good quality shoes in China?

[yonglin]

I spent some time in Beijing last summer. Since shoes are quite expensive in Europe, I figured I'd be better off buying myself a new pair of shoes in Beijing. During two months, I bought six pairs of shoes, all of which broke in one way or another (no kidding - i had no idea shoes could break in so many ways). I also bought a lot of clothes, most of which hold together very well after almost a year of frequent usage and washing. Even my ridiculously cheap mp3 player works fine despite recharging it several times a week (I kind of regret laughing so hard at the salesperson when he said the battery would last for three years...)

Now, since I cannot believe that Chinese people buy new shoes almost every week, my shoe shopping strategy must have been seriously misguided. Since my impression was that they sell the same kind of shoes in almost every market/shopping mall, I mistakenly thought that my role was limited to checking that they were reasonably well-made, and pushing the price down as much as possible.

Do most Chinese people buy expensive shoes? Or do they just repair them all the time?

How/where do you people buy shoes?

How do judge the quality of the shoes?

How do you maximise (value of shoes)/price?

I feel kind of tempted getting myself a pair of shoes before going to China this year, although something tells me I won't (unless my mum pays for them )

[Xiao Kui]

i have a chinese friend that buys new shoes almost every month. He only pays abt 30 kuai a pair, but his cheap shoes do wear out that fast. I've gotten some good high quality women's shoes but I paid abt 80-100 kuai for them. I got some cheap sandals 30-40 kuai that worked pretty well for me. I usually do buy my shoes in the US now, though. It's not always the case, but usually, no matter where you are, you get what you pay for.

[saiyo]

I don't really see the point for you to buy shoes before heading to China.

As a shoe fanatic who had lived in Beijing for four years, I usually got my quality shoes from department stores, but only when they were on sale, sometimes as high as 50%. Or, if you don't care much about the fashion, you may try those discount stores or outlet stores, where big-brand shoes are sold at sharp discounts too. They are of very good quality.

Finally, if you just want to try something fancy and don't expect them to last long, you might want to take a look at Silk Alley or other similar markets -- but better getting some bargaining trainings before you go...

Ugh...I start missing my Beijing life now.

Good luck with your shoe hunting,

Saiyo

[magores]

I've had good luck with shoes in Beijing.

I have big feet by Chinese standards. 11 1/2 US, 47 in China. I can't buy shoes at most stores, since they only carry up to size 44.

So, I go to a shoe super-store near Taoran. 5 (or is it 7?) floors of nothing but shoes. One store in particular has shoes my size.

A couple pairs of tennis shoes and a pair of sandals (the heavy-duty kind) have lasted for over a year.

As for Chinese people getting shoes repaired... There is a shoe cobbler that sits in front of the DVD store near my apartment. She always has customers sitting on the stool waiting.

[heifeng]

shoe super-store near Taoran....

hmm... big size shoes you say.....what is the closest bus stop, or subway stopto this place?

(add: does this place have ladies dress shoes for the non tennis shoe wearing population? hehe, forgot I should add this since tennis shoes in big sizes are easy to find...dress shoes.. not so much)

[Hero Doug]

I looked at a 30 Kuai pair of (mens) shoes and I immediately understood why they were 30 Kuai. They were complete garbage. You could see that they were made of cheap plastic.

I spent about 250 Kuai on one pair of shoes last summer and their still fine. I spent about 650 on my last pair and their one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

My girlfriend also spent around 250 kuai on her shoes a few years ago and their in fine shape.

China's cheaper then western countries, but it's not as cheap as people say. There's a reason some shoes are 30 yuan, their low quality.

[anneastorga]

would anyone know how much the average price is for a good pair of below-the-knee boots in beijing? I am going to beijing in a few weeks and am thinking whether i should buy here or in china when i arrive.

Thanks a lot.

[gougou]

For sports shoes, you might want to check out 法雅体育 at 皂君庙, they have authentic shoes at discounted prices. Just bought a pair there the day before yesterday, they're still holding together

[magores]

Heifeng

Yes, womens shoes, non-sports shoes, etc. The place has more shoes than you can imagine in one spot.

Literally, 5 stories of nothing but shoes.

Located very near Taoran Qiao on south side of 2nd ring. Sorry, I don't know the nearest bus stop name. I've ridden my bicycle there each time I've gone. But, I do remember that there was a train station near there. (a little to the East).

[cdn_in_bj]

I've heard stories of shoes falling apart after only several weeks, one pair was even considered a "major brand" (Chinese) and cost several hundred RMB. On the other hand, I know people that have purchased Nike knockoffs (the better ones which cost 150-200 RMB) which not only look exactly like the originals (even down to the stitching!) but also seem to hold up just as well.

And both pairs of shoes that I've purchased here have held up fine. Both were purchased from Bata (it seems like there is a Bata in nearly every major department store/shopping mall in Beijing). My first pair, which I purchased shortly after I arrived, were semi-formal but very comfortable due to the super soft/flexible sole. I purchased these at full price for 600 RMB (I didn't know better back then). These I wore nearly every day for over a year, without major problem. The only issue I had was because the sole was so soft, it was not as durable and some cracks appeared. But these were easily sealed/patched by the streetside shoe repair person for 5 RMB.

My second pair I purchased for about half price, around 350 RMB (the large department stores will often hold promotions where participating merchants will offer credit towards other purchases or an outright discount, it's best to wait for these). This pair is a more traditional formal dress shoe and not quite as comfortable as the first pair, but much better now that they have broken in.

One thing worth noting is that I have yet to come across a shoe sold here with decent arch support. I don't know if this is because Chinese tend to be more flat-footed or what - maybe others with more shoe-buying experience can comment. My shoes still don't "feel right" to a degree, and it took a while at first for me to realize this was the reason. Yes, this means that the Bata shoes you see here probably aren't the same as the ones sold back home.

Finally, if you need any kind of specialized shoe (for example, if you're a runner and you have a favourite pair of lightweight running shoes) you would be best to bring these from home. From what I can tell, name brand athletic shoes are more expensive here and the selection more limited (to the trendy kind worn for non-athletic purposes).

On one of my more recent trips back home, I brought back my favourite pair of Clarks walking shoes. They also sell Clarks shoes here, but they're not the same and very expensive (regular price 1500-1700 RMB!).

Anyways, I'm not sure I've actually answered your questions, so here goes:

How/where do you people buy shoes? At Bata!

How do judge the quality of the shoes? I don't (everything is made in China now anyways), but you can't go wrong with Bata!

How do you maximise (value of shoes)/price? Buy on sale and limit to one new pair a year (probably easier for guys than girls)!

[Barbara Lynch]

I wear a 10 and 1/2 AA (narrow) women's shoe; no matter how much I pay, the shoes never quite fit. I'm visiting Beijing and Shanghai in June and would like to find a shoemaker who personally measures feet and makes shoes to fit. Can anyone suggest such a person?

Thanks,

Barbara

[heifeng]

Omigod, you must be my foot twin....

I hate how half sizes stop at a 10 in the US. Is is just ridiculous...the narrow part is the killer though.

The one, somewhat good thing out here is that in the RARE occasion I have found a shoe long enough for me out here, it actually was quite narrow. Much narrower than US 10's. This doesn't actually answer your custom shoe question, but maybe it offers a glimmer of hope....

I really wish I could recomend a place for custom shoes, BUT if you do happen to find one, please be sure to leave contact info and pricing here... pretty please with sugar on top!!

[Demet]

Frankly speaking I can't say anything about the quality because I was not able to find a single pair of shoes to fit my poor feet! I wear size 40 (im a girl) and all the 40 size shoes that were offered to me in shops were like 38 to me..... one time the clerk was insisting that I give it a try first, so I showed her how my heel was left outside and told her "it seems that size 40 in your country is not the same as size 40 in mine...." which made her laugh... So next time I go to China I will definitely go prepared.