quality of shoes

 

I sent this letter to the customer service department hoping that I might get some sort of coupon for a free pair of shoes. We'll see what they do when they get it.

Update: I received a form letter today (21 November 2002) from Rockport stating that they guarantee their products against any defects and that I can take the shoes to any authorized retailer for a free replacement. I'm curious to see if the retailer agrees with that arrangement.

Monday, November 04, 2002
Customer Service,

I bought a pair of Rockport dress shoes with Vibram soles a few years ago because they were lightweight and comfortable. I used them for about a year, wearing them on Sundays and on weekdays for about three months. I moved to Spain to serve as a missionary and missions are notorious for wearing out shoes. Even the heavy duty Doc Martins wear out, because we walked almost everywhere we went. In order to preserve the shoes, I wore my pair of Dexters one day and my Rockports the next. For the next two years I walked about 5-10 miles a day. By the end, the Dexters were very worn and I threw them out. The trusty Rockports however were still in good condition. This is even more surprising given that I wore them for a complete year before my mission and bought the Dexters a month or two before my departure.

I continued to wear my Rockports every Sunday for three years and the insides finally got to the point that they had to be replaced. The exterior was still in great condition, considering what they'd been through. I replaced them with a nearly identical pair that I continue to wear every Sunday. I often shared my experience with anyone who will listen about the amazing pair of Rockport shoes that lasted longer than any other shoe I knew of. I even played basketball and soccer a few times while wearing them. My younger brother just left on his mission and at my recommendation he purchase Rockport shoes.

When I decided to wear casual loafers instead of sneakers on a daily basis I naturally chose Rockports and bought two pairs of brown casual shoes. They cost about the same as my dress shoes and I've owned them for less than two years. I haven't done nearly as much walking as I did on my mission but the outside of one pair is severely scuffed and worn while the other pair has a large crack in the sole that allows my socks to get wet.

The reason I'm writing to you is because I can no longer praise the quality of your shoes, at least those in the casual line. I would have gladly done a commercial about the quality of the shoes because they had lasted so far beyond my expectations but the last two pairs have been a disappointment.

I wanted to make you aware that as a previously loyal and devoted customer, I will be replacing my shoes with another brand. I don't believe that my most recent experience with your product was a fluke, because both pairs have been low quality. My request is that you take actions to improve the quality of the casual line of shoes. Until a change is made, I will unfortunately have to search for a better brand.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Dan Hersam

Updated Oct 25, 2016