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Few Large Sizes


RonC

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I am wondering if I am the only one to notice that there are fewer and fewer large sizes available from the retailers in the US. First it was Target, who at least in their on-line store had nearly every style available in size 12. Now, if you go there, there might be three or four styles available (none of which I would be interested in either...lol). Places like Sears would at least stock most styles in an 11 in the stores, but now for the most part all you see are 10s. Macy's always seemed to have a decent selection of 11s, but the stores now seem to have very few. While the local Nordstrom Rack store still carries many size 12 shoes by sheer numbers, the range of styles has shrunk substantially, so it tends to be many pairs of the same, mostly unattractive, styles. The local Payless stores used to have most every style the store carried in a 12, but now many are completely doing away with the 12 section. And finally, and this one does hurt, I just went to the Payless web site, where historically every womens shoe was available to at least a size 12. Now, many of the dress styles (i.e. heels) no longer come in a 12, and several now stop at 10, especially in the designer styles. I wonder what the deal is. As far as Payless goes, I always had a difficult time finding 12s in the dress heel styles. Most often, the 12s would sell out quite quickly, as they would only have a pair or two to begin with. So if they are selling, why would they stop carrying them in the larger sizes. Is it that, with so much of the public having less disposable income, fewer guys (men typically being of the larger shoe size) are indulging themselves with new heels that, in many, many instances, will never get worn outside of the house? Or maybe with the economy being down, girls are eating less and, therefore not growing as much, their shoe size is shrinking...lol (that's just a joke, please don't take that seriously at all!). Does anyone have any insight into this situation? Do we by chance have any shoe industry people here that might help answer the question. Am I the only one noticing this? I have been contacting several of the retailers, and have yet to receive a real answer. It would be nice to have someone explain the situation.

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My guess is that because of the crisis the shops reduce their stock severely. I was told this by a sales lady in a big department store in Amsterdam. The result is that in the 'marginal' sizes there will be very few items and when they are sold out there will be no more (of the common sizes they have extras in the back room). Whether it works like that in other countries I don't know. Y.

Raise your voice. Put on some heels.

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My guess is that because of the crisis the shops reduce their stock severely.

I was told this by a sales lady in a big department store in Amsterdam. The result

is that in the 'marginal' sizes there will be very few items and when they are sold

out there will be no more (of the common sizes they have extras in the back room).

Whether it works like that in other countries I don't know.

Y.

I suppose that makes some sense. One would think that offering some shoes in sizes that not many others are carrying would provide some additional sales opportunities.

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Of course that is what would make sense. The problem is that often they get shoes offered in assortments that have so many percent this size and so many other percent that size, etc. At least that was the case in one shop in which I asked this question. The one pair of size 42 would be sold out very fast. Yet they never got more of them because their manufacturers would only sell them this way. Maybe they base the composition of the assortment on a world average? Anyway, they are rather slow to catch on. Some shops that have their own brands can react faster. In north Germany I have seen shops that carry even a lot of size 43. The same chain in south Germany would hardly have any shoes in size 42. Y.

Raise your voice. Put on some heels.

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I too have noticed this trend, our local Wal-Mart used to carry up to a size twelve in many of their shoes now your lucky if you see a size ten. I also noticed the Payless trend as well and found it quite disheartening. However has anyone ever ordered from Old Pueblo Traders (shopopt.com)? I had the chance to see one of their catalogs and from there checked them out on line and found that quite a few of their shoes go beyond size twelve and they even carry double wides!

I just thought I would share this with everyone.

T&H

"Look for the woman in the dress, if there is no dress there is no woman."-Coco Channel

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I too have noticed this trend, our local Wal-Mart used to carry up to a size twelve in many of their shoes now your lucky if you see a size ten. I also noticed the Payless trend as well and found it quite disheartening. However has anyone ever ordered from Old Pueblo Traders (shopopt.com)? I had the chance to see one of their catalogs and from there checked them out on line and found that quite a few of their shoes go beyond size twelve and they even carry double wides!

I just thought I would share this with everyone.

T&H

My wife gets the catalogues from Old Traders. They do have a great size selection, but I can't say much for the styles. A bit on the old womanish side. We are also losing a great sourse of large sizes (in a wide variety of styles) in Shoe Trader, and on-line source that is closing up on 9/15. You may want to check out what stock they have left, as they are selling out at about 20% of original price. I just bought a pair of heels for less than $20 shipped! They still have many styles in larger sizes available, though it is getting to the point where the stuff is quite limited. www.shoetrader.com

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Steve Madden was carrying some styles in size 12 a few years ago. I noticed there weren't any last year.

I guess popular demand has brought back some. There is now a tab on the website for "Extended Sizes". And now some size 12's are back.

Here is my favorite.

Click here: SteveMadden - TRINITIE BLACK LEATHER women's dress high platform

FLAT SHOES, LIKE FLAT DRINKS, ARE FOR FLAT PEOPLE

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well, fortunely for me I have a SMALL mens size foot (size 7) so I always know that I can wear womens LARGE size (size 9) I never really have a problem.

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well, fortunely for me I have a SMALL mens size foot (size 7) so I always know that I can wear womens LARGE size (size 9) I never really have a problem.

I Hate You! :)

FLAT SHOES, LIKE FLAT DRINKS, ARE FOR FLAT PEOPLE

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Well, I am certainly not alone! That doesn't make me happier, however. Hopefully it is just economic based, and things will return to the way they used to be. I think we all need to e-mail, write, etc to the manufacturers (or retails, I guess, as most actual manufacturers actually produce numerous brands of shoes) and bug them about the lack of larger sizes. If they hear it often enough, they will then realize that there are sales to be made. And it is then that they will return to carrying large sizes!

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Basic economics. Business credit is tight, inventory is expensive, sell-out is poor. Business managers must cut costs even if it reduces some sales opportunities. Sizes on the periphery sell poorly in any case, and sit on the shelves, say, 10 times longer than those in the middle of the bell curve. In addition, there is the much higher risk of not selling them at all and having to dispose off through heavily discounted sales, at a loss. Selling size 43/UK9/US12 sized women's shoes is lousy business in the best of times. At the peak of next business cycle, in 5-6 years, things will be back to where they were 2 years ago: plenty of capital, plenty of customers, and marginal products will re-surface.

What's all the fuss about?

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Well,... I think we all need to e-mail, write, etc to the manufacturers ... and bug them about the lack of larger sizes...

I was looking at the Payless site over the weekend; at the end of the session, I did a quick 30 sec survey. I got an email this morning asking if I'd do a longer survey (about 20 questions). Towards the end there was a free-form box where you could "write comments to the president". I wrote that "...there's been a noticeable reduction is the amount of large (sz 13) shoes, which is one of the main reasons I shop there...". Doubt it will make a difference, but at least I had an opportunity to add my 2c on the subject.

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I've noticed the same exact trends. From what I can tell, Wal-Mart's highest size in anything respectable is a size 10. I don't even go there for shoes anymore. The larger Payless section is going away near me as well - verified in three different local stores. I saw NO 13s, and very few 12s. Though the 12s they had were a little more stylish. I wear size 11, and they had an "okay" amount of 11s, but not nearly as many as I remember them having before. I have noticed that Shoe Dept. (for those that have one) have an okay selection of shoes in size 11 and even 12, if you get there soon enough. Shoe Carnival also has size 11s and a few 12s, but those are dwindling as well! Many of the styles only go up to 10, and of course, they're the best styles. I tried to shop at the mall and the only pair I could find that was 11 with a nice heel was a Jessica Simpson pump, and it was incredibly unstable and uncomfortable. Felt like super-cheap plastic shoes.

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...the only pair I could find that was 11 with a nice heel was a Jessica Simpson pump, and it was incredibly unstable and uncomfortable. Felt like super-cheap plastic shoes.

That's unfortunate, as almost all the shoes in the Jessica Simpson line seemed pretty hot. I would be a shame if they were built like crap. Of course, since they don't go up to my size, it's not like I'd ever be buying any.

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That's unfortunate, as almost all the shoes in the Jessica Simpson line seemed pretty hot. I would be a shame if they were built like crap. Of course, since they don't go up to my size, it's not like I'd ever be buying any.

Yeah, these looked good too. But you know when someone who never walks in heels does that "ankle wobble"?

I couldn't prevent that from happening. It was so strange. I tried them on 3 different times, thinking that I didn't have them on right, or something.

I bought a pair of Sketchers boots, with a huge block 4" heel at the thrift store the other day - $2, size 11. Cheapest boots or shoes I've ever bought!

The thrift store turns up some interesting things in size 11. I've seen very few size 12s, and those that I did see were "frumpy" styles.

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Any attractive shoes will be difficult to locate in large sizes. Payless does carry most styles in sizes up to 13 and some 13W. I personally need 11ww in an open toe shoe and 12w in a closed toe. The web site will display the shoes by size and you can order them be free shipped to the store of your choice. If they don't fit, get an immediate refund and they will put them on the shelf for the next guy. There are 6 Payless store around me and they each carry different sizes, some up to 11, 12, or 13. Even though they are the same store, orders are placed based on the trend of the local shopping requirements to minimize inventory. If you want a particular shoe just get the item number and ask the clerk to locate it for you. She/he will look in the computer to see if its available in the area. I don't want this to sound wrong, but the stores located closer to ethnic (specifically African American) areas seem to carry larger sizes in more choices more often.

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I don't want this to sound wrong, but the stores located closer to ethnic (specifically African American) areas seem to carry larger sizes in more choices more often.

There is a large population of African Americans located in the area where I live. And, Jep2438 is correct. The stores in my area, especially the ones located in the areas where this ethnic group likes to shop, carry the larger, wider shoes especially for these shoppers. Most of the styles in these sizes, though, have lower heels and, while feminine in appearance, tend to have lower heels (1½" to 2½") and wouldn't appeal to most of the male heel wearers that frequent this forum.

Being mentally comfortable in your own mind is the key to wearing heels in public.

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  • 4 months later...

I tend to stop in my Local DSW Stores whenever I am passing by.

In the past, I have found a few pair of 12's. Not often though.

And recently, I have not seen any 12's.

But today. On their website, quite a few pairs. Nothing really great, but a few nice pair.

Take a Look.

http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/search/search.jsp?searchTerm=Women@size@12#

FLAT SHOES, LIKE FLAT DRINKS, ARE FOR FLAT PEOPLE

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  • 1 year later...
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