I have had problems with this retailer similar to those reported elsewhere on this forum, so last night I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, http://www.bbb.org/
Perhaps if enough unhappy customers did the same, it might focus ShoePeddlers' attention, leading them to clean up their act and run their business in a business-like manner.
In addition to ignoring customer communications, their web site is woefully misleading, showing many styles, sizes and colors of Earth shoes that they don't have in stock and that the manufacturer has discontinued. I've been round and round with several attempts to order items shown on the web site, and when the item is out of stock they seem to simply ignore the order until I follow up with several nagging e-mails.
The only e-mails they respond to are ones indicating that I have documentation showing that the ball is in their court. For example, the one I sent pointing out that the Postal mail tracking system showed that they had received a return several days previously, and asking when my requested exchange would be shipped.
Unfortunately, when I finally succeeded in ordering an in-stock item, Earth Trekker hiking boots, I had to return them because the were badly designed for their stated purpose. Because they were a clearance item, I could get only an instore credit, not a refund, so now they're holding $94 of my money. When I used the credit plus $15 additional charged to my credit card to purchase a pair of oxfords, I had to return them as well because they were hopelessly uncomfortable.
Allowing for the restocking charges, ShoePeddlers is now holding about $100 of my money. This gives them even less motivation to respond to my e-mails and faxes attempting to identify a pair of shoes in stock in my size and in a color that I would wear, so I can recoup that credit. If they ever send me anything, I'll keep it even if it's unsuitable and / or uncomfortable. I'd be further ahead selling the item or donating it and taking a tax deduction than trying to deal with this merchant again.
Forget about trying to phone them. All I've gotten has been a greeting inviting me to send a fax or call back later to leave a voice message, but later seems never to come, and I've read elsewhere on this forum that they don't return calls anyway. They don't respond to faxes, either.
I was also alarmed to read on this forum that instead of withdrawing damaged goods (as distinct from normal distressing of leather) from stock, they re-sell them as clearance items with the same restriction on returns as they apply to undamaged clearance stock. I had assumed that they were merely bumblers, but now I question their ethics.
Marianna
Painted Post, New York
U.S.A.
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