Trying on shoes at stores, not buying

[Mr.Pooter]

Originally Posted by elgreco

I tried on a pair of C&Js at Barneys that I had been eyeing, liked the fit and look of the shoe, and then promptly went home and ordered it from Pediwear, hahahaha.

Barney's is in Manhattan where the rents and overhead are high so of course the prices may be a bit higher but it's really not worth buying from pediwear where there's a $30 shipping fee and where you May be charged duty when they're delivered. And suppose you receive a defective shoe or the wrong size and you have to exhange it? It's really not worth it just to perhaps save a few dollars.

 

[allaboutshoes]

Just my 2 cents. Many of the people that want to buy AEs from me (see signature) tell me beforehand "I want to buy a XYZ in size 10 D, but im going to try them on in the store and let you know my size". I guess a lot of people dont mind. And hell, we're in a recession. Anything to save a few bucks

 

[stevent]

Originally Posted by ter1413

+1000


This. It depends on the purchase though. If I have to wait a few days for shipping and only save a bit of money I'll buy in store. Otherwise I'll order online and save both the price money and tax money (which can easily be $25-100). I usually just say I want to see how they fit and then say it doesn't fit too well. If they try to sell you something else you just say I don't like that style.

I don't know if it's my age or what but sometimes I feel the salespeople at some stores (Esp. NM) don't even act friendly enough for me to want to buy from them. If I'm trying on a $500 pair of shoes you should at least smile and be lively.

 

[Dicky Dicardo]

You could always start the converstaion by indicating that you are interested in a color that the store doesn't have. For example, I was in Dillard's recently and they only stock Strands in black and walnut; so you could indicate that you are looking for them in brown, but you'll try on the walnuts to see what you think. Or, you could test the SA's knowledge at the same time by stating that you want them in oxblood.

The above scenario seems fine. It gets very questionable, however if you buy the shoes both in the store and online and return the online shoes back to the store, ensuring that you have obtained the freshest stock at the lowest price.

 

[Digmenow]

Originally Posted by adb

You could always start the converstaion by indicating that you are interested in a color that the store doesn't have. For example, I was in Dillard's recently and they only stock Strands in black and walnut; so you could indicate that you are looking for them in brown, but you'll try on the walnuts to see what you think. Or, you could test the SA's knowledge at the same time by stating that you want them in oxblood.

The above scenario seems fine. It gets very questionable, however if you buy the shoes both in the store and online and return the online shoes back to the store, ensuring that you have obtained the freshest stock at the lowest price.
So if you ask for 10 D's in walnut "to see how you like the color" and they are too small, how do you justify asking for the same color in the next size(s)?

I vote that you just ask to try them on until you find what you like and tell the person thanks but you've decided not to purchase today.

 

[donipham]

I'd just say thank you and make an effort to look for the same salesman on my next purchase.

 

[Ahriman4891]

Is it so bad to openly say, "Thank you for your help, I'd like to buy from you but I can get them online for $xyz cheaper, are you willing to give me a discount?" I recently bought a pair of Church's penny loafers from Herring. Previously I tried them at Church's Manhattan store, found out my size but they did not have them in brown and I did not want black loafers. The price at the store would be about 1.5 times what Herring charges. I think it is reasonable to be honest with the store in that case, and I don't think I would look like a cheap bastard

 

[DrPsycho]

I just did this in anticipation of buying online.

I was reasonably up front with the sales staff, and they were reasonable in return. I too am in Canada, and the one sales associate quipped "don't worry, about 90% of the stuff I buy for myself is cross border these days, thanks to the dollar disparity."She went on to say that they offer quite a bit of menswear, accessories, and services... helping me out gets me in the door, gives them word-of-mouth reputation, and increases the likelihood that I'll be back.

I even chatted briefly with the manager, who offered to order in whatever I wanted to try on since they didn't have any 9.5E that day. "If I have to eat the shipping, that's the cost of doing business." Nice to say, especially when they knew I was thinking of buying online, but I draw the line at making them incur additional costs. I even told them as much. They still gave me an AE catalog with their card tucked inside when I left.

Their gamble will probably pay off... not in shoes, per se, but yeah... I'll go back. That's the power of good customer service.

 

[ThatGuy]

95% of styleforumers could easily be members of cheapskateforum.com.

Try if you intend to buy. Other people genuinely go to shops to buy. I hope ur Internet purchases have rat ***** in there.

 

[miurasv]

I would not waste a salespersons time if I had no intention of buying from them. It's devious and is theft of their time and time is money.

 

[MyOtherLife]

Sales staff are not stupid. They have all day long to memorize the faces of the regular customers and non-customers.
You may get away with this unethical practice once or twice but your not helping yourself in the long run.
Imagine yourself to be the salesperson. One clown walks in and wastes your time while the real customer left unattended.
They will remember you, believe it.

 

[CYstyle]

Would you still have married your wife, if hundreds of guys tried her out before?

Or how would you feel if a bunch a dudes wanted to try out your daughter with no intention of marrying her?

beyond wasting the sales person's and of that of other customers waiting, trying on shoes cause cosmetic creases on the shoes, and some scuffing on the soles, the box gets banged up etc. They don't do much in terms of actual damage, but the next guy in line dropping full retail $$ would probably like brand new shoes.

 

[A chuisle mo chroi]

I recommend you be honest and tell the SA that you are a cheap bastard and that you like to give others the impression that you have more money than you actually do. Make sure they know that you remembered your wallet but, sadly, there is no money in it.

 

[usctrojans31]

Some of the responses in this since bumping have been ridiculous. There is a difference between trying on a pair or two of shoes and being the person trying on 10 types of shoes and not buying anything. I think it also depends on the attitude of the customer as well. What if you try on the shoes with the intention of buying them and they genuinely don't fit? Is that wrong? Are you wasting the salesperson's time?

I was in the city at Sherman Brothers and looking at a pair of shell cordovans and told the sales associate that I was a C width and just looking at the aesthetics of them in person and knew that I would have to order them online if I liked them. The salesperson insisted that I try on the D just to see how they would look on my feet. I was impressed by the service there that I have thrown a lot of business their way both from my purchases and from recommendations.

It all matters about the attitude of the customer. I bought a hammock a few days ago, which unfortunately did not fit my hammock stand and I damaged the packaging. When I returned it, I apologized for the packaging problem and said "I hate being that guy" and the woman at the store said "You're that guy with a smile on your face say it is okay."

As almost anyone else on here who works retail will tell you, it isn't always about the sale, it is about the person. I work part-time while I am in school and have several regular customers who routinely just check out the store and the merchandise and are always personable. Do I care that they're mostly just browsing? Not at all. In fact, one of the gentleman and I sometimes just shoot the ****.

So for the posters saying "salespeople have memories for this behavior," yes, many do. Many don't particularly care either.