Sneaker collecting has exploded in recent years, with the global sneaker resale market predicted to reach $30 billion by 2030. At the heart of this booming industry are hyped, limited-edition drops from brands like Nike, Adidas, and Supreme. Buying these exclusive releases at retail price is known as "copping" in the sneaker world. And it‘s no easy feat.
Whether you‘re a sneakerhead looking to grow your collection, or an entrepreneurial reseller after a side hustle, copping the hottest sneakers is extremely competitive. Releases are often gone in seconds, snatched up by people using specialized tools and techniques to gain an edge. If you want a chance at buying some of the most coveted kicks, you need to know how to cop.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk you through everything you need to know about copping shoes in 2024. What are the essential ingredients and tools required? How do you actually use them during a drop? Where can you get the best bots, proxies and other sneaker tech? We‘ll cover it all, and more.
By the end, you‘ll be fully equipped with the knowledge and skills to compete with the pros and secure your grails. So let‘s dive right into the world of sneaker copping!
The Essential Ingredients for Copping Success
At a high level, successful shoe copping comes down to a few key elements:
- Knowing the release details and getting to the right sites quickly
- Using bots to create multiple tasks and automate the checkout process
- Evading IP blocks and increasing your chances with sneaker proxies
- Having the processing power to run everything with sneaker servers
- Preparing with enough virtual credit cards to make multiple purchases
- Getting help and insider info from a cook group
We‘ll explore each of these areas in-depth. But first, let‘s look at where you‘ll actually be buying the shoes from.
The Main Sites for Sneaker Drops in 2024
These are some of the key places to look out for hyped sneaker releases this year:
- Nike SNKRS and regional Nike sites for Nike drops
- Adidas Confirmed, Yeezy Supply, and regional Adidas sites for Yeezy releases
- Supreme for the brand‘s weekly drops every Thursday
- Shopify sites like Kith, Bape, and Undefeated which host various drops
- Foot sites like Foot Locker, Champs, and Eastbay
- Finishline, JD Sports, and Hibbett Sports
Different sites have different drop mechanisms – some are first-come-first-served, others use raffles or queues. Releases happen throughout the year, usually announced a few weeks or days in advance. Following sneaker news accounts and cook groups on Twitter and Discord is the best way to stay on top of upcoming drops.
Sneaker Botting – The Key to Copping Multiple Pairs
With hyped releases selling out instantly, manually copping shoes is extremely difficult these days. To have a real chance at securing a pair, you need a sneaker bot.
A sneaker bot is an automated program that completes the checkout process for you, often faster than a human can. It creates multiple "tasks", each acting as a separate customer, to buy multiple pairs from a single release. Sneaker bots operate 24/7 and can monitor sites for surprise restocks that you might miss.
The best bots for 2024 support a wide variety of sites and allow extensive customization. Some of the most popular ones are:
- Cybersole AIO (all-in-one) bot
- Wrath AIO bot
- Kodai AIO bot
- NSB (Nike Shoe Bot)
- Ganesh and Velox for Shopify sites
- Stellar for Foot sites
- TrickleBot for Supreme
All of these bots have active communities on Discord and Twitter where users share success stories, tips and setup guides. Renting or buying a bot can be expensive, with costs reaching over $5000 per year for the top ones. Features and prices change all the time, so it‘s good to thoroughly research your options right before investing in a bot.
Sneaker Proxies – Hiding Your Identity for Multiple Buys
One of the biggest obstacles to copping multiple pairs is IP blocks. Most sneaker sites limit purchases to 1 pair per customer. They detect duplicate orders from the same IP address and cancel them. Even worse, they often block the IP from accessing the site again.
To get around these limitations, sneaker coppers use proxies. A proxy is an intermediary that routes your internet traffic through an alternate IP address, masking your real identity. With proxies, your bot‘s tasks can keep buying from the same site without getting blocked.
The two main types of proxies are datacenter and residential proxies. Datacenter proxies come from cloud servers and are cheaper. But they are more easily detected and blocked by sneaker sites. Residential proxies come from real user devices and are harder to identify as proxies. They are the best choice for sneaker copping in 2024.
Not all residential proxy providers are equal, however. The best sneaker proxies have:
- Large, diverse IP pools in key locations like Virginia, Chicago, NYC
- Fast speeds and low error rates for quick checkouts
- Ability to generate new IPs frequently to avoid bans
- Sticky (backconnect) sessions to maintain the same IPs
- Easy integration with bots and reliability under high load
Based on these criteria, here are our top residential proxy provider picks for 2024:
- Bright Data – largest network, extremely reliable but pricey
- SOAX – excellent for Shopify and Supreme, great user experience
- Smartproxy – good balance of performance, features and price
- Proxy-Cheap – affordable option with solid location coverage
Sneaker Servers – Powering Your Bot for Optimal Performance
For your bot to perform its best, it needs sufficient processing power and memory. Running hundreds of tasks, communicating with proxies, and transferring data in milliseconds requires robust infrastructure. That‘s where sneaker servers come in.
A sneaker server is a remote computer that you use to run your bots and proxy connections. It‘s much more powerful than a typical laptop or home desktop PC. And with a server, you can run your setup 24/7, even when your local computer is off.
Some popular options are:
- Google Cloud and AWS – major cloud platforms with data centers around the world
- Dedicated sneaker servers – specialty hosting from companies like WhatBot and GaneshBot
For most beginner and intermediate coppers, a medium-tier server with 16-32 GB of RAM and 4-8 CPU cores is sufficient. As you scale up, you can look into more powerful options. With cloud platforms, it‘s easy to upgrade or downgrade your server any time.
The main things to look for are proximity to your proxy locations (for low latency), adequate specs for your botting needs, and reliable support. For Supreme drops specifically, choosing a server close to the Supreme backend in NY is crucial for speed.
Virtual Credit Cards – One Card for Each Checkout
Another component of sneaker copping in 2024 is virtual credit cards. Sites often ban multiple purchases to the same card. So you need a unique, working card for each of your bot‘s checkouts.
Virtual credit cards (VCCs) are temporary, digital card numbers you can generate instantly. They are linked to your real funding source but keep it secure. And you can create VCCs with preset spending limits to avoid overshooting your budget.
The go-to VCC provider for US sneaker coppers is Privacy. It has a free plan and integrates seamlessly with bots like Cybersole. For non-US users, Revolut is a popular alternative, although a bit more limited.
Having a solid stock of VCCs is an important part of your pre-drop preparation. Make sure to generate them a few hours before release time, so they are ready for your bot to use. And keep an eye on the balances to avoid declines.
Cook Groups – Crucial Intel and Community
Finally, joining a cook group is one of the best investments you can make as a sneaker copper. A cook group is a private community, usually hosted on Discord, where experienced coppers (known as "chefs") share info, tools and advice.
Cook groups provide a range of valuable benefits:
- Early links and keywords for upcoming drops
- Guides on how to set up and optimize your bot for specific releases
- Groupbuys for discounted bot and proxy access
- Monitors that alert you to surprise drops and restocks
- Resell market insights and pricing guides
- Mentorship from expert coppers and a network of fellow members
Basically, a cook group helps you stay informed and equipped with the latest and greatest in the fast-moving world of sneakers. Some well-regarded groups worth checking out are House of Carts, Notify, and Endurance.
Of course, cook groups are invite-only and often have paid memberships. Expect to pay around $30-60 per month for a good group. If you have a bot already, it may come with access to the bot‘s own cook group as well.
Putting It All Together – How to Cop a Real Drop
Now that we‘ve covered all the key ingredients, let‘s walk through an example of how an actual sneaker drop plays out.
It‘s 8 am on a Saturday, and the latest Off-White Nike Dunk is set to release on SNKRS and select skateshops in 2 hours. You‘ve been preparing all week.
Your Cybersole bot is set up on a 6-core server in Virginia with a Zyte 20 GB proxies plan. You have 50 VCCs loaded and ready to go. Your SNKRS, Gmail, and iCloud accounts are verified with Nike and your Cybersole Discord bot. Keywords and early links are preloaded into your Cybersole tasks.
As the 10 am release time approaches, you get into your cook group Discord and run your Cybersole tasks. The drop is delayed by 10 minutes, as SNKRS is overloaded with traffic. Your bot tasks keep trying.
Finally, the drop goes live and your tasks start submitting entries. A few hit right away – declines. Then a Charge Only email from Nike – your first W! Then another. And another.
All in all, you manage to secure 8 checkouts. With an estimated resale price of $800 each, that‘s a cool $3000 profit after holding costs. Not a bad ROI for a few hours of preparation.
Of course, success is far from guaranteed in this game. You might run 100 tasks and still come up empty-handed if a drop is super limited. Cancellations and incomplete orders are common. But the better your setup and the more consistent your process, the more Ws you‘ll rack up over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to cop sneakers with bots?
While using bots violates most sites‘ terms of service, it is not technically illegal in the US. Other countries like the UK have stricter laws around automated purchases. It‘s always smart to understand your local regulations.
How much money do you need to start copping sneakers?
At a minimum, you‘ll need to invest in a sneaker bot (~$300-500), a proxy plan (~$100-300 per month), and a server (~$50-200 per month). Factor in potential VCC and cook group membership fees as well. So all-in, it‘s good to have at least $1000 to start, plus your shoe buying budget.
Can you make a living from copping and reselling sneakers?
It‘s definitely possible, and many people do it profitably. But it takes a lot of time, effort and skill to cop consistently. Start small and treat it as a hobby first. As you get better and build up inventory, then you can start thinking about reselling as a serious side hustle or job.
Go Forth and Cop
Copping hyped sneakers is an exciting and lucrative pursuit. But it‘s far from simple. To win in this highly competitive game, you need the right tools, the right info, and the right mindset.
By understanding the key components of successful copping – bots, proxies, servers, VCCs, and cook groups – you‘re well on your way already. Study the best practices, learn from the pros, and don‘t be afraid to experiment.
Most of all, remember to enjoy the process. The sneaker community is a passionate and creative one. While the financial side is great, it‘s the love of the game that keeps people coming back, drop after drop.
We hope this guide has given you a solid foundation to start your copping journey. Stay updated on the latest trends and releases, dial in your setup, and may the cop gods bless you with many Ws!
Happy copping!
