What do Nike SB Dunk Low Chunky Dunky, Yeezy Boost 350 and JordanxTravis Scott have in common? It's not just comfort, quality or design. These are all ‘Limited Edition’ drops that have fueled the growing sneaker culture in India, creating significant hype and demand. A limited-edition drop is a new product line release that is only available for a limited time or in limited quantities. This scarcity-driven strategy is designed to create a buzz that shoots up the demand and prices of these items.

People want the feeling of exclusivity and uniqueness. There’s an appeal in knowing you’re unlikely to run into anyone wearing your sneakers-especially for hyped drops where competition is high, and the products are a form of social capital. Consumers are even willing to wait in line for hours, compete with bots online, and enter countless raffles just to get products from a limited collection. For some, the fear of missing out (FOMO) on a scarce item is so intense they’re happy to pay premium prices to get what they want.