I had avoided getting new boots because my apartment and building have a history of bed bugs. Since its like a dog kennel in this building I vowed I'd not buy any boots until I moved out.
However I was slipping and sliding because the stores etc were not cleaning up the street.
After almost falling I went into the nearest shoe store. Huge mistake. I should have thought go to the last place where you got great shoes and customer service (http://www.yelp.com/biz/clarks-shoes-new-york). Clark's. 993 3rd Avenue, 59 and 60th. Since I am a loyal customer this slip was unfortunate. They make you feel like all shoe retailers operate like they do. It was only four blocks and a few avenues over. That's alot in a city that isn't having their snow cleaned up.
Remember my feet are broken so I'm pretty much always in pain.
This salesperson at Shoemix.com on 665 Lexington between 55 and 56th street told me I should get men's boots when I briefly told him that my feet are arthritic, half broken and I was advised to have them reset. We finally found a pair that wasn't huge. I asked him about the tightness of the leather on my leg. Wouldn't that cut me. He said he never had a customer come back to him with that complaint. He also said I could use rubbing alcohol on the boot. By the time I got home I realized that I would not use rubbing alcohol because that does break down the leather but it also takes the seal off on the dyes that were used and I'm allergic to dyes.
My legs had been cut up by the boots. I took the boots back today. They were worn just to get to the bus but its true their bottoms had been roughed up.
The store, shoemix.com (they gave me a bag with studio 55 footwear on it) refused to take them back. I told them that I had worn out a shoe successfully that came from Clarks. I went back and bought the same style and size but it cut into the back of my feet. Even though I had worn the Clark's shoes on the street to bus to home Clarks immediately took them back without question. As to my wornout through the sole Clarks the store had even offered to replace them for free. I felt that I had received good service from them so I did not consider it.
The salesperson in return told me that he had a lovely couple in the store and they were just the opposite from me. He said the guy said he had learned an expensive lesson that you just wear the shoes in the house for a while. You never wear them on the street.
Ok so this store not only won't take returns but they insult their customers. The salesperson could say that you need to wear the shoes at home before you take them on the street. I just now looked them up on yelp where people log in incredibly satisfying experiences. I could not find Shoemix on Yelp. hmm second lesson I should have taken out my phone and searched on yelp for them, duh. I totally blew my shopping experience.
The salesperson that sold these shoes to me knew I was wearing them on the street and he knew that I had asked about the tightness. Wouldn't you think he would advise to wear them at home before wearing them on the street?
Shoemix is definitely not a company I want to do business with again. Is their shoe defective? I would think so as the leather should not be that stiff against your leg. You would be damaging the shoe to put rubbing alcohol on it. He said to use a butter knife on it. I was thinking that's something they should have done at the manufacturer. The manufacturer of this boot is www.pajar.com made in Canada. I entered my message to them at http://www.pajar.com/en/contact+us . At this link they write:
At Pajar, we care for our customers. If you have any comments, please let us know!
I just let them know about my experience with their boot, the solutions the retailer gave and the retailers refuse on return because of street wear despite they saw that I had a red gash at the point where the upper boot wore on my leg. I did not wear them long.
I don't regret trying to take the boot back. I hope the salesperson who sold this shoe to me took this as a lesson. I doubt it though. It seems I am the only one being given a lesson. The lesson is stick to Clark's. My great aunt paid for those boots by the way. She said to buy some pretty shoes with it. I wish I had.
On the web return of shoes is a hot topic.
I would think that stores are not addressing the problem correctly. Street wear is totally different from home wear, particularly when most apartment buildings require 80% carpeting. The rough streets of New York City particularly during a snow storm are a jungle. Its just not the same test at all. I have a deep red scar on my leg from these shoes. I could have been because of the dyes, but definitely they were rubbing against my legs and making me absolutely miserable for the short time I wore them. They cost $109.
p.s. I had been exploring the vegan solution, the market does not bear it. The Moo Shoes waterproof boots would be rejected by the law firms I work for. I kid you not. Each time I wear my privos I get a call from my agency, they love you but change the shoes. http://www.mooshoes.com/products2.cfm/ID/376/name/Jennifer-Boot-from-Toewarmers/a/3
