FOSTER AND SON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

[Noblekostas]

Speculums, yes, but still. That made me laugh out loud and I am in a Zoom class right now!

I should have taken a picture...let me check my archives..

 

[JFWR]

Hi everyone,

I want to come here and share my first (and last) experience with Foster & Son. I hope my case was an unfortunate event.

I will try to keep it short, because the whole story was eligible for a Monty Python sketch.

On December 18th last year, decided to purchase a pair of shoes from Foster and Son, before the Brexit kicks in, since I live in Portugal. I purchased a pair of black oxfords, model Highclere with dainite sole and a Stag Handle Shoe horn.

Upon reception I noticed that the shoes had leather sole, not dainite and the shoe horn was not the one I ordered but a cheaper one.

Only on the beginning of January I was able to get an answer from them. Politely that present their excuses and decided to sent me the right pair of shoes and the right shoe horn, along with a complimentary cloth and shoe cream, asking me to send back the wrong ones, which I did.

A few days later, DHL contacted me asking me if I was willing to pay the customs and VAT taxes, catching me by surprise. I told them, that since it was an exchange of a purchase done before the Brexit, I would not pay again VAT taxes that were paid upon my order and I would not pay customs taxes, because it was an exchange, not a purchase. Upon calling F&S, again the apologised and asked me to refuse the package and they would send me another pair TAX FREE, which I agreed.

A few days later, DHL contacted me asking if I was willing to tay the customs and VAT taxes of the new package, AGAIN... Upon calling F&S again and again, calling portuguese DHL in order to solve the issue, I inform F&S to sent to DHL UK a "LOA" for tax purposes, in order to receive the shoes. If I hadn't do that, DHL would sent back the shoes themselves. I had to pressure F&S to send the "LOA". They did it on the eve of the last day.

So, when it was all final and done at portuguese customs, today on February 22nd, 2 months and 4 days after my order I finally received the shoes.

I opened the package and the shoe horn was the one I purchased. So far, so good. I opened the shoes box and inside a letter from F&S apologising for all the worries. After reading the letter, I thought to my self "Maybe I should give these guys another chance and make a new order".

I started unravelling the rest of the goods, and the left shoe was ok. It seemed to have a small creasing, but I think to myself "let it go, it is you being picky about it". When I saw the right shoe, I was left for dead. An enormous creasing showing intense use. It was tipically a pair of shoes used in stores to be tried on.

After a first email to F&S showing the shoes and telling them that I had it with them for good and I would keep the shoes and donate them to charity, just to avoid to deal with them again, I decided to call them saying that I changed my mind and I want my money back".

Sadly the story doesn't end here. I opened a PayPal claim, and very fast F&S answered me asking to send back the shoes and they would issue a refund. When I asked who would pay the shipping costs to return the shoes, they said: "YOU".

They already had the pictures I took, they knew the problem and yet they still want me to pay for the return of DAMAGED SHOES. Just Unbelievable.

What I told here, it's just 10% of the time I wasted back and forth by email and phone calls to F&S and DHL.

Just see for yourself and compare the right shoe with the left shoe. I am writing this not by spitefulness or hate towards F&S. Everybody I talked with from F&S, were very polite and friendly.

But if I can forgive a first mistake in the first order sent, the rest of it, ending with the reception of USED shoes is too much to disregard. I hope this story is just an unfortunate event by F&S.

I am really surprised that it seems that expensive English shoe brands have had several instances, posted here on Styleforum, of atrocious customer service.

You'd expect they'd value customers willing to spend the kind of money their shoes cost...

 

[Noblekostas]

@JFWR enjoy.

 

[JFWR]

@JFWR enjoy.

View attachment 1571700

R O T F L M A O

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THIS IS THE GREATEST POST EVER ON STYLEFORUM.

 

[Noblekostas]

R O T F L M A O

SDFSDFSDFSDFSDFSDFSDFSD

THIS IS THE GREATEST POST EVER ON STYLEFORUM.

Yea I hope Dr. Pierre treats his patient’s vaginas better than my shoes.

Enjoy the chuckle.

 

[JFWR]

Yea I hope Dr. Pierre treats his patient’s vaginas better than my shoes.

Enjoy the chuckle.

Lololol. Maybe they didn't fit so he had to try to pry em open unconventional?

 

[Texasmade]

@JFWR enjoy.

View attachment 1571700

Don't leave us hanging. What's the next story for the saddest part?

 

[Noblekostas]

Don't leave us hanging. What's the next story for the saddest part?

I don’t have that story unfortunately...it was just the inside was the shoe box thrown away any everything lying around from transport...he didn’t even tape the box...

 

[kevinsvindland]

I don’t have that story unfortunately...it was just the inside was the shoe box thrown away any everything lying around from transport...he didn’t even tape the box...

What a careless slob... I would let him nowhere near my ******, thats for sure!

 

[Noblekostas]

What a careless slob... I would let him nowhere near my ******, thats for sure!

My email to him was that he was an embarrassment and I hope he treats his patients’ vaginas better than my shoes.

ok This is getting wildly off topic (or not? It’s still about customers respecting retailers as much as the companies should customers) so I’ll stop with the ....specula...tion ?

 

[kevinsvindland]

My email to him was that he was an embarrassment and I hope he treats his patients’ vaginas better than my shoes.

ok This is getting wildly off topic (or not? It’s still about customers respecting retailers as much as the companies should customers) so I’ll stop with the ....specula...tion ?

Haha, a bit off topic perhaps.. But I do appreciate your story.
Our best so far is that someone included a bloody steak knife in one of their returns.
Not sure if it was simply packed during TV dinner, or if it was some sort of message....

 

[Pedro Moreira]

My email to him was that he was an embarrassment and I hope he treats his patients’ vaginas better than my shoes.

ok This is getting wildly off topic (or not? It’s still about customers respecting retailers as much as the companies should customers) so I’ll stop with the ....specula...tion ?

Yeah, a little bit. Oh well, let’s look at the bright side. Without my “bitching” about customer care, your story probably would never be known. And it is a good story.

BTW, I took a look at your website. Nice PS shoes. I have a pair from PS myself. Brown Oxfords. I truly appreciate his style.
Carlos Santos is also a very good shoemaker and you get the best bang for your buck. I have two pairs from him (a blue monk strap and his version of EG’s Galway in two shades of brown). It’s nice to have a fellow countrymen’s work being recognized.

 

[Noblekostas]

Yeah, a little bit. Oh well, let’s look at the bright side. Without my “bitching” about customer care, your story probably would never be known. And it is a good story.

BTW, I took a look at your website. Nice PS shoes. I have a pair from PS myself. Brown Oxfords. I truly appreciate his style.
Carlos Santos is also a very good shoemaker and you get the best bang for your buck. I have two pairs from him (a blue monk strap and his version of EG’s Galway in two shades of brown). It’s nice to have a fellow countrymen’s work being recognized.

It was a good story ? both make excellent shoes. I am always happy to support Portuguese products and visit Porto once a year to go to the factory.

 

[Pedro Moreira]

It was a good story ? both make excellent shoes. I am always happy to support Portuguese products and visit Porto once a year to go to the factory.

Really? I live in Porto. Next time you’re here, let me know and if you have the time, we’ll have lunch to talk about shoes among other subjects. I’ll take you to the best restaurant (in my opinion) for meat or for fish, wherever you prefer.

 

[Noblekostas]

Really? I live in Porto. Next time you’re here, let me know and if you have the time, we’ll have lunch to talk about shoes among other subjects. I’ll take you to the best restaurant (in my opinion) for meat or for fish, wherever you prefer.

Sounds good! See you after Covid then! If you are active on the forum I will send you a DM!