Overpriced. How many times have you gone in a shop on the High Street and seen a beautiful trendy shoe made of plastic and priced at £30 and up? I'm sorry, but plastic shoes should be dirt cheap. And in this economy, £30 ain't cutting it.
Quality. This ties into the cost really. Perhaps because I'm not willing to shell out £70 or more for the latest trend shoes, I find the quality leaves much to be desired. I've just found that the quality at the price I want to pay goes much further in the US, continental Europe, and Japan than the UK.
Sizing. Many shops in the UK do not carry half sizes. Very annoying. Actually, it's beyond annoying. There's just a few that do - M&S and Clarks are the only that come to mind. I don't have very big or very small feet. But I do have friends with both, and they struggle to find their sizes in the UK. In M&S shoes, ironically, I do wear a whole size 5, yet in most other UK shops, I've found that 5 is a smidge too small, and 6 is just too big. I've also had foot problems, so I never wear the wrong size shoes. Fashion can be painful, but not that painful!
Having said all that, this is actually a blog about M&S shoes and how it's one of the few places in the UK I even consider buying shoes from. Consider? Actually, I've got quite a few of my work essentials from M&S. So what is M&S doing right? Pricing is affordable and quality matches up with my expectations. You can get a leather pair of shoes for £30, and they tick that box on sizing as they have half sizes. For small or large sizes, you can actually order in sizes to your local shop and then go try them on! Okay, that's not as convenient as turning up and them just having your size, but it's a nice alternative. Heck, even with my 'average' size 5's I've had to order in at M&S because the shoes are just so popular they don't stick around the shelves long.
The last pair of shoes that I bought at M&S came in at a frugal £29.50 and are *leather* Hurray!
They are pretty standard pumps in a pretty patent finish that looks classic, but still trendy. I have a pair from M&S like this in grey that I bought a couple years ago that still look great and are comfortable. I tried to take a couple shots of my own shoes but could only manage the one. The pic above is from M&S with a link through to the product.
Plus, as an extra bonus, if you shop online and go via Quidco, you can get cashback.Okay, so you won't save heaps, but every little adds up. If you haven't seen this site, you should check it out!
So what do you think of M&S shoes or other high street retailers?
That is a fantastic price for a leather pump! Half sizes are just imperative, I can't imagine why people wouldn't make those. If I move to the UK I am looking this company up.
ReplyDeleteI know right! I've been told that smaller markets have less selection. Clothes shops in the UK also have a smaller variety of sizes as opposed to the US. It's something I think seriously needs to change!
ReplyDelete