be directed to the options page to configure your monitor. Choose a device to run your monitor. We recommend using your local browser for faster checks, especially if you are on a free plan.

Choose a mode of alert by clicking “add action.” You can choose between email, SMS, Discord, Slack, and webhook calls based on your plan. Paid users also get access to mobile app push notifications.

Step 5: Under the “Conditions” section, click “Add Condition” and enter the sneaker size you want to purchase.

For instance, if you wish to track size “M 6 / W 7.5,” you can set the condition as “Added Text” " has" and type in your required size “M 6 / W 7.5”

You can add compound conditions with a combination of “any” or “all” logic for validating checks.

Note: Since sneaker sizes sell out fast, we recommend using frequent checks. Look at Distill’s plans to choose a subscription that suit your tracking needs. Paid plans also give you access to over 30k checks and unlimited mobile push notifications via the Distill iOS and Android app.

JSON to get alerts when new sizes are available

Download the following JSON for a ready-to-use monitor that you can import into your Distill watchlist.

Once imported, you can customize the monitor to track any sneaker on nike.com. Refer to this section for steps on configuring your monitor.

3. Track “coming soon” sneakers for availability updates

Sneakers have become an essential part of contemporary fashion and streetwear culture. Many sneaker releases, especially collaborations and special editions, are produced in limited quantities. This scarcity creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Some sneaker releases are connected to significant cultural moments, sports events, or personal stories of athletes and celebrities, which increase anticipation for a release. Tracking new & upcoming drops helps secure sought-after pairs before they sell out for your size.

Steps to track sneakers that have changed from ‘coming soon’ to ‘just in’:

For our example, we’ll use the Nike website to illustrate tracking upcoming sneaker drops. First, you’ll have to navigate to their new and upcoming drops page. Here, narrow down to the sneakers you want to buy.

Step 1: Navigate to the product page of the upcoming sneaker you’re interested in purchasing. For example, you want to buy a pair of Nike Dunk Mid. Next, click the Distill icon and choose the “Monitor parts of the page” option. Now you’ll see the Visual Selector appear.

Note: In this example, we will monitor the availability of the “Nike Dunk Mid” sneaker to track when its status changes from “coming soon” to “just in.” This will help us immediately place an order before the sneaker sells out.

Step 2: Use the Visual Selector to choose the page section that displays the “Coming Soon” sneaker

Step 3: Click the “Save selection” button. This will take you to the monitoring option page.

Step 4: On the options page you can customize your monitoring settings according to your preferences. You can select a device to run checks on the webpage (such as a browser for frequent checks and local pop-up notifications, or Distill’s cloud servers for 24/7 monitoring). You can also set the frequency of checks, such as every 5 minutes.

Step 5: Configure your preferred alert mode, such as email, SMS, Discord, etc. Take a look at Distill’s subscription plans to choose the features that best suit your tracking needs.

How the tracker works:

When the text “coming soon” changes, Distill will send you an alert. The notification is an indication that the sneaker’s status on product page has changed. This is due to “coming soon” having disappeared from the page implying that the sneaker is now “just in” and available for purchase.

Note: When the ‘coming soon’ button disappears from the page your monitor might notice your selection is not present and throw a ‘selection empty error’. To handle this situation where your selection might disappear from a page, we advise you to include an additional element in your selection on the page that is going to remain unchanged. An ideal element to choose would be the page’s <title> element. The title tag’s XPath selector is //title and CSS selector is title. This way your alerts get triggered without erroring out whenever there is change on either of your selections. Which means, the alerts would be due to the change detected when the ‘coming soon’ button disappears from the page.

To score a coveted sneaker drop that sells out fast, we advise you to set low-interval checks. Sneakerheads are known to be competitive. In the past we’ve witnessed sneakers like Off-White x Nike Air Jordan 1 UNC sell out in under a minute. The Nike SB Dunk Low “Travis Scott” disappeared within minutes, some sizes sold out in just 10 seconds. Even in 2015, when the sneaker culture was just emerging, the Air Jordan 11 “72-10” sold out in minutes, with over one million pairs sold!

4. Track upcoming sneaker release dates and launch calendar

Launch calendars help you plan your purchases in advance, enabling you to allocate your budget and prioritize the releases that matter the most to you. Launch calendars provide up-to-date information on upcoming releases, including limited editions, collaborations, and new colorways. Read ahead to learn how you can use Distill to set up alerts for launch calendars.

Step 1: Go to the Nike’s launch page and click the Distill icon at the top right of your browser.

Step 2: Select the “Monitor Full Page” option.

Step 3: You will be directed to the options page, where you can configure the tracker. Choose your browser as the device to run local checks as long as the browser remains open. This will enable faster checks.

Optionally, set a name for the monitor to help you identify multiple website monitors in the Distill watchlist.

Step 4: Under “schedule checks” set an interval for Distill to check the Sneaker launch page for new updates.

Step 5: Select your preferred notification method under the “Action” section. Choose “email” if you have a free account to receive updates via email. Paid users can access more notifications and receive updates through SMS and mobile app push notifications.

Step 6: Click “Save” option to add the website monitor to your Distill watchlist.

Note: You can add conditions on the options page to get alerts when Nike officially announces the release of your favorite sneakers. For example, a condition can be used to check for the name of your sneakers on the launch page. You will set it up as “added text”, “has”, and “nike air force 1 ‘07”.

You will receive alerts whenever there are any changes or updates to the sneaker information on the Nike launch page you are monitoring. You can also check the Distill watchlist to see a history of all changes detected by the monitor.

5. Set up alerts for price drops on sneakers

Monitoring price fluctuations on sneakers helps you make informed decisions about when to purchase sneakers and at what price point, enabling you to make the most of your budget.

You can use Distill to track price changes on any pair of sneakers and buy them cheaply. Here’s a detailed blog on “How to track price drops on sneakers?” that walks you through steps to set up a sneaker price tracker.

You can also follow the steps in this video guide to tracking price of your favorite sneaker using Distill.

Alternatively, you can import this monitor JSON into your Distill watchlist to track prices of sneakers on nike.com

JSON to track sneaker price on nike.com

Steps to modify the monitor after importing JSON:

Once you have imported the monitor via JSON, you can easily customize the configurations to suit your needs. In this example, say you want to track a different sneaker.

Step 1: Click the caret icon to expand and view options. Click “Edit Options”.

Step 2: Edit the URL on the options page and enter the product page URL of the sneaker whose price you want to track

Step 3: Choose the device to run checks on. Eg: You can choose local monitors for faster checks and cloud monitors for round the clock checks. For more details refer to Distill docs on local and cloud monitor.

Step 4: Set a frequency for checks. On a free plan you are limited to 6 hours of checks in the cloud. But a minimum interval of 5 seconds is available on local monitors on all plans.

Step 5: Add actions to set up alerts.

When is the best time to buy sneakers?

• January: After the holiday season, retailers often offer discounts to clear out their inventory.

• May: As the weather gets warmer, retailers may offer sales on sneakers to make room for summer styles.

• November: Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales offer discounts on a wide range of products, including sneakers.

• December: Retailers may offer discounts on sneakers as part of their holiday promotions.

You can also find bargain shoes year-round during holiday sales, back-to-school sales, and markdown schedules.

How can you get deals and discounts on sneakers?

• Loyalty programs: Many sneaker retailers offer loyalty programs that allow you to earn points or rewards for purchases, which can be redeemed for discounts or exclusive promotions.

• Participate in product prototype testing: Sign up for mailing lists and online surveys of your favorite sneaker brands to get an opportunity to participate in their product prototype testing programs. Some programs may offer recognition or incentives to participants, such as exclusive merchandise or early access to future releases.

• Buy pre-owned or gently used sneakers: You can often find great deals on pre-owned or gently used sneakers through online marketplaces like eBay, Poshmark, and Grailed.

• Opt for older models or colorways: When new sneaker models or colorways are released, prices of older versions may drop. Consider purchasing previous models or less popular colorways for a lower cost.

• Wait for holiday or special event sales: Brands often offer discounts during major holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, as well as special events like back-to-school season or NBA All-Star Weekend.

Additionally, you can attend brand activations, such as pop-up stores or in-store events, to receive complimentary product samples and a chance to win exclusive gifts. You can also check for specific web store credit card terms regarding rewards points or exclusive discounts.

Conclusion

Staying updated about the latest information is crucial when you want to buy fast selling premium goods like sneakers. We advise you to follow and track sneaker blogs and websites like Sneaker News, Sole Collector, and Highsnobiety that frequently post updates about upcoming sneaker releases, collaborations, and everything about the sneaker culture.

You can track price changes, upcoming releases, restock, and new sizes all in one place with Distill. It tracks changes right on the website, sends you push notifications in realtime and helps you beat “notify me” queues that are destined to end up in your spam.

Distill extension is available on Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge. Based on your requirement you can browse the subscription plans for access to more frequent checks and instant alerts on the go via the Distill iOS app and Android app.

In case you have any queries while setting up your trackers, you can reach out to us on Distill forums.