Friday, March 25, 2016

Why I Returned My Tieks


I'm always on the search for the comfiest flats I can find. I have to work at a lot of tradeshows where I'm on my feet for 12+ hours a day, sometimes multiple days in a row, always in dress shoes. With particularly fussy feet in a not normal size (10 and a half, whyyyy), I was psyched to hear about Tieks. They promise to be the most comfortable flats ever with a specially padded insole, and what's more, they fold up and come with a little bag so you can also use them to switch out of heels when they get uncomfortable.


The price was my initial deterrent (the pair I was ogling was $175 but they range over $350 depending on the style) but after reading tons of reviews and checking out their return policy (free return shipping!) I decided why not and ordered a pair in matte black, size 11.

So Tieks are known for their great customer service. Well, their "great customer service" totally creeped me out! I did not connect with or like Tieks on Facebook, nor did I create an account on the Tieks website using my Facebook account, yet they sent me an immediate Facebook message confirming my order and letting me know it would be on its way soon and then sent me order updates every day. Umm, what? Hello privacy violation. It wasn't something that would deter me from shopping with them, but come on. They also were emailing me those updates, which certainly would have been enough.


Three days later (so speedy!) they were in my mailbox. I was really excited to try them on, especially since they came in such adorable packaging. Initially I loved them (as you may have seen on Snapchat haha). The extra cushioning on the bottom really does make a difference, and I loved that they folded up since I often want to change out of heels. They're just plain old black flats but they were cute.

So what went wrong?

Well since my feet are so finicky and these were so expensive, I decided to wear them around the house for a few days before committing (as long as you don't wear them outside you can still return them). After the initial elation, I realized that they don't have any arch support. Nada. They have a padded insole but it's completely flat on the inside. I assume this is so that the folding thing can function - if there was any contouring inside it probably wouldn't fold correctly. Of course this design issue also meant that I couldn't buy an arch insert since that would also stop them from folding. The lack of arch support may be fine for some people, but for me I need a supportive shoe if I'm going to be standing all day.


The second thing I didn't like was the elastic around the main body of the shoe. After a bit it started to dig into my feet and really started to hurt, especially around my big toes and the heels. I know that Tieks are supposed to stretch and get more comfortable with time, but after a week of wearing them around the house the problem didn't get any better. I also felt like because the elastic was so tight I couldn't go down a size, but they also didn't feel totally stable on my foot when I walked, like the heel was about to come off my heel at any second.

The final thing that bothered me was a little silly, but since the shoes don't have much structure on the top, they're stretched over my toebox which means you could see the outline of my toes right through them. You can see it in the picture above - both of my big toes are making major dents, and in person I could see the rest of my toes too.

So all in all, I decided Tieks weren't for me - back to the store they go! What do I have instead? My favorite flats right now are the Sam Edelman Felicia Flats. Super comfortable, and I can wear them all day!! I have them in nude (so cute and flattering with skirts - they make your legs look longer!) and the black suede to wear with skinny jeans.



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21 comments :

  1. I'm having the EXACT same experience with the same pair of mathe black Tiek's. I'm desperately trying to find comfortable ballet flats that I can wear without any kind of liner. Just curious if you've had luck with a different brand?? Thanks!

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    1. I have rothys and love them! Very comfortable and you can throw them in the wash when you want to. They are made from recycled water bottles and much cheaper than tieks!

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    2. Same issues. Mostly heel pain on my right Achilles tendon.

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  2. I was very hesitant about buying them because of well.....the price and flats generally bother my feet. I LOVE my Tieks and wear them almost every day. I'm now faced with the daunting decision of which color to choose next.

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    1. They probably work for Tieks “customer service” department.

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. So happy to find this review! I hated the Tiieks that I bought. Seeing my toes through the leather made them look really cheap. They weren’t comfortable all all. I don’t understand the hype. To make it worse, I had worn them out one night before realizing I hated them and I couldn’t return them. I had even tried two different sizes and had to put moleskin on the top to try to fix the toe problem. I thought the customer service was horrible.

    I feel as though they scrub the internet of any negative reviews.

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  5. Hate mine too! I got them $100 off because I'm a healthcare worker and I don't think they're worth the $75 I spent. Such a disappointment.

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    1. Me too. They start hurting my feet after a couple hours. I can't return them now because I've been wearing them out. If I had paid the retail price without healthcare discount, I would've been pissed. They're not even worth the 75 I paid in my honest opinion

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    2. I agree. I dislike mine too! Not comfortable at all.

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  6. I agree with these comments. I have a pair of Rothys as well as Allbirds and my Allbirds are hands down my favorite!

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  7. I totally agree. Everything you said is true. I wasted $175 on shoes that caused me to get a bunion on my left foot

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  8. I purchased a pair of Tieks that after a while the brown area under both shoes started peeling, I contacted Tieks in hopes that they’d repair them and not even for free I’d pay. They sent me an email expressing no interest in repairing them. This can’t be many attest to their unmatched customer service and they’re doing this to me? HOW? I can buy these shoes time after time and customers can wear shoes inside no time limit and still are able to return for unlimited exchanges and even a refund at ANYTIME no thought given to foot fungus or other hygienic issues surrounding this but they don’t want to repair their own shoes? Well THANKS TIEKS I’ve come to the realization that I can not and will not support a company who cares absolutely nothing about me and my issue with their product! A company that doesn’t stand behind their merchandise DOESN’T deserve my patronage‼️

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  9. I bought a pair of black Tieks thought I could wear all day at work based on the comments from previous customers. My toe imprint shows no arch support and the sole is coming apart from the shoes. No more Tieks for me .

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  10. overrated! it digs through my skin and gave me blisters! I even sent a picture.Totally not worth it for almost $200 bucks! customer service wont replace it instead gave stupid suggestions like putting a golf ball in the toe box while leaving it overnight. Replace or refund - that's what customers want!

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  11. Agree with everyone else; totally overpriced. I found that Lucky Brand flats(at 1/3-1/4 the price) are much more comfy and I live the square toed ones.

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  12. Came here because I agree, it feels like they scrub the internet everywhere they can of real feedback. I’ve noticed I get leg cramps (think Charley horse) after a long day of wearing them. Huge waste of money that I wish I had never spent, will end up donating them so maybe someone else can get some utility from them.

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    1. I do so much appreciate all the comments was considering buying some but certainly not now. Thanks again good people.

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  13. I debated on buying a pair for months. Finally decided to go for it, after reading all of the F.B. reviews. They are awful. Like walking on a block of wood with a thin layer of cardboard over it. My arches are sore, and the bottoms of my felt like they are on fire. This just from walking around the house. I'm just going to toss them in my closet and call it a lesson learned.

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  14. I own 5 pairs of Tieks. I have a wide foot and I am almost flat footed. The patent ones hurt my feet, you definitely need to size up a size because they don’t stretch as well as the leather. I love the leather ones. I wear them almost every day to work and will continue to buy. I find no show footie socks that are silky in texture help the big toe rubbing discomfort by 90%
    There are a lot of tutorials on how to hide your toes showing through if that bothers you. But honestly, if you know about Tieks, which I would say most of the female population do, ppl know they aren’t a cheap shoe when they see the Teal backing.

    Rothy’s look like old women’s shoes and should be worn by such. Not younger ladies. They also look very cheap because those shoes are sold everywhere for 30$ or less.

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