Customer Service

I went shoe shopping today, and I don't often do that.  If I go shopping for shoes, they usually have all the sizes displayed on the shelf, and I just find my size and try it on.  I was in SF Shopping Centre, and decided to try on some Vans.  The conclusion.  Canvas shoes are not for me.  Converse Chucks are fitted too large, so I wear smaller sizes; the same goes for Vans.  Canvas just doesn't give me the same support for the sides of my feet, so I didn't like them when I put them on.

What I wanted to get was the Nike Hyperdunks, which are the new basketball shoes that are less than 1 lb.  I wanted to look into getting casual shoes, but Hyperdunks were on the top of my list too.  AF-1s are no longer popular, which is why I was looking into Vans.  Now, I'm looking into Nike Blazers and Dunks.  But with the hot weather in SoCal I'm going to need shoes with some breathability.

From my experience in retail at an optometry office, I understand the importance of customer service.  So when I went into Foot Locker, no one greeted me and no one asked to help me, until I asked for a specific shoe.  Granted there may not be enough people on the "floor" to help people, but needless to say, I was less than happy to be there.  I tried on the LeBron Zoom Soldier II, it fit well like a boot, but it didn't feel flexible.  I think the sole was designed in a way for lateral motion rather than speed, more of low post play than guard play.  I came back to the same Foot Locker later that day, and I had the same experience.  I have a gift card for $25 for Foot Locker, which I was more than willing to spend, but maybe the people there just don't like their job that much.

I went to the Champs on the lower level, and they had a pair of Hyperdunks that I tried on.  The salesperson apologized for being busy helping other people, and was more than willing to chat with me a bit about basketball shoes.  I didn't have any gift certificate, but I felt more willing to give Champs my business.  I have never spent over $100 on shoes (Hyperdunks retail for $110), and I was a bit hesitant, but when I tried them on some more at home...I LOVE the shoes.  I was concerned about the fit, which was resolved when I tried them at the store, but the shoes are snug, tight but not too tight, and provide support all around the ankle and side.

Unfortunately, I tried on some Adidas shoes, but they just didn't fit well at all.  I wear the Superstars, but the Somas don't fit at all.  The shoes are too narrow.

The main thing is after doing customer service for a year, I feel that it's pretty important for my own shopping experience.  Check out Kobe's videos about the Hyperdunks: