Earlier this week I looked around on the internet for some summer shoes. I found these cute things on Zappos.com, and they’re perfect for work. (We ask the preschoolers to wear shoes with a strap around the heel so they don’t wipe out while running around outside. If I wear flip-flops, I have to answer “Why do you get to wear those?” a hundred times a day.)
I ordered the shoes, and they came shockingly fast! Then I did some price-checking on the internet. Yes, I’m aware that I did this all out of order. My heart sank when I found the same shoes for less at Shoebuy.com. I am definitely going to send these back, but I tried a little something first. Here’s my e-mail to Shoebuy, and Rose’s reply:
Dear Shoebuy,
I don’t know what I was thinking, but I ordered a pair of Skechers
Honeymooner shoes (size 8.5) from Zappos.com last week for $56.
Foolishly, I did some price-checking after they arrived, and realize
that you sell the same shoe for $21.05 less.I could send my shoes back to Zappos and order a new pair from you
-Zappos has free shipping both ways, as do you – but these shoes are
already here, and have done their fair share of traveling already.
Could we cut out some of the carbon footprints? Could I just have you
send a pair of shoes over to Zappos for me?I realize that this sounds crazy, but it really makes a whole lot of
sense. I pay you for shoes, you send them to Zappos. Zappos credits my
account. No fuss, no muss. I’ll supply you with the account numbers if
this is a go.Tongue-in-cheekly yours,
Lauren Sommerer
a future loyal Shoebuy customer.
Rose’s reply is kind, but not too funny.
Thank you for shopping with us. Unfortunately, we will not be able to
honor your request. To receive the Women’s Skechers Bikers Honeymooner
for the lower price, you will need to purchase at Shoebuy.com and return
the order purchased at Zappos should you chose to do so.Again, thank you for choosing Shoebuy.com.
—
Sincerely,
Rose
Shoebuy.com
Customer Service
*sigh* Thanks anyway, Rose.
Those look great, I want a pair too! hehehe 🙂
Great idea about the exchange, nice try.
When Brad Royuk wears things his students can’t, they don’t DARE ask him why.
That sounds like a new Brad Fact. Can you add that Lauren?
I’ve never been to shoebuy, but I will now check them out! At least Zappos has a wonderful return policy. We got some shoes for a wedding there for Susana, and had to return the first pair for a bigger size. How is the Shoebuy return policy? Shipping?
Shoebuy has free shipping both ways, just like Zappos. It’s a good deal, but it’s a lot of traveling for those poor shoes.
I’m loyal to shoebuy myself. In fact “Brad” purchased my pink Crocs there for Christmas.
They also have TONS of shoes from which to choose. TONS.
Honeymooner shoes? Should we start calling you Alice?
I thought the email was too funny, and was really hoping that shoebuy.com would write something funny back. Oh well, I guess you can have cheap shoes or a sense of humor.
But rest assured that Lauren’s email has made several rounds in the shoebuy.com circle. Business’ don’t just let gems like that die without sharing them. You should see the ones that we get here (I sit by the online banking folks). Of course, most of our are complaining about the system or being overdrawn instead of being funny, but we still share them. 😀
Zappos does have a pricematch policy (I think it’s 110% of the difference.) Give them a call, and tell them that you’d like to do a pricematch, or you’ll return the shoes and buy them at Shoebuy. The Zappos customer service is very nice.
Score one for Jennifer. 🙂
Oh! If they do this for you, you should totally write Rose back and tell her Zappos was more than willing to help you out with reducing your carbon footprint! Take that, shoebuy!
I actually tried that route first. ‘Linda’ (if that’ her real name) at Zappos said that they discontinued that service in February. Stupid Zappos.
Jerks. Like I’ve been trying to tell you, Shoebuy’s better anyway… 😉
I am pretty sure you should report shoe buy to al gore, and say they are teh reason all of your flowers are dying and that you have cancer and …. sniff sniff global warming blah blah bla…
Kathryn!!! A bright spot in my crappy day!!! Everyone, meet Kathryn – opera singer extraordinaire, and yet another one of my friends who lives by an IKEA, dnag it.
Hi, Kathryn!