The dot-com bubble may have burst in the early 2000s, but decades later, the power of a straightforward website address is still undeniable. For GOAT Group, this means launching Sneakers.com, a new e-commerce concept that chief brand officer Sen Sugano says has long been part of the company’s larger strategy. 

“We’ve really established ourselves in the premium sneaker and apparel categories,” Sugano told Footwear News. “And while that is still very much a focus for us too, we always saw an opportunity to reach an even larger audience with the everyday footwear shopper.”

While the collectibility and scarcity of limited-edition releases are key components of GOAT Group, which owns and operates Alias, Flight Club, GOAT and Grailed, its newest arm aims to capture a different segment of consumer. Rather than the hype-driven shopper browsing for the latest hard-to-find collaborations or sold-out styles, Sneakers.com is catering to people buying shoes for work, school, travel and everyday pursuits. 

You won’t find the Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 “Alaska” on sneakers.com, nor will you be able to buy Bad Bunny’s newest link-up with Adidas. Vans’ popular pearlized shoes are unlikely to pop up, and the same goes for Nike’s latest limited-edition Air Max innovation, the Air Liquid Max. Instead, the pairs that populate Sneakers.com’s attention-grabbing landing page are more accessible models, shoes which can be purchased for far below their original retail prices. 

Instead, it’s staple sneakers like the Adidas Gazelle, New Balance 9060 and Nike Air Force 1 that have been top sellers for the site in its soft launch. But what makes 2026 an ideal time to launch a more budget-friendly platform to complement GOAT Group’s already established brands?

“I think, especially now, we’re operating in a moment where value really matters,” Sugano said. “Consumers want to see their dollar go further. More than that, they need their dollar to go further. But at the same time, they don’t want to sacrifice quality or the trust experience. That’s really why we built Sneakers.com. It’s to better serve this customer while also expanding our reach.”

After more than a decade of building out the GOAT Group infrastructure, supply chain and operational expertise, Sneakers.com allows the company to now leverage that experience and tailor it for a wider audience. And while a site focused on budget-friendly footwear is new territory for the company, Sugano says that kind of customer had already been shopping with GOAT. It was just a matter of finding the right opportunity to launch a more focused experience.  

“Everyone assumed [GOAT] was just high-end product, but we always had a segment of everyday shoppers,” Sugano said. “It’s just that the high-demand product always took up most of the real estate and attention. With our operations, supply, and partners, it just felt like now was the right time, given where we are as a company and where the customer is today.”

Aside from its wide selection of styles, one of the biggest factors of Sneakers.com’s appeal is its pricing. Many of the platform’s top sellers are priced at 40 percent or more below their original retail prices. An Adidas Samba that may typically sell in stores for $100 can be purchased for $60, while the classic Triple White Air Force 1 that retails for $115 can be found for as low as $81. The site’s pricing is dependent on sizing and supply availability and is mostly sourced from large-format sellers with excess inventory including, in some cases, the brands directly. 

The site currently offers a variety of footwear brands including Adidas, Brooks, Converse, Crocs, Hoka, Jordan Brand, New Balance, Nike, On, Reebok, Saucony, Timberland, Ugg, Vans, and more.

Sugano told FN that Sneakers.com is averaging around $70 per order in its soft launch stage, which is less than one-third of the average order value on GOAT Group’s other platforms. The site is noticing a high number of repeat shoppers, particularly those in the running shoe category. Sugano attributed this to the wear-and-tear that running sneakers can quickly accumulate, requiring runners to stock up on their favorite pairs. He also pointed out another factor in the landscape of ever-evolving technology: runners often seek out past-season models they’ve come to love that can no longer be found on store shelves.

“We have some of those older products, and when customers find them, especially at a good price, they stock up,” Sugano said.

Other key metrics include a high volume of family shopping, such as a mom shopping for her kids who decides to pick up a pair of her own when checking out. And while the majority of shoppers are taking advantage of the under-retail prices, Sugano noted there’s still a segment of orders still paying close to full price.

GOAT Group’s co-founder, Eddy Lu, said that Sneakers.com will bring an entirely new consumer to the company while complimenting its existing brands. 

“What we’re most excited about is the opportunity to build even greater loyalty with our customers across all of our brands,” Lu said. “Whether they’re looking for a deal on runners on Sneakers.com today or shopping for a collectible on Flight Club tomorrow, we want to be there every step of the way.”

GOAT Group was founded in 2015 by Lu and Daishin Sugano and built early momentum with its popular Black Friday promotions. In 2018, the company received $60 million in investment from Index Ventures and subsequently acquired Flight Club, one of the original sneaker resale consignment stores. In 2022, GOAT Group acquired the Grailed, an apparel-focused peer-to-peer marketplace which the company had invested in the year prior. The company also operates a separate platform for sales called Alias. 

Sugano said the Sneakers.com team plans to scale quickly, hinting at more to come for the e-commerce brand this year. And while there’s aggressive competition in the various resale spaces GOAT Group already occupies, such as eBay and StockX, Sugano said the newest venture isn’t meant to contend with anyone in particular.

“The market is obviously incredibly large, and right now there is wide range of players. We’re not building this for a specific competitor in mind. We’re really focused on creating the best experience for the customer,” Sugano said.

That experience, set for its wide launch this week, is intentionally simplified and streamlined. When shoppers visit the site, they’re created with a clean, product-forward interface that emphasizes pricing and discounts with large text and easy-to-browse filters. This purposeful design prevents shoppers from having to browse through multiple listings to find what they want.

“Sneakers.com gives us the opportunity to meet this everyday customer where they are,” Sugano said.