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Site sells shoes for savvy spenders |
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June 28, 2010
By Katelyn Gendron
Reminder Assistant Editor
SPRINGFIELD -- Musician Lita Ford may have described the love affair between a woman and her shoes even better than Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw when she stated, "Stilettos, I look at it more as an attitude as opposed to a high-heeled shoe."
But for those of us who "have [Manolo] Blahnik taste on a Wal-Mart budget," there's still hope, according to shoe enthusiast Ellen Simes of Springfield, founder of www.iftheshoedoesntfit.com.
"It started in January of 2009, I had bought another pair of shoes and they felt great in the store and I was sure this was the pair that was going to fit and within an hour [of wearing them] my feet were the size of Buicks!" Simes recalled. "It was so frustrating because of the umpteenth time I'd bought a pair of shoes I'd never wear again."
Rather than letting them sit in her closet unworn and a constant reminder of money wasted, Simes decided to sell them on eBay. However, the complexities of selling on the auction site prompted her to create her own -- one that didn't require a step-by-step instructional video to navigate.
"[My Web site] was designed to simplify life for the online seller and their business," she explained. "The fee to list on the site is $1, that's it. Pay a dollar, post the shoes; sell the shoes, keep the money. There are no final value fees, no fees for photos, bolded headlines, highlights or gallery listings. It's simple and affordable. Sellers who choose to can create an online store for only $15 a month and receive a 5 percent discount on listings."
Simes said her goal for the site, which has been live for only two weeks is "to see it build to the point of becoming the eBay [for] shoes."
She noted the site also provides users with a venue to form a partnership with those of other unique shoe sizes and tastes such as her own 6.5 double-wide.
When asked why she just didn't start her own line of shoes, Simes replied, "I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. I'm a pharmacist by training and work as a freelance writer for the pharmaceutical industry."
She noted there are more than 350 pairs of shoes on the site now, ranging from sneakers to boots to platforms and wedges. Simes added she hopes to have even more as traffic continues to pick up in the coming weeks.
The site also provides fun factoids about shoes and designers as well as links to charitable organizations such as Soles 4 Souls, which provides shoes for those in need in more than 125 countries.
To learn more, e-mail Simes at ellen@iftheshoedoesntfit.com or visit her Web site located at www.iftheshoedoesntfit.com.
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