Question on shoe producers.

[Walkonit]

I'm curious to better understand how & why the same shoe model appears in different shops with different labels and prices.

I have an example:

- 18 months ago I bought a Carvela Ambrosia in black suede on sale from 120 for 90 uk pounds. They are adecent quality 6" covered platform stiletto peep toe.

http://www.polyvore.com/ambrosia/thing?id=15955203

- Sometime later I saw what looked like the same shoe with different decoration on Bakers site in the states for 160 USD.

http://www.bakersshoes.com/p-186348-GLAMM-WP.aspx?c=296

- Recently I saw what looked like the same shoe (in synthetic rather than real sude) for 20 UK pounds on Ebay. I was so curious that I bought them. On receiving them I compared them and clearly thay appear to the same shoe apart from the sythetic suede.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170712512687

So what's going on ? Are the version on ebay a cheaper copy or are they instead a later production run of the same shoe at the same factory sold to a different customer ?

[onhertoes]

My guess is that they are all from the same factory. They just change the look of them for different store chains. Stuff like that is done all the time with products. Even with flat screen tvs and laptops. The stores can charge what ever they want. Most people never make the connection that they are seeing the same thing under the covering or features.

[Trolldeg]

It's usually divided between markets. I've seen shoes that were branded as Kurt Geiger in the UK being sold as Buffalo in Germany and Sweden. Same with Dune in the UK and Bronx in Sweden.

[Guest]

Possible a late or budget run from the original factory or total copies from elsewhere. Only by having variants and looking at the build quality would place which was what from where. As for the comment re electrical goods this is certainly right being re-badged for different markets or suppliers is very common, look at the car market shared designs, engines, just different names across countries half the time. Being involved with the UK CB radio market in the 80s, seeing the inside of the rigs confirmed all suspicions of re-badging. Al

[jwhite44]

As far as pricing difference goes, it's likely that a more expensive brand charges more for the same shoe, just because they can get away with it. Louboutin wouldn't charge $100 for a shoe that costs $40 to produce, because it would destroy their entire pricing model.

[Dr. Shoe]

Yes. A factory will produce shoes for a wide range of different clients. Moreover, you will find that many vendors sell products from a range of suppliers too.

[HappyinHeels]

Walkonit, Listen to Dr. Shoe on this one since she has it exactly right. Factories produce a line of shoes for different retailers and just change the name according to the retailer's instructions. Example: Steve Madden's "MOSCOW" is Bakers' "CARINA". They were produced in the same factory of eastern China but Steve Madden typically charges 10-20% more than does Bakers for the same shoes. If you search such sites as heels.com or zappos.com you'll see some familiar shoes in there as well. It's like the big knockoff game. HappyinHeels

[Walkonit]

Walkonit,

Listen to Dr. Shoe on this one since she has it exactly right. Factories produce a line of shoes for different retailers and just change the name according to the retailer's instructions.

Example: Steve Madden's "MOSCOW" is Bakers' "CARINA". They were produced in the same factory of eastern China but Steve Madden typically charges 10-20% more than does Bakers for the same shoes. If you search such sites as heels.com or zappos.com you'll see some familiar shoes in there as well. It's like the big knockoff game.

HappyinHeels

Hmmm. You confirmed my suspicions. Looking around a bit more there seem to be plenty of examples of this. Furthermore it looks like the same basic design comes in multiple variants, colours, fabric and attachments. It mkaes me think that perhaps there are really not so many factories producing mass market high heels.

[Gudulitooo]

Though I think like others -a single factory manufactures shoes for a range of customers with different charges such as colors - I think the factory can also handle different quality requirements (fabric source and quality, number of defects by shoe, pollutant emissions, tracability, limited edition, children working, etc.) that will be reported on the retail price, even if the general design remains the same. The "product quality" (strengh, number of defects, etc.) you can check directly for yourself in the retail store, and see by yourself if a shoe will last longer than another, independantly of the price. But for the environmental care and child working, you can't tell, the only possibility is to trust the seller's claims...

[roniheels]

Yes. A factory will produce shoes for a wide range of different clients. Moreover, you will find that many vendors sell products from a range of suppliers too.

And this is a common practice in many industries. I used to be in the wholesale heating and airconditioning business. There was one factory that produced furnaces for several different retailers. Same furnace, different stickers.

[jwhite44]

...Example: Steve Madden's "MOSCOW" is Bakers' "CARINA". They were produced in the same factory of eastern China but Steve Madden typically charges 10-20% more than does Bakers for the same shoes...

It's possible there are warranty issues to consider also. For example, I know that merchandise purchased at Lands End and Travelsmith (2 examples) that be returned almost any time, for any reason.

I don't know about shoes. I'm possible maybe Steve Madden will replace shoes if the heel breaks, whereas Bakers will not. That 10%-20% more effectively becomes a self insurance fund for the company (and for the purchaser, maybe a reason to buy from then instead).

Also, it's possible that a larger factory might be able to do a better job producing some products. "Hand made" sounds nice, but it might not be what Louboutin is looking for if they want to make sure they have consistency across all the shoes they produce.