Nike SNKRS Team Reportedly ‘Obliterated’ (UPDATE)

UPDATED 5/9, 1:51 p.m. ET: A source from Nike has shared some details with Complex about changes in the SNKRS app. The team that worked on the app, they revealed has been “combined” with the team that worked on the Nike App. The “new, unified team” will now work at the company’s Oregon campus.

“This new, unified team combines the expertise of engineers previously dedicated to SNKRS with the team behind the Nike app, website and Nike By You – creating one team to better serve consumers, reducing handoffs and driving efficiency,” they continued.

“SNKRS remains a critical tool in our digital marketplace strategy, and in the future will deliver curated launches alongside always‑on assortments, rich storytelling, a seamless shopping experience and deeper connections to in‑person events – now powered by a unified Nike App and SNKRS engineering team.

“We remain deeply committed to SNKRS and to providing best-in-class engineering support to create a seamless consumer experience.”

See original story below.

The team behind the Nike SNKRS app has reportedly been gutted in light of the changing economy.

According to House of Heat, the popular sneaker and lifestyle app has laid off a reported 90 percent of team members during a speculated shift to third-party platforms like Shopify and EQL.

The news comes after Stacy Devino, one of the app’s principal engineers, took to LinkedIn to share that the SNKRS team had been “obliterated.” She called the app “pivotal” and a “dream” part of her career.

“I had started on SNKRS the MONDAY after the Friday that they had let go of nearly 30% of the company. SNKRS transformed and saved Nike,” Devino wrote. “That innovative spirit and magic in a bottle, Nike failed to keep that investment in the people who made it happen. We completely changed how digital e-commerce can work and the nature of brand storytelling.”

SNKRS was established in 2015 as an app for footwear enthusiasts with exclusive access to digital-only sneaker and clothing purchases, raffles, events and learning about the history and design of sneaker models, along with independent shoe retailers.

Sources familiar with the situation reportedly told House of Heat that the SNKRS cuts may have been “significantly deeper than publicly understood,” with one estimating that 90 percent of the app’s teams — including product, engineering, program management, and launch operations — have been impacted.

An anonymous former Nike employee familiar with the SNKRS business told House of Heat: “There are a few people left that are being asked to keep things going. They don’t want to be here. The people making the decisions don’t understand SNKRS at all.”

The source also said they “guess” SNKRS as a business “ends in 12-18 months.”