S/o s/of criminal shoe prices

amother

Burlywood

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 12:10 pm

urban gypsy wrote:

Geox makes beautiful formal shoes for boys and girls.
My son's Shabbos shoes are Geox and they've lasted very well into the second year.

I think a lot of the complaints about buying online come from three problems

1) People are disorganized shoppers. They wait until their kid can't fit into their shoes anymore before taking them shopping. If you buy one size up from what you need, you have the luxury of taking your time and enjoying the sales.

2) People are bad at keeping track of coupons, return deadlines, packing slips, etc. I guess this is part of the disorganized shoppers thing.

3) People are bad at reading size charts and user reviews. To shop online you need to get very good at measuring, comparing size charts, and seeing comments from other customers. You may even need to call customer service once in a while.

I only shop online, for everything for myself and my kids. I can't understand the mindset of schlepping around to stores when in a couple of clicks on my keyboard I literally have the entire world of products at my fingertips, but to each his own...

Same. Also I usually buy online on websites where I only have to pay after 2 weeks. So I only end up paying the stuff I keep.
I always buy winter stuff in the spring, summer stuff in fall etc. I never understood people who suddenly when it got cold realized they and their kids need coats and boots. Like hello it's winter every year 🤔🤔 I asked a mom in late June why her daughter still didn't have summer clothes and she literally said: I didn't realize it was gonna get warm so quickly. Banging head

SixOfWands

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 12:24 pm

chayamo wrote:

I’ll tell you honestly why I do it...
I really really like the styles. Maybe I’m a conformist, a sheep, whatever you want to yell at me... but fashion always spoke to me from when I was really little. I enjoy dressing very in style and I enjoy dressing my kids in the latest European fashion. I set aside a big part of my budget for clothing and shoes (I am not irresponsible btw, I budget very exactly every month)
It’s something I value so I spend on it. If you don’t value it, then don’t do it!! It’s pretty simple

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, if you can afford it and it gives you joy.

People aren't really addressing your situation. They're addressing people who say that they cannot afford high-priced shoes, but claim that they have no alternative.

amother

Lemon

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 12:37 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

Absolutely correct - if you can afford it and it's something that gives you pleasure, go for it. You are not keeping up with the Cohens - you ARE the Cohens. Spend your discretionary income however your heart desires.

I am finding the rationales for "needing" very expensive shoes to be fascinating in terms of human behavior.

There are high quality shoes (if that is the issue) that are available at lower price points. There is something between dreck for $15 and $100 shoes. However, it appears these moderately priced shoes are not deemed to be "stylish" enough for some.

Circling back to the original post - which was why there should be coupons to purchase $100 shoes which are then funded by people who CAN'T AFFORD the same shoes for their families, in my mind there is no justification.

It's not a question of begrudging anyone anything but it makes no sense to use limited dollar amounts for such things when there are things which legitimately need money because they are critical - medical care, food, housing, education - all of these are far more important to me - and I would hope to any sane individual - than ensuring that someone does not endure the HORROR of having their child shod in Striderite shoe or some other good but not highly desirable brand.

I find it hard to believe that stylish trendy shoes are somehow medically necessary for children with foot issues.

amother

Pink

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 12:47 pm

My in laws bought my son his first pair of shoes in a frum store. They were $50 and I was horrified at how expensive they were for a 15 month old. I went online to buy him another pair and lo and behold, all the good brands that the Pinterest mom blogs rave about are $40-$80 a pair for toddlers.

amother

Azure

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 12:47 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

These threads make me wonder: do all non-frum American children wear junky shoes? Do all of them with challenging sizing, suffer with ill-fitting shoes? Is it only possible to purchase quality, well fitting shoes in a frum store, in all of the USA???

In the general culture, it is acceptable to wear sneakers pretty much everywhere. Except to church on Sunday. And people do spend lots of money on brand name sneakers and for quality as well

watergirl

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 12:52 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

You saved me from writing this post. I'm pretty sure I've written it in the past.

Woe to everyone who does not have a heimish shoe store in their town! Even frum people who dont have these stores by them. I really do think these stores sell people a bill of goods... people really are convinced that their kids have hard to fit feet, etc. and these are the only places where they can buy the right shoes. Maybe its true, maybe not. But it really does seem that this is a NY/Lakewood phenomenon. The rest of the country does just fine with regular shoes. No, not "regular shoes bought at Nordstrom for the same price so whats the difference". I mean, regular, "lets go to the Sketchers outlet, there is a BOGO sale" or "lets see what they have at Kohls". We really are doing just as well!

southernbubby

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 1:10 pm

amother [ Lemon ] wrote:

I would not contribute if it means not having for my own kids unless I gave just a small token sum. Nobody is obligated to give because there is no lack of worthy causes.

amother

Smokey

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 4:12 pm

Why is this even a thread? Some people pay for convenience with shoes, same with other things. You might think that paying a 50% premium on shoes is ridiculous, for some people the convenience of not having to guess sizes online, wait for them to come, and then return them isn't worth the savings. Its a totally personal decision based on your priorities, lifestyle and bank account.
For all the people bemoaning the prices in Jewish stores, they charge what people will pay. If you don't like it on principle or can't afford it, then the convenience they offer isn't worth the upcharge for you.
Personally, I split the baby and buy everyday shoes/sneakers at a regular/cheaper store and I go to a Jewish store for Shabbos shoes because I don't like the look of the regular kids dressier shoes. But I also can afford to do that and not feel guilty about it so the prices are just something I accept.

amother

Cerise

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 5:08 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

The non Jews I know have small families and a ton of junky shoes with very bad support. Summer a few dif kind of sandles, flip flops for the beach, sneakers for gym for girls during the year school shoes are sometimes worn without socks and most winter days they are in boots. I guess it goes so high that it supportive. Not the kind of lifestyle I live or want my kids to live. For there 3 year old they still have a carriage. My 3 year old walks alot on shabbos. The boys shoes are better made sneakers. But also alot of them are so ugly. The toddlers has spider man light up sneakers. Those are the easy type to get in the realy cheap store

33055

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 5:18 pm

amother [ Cerise ] wrote:

And the non- Jews I know shop in Nordstrom and Bloomingdales for their kids shoes. They have quite the selection. Do you think only Jews buy quality shoes for their kids?

Raisin

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 5:44 pm

amother [ Honeydew ] wrote:

The type of independant shoe stores selling brands like geox, stride rite, etc and where a fitter will measure your feet and make sure shoes fit properly exist where I live. I don't know how prices compare to frum NY shops since I don't shop there but as I said, I pay about $60 for a pair of kids shoes.

esuss

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 5:55 pm

If I go to a frum shoe store I can wait upwards of 30 minutes for my turn, have an employee spend five minutes fitting my child and then try to sell a pair of Skechers sneakers for $70. That I can buy on Zappos for $45. Or they can fit my growing son for Shabbos shoes for $120 that he outgrows in 3 months. I can get similar shoes on Zappos for $60 that he outgrows in 3 months. The quality is the exact same. I have bought shoes in frum stores that didn't even last a week before the sole came off or they were fit wrong etc.

33055

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 6:23 pm

urban gypsy wrote:

Can someone explain all this fitting business to me please? Is there something the stores do that is special beyond measuring the foot with the sliding ruler? You know that online stores have printable foot measuring charts right ????

It's nonsense. Jewish stores don't have a magic foot measuring technique. They have measured my kids' feet wrong and sold DH expensive misfit shoes which they only took back for store credit even though it is their mistakes. They went longer in the shoe when they didn't have the wide size.

But they have convinced the community that this is the way to go.

SixOfWands

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 6:42 pm

urban gypsy wrote:

Yes, its measuring the foot. And knowing what shoes fit what type of foot best. And feeling how the foot rests in the shoe to know if its a good fit.

And yes, the metal foot measure is a lot more accurate than a print out that might have been scaled incorrectly, and where its difficult to ensure that your child's foot is at the right place (as opposed to resting against the metal cup at the back of the measuring device).

But any decent shoe store should be able to do that for you. My kids' feet have been measured at Foot Locker.

33055

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 6:50 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

You can buy a measuring device with the heel rest for less than $15. You can make it up on your first pair of shoes.

https://www.amazon.com/Measuri.....psc=1

You can buy the metal ones for $56.

amother

Wed, Oct 16 2019, 8:08 pm

Once again we got off topic and ignored my original question. I have no problem with people buying expensive shoes if they can afford it AND they like frum store/measurements/service/etc. I can afford it, but choose not to.

I am questioning as to why people who need help (financial) and cannot manage on their own, require $100 shoes for their kids. Thanks.

I can only afford to drive a Lexus, should I ask for a Maserati cuz my neighbior has one?