Unusual new retail startup aimed at ‘sneakerheads’

Whatever you may have been doing at age 17, it was likely less impressive than launching a new e-commerce/ social media platform aimed at sneaker aficionados.



But that’s just what New York-based 17-year-old sneaker enthusiast Anthony Debrantt has done, founding a new online and mobile marketplace called Sneakmart. The site has offers hundreds of thousands of new and used sneakers, including major brands.



"Since my 12th birthday when I started my sneaker collection, sneakers have always played an important role in my life and are what fueled my passion for wanting to create a simplified buying and selling method for sneakerheads,” said Debrant, who is serving as CEO of the start-up. “With Sneakmart, my vision was to create an online experience and mobile app that felt uniquely suited to the sneakerhead community. While the platform functions as a marketplace, our long-term vision is to create a social experience that encourages sneaker lovers to interact with one another and contribute content, stories and more."



Each user is able to create a personalized page, both on the mobile app and website, that is reflective of his/her own sneaker preferences. Items can be uploaded to the app through a user's camera phone, and there is no restriction on pricing.



Similar to the app, the website allows users to buy, sell and trade sneakers while also sharing information about sneakers. The platform also features a rating system for consumers to rank their buying experiences.

"In creating the site's interface and mobile app, our goal was to make something that was less sterile and more interactive, as mobile is the go-to search tool for sneakerheads," Debrant said. "In doing so, we believe that we deliver what consumers want – a trusted, reliable and easy-to-use resource that is far different and better than other sites that currently exist."



Sneakmart is another reminder that in this era of easy web and mobile development and social connectivity, almost anyone can create a digital retail marketplace without having to worry about inventory, shipping, overhead or any other traditional retailing headaches. Sneakmart itself may or may not prove successful, but the idea behind it is not going away.