I'd just like to share my experience ordering V3s, the $200 broken-lights pair, from sneakerahead.ru. As I read this and other threads quite thoroughly before buying in order to gather info on the process and Sneakerahead's customer service, I think sharing my experience might help others in deciding whether to buy a pair of MAGs from Sneakerahead or not.
Initially I had heard on this forum that I might be able to pay via Paypal, but those who were able to do so were only able to do that via Martha. As Joyce, not Martha, was the one who responded to the emails I sent to their listed address (aftersaleno3@gmail.com), and no one was able to give me Martha's contact info, I was left with few other options but to pay via Western Union. I implored with several messages, but Joyce was really firm in refusing to accept Paypal. It was a bit of a hassle for me in Japan, because Western Unions are hard to come by and require a few hoops to jump through, but I made the effort and rolled the dice. I asked Joyce if I could apply any of the discounts (6% for using Western Union; $15 sneakerahead-dis), but she said I couldn't, which was easy to understand, considering the shoes, albeit broken, were already quite heavily discounted. I also confirmed that I could get quality control photos before they shipped. Joyce agreed to that, as long as I paid first.
One step which was a bit confusing for me was whether I had to place an order on the website or not in order to log my purchase. The regular-priced MAGs have a clear ordering page, but there are also some other pages for MAG "fees", one of which was for $200, and I'm not sure what those are for or what even happens when you put any of those in your cart and try to pay. Anyways, Joyce told me that I could just wire the $200 to the account info listed on the website, so I just did that, because in order to log-in you're asked for credit card and other personal info. As I've decided to pay via Western Union, I figured it was best not to divulge any credit info if I didn't have to.
After paying at the Western Union, I gave Joyce a few days to get back to me with quality control photos, but I was quite shocked when she eventually got back to me saying that they no longer had any size 8.5 broken-light pairs! I was a bit worried and quite annoyed at the fact that they didn't have the product that I had already gone out of my way to pay for. Joyce suggested that she ship me some Yeezy Boosts instead, or that I add more money and pay for the fully lit MAGs, but I was unwilling to accept any of these suggestions.
Although I was quite annoyed, I kept a voice of calm in all my communications. Eventually, I requested that since the fault was on their side for taking my money for size 8.5 MAGs without actually having any to ship me, they send me a fully-lit pair, from the old stock they're trying to clear out, minus the box - no Yeezies, no bait-and-switch upselling. Joyce agreed, and within a week I received my size 8.5 MAGs. There was no box, and the soles weren't icy, but I was able to get a fully-lit pair, and I even received a charger, which I wasn't expecting.
Overall, I'd say it was a fair experience. There were a few hiccups, but Joyce at Sneakerahead eventually settled on an outcome that actually worked out better for me in the end. I'm quite happy with the MAGs, and because of the decent customer service, I won't be reticent about ordering from sneakerahead.ru in the future, should I want another pair.
Paying $1300 to $1400 for power-laced MAGs is a whole other story though. I think it's a mistake to express any interest in the PL MAGs at that price point, considering that the retail price of authentic Nike HyperAdapts with power-lacing technology (including step-in sensors and tightening indicator lights) is about half of this suggested MAG price. $750 for authentic Nike HyperAdapts. $1400 for unauthorized PL Mags? At such a markup, my guess is that anyone willing to gamble on these shoes, which will no doubt be prone to electronic/mechanical failure will probably still be able to get them if their willingness to pay was lowered to, say, $700. No?
If any of you vendors are reading this, I think I'd be willing to pay $700 and not much more. What would you other RPF readers be willing to pay?
