Is Allen Edmonds Customer Service going downhill?

[Dynameaux87]

Posted this on reddit, was hoping for some feedback/advice.

If I've learned my lesson, it's never to buy from anyone but Allen Edmonds directly, or else you're treated like a piece of garbage.

I started my AE collection buying a retail pair of Shreveport firsts about a half year ago - which had to be exchanged due to threading out of the sole channel, and a lump in the cork bed. This was exchanged without too much trouble, and they are amazing shoes.

About two months ago, I made the mistake of buying a pair of new unworn pair of factory seconds AE Daltons in a beautiful Burgundy/oxblood color from a reseller on Ebay. Unworn, still bagged, but factory seconds none the less.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7mbS5KpCoRDdEJNeFNKQm4xdjA

I wore them without incident for a few days. After wiping the boots down with cream polish, the finish on the oxblood started flaking off (you've seen it before in these forums). Again, factory seconds, it's not a huge issue for me - I covered with polish and called it a day.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7mbS5KpCoRDd0V2NGQ1ZDFubE0

The real trouble started about ten wears in - I felt movement near the heel of the boot. After some careful inspection, it looked like the upper was separating from the boot.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7mbS5KpCoRDTklqZFlaZWJuSTA

At this point I'm concerned. I contact Support at allen edmonds, not hoping for a miracle, but seeing if repair work can be done to my boots (which I'd have no problem paying for). Melike Birlik contacted me back to ask me about the boots. I explained that they had been purchased new from an ebay retailer, and sent photographs of the issues I was having.

From: Matthew Burchard [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 7:37 PM To: AE eservice [email protected] Subject: Re: Question on Possible Issue with Dalton Seconds

You should find me in the system as purchasing and owning a pair of Black Shreveports firsts, 10.5 E, purchased in the Tampa, FL international mall location.

I'm ashamed to say - but I'd prefer to be honest, I purchased these boots new from a retailer on ebay approximately one month ago. If you need a barcode on the box I can provide this. I didn't see any oxblood dalton seconds on the shoe bank, and was delighted when I found this pair on ebay. These were unworn, in the original box in the factory seconds plastic wrapping. I can assume they were most likely purchased at a tent sale. If I were to do this again, I'd have just contacted the shoe bank and requested to be notified if any boots in this color were available.

I completely understand if this is an issue. I'm just incredibly sad that the heel separation is happening after a month. I wasn't bothered by the finish issue - I figured I'd wear the boots until they needed a recrafting.

Again, if there is anything you can do to help, it'd be super appreciated. I love the brand, love my other pair of AE's, and definitely will be purchasing more in the future.

-Matt Burchard

I was prompted to send back to the seller, but that wasn't an option after wearing the boots for almost a month at that point. Melike sent me prepaid label to send the boots back to inspection. All good so far right?

Approximately 8 days after mailing them back to Allen Edmonds, I'm contacted by Rose in customer service.

She immediately asks me where I purchased the boots from, and when I let her know what I had already told Melike, she rudely cut me off 'We don't warranty any Allen Edmonds shoes not purchased from Allen Edmonds". I told her I completely understand, but that I was shocked that the Daltons began separating from the welt (if that's the problem. Your thoughts?) after a month of wear. I told her I'd purchased AE shoes before and they're normally rock solid. I asked her what they thought the issue with the heel was and I was told that she didn't know, that it required alot of force to move the heel (it doesn't - gently squeezing the heel lifts the upper away, revealing the mess I photographed. Is that the welt stitching? Is the leather torn?) I asked if they could possibly be recrafted. "We won't recraft shoes where there is no wear on the sole." What?!

Keep in mind, the boots were sent in for an evaluation. I wasn't asking for hand outs, I just wanted to make sure the Daltons would be structurally sound, or to get SOME insight on what was wrong with them. Rose told me "We can refinish them for $50, but recrafting will reduce the life of the boot. They are good for 2 or three recrafts." She spoke about how people are still wearing Allen Edmonds shoes 20-30 years later when maintained, and I reiterated that I understand that, but my pair of Daltons hadn't made it one month before they became a mess.

I explained to her that the welt was already separating from the upper, and I didn't want to be stuck with an unusable pair of boots two months from now. "That's the risk you take buying shoes from ebay. We will only honor a warrantee for customers who purchased Allen Edmonds products directly from us."

I was LIVID at this point, because I just wanted to see if they could get the boots back in order. I was already willing to accept the fact that I'd have to pay for it.

I told rose I sent in the Dalton's to get looked at, and relayed my conversation with Melike. "You contacted the wrong person, Melike is in E-service, and is new here."

Finally Rose put me on hold, and came back and said they would recraft the boots for $120. If during the recrafting they found the issue could not be fixed, they'd refund me the recrafting fee, but my boots would not be recoverable. I was told multiple times, "That's the risk you take buying from Ebay." I felt like I was being lectured the whole time. Insulting.

TLDR - I was wanting an evaluation of the boots to see if they could be restored, and was willing to pay, and instead I was spoken to like I was an IDIOT for buying off of the internet a paid of supposedly rock solid footwear made by a reputable company. I understand why they have a policy like this, but the sheer rudeness in which the rep spoke to me was unbelievable.

Should I have a local cobbler take a look at it?

 

[gnatty8]

Should I have a local cobbler take a look at it?

Probably where I would have started for a number of reasons.. I think the AE representatives probably could have taken a little more tact in their responses to you, but at the end of the day, they are in the business of selling new shoes to customers, not refurbishing factory seconds.

 

[bdavro23]

I used to think Allen Edmonds were great, but their quality has gone to **** over the last 5 years. With that being said, their customer service is basically the best I have ever experienced. They are seriously amazing at taking care of their customers.

In this instance, you are not their customer. You bought from an Ebay seller, did you expect them to congratulate you on your thriftiness? Even at that, they offered to recraft your boots, which were 2nds or unwarranted shoes sold by a jobber, for $120. Which is less than the standard $150 recraft fee. So they are still taking care of you.

Still, you decided to join a forum, one which has two VERY active and dedicated Allen Edmonds threads, and started your own thread with your first post to complain that they didnt shower you with praise and give you a handy. Forgive me if you think I am being a dick, but I am so completely over people having a ridiculous sense of entitlement.

That's the risk when you whine on the internet Matt Burchard.

 

[Dynameaux87]

I used to think Allen Edmonds were great, but their quality has gone to **** over the last 5 years. With that being said, their customer service is basically the best I have ever experienced. They are seriously amazing at taking care of their customers.

In this instance, you are not their customer. You bought from an Ebay seller, did you expect them to congratulate you on your thriftiness? Even at that, they offered to recraft your boots, which were 2nds or unwarranted shoes sold by a jobber, for $120. Which is less than the standard $150 recraft fee. So they are still taking care of you.

Still, you decided to join a forum, one which has two VERY active and dedicated Allen Edmonds threads, and started your own thread with your first post to complain that they didnt shower you with praise and give you a handy. Forgive me if you think I am being a dick, but I am so completely over people having a ridiculous sense of entitlement.

That's the risk when you whine on the internet Matt Burchard.

I've spent time on styleforum, and I apologize my first post came off like this.

I am a customer of theirs, I have bought AE's Shreveports retail before making this wildly terrible decision to purchase these Daltons.

In this case I wasn't exactly thrifty. I bought the pair off of ebay because I didn't see oxblood seconds on shoebank at the time I looked. The pricing at the time was nearly identical. In hind site it was a terrible idea, and you can bet I'm not doing it again.

I totally don't mind to pay to get them repaired - if they can fix the issue I have no issue with paying, it was the way customer service spoke to me that got me angered.

I'm sure you've experienced this before in your life - and it doesn't feel too great.

 

[purpleporing]

I've spent time on styleforum, and I apologize my first post came off like this.

I didn't read it the same way the poster above did, but YMMV when it comes to randoms reading your post I suppose. All I really got out of it was "I bought these off eBay, I was willing to pay to get them recrafted, but Rose at AE kept repeating 'That's the risk you take buying off eBay' over and over to me until I got tired of it."

I'm not totally sure what the point of the post was, though. If it was to complain about your customer service experience at AE, then I guess its job is finished and you'll get whatever reactions you get. If you were looking for advice/feedback about what to do with the Daltons, then you probably you should have started your post with the question you ended it with. In which case, my answer is probably that paying $120 for a recraft from AE seems like a better idea since they'll be in the best position to know if the shoes can be fixed. Just hope you don't have to deal with Rose again, I guess.