B & DS The Fitted Shoe

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CATALOGS WE TAKE VISA - MASTER CARD AND NOW DISCOVER

We have been revising the site for you. Larger type for our older clients, go to the blow up picture and return where you left off. More bookmarks for easier navigation. more links to the order forms, more levels of security. We still have to re=write the Hush Puppies and Children's sites. The children's situation continues to get worse. We still have a problem with people hitting the return button on e-mails and the e-mail not going through. Scan this page for policies, winter boot article and more before entering into the catalogs. Seen it already, please proceed to your favorite brands and shoes.

THE TIME TO ORDER - WINTER BOOTS IS JULY TO OCTOBER. The factories do not gamble on seasonal merchandise. They make boots as a service for their shoe customers. Often, boots just break even due to mild winters. It is not the shoe companies main business and they take very few risks on losing money on the side lines. We usually order very early January to February for July delivery. Our orders are then added to all the orders of the other accounts to be manufactured and perhaps the plant will make another 10% for the factory warehouse. Production is then suspended once the orders are filled and the factory goes into production for the next season, (sandals). Therefore, there is a limited inventory for us to fill inventory with as we sell. Once we are out and the warehouse is out, that is often it for the season. Severe weather can keep the plants open due to excessive demand. However, this is also subject to them having the raw materials to continue manufacturing. If all the soles or leather for a particular style is used up, they can not just get more. It takes months of lead time to assemble the raw materials to make the product. Due to all of these factors, you should order early. This is especially true in you are narrow or very wide. It depends on where your order is in the computer, first in is first shipped until everyone is out for the season.
I have written this to help you understand the process and the problems. We want to give you the best in service at all times, however, the shoe industry has not changed much in 200 years. Quality still takes time to build correctly, our companies do not skimp when it comes to quality. That is why we selected them. Many winter boots will begin to be cancelled as early as August or September. The most popular styles may be made into January, but by then we are often waiting for new arrivals from the plant; as the store and warehouse may be sold out of many sizes. We will alert you if we can not fill your order or if their will be a delay. We try to deliver as quickly as possible. Most orders are received within two weeks or less.

BRANDS WE CARRY
CLINIC - FOOT THRILLS - DREW - BAREFOOT FREEDOM - FOOT SAVER - SOFT SPOTS - NURSE MATES - SOFFTS - HUSH PUPPIES - P W MINOR - ALDEN - WILLITS - IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, E-MAIL US AT tom@fittedshoe.com

For over 43 years we have specialized in comfortable shoes for women and children. We care enough to carry some of our shoes in as many as 136 sizes in stock for your correct fit and comfort every time. As a graduate orthotist (braces for the extremities and spine), I am very familiar with the problems of fitting shoes for arch supports, braces and other problems. We now have men's shoes available also. Something our local Doctors insisted on many years ago. If you are hard to fit, have orthopaedic problems or just want the finest in comfortable shoes, take a look. Have a problem or question? Send us an E-Mail and I will attempt to answer your concerns and suggest a shoe that might help.
We have been getting a lot of new inquires from Doctor and Orthotic facilities. There is also a tremendous amount of daily e-mail about foot problems and appropriate shoes to make someone more comfortable. To help all of these we are now adding a new section for common foot problems, and possible solutions to serve professionals and their patients to be more comfortable.

Our goal is to insure you complete comfort every time. We realize that many customers have unique problems due to arthritis, diabetes, different size feet and other factors. Therefore, when ordering please allow us to help you by letting us know if you have any special problems. Often we can accommodate these problems before we ship the shoe to you. This will give you immediate relief and comfort and a better fit. All shoes fit differently. If you have doubts about your size, please let us know what current brand and style you are wearing and from that we can recommend a size to you. We usually know how a shoe fits even if we do not carry the brand. We choose our manufacturers carefully for quality, price, the variety of constructions they manufacture, fitting characteristics and the number of widths available. Sometimes, a company has a nice shoe, but there is better or more supportive shoe at the same or less price. The better mousetrap gets our business. Brands come and go as corporations change standards. We want you to depend on us for the best quality available at any given time in every construction. To earn that trust, we carefully choose our manufacturers to give you true value for your dollar. We attempt to keep our prices as reasonable as possible. Generally, they are the same prices as in our brick and mortar store.
To avoid hidden shipping and handling charges, charge card charges and other surprises, our prices listed are all TOTAL SHIPPED TO YOU. We will pay up to $7 for shoes under $100.00 and $10 per pair above $100.00 for shipping and insurance. International orders will be shipped surface, the lowest charge, and charged any difference between $10 per pair and actual cost. If you demand a rush order or over night, you will be credited our maximum shipping in your shoe price category and charged the difference. In some instances, like Iowa, we may be forced to add your State's sales tax. Tax will be itemized to you and will be sent to the state. If your State does not demand the collection of Sales tax on mail order, you will not be charged. Yes, they do check if they demand it. Fortunately, so far, the policy has been, (States and the Federal), not to tax web transactions.
We normally ship by United States Post Office. The shoes are considered received once we have a receipt from the Post Office. This is because there are some out there that believe fraud is better than paying for the product received. Please make sure your address is correct. In the event there is a problem in receiving the shoes, we will cooperate with you in every way to trace the order. Our financial liability once receipted by the Post Office is none. We will replace the shoe at our cost, charged to your account at your digression if the shipment can not be found. If you wish to sign for the shipment, please put "CON" for Signature Confirmation after your order style. If the cost is under our shipping limitations, Signed Confirmation will be free to you. If total shipping is above our shipping limitations, you will be charged the excess to your credit card. This may be a good idea if you live in an apartment complex. If you wish to insure your shipment, we again will insure it to the value of the purchase and charge your credit card any amount over the $7 or $10 shipping limitations. To request Insurance on your parcel, please put "INS" after the stock number. If there is just a small amount of excess shipping , we absorb the slight difference. Over a dollar and we charge the difference.

Problems & Returns
If you have a problem, please read the the When the shoes fit but don't article. If you accidentally order the wrong size, please read the getting the right fit article. These articles may assist you in resolving your problem. We will exchange upon return of the original shoes in the original box, unworn and undamaged within thirty days. After 30 days, we accept shoes only in the case of factory defects. Abuse is not a factory defect and the factory will make the determination. Boxes may not be written on, taped or in any way or damaged. First exchange is free. Exchange will be made if you guessed wrong on size or changed your mind on style. A modest five dollar reshipping fee will be charged to your account for a second re-ship. Refunds are allowed within thirty days upon receipt of the original shoes, unworn and undamaged, in the original box with receipt. For returns for refund, a ten dollar restocking charge will be assessed per pair and your account will be immediately credited the balance. This fee helps to cover the cost of shipping to you, handling, etc. The actual cost of shipping each shoe is between $12 and $15 dollars, often more. If you later order a shoe that you keep, the $10 will be credited to that purchase. That is why we never want anyone to just guess on size. We would rather spend the time on line to narrow down size; so it is correct the first time. Guessing size is usually wrong and should cost the client something, not just us. We charge the same prices on the web as we do our store. So shipping and handling comes out of profits. Too many guesses and there are no profits. So always measure first and then follow the fitting guides. Any errors will then be limited to one width one direction or the other. After you read the articles, please e-mail me for personal assistance if you have any questions.
Damaged shoes are replaced at no cost. It almost never happens, but just in case. Our goal is to have happy customers who return time and time again to purchase shoes from us. WE GUARANTEE OUR SHOES AGAINST DEFECTS - PERIOD! We only sell first quality leather shoes, in widths. We never buy seconds, imperfects or cheap imports. Every shoe brand and style must meet our quality guidelines or we will not carry that brand or style. If we make a mistake, we will credit your credit card your cost in shipping the shoes back and will immediately correct the error. Errors are few, but we are dealing with human beings and with customers, phones, mail outs etc., sometimes our staff will pull the wrong color or something. Just let us know and we will make it right. We want you to be totally satisfied with your shopping experience.
WHEN THE SHOE FITS BUT DOESN'T - COMMON FIT PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS

FITTING - GETTING THE RIGHT FIT
To help you in ordering, we have made notes on how we find each shoe to fit. If you measure a foot on a standard Brannock or Ritz Stick measuring device, you have true foot size. Brannock devices are the most accurate and come gender specific in green, red or black. Unfortunately, shoes do not run true. They can run long or short, wide or narrow. Therefore, we have attempted to take out the guesswork. If you measure a true 8 and the shoe you are looking at says that it runs a full size long, you will need a 7 which is really a full size longer, an 8 which will have toe room by definition to a 9. Please do not guess at your size. We recommend you read the getting the right fit article before you order any shoe. We are always happy to help you with size. The fitting guides are accurate. If you know what you measure on both feet with standard measuring devices and follow the guides you will be fitted correctly. Remember, some size 8 shoes are longer than some size 9 1/2 shoes. So please measure your feet and use the fitting guides or ask for assistance if you have questions. We want you fitted correctly.
The same thing goes for widths, if you always wear a B or M, but the shoe runs slightly wide, you may need an A or a N in that shoe to be comfortable. So please look at the fitting hints and if you have any questions, feel free to E-Mail to tom@fittedshoe.com for personal attention. - MORE FITTING ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION

DELIVERIES AND INQUIRIES
Deliveries can take 3 to 14 days. It depends on if the shoe is in the shoe store, the warehouse or has to be received from the factory. We order twice a week to replenish our inventories, but the factory may be out and we have to wait for the fill in's. Most of our shoes take 4 to 6 weeks to make from the time they are begun to the time they are ready for shipping.
We normally ship priority Mail through the post office because they deliver on Saturdays and post office boxes. Since 9/11, the Post Office and UPS reserve the right to take up to 10 to 14 days to deliver. It depends on how many hubs the parcel goes through and how many security scans the parcel is subject to en route.
All orders, questions and inquiries go through the main Office, so Tom can answer the questions, assist in fitting, recommend shoes and solutions to comfort problems. Then everything is delivered over to the shoe store for the staff to work up and send. Priorities are, customers in the store or on the phone, shipping orders, processing and keyboarding new orders, receiving shipments and ordering shoes, then inquiries. The reason is that often the inquiry is over a shoe already shipped or would be shipped if staff could just have the time to get it out.
A flash response to an order is sent out at the time of the order. I follow that up with a manual response within 24 hours if the e-mail address was properly filled out on the order form. If that address is missing, incorrect, case sensitive in the wrong case, mail box full or your ISP is down; you may not receive this message. We do not try to resend our e-mail response if it has been returned as undeliverable or incorrect address. We received hundreds of spam saying undeliverable every day,. We just can not go through each one of them to see if the e-mail address you gave us was wrong. Your e-mail address is changed upon entry into our system to our address. This is to prevent your ISP or others from watching your viewing and buying habits. That way, they can not gather information about you to select those cute targeted pop up adds we are all so fond of. Some do not use the order forms and send sensitive information by e-mail, including orders. Please use the secure order forms for your protection. This security system prevents you from having a security problem.
If you make an inquiry, always put in a shoe specific subject in your e-mail. Make sure your name and address are included in a signature so we can identify you in our computer system. Our order forms are secure and you can see this from the certification (https) designation. Only secure sites can use the https. We are also on secure commercial server banks at our ISP, and have additional security features to prevent anyone from seeing your information or receiving an echo back as to where you have gone. If you have come in through a page hit through your search engine, the security lock may not be visible as you did not come in through the fitted shoe splash page. If you want to see the security lock, just back out from the page to the splash page and re-enter the page you are interested in. The locks will be apparent from entries off the www.fittedshoe.com splash page.
All e-mails should say shoes or something about shoes in the subject area, a brand of shoe, style or hint reflecting your question. We receive about 1000 e-mails a day and only about 30 to 40 are orders or questions that need answering. Our filters may disregard mis-spells, no subject, hi, hello, and other spam leaders. We like to hear from you, and encourage your suggestions on how to improve the site, so please use a subject that is consistent with use of the site.
Inquiries on orders usually take the staff about a 15 minutes in the computer if we have your name and address. Without that it can take an hour or more to go through the paperwork page by page looking for a date, e-mail address or trying to match a cryptic shoe. Therefore, inquiries are done after everyone is waited on and the shoes for the day are shipped. Time to deliver an e-mail from the office to the store and getting an answer back, can take up to three or four days if we have to trace a shoe. If the shoe is shipped, we will not answer, but usually will follow up to insure delivery was received. I can't tell you how many times we get an e-mail back that the shoe was waiting at home the day they sent an inquiry, or we received an e-mail that the shoe arrived a day or two later and was just hung up in the delivery transportation. If you do not have your order within three weeks, e-mail me. Usually it will mean we are waiting for shipment because the factory is out of that particular style, color, length or width at the time. We may receive it in a day or two or it could take several weeks. Shoes are still a hand made product that takes four to six weeks to make. If the tannery does not ship on time or if the manufacturer was bombarded with orders for the same shoe, it will take them time to schedule and manufacturer. With up to 144 size/width combinations to a color per style times the colors, times the number of styles and you can see that the manufacturers have a real problem is predicting future sales in any one of the combinations. We have the same problem. We never charge your charge card until the shoe is actually shipped. Any other questions, please e-mail me. tom@fittedshoe.com

We are sorry, but we can not do paper catalogs. We average 30 line changes and 8 shoes a week. Lead time would be two to three months and cost would be $10 to $15 per copy without large pictures, articles, components or fitting guides. Since they would be obsolete before they left the printers, we just can not do them.
If you are looking for someone else, may I suggest that they pull up our site at the library, friends home or computer room. You could also print out the blow up picture pages and mail or deliver those pages that they might be interested in.
We have a hard time keeping the web site current, waiting on customers in the store, taking care of our web customers and getting shoes shipped. Just not enough time and money to take on paper catalogs with limited use and do a good job of it.

SHIPPING OVER SEAS & FOREIGN
Yes we ship abroad and to Canada. Unfortunately, there is more fraud in these shipments, so here are the general rules. We pay the first $7 of shipping on Hush Puppies, Soft Spots, Clinics, Foot thrills, Softs, etc. We pay $5 for children's and $10 for Drew, P W Minor, Barefoot Freedom or Foot Savers. Any cost over these amounts will be added to your bill and charged to your charge card. Nigeria and some other countries will require a cashiers check to be mailed to us, cashed and then we will ship. This is due to the high percentage of fraud to all retailers. So we will ship, but we must make sure that no bogus or stolen credit cards are being used and in some instances reserve the right to have prepayment by cashiers check. Once deposited and cleared, we will immediately ship. Other countries, and we will honor your credit card and will only charge the difference between our set maximums above and actual cost. Orders will be processed as received.

Nothing is more frustrating than having that old favorite shoe you have worn for years wear out and then find it has been discontinued. What to do? First, all shoes are made on lasts. Wood or Poly forms over which a shoe is stretched and made. All through our site, you will see the last given under each shoe. If you used to wear Top Hat from Miller or Drew, it was on the 71 last. This last fitted a full size longer than the size in the shoe or on the box. Even though most 71 last shoes were discontinued, Tramper is still made. Since it is made on the same last, it will fit the same. No matter what the company, the color, decoration stitching or name; the shoes made by that company on a given last will fit the same. In some of the popular price lines, the round toe Clinic pucker mocs like Sandi and Jody will fit the same. So will most of the Soft Spots. Any better shoe with a last given will fit the same in any style on that last. So if your favorite shoe is discontinued, look for a similar construction from the same company or the same last from the company and you will normally have a shoe that will fit exactly like your old favorite shoe. Often the last will be printed in the heel or tongue of the shoe. If in doubt, e-mail me and I will attempt to match your old shoe to the replacements or surviving styles on the same last. Things change, if they only made one style, there would be no reason for you to buy another pair. Let us know if we can help.

WHY A GOOD SHOE?
Shoes are the only piece of apparel that affects our lives. It can be the difference between an active life and one of discomfort and pain. In Africa there are three sets of fossilized footprints that are eroding out of a strata of sedimentary volcanic ash. Evidently, shortly after a volcanic eruption, two or three hominids walked across the ash bed under ideal conditions and their footprints were preserved in the ash that eventually turned to stone. Anthropologist from all over the world have come to cast these foot prints. They have even gone forward and excavated down to the footprints to get better impressions. Footprints that have not eroded from rain and wind.
The prints are of a large and one or two smaller hominids. A large male and a smaller female or perhaps an adult and a juveniles. All five toes face forward, there is no toe to the side as in apes. A low longitudinal arch, prominent heel bone, in short, a miniature version of our foot. These hominids walked erect as there are no knuckle or finger impressions as in apes.
These footprints are remarkable and date from 3.5 million years ago. Now for the differences. Our ancestor was almost four foot tall, we are closer to 6. He weighed 60 to 80 pounds, we are more likely to weigh 160 to 300. He was dead by age 24, we want to live to be 104. Our ancestor only walked on soft loamy savannas, we only walk on concrete and asphalt. Then we wonder why our feet break down and give us problems.
Look at your body like a giant marionette. Every muscle or set of muscles that has one action is balanced by another muscle or set of muscles that has the opposite function. If everything works right we are in complete balance or what physicians call anatomic position. If our arches fail or the pads in our feet thin, problems are created in that balance. If it gets too bad, knee and back involvement follow.
Therefore, for a healthy life, we must do everything possible to maintain that anatomic position. All quality shoes get their support from the steel shank in the arch. The counters in the heels are the next most critical factor. Ties support better than straps; straps better than loafers; loafers better than flats; flats better than pumps.
As a rule the softer the shoe and the more open the shoe, the less the support and the greater potential for long term foot harm. Women make up 52% of the population and 92% of the foot problems. So much for style.
The best shoes can be made in up to 12 widths to the half size. Popular price shoes in 5 widths. One width does not fit all. If you go too short to fit a narrow foot or long to fit a wide foot, the shoe will not bend right, may pinch or cause toe deformity over time. The main thing to fit is not the toes, but the ball of the foot. The widest part of the foot should be in the widest part of the shoe. If this lines up, the arch and the rest of the foot will be correct too.
If you roll in at the ankle (pronate), this can cause problems with dress shoes gapping in women and other problems. Worse, it may mean that you are pulling on the inside of the knee and causing problems there as well as in your feet.
From the time you are born to the time you die; your eyes, ears, teeth, back and feet only get worse. Good shoes can prevent problems from developing. If you already have a problem, good shoes can help prevent if from getting worse. In general; shoes, arch supports and other assist, never cure the problem, just control it.
Have any questions? E-mail me at tom@fittedshoe.com , I will attempt to answer your questions for you.

THE TIME TO ORDER SANDALS IS February through April. The factories do not gamble on seasonal merchandise. They make sandals as a service for their shoe customers. Often, sandals just break even due to cold or web springs. Sandals are not the shoe companies main business and they take very few risks on losing money on the side lines. We usually order very early in July for January delivery. Our orders are then added to all the orders of the other accounts to be manufactured and perhaps the plant will make another 10% for the factory warehouse. Production is then suspended once the orders are filled and the factory goes into production for the next season, (winter boots, new fall shoes and sandals for the coming year). Therefore, there is a limited inventory for us to fill inventory with as we sell. Once we are out and the warehouse is out, that is often it for the season. Some Sandals may continue to be available all year long, but often some sizes or colors will become out of stock in late April or early May. It often takes months of lead time to assemble the raw materials to make the product. Due to all of these factors, you should order early. This is especially true in you are narrow or very wide. It depends on where your order is in the computer, first in is first shipped until everyone is out for the season. WINTER BOOTSare likewise best ordered in August through the beginning of October. FASHION SHOES are often sold out within a week to two months of initial availability. I suggest that if you see an item you want and the available date is a month or two months away, that you order it then when you see it. You will not be charged until the shoe is shipped, but you do not run the risk of it selling out before it becomes available. Remember it is first order in is the first order out. If we and the factory run out, then it is no longer available. With thousands of shoes, it is impossible to change the catalog every time a size, color, width combination is sold out in a particular shoe. To insure your order is received, order it early before it becomes available on fashion goods, boots and sandals.
I have written this to help you understand the process and the problems. We want to give you the best in service at all times, however, the shoe industry has not changed much in 200 years. Quality still takes time to build correctly. Our companies do not skimp when it comes to quality, that is why we selected them. The most popular styles may be made all year if the style will continue next year. However, their may be gaps in availability as the factory warehouse waits for restocking from the plant. In this economic climate, the factories are cutting back styles and sizes made. P W Minor is not stocking, but make the shoes when we order them. We do not order them until the shoe we have is sold, so there can be a 6 week to 8 week delay before it comes back into stock. There are huge economic and storage limitations to having too many duplicates and still have the huge variety available that we offer. We will alert you if we can not fill your order or if there will be a delay. We try to deliver as quickly as possible. 90% of deliveries will be received within two weeks or less. Tom