A fave pair by Steve Madden
While on Twitter, @CityMeetCountry who has the wonderful blog Horses and Heels, tweeted that she was considering joining one of the many shoe clubs that are out there (hope she doesn’t mind I shared that). I responded that, I myself was not a fan of shoe clubs. Well, with Twitter having a limit of 140 characters and not wanting to flood my follower’s timelines with my long . . . um. . . very long opinion, I have decided to write a post.
Disclaimer:
First, let me say, this is NOT a post to deter others from joining a shoe club. This is a post in which I express my personal opinion about them. If you have made the decision to join a shoe club or if you are planning on joining a shoe club that is your right. We all have the right to like what we want to like and spend our money the way we wish (within the limits of the law, however, that is not an issue here). Everyone does not care to eat pickles but, that doesn’t stop me (random example).
Back to Post:
I myself have not personally, joined and tried a shoe club, however I was told by a friend, who has, how it works.
You join and it is free to do so. When you join you feel out a questionnaire about your personal style. Based on your responses, you will receive an email once a month from the shoe club with a suggested shoe that is offered at a low members only price. I do believe that the price of the shoes is always the same (at least for this particular club). If you do not wish to purchase the recommended shoes; you can choose another pair or skip a purchase all together for that month. I think that is the gist of it and if I have missed anything you may let me know in the comments.
Questions with Opinions:
Is it Really a Bargain?
Now, I will say that I understand that the concept is to provide the purchaser with a pair of affordable high heels. Here are my 3 issues with this idea.
1. If you are a woman who is trying to save money, a monthly email with a high heel to buy is not going to help. A.) There is the temptation to spend. B.) There is the rationalizing that it would be okay to purchase the heels because; you are not spending much money on it or as they say, getting a bargain (which is the idea behind the shoe club marketing. It is a marketing ploy.)
2. My friend showed me a pair of high heels she had purchased from the shoe club. After looking at them, I pointed out that she could have gotten a pair of similar heels (Guess, Nine West, Steve Madden) from a discount department store (Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory) and actually fared better. The other heels (seen at department store) were better looking, $10 cheaper (on sale) and that is not including saving on the shipping and handling.
3. Point two is the basis of point three, there are ALWAYS sales.
Whose Label?
I am a label whor . . . er. . . woman. I have a preference that my high heels have a name in them. Yes, I may not be able to afford a closet full of heels with the labels Gucci, Fendi, Givenchy, and Giuseppe Zanotti however, for me, I still prefer the labels Nine West, Guess, Jessica Simpson, and Steve Madden over *insert shoe club name here*.
What About Workmanship
I prefer quality over quantity. I would rather have a few pair of quality made shoes than a closet full of cheaply made shoes. I really am not out to impress others with my massive shoe closet but, to satisfy myself. Now, I am not sure if all shoe club heels are cheaply made but, the ones I saw did not impress me. I am always, checking shoes for workmanship. Even if I walk into a shoe warehouse and pick up a pair of (Guess, Steve Madden, BCBGeneration) heels off the shelf, I examine them before I purchase them. If I see something I do not like, I pick up the next pair (in my size) and if still no luck, I pass on the heel.
There a saying you get what you pay for. Even, if a heel is on sale $29.99, I do not go by that price when looking for flaws in workmanship. I go by what the label tried to sale the show for originally. So, if the heel was originally $129, I expect it still to to be well made. Now, if a heel was made to be sold at *shoe club* price, should I not expect *shoe club* workmanship?
Conclusion:
Those are my main reasons, for not jumping on the shoe club bandwagon. I could make a few more observations but, I am sure I have made the best ones.
If you disagree with me or if you feel I unfairly targeted shoe clubs, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section. If you agree and would like to share your reasons for doing so, please, share in the comment section.
Thanks for sharing, I don’t mind : ) While I haven’t joined a club & well, you can be the voice of reason. I agree with your thoughts or you did my thinking. I’m definitely a “label whore” as well. I despise knock offs & fakes so not having designer shoes is a deterrent. I think I know why people do join them, you get caught up in the moment & it seems like an awesome idea being in a club, shoes to look forward to every month & “special treatment”. It’s sounds like fun, it looks like fun, it’s intriguing. What I should do is make a certain day of the month “shoe day” & go shopping for a designer deal, I might just do that : )
Raquel recently posted..Monday’s Cowboy Boots of The Day
Raquel . . . Glad you don’t mind
You have the right idea. If you have some extra money and want a fun day then, have a “shoe day”. Either by yourself or with a friend, go out and look for a great pair of shoes and try to get the best deal possible. Think of all the fun you will have laughing, trying on heels, and getting out of the house. That will not only be fun but, more rewarding when you sit back in the evening and marvel at your heel (you found at a killer deal) and the good time you had finding them. Which seems much more “special” then, here’s your heel would you like us to mail it.
In other words. . . shoe day shopping > shoe club
I just got a “get one free” cupon from a shoe club and I was thinking about checking it out, but your post has made me hesitate (again). I am trying to save money, and if all I need to do is click on a link, well it’s easy to spend money that way isn’t it? Also, I like to try on my shoes before I buy them. Even 5″ platforms have to be somewhat comfortable!
Great post!
Heather
http://thestyleconfessions.com/
Heather . . . First thanks. I will order online which means I can’t inspect the heels or try them on until I receive them.
Do not let me stop you from trying a shoe club. If you decide to try the shoe club let me know how that works out.
I do really believe that when trying to save money. . . it is better to shop around for the best value.
Sharon, I think you know about my obsession with shoes. With that being said, I signed up for a shoe club once (to be nosy), but never ordered. For one, none of the shoes fit my personaltiy, and for two I am a frugalista and I can’t rationalize paying $39.95 (or more) for a shoe that I can find for cheaper that looks better. As you said, many of the clubs are a marketing ploy. I consider myself to be a savvy shopper and I never pay full price (or a really high price) for any of my beloved heels. Plus, since my heel is narrow and feet are wide, I prefer to try my heels on in the store. I have a flat arch so I am not keen on wasting time/money on shipping–and let’s not count the gas to the post office to return some shoes I shouldn’t have bought in the first place. I’m finicky about my heels and since I wear flats infrequently I don’t care as much about those. But really, any shoe on my feet needs to be made properly and have great quality. So…I like shoe/heel shopping in store where I can examine it thoroughly. Plus, it’s MUCH FUN!
I was going to join a shoe club. I looked at different ones and started to fill out the questionaire, then I thought who else would know what I like better than me?! Yes, it was helpful that they picked out a selection of shoes that might interest me but half of the fun of shoe shopping is going and looking for yourself. Also, I was reading the questions and I realized that there were some questions that I just couldn’t answer, like who’s my style icon (Rihanna, Beyonce or Lady Gaga?) really they all have the same style to me. I don’t have one type of shoe or even style of shoe in my closet. I have ultra high heels to flats (that I wear less often) but they are allo different and unique for my mood at the time that I bought them so I like the variety of choosing what I want. So I don’t want just a selection of one type of shoe. I do have name brand shoes but I have a couple lesser known brands, like Diba and 2 Lips. Also, the monthly sending of heels is just too much, I spend too much money as it is on heels and I really don’t need to buy them every month. In the end it was just easier for me to join dsw and use the points I earn for discounts on heels. That’s something shoe clubd should offer maybe then I’ll join.
Hehe, I was just checking back on here, I love everyone’s comments & thoughts!
Raquel recently posted..Tory Burch ~ Yellow & Olive
I concur with your post entirely. I an rabidly against the shoe clubs for these reasons. I look at them and think.. maybe I shoudl try to see… but. Meh. I’d rather get a pair on a good sale for $10 and then save the other $30 to go towards a much pricier pair in the future, and I can still get a pair a month.
@Wen_James here is a detailed reason why http://t.co/esyTmJ0V #fashionchat