Let's Hear It for Amazing Customer Service!

If you've read my blog, well, ever, you'll know that I am always highly recommending the Skechers brand because of their durability vs. price. I've said a million times over that they are one of the few brands where I really feel like I'm getting excellent value for my spending money, as both my and the rest of my family's shoes are usually outgrown long before they are worn out. In fact, we've never in ten years had a problem with Skechers ever.

I was significantly surprised when a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups - their premium priced "fitness" shoe - split on me right down the side seam. I had only gotten them in December and I don't wear them on a daily basis. We have a Skechers store not far from our house, so when I stopped in there to pick up a casual summer sneaker, I figured I'd ask if there was any potential warranty at all. They were very nice about it and suggested I contact customer service to see if I could send them in. Of course, I promptly forgot to do this for another two weeks.

Eventually I did, in fact, remember to contact customer service. As usual, I remembered at around 3 am so I figured the easiest thing to do was send an email.  I received a prompt response the next morning with an address to mail the sneakers to, and instructions to include a short note explaining the problem, and that it could take 4-6 weeks for a response.

Now, my biggest problem was this: I received these shoes as a gift from my mom who lives in another state. I had no idea what date or from what store they were purchased, just that I received them in December. I contacted my mom to ask, but she said the receipt was long gone. I sincerely did NOT expect anything, realistically, back from Skechers at all. These were six month old shoes that I didn't know where or when they were purchased. But still, I figured taking a chance spending the $8 to ship them, on a small chance of replacement, was better than throwing away a $150 pair of shoes.

So, off they went, the first week of June. I sent a letter explaining the whole situation, and made notes of where the flaw was. I included an email address and contact number (as well as my mailing address) in case there were any questions. I gave specific instructions not to return them if they couldn't be fixed, as it wasn't going to be worth shipping both ways plus a fee to have them repaired locally. Weeks went by and I heard nothing, but again, this was as expected really.

You cannot imagine my complete shock when today, a brand new pair of Shape-Ups arrived from Skechers in the mail! An exact replacement of my originals, factory packed and just perfect. I sincerely feel that they went above and beyond for me, and I will say they definitely have a loyal customer for life now. 

Mom Reviews: Sketchers Shape Ups - Save or Splurge?

MomReviews are seriously my favorite types of posts! A long time ago, I wrote product reviews for another site and loved doing it. Maybe because I tend to be a little opinionated?

ANYWAY - up for review today are the new hot thing from the Sketchers shoe brand: their Shape Ups line. Sketchers touts these shoes as "helping you get in shape without ever setting foot in a gym". Well, I had the pleasure of trying these out for 30 days now, and I'm sure you're all waiting on edge to hear my thoughts - because a life without having to go to the gym seems like a heck of a good idea to me!

About these shoes:
Sketchers says that these shoes will help promote weight loss, tone your muscles, reduce cellulite, reduce stress on knee and ankle joints, and improve your posture. Some other brands call this style of shoe a "rocker" - I priced them out not long ago and most companies were charging $300 or more for this "technology" in their shoes! So I was surprised -and maybe a little skeptical- that Sketchers Shape Ups are only a bit over $100. For me, that's expensive for shoes. My sneakers usually cost about $50 or less and I was reluctant to double my shoe budget. However, I had a nasty knee injury last year and I find it hard to find shoes that I can wear all day without my knee acting up. They pretty much lured me in with "weight loss" and "reduce stress on knees".

How these shoes work:
From the Sketchers site, because honestly, they can explain the technical aspect better than I can! We have turned hard surfaces into comfortable ground through revolutionary technology designed into the framework of the shoe. The core of this technology is in the dynamic rolling bottom, the soft foam insert under the heel, and the dual-density midsole. These three elements work together to give you the feeling of walking on sand or luxurious pile carpet – regardless of the actual surface. Walking on softer, uneven surfaces forces you to engage muscles not normally used when walking on hard ground. Not only does this strengthen your muscles, but it also increases blood flow and reduces the impact on your joints and lower back. I find this to be VERY true. You know that feeling in your legs that you get from walking on the beach due to the lack of resistance from sand? The way you really have to push from your toes to keep momentum? Well, these shoes use those muscles! I definitely felt it in my muscles for the first two weeks - it was like I had never used them before now. I had some sore buns for a few days!

It takes a bit to get used to wearing these. They're a bit wider than your average sneaker, so they will fit best if you wear a normal or wide width. Sorry narrow ladies - these probably will not be a good choice for you! I honestly can't speak for weight loss because I kind of fell off the wagon with my workout routine. I CAN say though that these have greatly improved my posture - I don't slouch anymore. Also, they are great on problematic knees, ankles, and joints - I wear these for my full ten hour work shifts (in retail, on my feet all day) and I still feel great at the end of the day. I also do feel that my calves and rear are starting to become more toned - I promise I'll come back and update after another 60 days with these.

Shape-ups are offered in a few different styles. Three of these are sneakers (I chose the "Strength" model shown above), one is a casual Mary Jane style with a crossover strap, and one is a work style shoe.

So - spend a little on yourself, or save for something else? I vote a big SPLURGE on these shoes! I definitely think they're worth the investment (and I had to buy my own, Sketchers did not comp me or know that I'm writing this review, so I'm totally writing this from the heart). If you can't get to a Sketchers store, you can order them online and they are great about returns for size or fit. If you'd like to find out more than what I could fit here, I've added a link to them in our left sidebar - definitely go and check them out! Your feet (and legs) will love you for it!