I Have Nothing to Sell You Today
Just a picture of my dog in my shoes and some honesty about Black Friday
Does that mean I can’t participate on the internet? Does that mean I’m not a real sneakerhead?
Maybe it’s just me but I’m craving real connections more than big discounts. To be fair, it’s been years since I shopped on Black Friday. Once in a while I need something or come across something that gets me to buy, but I don’t think I’m the only one who is just tired of being overwhelmed by Black Friday messaging.
Every inbox today looks the same. 40% OFF. DOORBUSTER. FLASH SALE. LAST CHANCE. The urgency is manufactured. The scarcity is fake. And we all know it, but we check anyway because what if this time it’s actually good?
It never is.
The last few decades in this industry, I’ve watched Black Friday evolve from a single day of chaos into a month-long performance of desperation. Brands that couldn’t move product all year suddenly act like they’re doing you a favor by marking down the stuff that’s been sitting in warehouses since July.
I’ve been on the inside of these campaigns. Planned them months in advance. Watched the “limited quantities” get calculated instead of limited. Seen the “doorbusters” designed as loss leaders to get you in the door so you’d buy three other things at full price. The entire operation is theater.
The secondary market has reacted with gamified discounts disguised as deals. Is “winning” free shipping really a win?
The sneaker industry runs on FOMO. Black Friday is just FOMO on steroids. And I’m exhausted by it.
Here’s what I’d rather do today: post a cute picture of my dog with her paws in my shoes.
Not because it’s content. Not because it’s optimized for engagement. Just because it made me smile, and maybe it’ll make you smile too.
I’d rather tell you about a pair of shoes that meant something, like I did yesterday with the CP3.IIs, than try to convince you that you need to buy something right now before the timer runs out.
I’d rather build a community of people who care about stories than an audience optimized for conversion rates.
I’d rather write about why I have nothing to sell you than write copy disguised as content.
That’s what I’m building here. Not another affiliate link farm. Not another hype machine. Just stories that connect what we wear to who we are.
So no, I don’t have anything to sell you today.
But I do have something to offer: honesty. And a picture of my dog in my shoes.
Black Friday will be here again next year. The same emails. The same urgency. The same theater.
This newsletter will be here too. Still telling stories. Still refusing to play the game.
Still believing that real connection matters more than big discounts.
Thanks for being here. Thanks for wanting something different.
-Nick
