Passive income: NO

Sneaker flipping is generally not a passive income stream for most people. It requires active involvement in sourcing, buying, and selling sneakers. Automation and outsourcing can help, such as using bots for purchasing limited releases or hiring others to handle logistics, but these require significant upfront investment and management. Most people in the community, as seen on Reddit and YouTube, remain actively involved due to the dynamic nature of the market and the need for constant attention to trends and inventory. Only a few outliers, often with substantial capital and networks, manage to create systems that allow for more passive income. Many newcomers fall for myths about easy profits without realizing the competitive and time-intensive nature of the hustle. Realistically, it becomes passive for those who can scale operations significantly, but not for the average individual.