Shoe Shopping

Thanks for the input and ideas on the last post. They’ve helped me to start thinking about some different topics. I’m glad to know what you are most interested in.

So this is a big day. Everyone in the US, and many other places it seems, are concerned with the election. Well, I’m going to take this day to talk about something completely frivolous. Shoe shopping!

Last Friday my good friend (thanks Juliana!) took me out to lunch and then shopping at the place called the “shoe mall” here. It is a place where businesses can purchase shoes, but it is also open to the public. I heard good deals were to be found, but had never had the opportunity to go.

Well, I found that the deals weren’t the most interesting part for me. What became more evident and intriguing were the differences in shoe shopping.

I tend to lose track of what I talk about on here from time to time, but if you haven’t gathered it yet I consider myself to be a private shopper. I rarely need the help of an associate. I can browse forever without ever having to ask a question.

I’ve learned that this is why I like shopping in the US so much more than in Brazil. Yes, there are plenty of stores in the US where people are right there to help you. They are usually the higher end stores and being a bargain girl I don’t frequent them. However, after you say you don’t need any help, the person typically goes away.

In the places I’ve shopped here the workers are next to you the second that you walk in the store. Sometimes when you say you don’t need help, they go away, but more often than not they stand there and watch you – the entire time you look around.

This tends to drive me nuts so I rarely shop around here. It really takes the relaxation, browsing fun out of it for me. If I do shop, I’ll go to some of the larger department stores where there are enough people to keep the associates busy and they forget about me.

Okay, back to shoe shopping specifically. I’m not exactly sure what to compare the stores to. This was like a mall setting, but the prices and set up were a lot like Shoe Carnival or Famous Footwear in the States. These are the kind of places with deals, but you can browse for hours without anyone even approaching you.

Well, the set up might have been the same, but the service wasn’t. Many people would probably view this as a good thing, but I was definitely glad to be there with someone from here. I probably would have given up after 5 minutes on my own.

Questions began the second we walked in and when you tried a pair on more questions came about if you liked it and how it fit. I know, I know. Many people enjoy shopping this way, but I am just a low pressure, let me browse kind of person.

Another thing that I found so surprising was the clean up. Usually when I pull out shoes and try on several pair, I neatly put them back in their box and back on the shelf where I found them. Not so here; it was completely acceptable to try on several pairs and get up and leave, letting the associates put everything away.

I felt like a rebel leaving my mess for someone else to clean up. It almost made me feel bad! But I do understand it is just how things are done.

Well, after all this, you might be wondering how I made out. My husband sent me a text afterward checking to see if we had any money left. Considering my abstinence from shopping lately I’ve been craving a little spending, but I was very good.

There were great deals, but even though I am a huge shoe fan I have this voice in the back of my head always saying, “Do you really need these?” The answer is almost always no.

A lot of it has to do with the fact that one of the goals we had before taking part in this experience involved simplifying our lives, to stop buying stuff. We sold almost everything we owned when we moved and it was such a great feeling. I want some fun things to remember this experience by, but I want less stuff in my life.

So I got one, very cute pair. My friend got me a great deal on them too. Have I mentioned the whole bargaining thing that goes into shopping here? Well, I’ll save that for another post.