Where Do You Buy New Shoes?
Image via WikipediaI think this discussion is going to need two parts to it:
1. Children’s Shoes
2. Adult’s Shoes
Children’s Shoes
I think the biggest debate over children’s shoes is getting them fitted properly. Feet that are growing and developing NEED shoes that are well-fitted. Finding the balance between a good fit and leaving enough room to grow can be quite a challenge.
Some people use this as a reason to purchase the more expensive shoes for their children.
We tried taking our first child to several shoe stores when he started wearing shoes. We figured this was the “right” thing to do. I was appalled by the lack of knowledge and proper fitting that the shoe stores seemed to be offering.
I had seen my mother do a better job of fitting shoes. So, we gathered her up and took HER shoe shopping with us. In Kmart.
Personally, I have found Kmart to be a good source of children’s shoes. I particularly like the Grosby brand of shoe that they carry.
Unfortunately (for our hip pocket that is), our 10 year old has long and narrow feet, so we’re going to need to advance to a much more expensive shoe for his main shoe. Most of the “lower price” ranges seem to cater for a more “average” foot.
Still, this method has saved us a few $$ over the years.
Enough about MY opinion. What does Amy D say in The Complete Tightwad Gazette?
“Just out of curiosity, we called a couple of shoe stores to inquire about the training procedure for clerks. The longest training course we found is two hours. A friend of mine, who was a shoe clerk for Sears, says her training lasted 60 seconds”. The Complete Tightwad Gazette pg 371
Sadly, it would seem that along with customer service, well-trained staff may have gone out the window. No longer can we assume that a “specialist” store will provide anything more than selling a single line of product.
Have you had good or bad experiences with shoe store staff and their expertise when it comes to fitting children’s shoes?
Adult Shoes
As adult feet are generally not changing huge amounts in size from year to year, another factor comes into play. That of “cost per wear”.
Cost per wear is simply the cost of the shoes divided by how many times you wear them.
In some cases, higher quality will end up giving you a lower “cost per wear”. Of course, that is not ALWAYS the case.
There are other factors that come into play with shoes as well. I recently spent nearly $200 on a pair of netball shoes (and gel inserts). This is the MOST EXPENSIVE pair of shoes I have EVER bought. BUT, I had to weigh up the cost of the shoes against the cost of something like knee surgery if I don’t have the cushioning in the soles. And of course the HEALTH BENEFITS of being able to exercise comfortably.
In general though, I’m not a “spend big money on shoes” type person. The only shoes I really seem to ever wear out are my sneakers.
A Few Links You Might Find Helpful
How To Make Sure High Heels Fit Correctly
Over to You
What sort of factors come into play when you go shoe shopping?
Are you brand loyal? Do you prefer specialist shoe stores to the larger department style stores?
Do you have any strategies for saving money on shoes?
What kinds of experiences have you had with getting children’s shoes fitted?
Feel free to add any other comments or suggestions to the discussion.
