Some of the most coveted products Nike has to offer get loaded onto their SNKRS Mobile App for release, usually employing the “draw” release method (a 10-minute raffle that picks winners shortly after the time period) for consumers to attempt to purchase the limited sneakers. For some of their most significant drops, you may notice online discussion surrounding “exclusive access,” which is a way for The Swoosh to sell a limited number of pairs prior to the actual release day to select Nike Members. The methods for gaining this coveted access have long been a mystery, though lately, Nike has begun to explain the parameters they use to determine which users get selected (as seen with the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found” and with the Air Jordan 3 "White Cement Reimagined."
What is SNKRS Exclusive Access?
Exclusive Access on the Nike SNKRS App is a way for Nike to offer pairs of sneakers to Nike Members through an invitation rather than via a standard release method like a draw or LEO (let everyone order). While most releases are for pairs that have yet to see a wide drop, sometimes pairs can restock months later and be offered through Exclusive Access like the Patta x Nike Air Max 1 “Rush Maroon”. Essentially, Nike chooses “random” members who meet select criteria with the previously mentioned Patta x Nike Air Max pair being offered to users who voted on a poll in the SNKRS App.
For quite some time, the process for getting selected has been very opaque with very little explanation of the selection process given prior to Exclusive Access going out. Our first notable example of The Swoosh giving out details for EA was for the infamous Off-White x Nike Dunk Low “The 50” which was said to prioritize users who interacted with the SNKRS App through sharing links, hitting the “notify me” button, and voting on polls. Users reported online that many brand new accounts, or those with little activity, were given EA while those who have had their accounts for years and constantly use the app were left in the dark during the two-week EA period for the release.
Prior to the November 19th, 2022 drop date for the coveted Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found,” Nike posted on the SNKRS app with a detailed breakdown of how they would select users for the Exclusive Access drop on November 8th, 2022. As stated in their post, “The offers will go out to a selection of Members who have entered and lost at least 20 different Air Jordan 1 High releases on SNKRS.” This gave true fans of the Air Jordan 1 High a shot at securing one of 2022s most sought-after sneakers just a bit early, though just like with “The 50” release, many reported that they received access while not meeting these parameters. The same can be said for their recent EA drop of the Nike Dunk Low “Kentucky” which stated select members who entered and lost 25 different Nike Dunk releases would receive EA.
How to get Exclusive Access on SNKRS?
Going off past history of Exclusive Access, there is no guaranteed way to secure the invitation to purchase a pair of sneakers from Nike, though going forward The Swoosh may be more transparent with their selection process based on their recent explanations of EA. Some methods that users have claimed help with their chances include voting on polls that appear on the SNKRS App, watching live streams like “Heating Up,” and interacting with products and pages on the SNKRS app itself. Others have theorized that newer accounts may be prioritized as a way to draw people into using the app and going for sneaker releases, however, this is just anecdotal evidence and should not be taken as gospel.
How to know if you have Exclusive Access on SNKRS
Typically, Nike will load Exclusive Access the night before the event. When Exclusive Access loads, users can go to the product page for the sneaker via mobile web or desktop and login to their account. If you have been selected, a black bar will appear that reads “Exclusive Access” alongside the expiration date of the time of the offer.
In the event Nike doesn’t load Exclusive Access the night before, SNKRS App will send a push notification to you if you were selected for EA. Clicking the notification will bring you to the page and allow you to purchase the product, though it isn’t guaranteed - so act as quickly as possible. All of that said, relying on SNKRS to send the notification is risky. Nike has been known to send delayed push notifications, so it is important to stay on top of it and check when Exclusive Access goes live at 12pm EST. Make sure you follow us over on Twitter and have the Sole Retriever mobile app downloaded as we’ll send notifications prior to and during Exclusive Access releases with direct links to the product page.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
