US sneaker dealer finds a niche in China

Buying limited edition sneakers has never been so easy for Chinese basketball fans.

"I don't have to ask friends who travel to the United States and Europe to look for rare sneakers for me anymore," said Pan Fei, who has been a sneaker collector for years. "All I have to do is to go on Stadium Goods' Tmall store and buy whichever pair I like."

Sneaker collecting is a distinct subculture of sports fans - dubbed sneakerheads - who closely follow basketball or other sports. The culture first emerged in the United States in the 1980s and has gradually spread to other parts of the world. It has an annual trade value of $6 billion.