Arche Shoes, Inc.

Review: While visiting New York on 3/**/13 I visited the Arche Shoes store on Astor Place and selected a pair of shoes for purchase and shipping to my home in Baltimore MD. The shoes were sent to me and $256.50 was charged to my Visa account, but the shoes turned out to be defective. After 6 wearings, the shoes were so loose they were literally falling off my feet. I called the store twice for assistance, took the shoes to a local Arche vendor to see if inserts would solve the problem (they did not) and contacted Arche corporate offices in New York by phone and twice by letter. They have refused to take responsibility for the problem, or even to answer my correspondence. I have paid $256.50 for a pair of shoes I cannot wear and this company chooses to simply ignore my repeated requests to be made whole. Perhaps they treat all their customers in this manner, or perhaps they believe that because I do not live in Manhattan that I can be ignored. However, I intend to press this issue through all possible avenues until I receive a respectful and appropriate response. I am not new to this company. I have purchased their shoes before and have found them to be stylish and comfortable -- a rare combination. However, they seem unable to acknowledge that even an excellent product occasionally has flaws and that customers are entitled to receive what they have paid for every time they make a purchase. This company's arrogant refusal to respond to my letters is unacceptable and your assistance is requested.Desired Settlement: A sincere apology for their remarkable failure in customer service and a full refund is appropriate in this instance.

Business

Response:

We are responding electronically this time, as it appears our response that we mailed back to [redacted] was not initially received.

We contacted this customer twice via phone in August at [redacted] to follow up on her correspondence and try to resolve her claim.

Both times, we only received her voicemail and we did leave messages both times. We know that it was a valid phone number because the voicemail identified her name and title (Director Foundation & Government Relations at Maryland Science Center).

If the customer had returned our messages, she would have been advised as to where to send the shoes back for inspecton by our cobbler.

We cannot move further and certainly cannot provide a refund if we do not have possession of the product that is being complained about.

Until that is done, we cannot move further with her claim.

Consumer

Response:

In reference to complaint ID [redacted], despite the failure by Arche's corporate office to respond to my last settlement proposal, I brought my shoes to the company's regional representative during a trunk show here in Baltimore. I am happy to report that there is a mensch at Arche who understands what it means to stand behind their product and provide appropriate customer service. Yesterday, I received a full refund in the mail.

Thank you to the Revdex.com for helping to resolve this dispute.

Sincerely,