I absolutely hate shoe shopping. It’s hard to find shoes that fit. Plus, shoes are expensive. Ninety-dollars ( $90) seems to be the going rate for a pair of shoes. And if you want really nice shoes, be prepared to pay $130, $150 or $195 – and those aren’t just for high fashion. At these prices, I’ll only be buying about two pair a year.
What I really wanted to rant and rave about was the difference in shoe departments at Twelve Oaks Mall. My first stop was Lord & Taylor. They had a decent selection of heels, but I was looking for flats. I recalled in past shoe-buying ventures how the sales people would converge on me. So, I quickly looked through the shoe selection before a sales person could assist me. The department was orderly and there were sales people. This was important to note.
Next stop: Macy’s. What a mess. Every time I go to that store, there is merchandise stacked up, spread on the floor, and in general disarray. This time was no exception. I started at the sales shelf, if you could call it that. A wire frame shelf barely held the shoes in place. Many were just thrown on the floor. Oh well, there were only very high heels anyways. Hookers would be delighted in the selection.
Surprisingly, Macy’s did have some flats displayed on the 30 or so pods of shoes in the regular (non-sales) section. And some were around $50 – more of what I hoped to pay. I selected four styles that I thought would work. Then I sat down, remembering store etiquette – when you’re ready to try on shoes, take a seat. They’ll come to you. While I was waiting, I noticed that the nearby soap department permeated the shoe area with a distinctive musky smell. I wondered if I had forgotten to put on my deodorant.
I decided to clock them. It was 8:20. At 8:25, I was getting antsy. Patience isn’t my virtue. Finally, after watching three harried sales people (all women) scurrying about, picking up trash, picking up boxes of shoes, bringing shoes to the wrong people and generally looking flustered and unorganized (the fourth sales person simply walked off the floor when I thought I might be able to snare her), a store employee ventured near me. There were six boxes of shoes to my left. She didn’t say, “Can I help you?” She did say, “Are these shoes yours?” pointing to the boxes as she was preparing to scoop them up and whisk them away.
“No, they’re not mine. But I do need help,” I said, caving in to being a hapless customer in need of assistance. Otherwise, I would have fled. I was disappointed to learn that out of four shoe styles selected, they only had one in my size.
Surprisingly again, that pair fit. I hate to reward bad retail, but I ended up buying the shoes. Fortunately, when I took them up to counter, the shoe sales person miraculously appeared (they must still work on commission). Yet, the counter was so cluttered with shoes that the sales person swiped my card on the register and I had to unearth the credit card screen on the counter in order to sign my name. She said, “Don’t mind the mess.” I thought, “Hey, I found some shoes, who cares about a counter full of shoes that couldn’t walk back into their boxes.”
I still had a half hour to spare. Plus I recalled that Lord & Taylor was open until 9:30 p.m. I would finish there.
Onward to Nordstrom’s, which is famous for shoes. As I entered the shoe department, the first pair I picked up was $275. Gag. I ventured on, vowing to see what made this store so exceptional in the shoe department. I wasn’t disappointed. The sales help was wonderful. At least three people asked if they could help me and I wasn’t even sitting down yet. Finally, I did find two pair of black shoes that I wanted to try on. Disappointment again. They only had one pair. But the sales lady (who was all of 20-something) said, “Sorry that I didn’t have the other ones, but these are the more comfortable ones anyway.”
Yes, they would probably have been comfortable with nylons but not with casual socks, which is what I planned on having on my feet along with my jeans or casual pants.
It was 9 p.m., but the sales people assured the customers, “We won’t hurry you.” One sales woman was helping an older woman who was taking a lot of time trying on shoes and complaining all the while. Yet, the sales woman was kind and helpful. I doubt any of the Macy’s sales people would be that attentive.
I must mention that when I stopped back in at Lord & Taylor to look for something to wear to a Las Vegas concert, I was delighted to find a sweet blouse and it was on sale. I knew that I’d probably only wear it once (and no, I’m not the performer). Even that late in the retail world (after 9 p.m.) at least two sales people greeted me with a pleasant hello and offer of assistance.
What’s the moral of this story? Good service is recognized. Even though I did patronize a store that needs to get its act together, I hope that all retailers – from discounters to high-end stores – continue to put the customer first.
