Big Oak Shoe Store

I would have given this store one star if the people who run the joint weren’t so nice. I really hate to give negative reviews but I wanted to share my experience so others know about the bogus return policy of Big Oak Shoe Store in Halls.
First of all, I completely understand that attempting to return shoes that look and smell like you’ve trekked to Mordor and back is an outrageous notion and I would never even consider returning them in anything less than new condition. The Merrell hiking shoes that my wife bought for me from Big Oak are in excellent condition. They were only worn ONE time. They literally have no wear or tear on them, contrary to the guy at Big Oak when he saw a microscopic blemish on the bottom. They even smell like they just came off the truck yesterday.
Long story short, the shoes destroyed my feet in ways that I can’t even begin to describe. Just wearing them for an hour, my left foot felt like it’s was in a vice laden with razor blades. These simply weren’t the right shoes for me so I decided I would take them back since they are still in an excellent, brand-​new-​like state. The plan was to not ask for a refund but to exchange them toward a pair of Chacos — of which they have a very nice selection at fair prices.
I walked into the store and I was greeted well enough — like I said the people that run the place are very nice. The fellow whom I’ve spoken to a few times before took one look at them, saw a very minor (and I mean MINOR) wear down on one of the treads of the left shoe and without hesitation said «I can’t sell these, I can’t take these back.» He says this before I was even able to explain my situation. «What am I supposed to do with $ 90.00 shoes that don’t fit me?» I asked. I’m shite ‘outta luck I guess? He suggested I «take to the internet and try to sell them on there because «Big Oak has the best prices around and I should be able to break even or heck, possibly make a little profit on them.»
HAHAHAHA what?!? You literally just told me that you couldn’t sell them and then you tell me I could make a profit on eBay since we bought them for less than what they retail for?! Are you freaking kidding me guy?!
If you are so confident that I could sell them online and make some money off of them, then why don’t you attempt to keep me as a customer by taking them off my hands, let me get the shoes I really want and sell the Merrells online yourself? Any brick-​n-​mortar business worth its salt should have an eBay store to accommodate it anyway.
Or how about you create a clearance section where shoes that are mildly worn can be brought back in exchange for store credit, and you can sell the returned items at a discount? Maybe someone would come in, see a great deal on some barely worn Merrells and hell, they may even buy a new pair as well because they like your store so much. They may even tell several of their friends about Big Oak, who in turn may come up to your store on a Saturday and buy a pair for themselves.
It’s not that hard to imagine since that actually happened when I bragged to four of my co-​workers about you, and one of them DID come to the store. That was pre-​return-​policy-​fiasco of course.
Like I mentioned before, the people that work there seem like nice enough folks. I am not criticizing your character. However it takes more than that to be a great business. My wife has ran her own very successful business for 8 years and I have worked with MANY small businesses on logos, advertisements and all manner of marketing materials for the past 10 years. All of these businesses tend to have one thing in common. They practice the old adage of «the customer is always right.»
Would it bankrupt Big Oak Shoe Store to take back the Merrells that I waited for over two weeks to receive while they were being shipped from the manufacturer? No it wouldn’t have.
*By the way, it would have been more practical for me to order from Amazon but alas, I like to support locally owned small business when I can*
And now here I am, stuck trying to sell these shoes online in hopes of making a little bit of money so I can buy some flipping shoes that will work for me this summer. My wife spent over $ 200.00 on us and our daughter at Big Oak because we love to support small businesses like yours, but you have lost us as customers. We were coming back this month to buy $ 300.00 worth of Chaco sandals from you too. Shame…
I do wish you the best of luck Big Oak Shoe Store, but you won’t see us again since we’ll be at River Sports Outfitters. Peace.