words // Brandon Richard
Those who were up hoping to purchase the Kobe 9 Premium from Nikestore this morning were welcomed by an all-new launch countdown system.
Something we've seen used by Foot Locker and their affiliate sites for years, the clock simply counts down to the designated launch time. A change from their usual launch method, Nikestore sent the link out on Twitter ahead of time.
Unfortunately, there were some hiccups for the first run of the countdown clock. In this video by Heskicks of collectivekicks.com, he does a great job of walking you through the live experience from this morning. Apparently, when the clock hit 0:00 at 8:00 a.m. EST, it froze buyers using the web platform out of picking up a pair. Meanwhile, those using mobile were able to secure theirs, and Nikestore announced a sellout shortly after — along with an apology for technical difficulties.
Without knowing a lot about Nike's way of thinking, it's hard to understand what benefits they foresee in the countdown clock. Bot makers have had the code cracked for quite some time, making purchasing on sites like Foot Locker and Eastbay for botless buyers nearly impossible. At the very least, it'll prevent some people from hustling others for an "early link."
The countdown system is the latest in a string of moves Nikestore has made to revamp its checkout process. In March, they implemented a CAPTCHA system that has also had its troubles.
After today's difficulties, it'll be interesting to see if the countdown returns tomorrow, when sneakerheads will flood the site for the 'Carmine' Air Jordan 6 release.
Did you attempt to purchase the Kobe 9 Premium this morning? Share your experience with us below.
