I
try to be savvy and avoid scams. I hate to be gullible, unwittingly allowing
someone to take advantage of me. That’s why I feel like such a fool today.
I struggle to find shoes that fit. Remember when shoe stores were a real thing and we had those jokes about women trying on 50 pairs of shoes while the salesman tears his hair? I was that customer. I have a short foot with wide toes and a narrow heel. (Mike calls them duck feet.) If my toes are pinched, I’m in pain. Now that shoe stores are mostly a thing of the past, I just haven’t found access to really good shoes. I must try them on before I buy, and I know it.
But – since the need for shoes is always on my mind, I unfortunately fell for a Facebook ad for winter shoes promising wide toes, a cushioned insole, wonderful arch support, great tread, and fur lining – just what I wanted for winter wear. I threw caution to the wind and ordered a pair.
And as soon as I ordered, I regretted it. The company kept sending messages asking me to buy the same shoes again. It looked suspiciously like my order hadn’t gone through, but thankfully, I was sure it had.
And then I waited more than two weeks for delivery. It looked like the shoes were stuck in California. I suspect they were on a ship between China and a California port.
Once the shoes were delivered, I tried them on right away. They’re narrow and stiff – no wide toe. The arch is in the wrong place for my foot, and it feels like a rock. This is a horrible, unusable pair of shoes.
Return them? No such luck. While the website says the company offers a “stress-free” refund, this is not true. The buyer is responsible for return postage, and that might not be so bad except that the company has no return address in the U.S., a point that is not specified in the fine print. A 15% refund on the shoes is all they offer. That’s $7.50. So what!
Reviews clearly indicate that this is a scam. I just didn’t read them. All of us that fell for it have the same story.
Hopefully, I will never be fooled again. I’m just grateful the damage wasn’t worse than it is. From now on I’m sticking to the fun stuff – fabric, yarn, DIY books from my favorite, tried and true retailers. I can’t go wrong with those. KW
Oh my goodness! I can recommend Zappos--they are reputable and offer free returns. Or at least they used to--I haven't indulged in shoe shopping since I overdid it in the spring of 2020 when I kinda went overboard. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have trouble clothes and shoe shopping in general. I don't want to leave the house, yet trying things on is helpful. I've also used Zappos--I almost feel bad for the inevitable returns, but I guess that's how it goes.
ReplyDeleteTri-State here in Moscow has a good sized shoe department. Have you ever tried them? Lots of "rough and ready" shoes for outdoors wear, but they also usually have a good selection of casual wear shoes, too.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris!
ReplyDeleteI envy you your closet full of shoes. Tri-State is a great suggestion. We also have Orchards Shoe Shop here in the Valley. I have yet to shop there.
I can see the headline now: "Washington State Woman Starts WWIII Shoe Scam." These same shoe / boots are featured on Amazon with very little variation.
And Hallie -- I feel bad for returning things, too, but I guess it's the cost of doing business online.
But -- on to topics that are more fun.