Originally ShoeBuy, Shoes.com is an online U.S based footwear retailer with over a million products. Originally established in 1999 by Scott Savitz, shoes.com has changed owners several times. In 2006, IAC acquired ShoeBuy. ShoeBuy remained a product of IAC until 2016 when Jet.com acquired the company (a subsidiary of Walmart). Following the acquisition by Jet, ShoeBuy changed its name to shoes.com. Finally, in October of 2020 Walmart sold shoes.com to CriticalPoint Capital. The current CEO of shoes.com is Roger Hardy.

Shoes.com Company Information:

Official Website:https://shoes.com
Headquarters Location:Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Founded:1999
Industry:Retail
Ownership:CriticalPoint Capital
Contact:service@shoes.com
Trust Score:Medium
Social Media:LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram

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What is shoes.com? 

Shoes.com, originally ShoeBuy, is an online footwear retailer based in Boston, Massachusetts. With over a million products, shoes.com nets an annual revenue of $429 million. Currently, they have 200+ employees, with the majority of these being Buyers, and Associate Buyers followed by a handful of software engineers and managers. Initially founded in 1999, the company was purchased by Walmart in 2016 and remained owned by them until 2020 when they sold the website to CritcalPoint Capital, a private equity firm dedicated primarily to acquiring small to mid-range companies.

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Is shoes.com legal and safe or is it a scam?

Shoes.com has been an online footwear retailer since 1999. They currently have 200+ employees, with 166 of them on LinkedIn. They have over 1 million products available, earning an annual revenue of $429 million. It is safe to assume based on this information that they’re both legal, and safe to use. 

As we’ll see in the next section, however, shoes.com may not be the most reliable or trustworthy site to use, as their customers are routinely running into issues that have netted them a 1.02 out of 5 rating on the Better Business Bureau website.

So while the website may be legitimate, you may occasionally encounter issues that they aren’t always the quickest at helping with. Many customers have claimed that it was challenging to receive a response from the company, with most saying they had to go to the Better Business Bureau website to receive their promised refunds. 

So while the website may be legal, and safe to use, it might not be the most trustworthy or reliable at times.

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Is Shoes.com Reliable & Trustworthy? 

Shoes.com may be legal and safe to use, but there is some question about how reliable or trustworthy the website is. Looking at the reviews online, as well as the complaints in the Better Business Bureau, there seems to be a recurring issue of customers receiving the wrong item (usually the wrong size), and then having difficulties during the return & exchange or refund process. 

Looking at their profile on the Better Business Bureau website, they have had 480 complaints opened in the past three years, with 78% of these (379) opened in the past year alone. Thankfully, the customers that have opened a complaint with the BBB usually receive a response within 48 hours. 

The other issue that customers have had with shoes.com is being unable to actually get in contact with their customer service. Attempting to call their customer service line presents you with an automated recording to e-mail them at service@shoes.com instead.

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The Pros & Cons of Shoes.com

Pros:

  • They’re the largest online retailer dedicated exclusively to footwear
  • They have a wide selection of items for all types of footwear
  • They offer price matching on other online retailers

Cons:

  • There has been a recent increase in the number of complaints posted to their Better Business Bureau profile.
  • There are occasional delays in shipping, even when paying for expedited delivery.

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How does Shoes.com Make Money?

Shoes.com is an online retailer of footwear. In order for them to earn enough to manage any warehousing, employee, or office space costs, they need to set the prices for their shoes accordingly. The standard markup in the footwear industry is 100%. This means, if they sell a particular brand of shoes for $50, they most likely pay $25 for them.

In addition to their retail costs, they also make their money through advertising and product sponsorships.

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Best Shoes.com Alternatives

As one may discover when reading up on Shoes.com, lately, their customers have been more frustrated than in the past. Whether that is because of their recent acquisition by CriticalPoint capital or because of another change in leadership, who can say, but the numbers are clear. Here are a few alternatives to check out:

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FAQ:

Does Shoes.com ship outside of the United States?

No. Currently, Shoes.com is only available for shipping inside the United States.

What is Shoes.com return policy?

Shoes.com offers refunds to its customers for up to 60 days after the purchase. The shipping label they send for the shoes is prepaid. However, they do charge an $8.50 restocking fee upon returning the shoes. During the holiday season, this time period is extended up to 90.

To qualify for a refund, the item must be returned in the original shoe box, which is then packed into another shipping box. Additionally, the item must be unworn and contain the original item tags.

Once your refund is processed, it’ll be issued back to the same payment method used to purchase the item. Refunds take approximately 5 business days to settle.

Does Shoes.com offer exchanges?

Currently, Shoes.com is unable to facilitate the exchange of items. However, if you have returned an item, and then purchased another item, if you provide the customer service team with your order number, they’ll waive the $8.50 restocking fee.

How do I contact Shoes.com?

The customer support number for Shoes.com is currently available, leaving the only customer service alternative as their e-mail address: service@shoes.com.

Does Shoes.com support back orders?

Currently, Shoes.com is not offering any support for backorders. If an item is unavailable, you’ll have to check back at a later time.

Does Shoes.com have a rewards program?

Yes. Shoes.com currently has a rewards program called “MyShoes”, which rewards members with points that can be redeemed for discounts on items. For every $100 spent, you’ll earn $5 in discounts in the form of MyShoe reward points.

Does Shoes.com offer gift certificates?

Yes. Currently, Shoes.com is offering an e-gift certificate with amounts from $25 up to $300. The gift certificate will be delivered directly to the recipient’s e-mail address along with any message you included.

Do I need an account to shop on Shoes.com?

Yes, currently Shoes.com does require its customers to have an account. You’ll be able to browse the site without logging in but once you add an item to your cart, you’ll then be redirected to the login screen.

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