RANCOURT & Co. Shoes - Made in Maine

[UnnamedPlayer]

I suppose that's fair enough. I can't say that fully understand the need for the prices to match, but then I'm not familiar with wholesale/retail economics. That statement must make some amount of sense for Rancourt to make it publicly. On the other hand, I'd say that if I now order two pairs of shoes from them, I'm paying shipping twice in a way. Oh well, it's $12 at the end of the day. And how likely am I to order half a dozen pairs all at once? No reason to get my shorts in too much of a bunch.

what about the part where the total cost is the same?

Sure shipping on two pairs of shoes isn't double the cost of one pair however it is more than a single pair on its own.

 

[wdahab]

Yeah, it's actually kind of surprising that it took this long for Rancourt to have to comply. Retail markup is generally between 40-60% depending on the industry (I believe 40% is standard for books, 60% for clothing). The contracts are usually written such that the manufacturer isn't allowed to sell the goods for less than the retail markup, otherwise they'd be undercutting the retail business. That's why most manufacturers don't just go out and sell their goods for super-cheap. This is also the reason why LLBean has never used third-party distributors, and so they are able to sell made in USA boots, standard for so cheap.

The flip side is that the retail guys put up lots of money for orders up front, and are much, much more effective at selling their goods. They take on the full risk of selling the things. Rancourt certainly has a good following of people who prefer the MTO process, but the vast majority of sales are people who get them at Brooks Brothers, Jack Spade, Eastland, etc. Remember, until a few years ago, no one had even heard of Rancourt, because they were behind the scenes, providing their shoes to all the big name brands. There just aren't enough shoe-focused men out there to support a fully MTO shoe-business. But for those of us who do, it's totally possible to talk to Kyle if he's in (or at least, it used to be). Kyle has said that every single MTO shoe gets inspected by him before it goes out the door, but that the retail ones are inspected through automated processes.

Anyway, the point is that the contracts require Rancourt to have a calculated, standard MSRP, and that they have to comply with it. At the same time, since they now competing against companies that have really strong economies of scale on shipping, they have recognized that they can lower their price (and removing a psychological barrier) by hiding the shipping cost. It also probably saves them hassle, because people want free shipping and are probably constantly asking for free shipping codes.

 

[FrankCowperwood]

Today's delivery from Rancourt:
Read boat shoe in unlined tan bulldog with brick red rubber boat sole. The bulldog looks like it will be an interesting leather. It's got a burnished surface, and it's relatively dry (particularly compared to CXL):

Blake boot in unlined peanut suede with black RLH crepe sole. I went .5 size up in these compared to the boat shoe and it feels like it should work well.

 

[rydenfan]



Today's delivery from Rancourt:
Read boat shoe in unlined tan bulldog with brick red rubber boat sole. The bulldog looks like it will be an interesting leather. It's got a burnished surface, and it's relatively dry (particularly compared to CXL):

Blake boot in unlined peanut suede with black RLH crepe sole. I went .5 size up in these compared to the boat shoe and it feels like it should work well.

Great looking pairs!! Nicely done.

You are happy with the .5 up on the Blake? I am about to pull the trigger myself but my 3 pairs all fit differently even though they are the same size. My camp mocs are really tight and could probably be a half size bigger (but will likely stretch), my Beefrolls are a great fit, and my unlined shell ranger mocs are on the big side of fitting (they just fit but are on the verge of being big). So I am not sure if going up .5 on the Blake will work or be big

 

[kolecho]



Today's delivery from Rancourt:

Blake boot in unlined peanut suede with black RLH crepe sole. I went .5 size up in these compared to the boat shoe and it feels like it should work well.

Lovely boots. Which scan of the peanut suede is more true to colour?

 

[FrankCowperwood]



Great looking pairs!! Nicely done.

You are happy with the .5 up on the Blake? I am about to pull the trigger myself but my 3 pairs all fit differently even though they are the same size. My camp mocs are really tight and could probably be a half size bigger (but will likely stretch), my Beefrolls are a great fit, and my unlined shell ranger mocs are on the big side of fitting (they just fit but are on the verge of being big). So I am not sure if going up .5 on the Blake will work or be big

Thanks.

Well, I'm not sure I've solved the Rancourt sizing riddle for myself. The boat shoes are 11D and they fit snugly, which was what I intended. I ordered the Blake boots in 11.5D (they only do D width on these). I've found that the advice from Rancourt to size down in their handsewns does not work for me. I measure up as on the wide side of 11D. 11D Rancourt, as I just noted is a very snug fit. Can't imagine 10.5 working. So anyway, I decided that I had to go 11.5 in Blake and it feels as if it should work for me. Even that isn't high volume, in my opinion. For instance an 11D 1000 mile boot is much roomier, I think. Haven't worn the Blake boots yet beyond trying them on, of course.

Lovely boots. Which scan of the peanut suede is more true to colour?

Thanks. Looking forward to getting some wear on the suede. I believe the top photo is most representative.

 

[grendel]

Today's delivery from Rancourt:
Read boat shoe in unlined tan bulldog with brick red rubber boat sole. The bulldog looks like it will be an interesting leather. It's got a burnished surface, and it's relatively dry (particularly compared to CXL):



Blake boot in unlined peanut suede with black RLH crepe sole. I went .5 size up in these compared to the boat shoe and it feels like it should work well.

These are both gorgeous. I've been eagerly awaiting your pics of the tan bulldog and it looks like the perfect color for what I've been thinking about. I was worried it would be more yellow like on the website. How stretchy does it feel? If I was getting a pair in unlined CXL I'd go with 9.5D because I know it would stretch to be perfect, but if the bulldog doesn't stretch much I'd go 9.5E.

Those chukkas are really nice, too. I love the color and the shape is perfect. Their pics on the website don't do the shape of them justice.

 

[FrankCowperwood]



These are both gorgeous. I've been eagerly awaiting your pics of the tan bulldog and it looks like the perfect color for what I've been thinking about. I was worried it would be more yellow like on the website. How stretchy does it feel? If I was getting a pair in unlined CXL I'd go with 9.5D because I know it would stretch to be perfect, but if the bulldog doesn't stretch much I'd go 9.5E. 

Those chukkas are really nice, too. I love the color and the shape is perfect. Their pics on the website don't do the shape of them justice. 

Thanks.

The tan bulldog I got has a red tint to it. I wouldn't be inclined to call it tan myself, really. It is definitely drier than CXL (though I'm not sure that automatically equals less stretch), but it does feel as if it should give nicely. I doubt it will stretch as much as CXL, though.

Is your plan for a lined or unlined shoe?

I'm really pleased with the color and I think it should wear well. I'll post some updates.

Also, this is interesting on Instagram:

Described as "Perfing the foxing on a wingtip with a die-out machine."

Wingtips must be coming sometime soon.

 

[chuckb]

Last night I received my second pair of rancourts - I ended up getting light brown pebble grain camp mocs with the dark brown camp sole. Many thanks to those of you in this thread that provided advice. I think my next pair will be green cxl ranger mocs with a honey RLH sole (a la Frank Copperwood's shell pair, only small-timer).
The light brown buckaroo is a really interesting leather - there's a ton of shade variation, and if you bend the leather at all it lightens up considerably (at least temporarily). I'm very pleased, and will be wearing these a lot this spring and summer (once it stops goddamn snowing).
Some pics:

 

[rydenfan]

They just posted a picture of a finished wingtip on twitter/Instagram

http://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...1180405.71101.183745301688894&_mn_=5&refid=13

 

[rydenfan]

http://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...180405.71101.183745301688894&_mn_=5&refid=17#

 

[FrankCowperwood]



Last night I received my second pair of rancourts - I ended up getting light brown pebble grain camp mocs with the dark brown camp sole. Many thanks to those of you in this thread that provided advice. I think my next pair will be green cxl ranger mocs with a honey RLH sole (a la Frank Copperwood's shell pair, only small-timer). The light brown buckaroo is a really interesting leather - there's a ton of shade variation, and if you bend the leather at all it lightens up considerably (at least temporarily). I'm very pleased, and will be wearing these a lot this spring and summer (once it stops goddamn snowing). Some pics:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

These look great. That does sound like a nice leather. I've been intrigued by it myself, and I've been drawn to grained leathers myself recently. Leather that lightens temporarily when bent or stressed is said to have a pull up, is this right? So the buckaroo is like CXL in that respect. Enjoy wearing those once the weather permits. At least it's easy to wear them around the house a little. Not like clunking around in some double leather soled shoes.

http://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...180405.71101.183745301688894&_mn_=5&refid=17#

Interesting and thanks for posting. Does it look to you as if this is their Blake boot shape with broguing? I look forward to seeing that from other angles.

 

[grendel]

Enjoy wearing those once the weather permits. At least it's easy to wear them around the house a little. Not like clunking around in some double leather soled shoes.

Interesting and thanks for posting. Does it look to you as if this is their Blake boot shape with broguing? I look forward to seeing that from other angles.

The toe looks boxy there... Almost like a Dinkelacker or Vass Budapester. Here's a Dinkelacker for comparison:

 

[grendel]

Thanks.

The tan bulldog I got has a red tint to it. I wouldn't be inclined to call it tan myself, really. It is definitely drier than CXL (though I'm not sure that automatically equals less stretch), but it does feel as if it should give nicely. I doubt it will stretch as much as CXL, though.

Is your plan for a lined or unlined shoe?

I'm really pleased with the color and I think it should wear well. I'll post some updates.

Yes, I'm looking at getting an unlined venetian loafer after I order a pair of brown cxl beefroll pennies... Gotta email Katie again, I haven't heard back

 

[Bakes11771]

FWIW, I went TTS on my blake boots and it worked out well. A very secure fit, but not too tight.

Yes, I'm looking at getting an unlined venetian loafer after I order a pair of brown cxl beefroll pennies... Gotta email Katie again, I haven't heard back

She'll get back to you, she's just a little behind in answering emails.