Stride Rite

[Tara]

I decided it was time to get B her first pair of “good” shoes. Her white sandals from Target kept falling off and they were starting to rub a blister on the back of her foot So we headed off to Laurie’s Shoes this morning. The lady working was a total beeotch. We got the shoes, and they are cute, but I am so not sure about the fit at all. She put Bailey in a size and a half bigger than what she had been wearing, and an extra wide. They are gappy around the ankle and one fell off when I took her out of her carseat. Also I think the reason she told me she needed an extra wide is because they were out of the regular wides. Grrr so once we got home I spent time on the phone with their main office telling my tale of woe and we are going back to their main location tomorrow so they can check the fit and personally apologize to me. It would be really nice if that apology included a coupon.

I won’t get into all the details but basically while we were there the woman did not look at Bailey or speak to her and was very rushed and kind of rough with her. At a kids specialty shoe store. Great, huh? Then about a minute after I told her that I wanted a shoe she could wear all summer, she said something like, “And some people are really weird and want their kid to wear the same shoes all summer!” Thanks for making me feel like an idiot. Bad first impression, and they didn’t sign me up for their customer club thing so that was also part of my reason for calling, to get added to that.

I like the shoes she got but the service sucked. Big disappointment. Just sayin'.

[yayamommy]

I saw the pictures and they are really cute sandals!  Sorry about the service.  I have similar stories too.  They are long, so I'll save for another time.
Bad service when dealing with children is totally unacceptable to me.  My time with Sophie is WAY WAY WAY too precious to waste it with icky salespeople.  I buy online now.  Zappos.com delivers the next day.  If I am going to spend $50 on a pair of shoes I may as well get it with a smile--from the UPS man!

Why is it that kids stores have such icky service?  Especially shoes.  I LOVE SHOES!  I love shoe stores--but get me in a Stride Rite and I will go running. 

Now, get me in a DSW and I will get lost and go bankrupt.  (well not right now but when we have $ again!)

[Tara]

I almost ordered from Zappo's but wasn't sure about the measurements. I'll have to try them sometime. 

[Jo Ann]

wow, that is totally off! I wonder what kind of a mother she is?

[bottlesbarbiesandboys]

They should at least accommodate you for your waisted gas! Maybe the mention of having your own blog might help! Hint hint...nudge nudge... wink wink!

[yayamommy]

I never thought of that Bottles!  THat would be a cool thing to drop around a not-so-nice salesperson. 

[bottlesbarbiesandboys]

Yes, I would think a little hint of bad publicity would be a good thing!

[Jo Ann]

just be a little careful though. we have a journalist here who talked of the bad service she got from a company. she was sued for libel. it's her word against the person she dealt with.

[bottlesbarbiesandboys]

Then I say threaten them with youtube...No way to sue there!! I've heard of lots of people doing that and they got lots of free stuff. I'd take a video camera with me in the store and tape the whole transaction. That would really freak them out, whether you use it or not!

[yayamommy]

that just made me LOL thinking about video taping Sophie trying on shoes--I can see her eyes rolling!

[jamajofe]

I would never buy Stride Rite again, I went and got my daughter school shoes there, blue leather, the very first day they tore. When I took them back, they would do nothing for me. Since I had purchased them with a charge card, I called the card company. They had me send them the shoes, and they refunded me. The sales man was nasty also. If you are going to have to deal with mothers and their kids, hire pleasant sales people.

[Mom2ConnorRyan]

I have never shopped there.  Now I will not.  I always get great service at Journey's for kids.  We have one women who works there that knows us now since we shop there.  My son also likes her which helps.  THey have  great selection of converses and pumas.  He is only 2 but he has a mind of his own and that is what he likes. 

[yayamommy]

What's Journey's?  Is that a local boutique where you live, or is it a chain.  I totally want to go there.   

[berriesweetest]

i like buttercup's pedipeds. they are GREAT and so flexible and she loves them. never tried stride rite, but i on't think i'm missing anything.
jo-ann: a journalist here got sued for libel? wow! i had a bad experience with a company via an email exchage and posted the response to my question (which peeved me off) on my blog a while ago-but i guess you cannot argue with that since it was proof of the exchange.
what a reminder to be careful. makes sense i guess, since we were never allowed to use our positions as journalists to "get back" at poor services rendered with business. conflict of ethics issues and all that. (I'm a former newspaper reporter.)

[Mom2ConnorRyan]

It is not a specialty store at all. I assumed they had them everywhere because we have three close to me.  They are usually found in malls.  Here is the website to see if one is near you. 
http://www.journeys.com/