Nike’s SNKRS app is the most embarrassing part of the sneaker community

Nike’s flavorful SB “Street Hawker” Dunk Low Pro dropped today, but it looks like Nike dropped the ball too. With the shoes dropping on the brand’s infamous SNKRS app, something deplorable was bound to happen. Consumers — or rather, would-be consumers — are complaining of multiple app errors, including failed payment issues, size glitches, and infinite loading screens.

While this certainly isn’t the first time people have cursed the SNKRS app, this is a pretty epic fail for Nike. It comes just after the brand’s disastrous Nike By You Dunk Low drop, which featured similar errors despite being listed on Nike’s website. Much like the Street Hawker drop, hundreds of users were snubbed out of a Dunk.

SNKRS, SMH — This wasn’t just any Dunk that Nike fumbled though. The SB Dunk Low Street Hawker, designed by Guangzhou artist Jason Deng, pays homage to Chinese street food vendors and the bonding effects food has. Carefully crafted with different textures, colors, and symbols, the shoe represents six regional dishes from Chinese cities, combined with a slew of other, subtly-incorporated nods to Chinese cuisine. The Street Hawker is as unique as it is culturally significant.

Of course, these details made its drop extremely popular — but that’s nothing new for Nike or the SNKRS app, which together have released hundreds, if not thousands, of sneakers. For the app to glitch this badly is pretty embarrassing.

Those that were able to score the shoes said they had to re-enter payment methods multiple times, while others anxiously watched loading screens as their sizes sold out. Some claim they weren’t allowed into the SNKRS app to begin with. We reached out to Nike for a comment on what went wrong, but haven't heard back yet.

Exclusive, and not in a good way — With the increase in demand for the Dunk silhouette, Nike has been announcing new Dunk releases like crazy. But what good are all of those drops if customers can’t even buy the sneaker? If Nike truly wants the Dunk to be accessible to everyone, it needs to fix its repeated glitching.

This is now the second time a widespread error has occurred, leaving hundreds Dunk-less. If this trend continues, customers might give up on future Nike releases, opting for resale or other retailers. Just hours after its release, the Street Hawker Dunk was listed on eBay for close to $800.

Now, those that can only afford the OG pricing — or those that don’t want to blow $800 on sneakers — are paying the price for Nike’s mistake. To truly ensure everyone gets a Dunk, the brand has to rethink its strategy for future drops. Preorders, virtual lines, and multiple, smaller drops are all good options. Or, just maybe, it needs to completely redesign its SNKRS app, because whatever Nike is doing with it right now is clearly not working for sneakerheads.