Running through the sneaker hype business

Investment always involves risk, of course. In general, sneaker investors choose those worn by celebrities, jointly designed versions, or just based on the appearance and whether they easily match clothes, said another industry player Liu Shanshan. "You will lose money if your judgment is wrong. After all, there is no clear standard for the markups."

What's behind the whopping price is brand owners, the report said. Over the years, sneaker brands like Nike, Adidas and others have fueled the prosperity of the market while giving rise to avid collectors by releasing limited editions, making sneakers available only in designated regions, and a raffle method for buying.

Yeezys, for instance, a brand from the hip-hop artist Kanye West that's made by Adidas, is best known for its expensive, limited-edition sneakers.

"The real reason for the zealotry is the scarcity that the sneaker brands create," an insider said in the report. "For exorbitant sneaker prices, the driving effect from celebrity is the key point, while supply and demand or hunger marketing is the fundamental reason."