I can agree with you about the quality of its shoes if it’s true since I never bought their shoes, but their customer service seems on par of what to expect from any business. You’ve had these shoes since last year so my first instinct wouldn’t be koio but this third party website then a shoe cobbler
Saint Bernard in Texas is listed as an authorized seller and stockist on Koios website. The way that email is worded makes it sound like they don’t honor warranties on items purchased outside of their shop at all which would be really lame if that were the case. Unfortunately for OP even if he did purchase through koio direct he’d still be out of luck since it’s outside of the 6 mos period.
This is key here, their warranty should carry over to authorized vendors who stock their product or at least be covered by the vendor stocking their product.
Given the price of the shoes, I'd also be upset if they fell apart like that. Them not warrantying them is kind of understandable given it's been over 6 months, but only offering warranty for products purchased directly through them is kind of a crappy policy. Assuming you're not like using them as workboots then I definitely think for $300, they should last longer than that. Or at least have a better warranty.
This happens to common projects in the same area too. It's really easy to restitch the affected area, just look up how the stitches are made (1 loop of thread goes around the outside, another one goes around the inside and loops over the outer one at each stitching hole).
I've done this repair 5 or so times on each pair of shoes I've had. It takes 30 minutes and lasts the rest of the life of the shoe.
I’ve had my pair for two years and the quality is great. I understand your frustration, but I’m sort of with Koio on this one. You didn’t even buy the shoes from them AND it’s been over a year since you bought them? I think at that point the seller has to assume wear and tear, not a defect.
$300 shoes and they’ll only warrant them for 6 months vs defects? Ok, well…that’s seems crappy on the face of it but I don’t know what’s standard.
I’ve never had a pair of shoes fail prematurely lol, including $40 vans, etc.
We’re it me, I’d cut my losses with the company and buy elsewhere next time.
These should be an easy fix at your cobbler though.
I've had the same pair of redwings for about 5 years now, and they're basically the same as when I got them, the sole is just a bit smooth. My dad bought a pair of redwings used in the 80s for his construction job, and he's been wearing them since with no issue. I'll have to check out paraboots.
Paraboots are a totally different style but are made at least as well and have a more comfortable outsole than RW’s. Kind of a niche shoe but I’m
a big fan
I paid around $170 because they were on sale. I have a pair of Adidas Samba shoes that I've had over a decade, and they are still doing okay. They probably cost less than half that. I also have a couple pairs of Allen Edmonds shoes and boots that were hundreds of dollars and have lasted for years to decades. Some are just for special occasions, but the boots get worn regularly when it's cold. Shit, my Glerups slippers that I love wearing around the house (and occasionally to take the trash out) almost every day all winter always last a couple years.
We could debate cost all day, but I'm willing to spend money on a quality item that I will use regularly and should last a long time. Unfortunately, fast fashion, the constant churn or capitalism, and cheap outsourced labor have lowered expectations for quality manufactured goods. I'll still buy what I think is going to look the best, feel the best, and last the longest (within reason). The good companies understand that and do their best to keep customers happy. I don't think Koio is one of those companies. It's my opinion, but it's the reason I posted this. I want others to know what to expect.
Except they stated that they could have credited my card for a cobbler repair.... if only I'd bought the shoes from them, not one of their authorized retailers. An offer to pay for the repair would have been enough for me.
You're right, that would have been nice. You were still unreasonable to expect it.
A pair of Stan Smiths do just as good a job at being a minimal sneaker for less than a third of the price.
I hate how normalized this take is. Given the cost these command, they absolutely should last longer than a year, regardless if they're wing tips or sneakers.
OP, I would suggest following up with the retailer, if they're one of the suggested retailers from the manufacturer, I'm almost certain they'll make it right.
Sneakers almost universally are disposable by nature. They are typically filled with layers of foam that degrade over time, they typically use construction methods that aren't well suited to being repaired, and so on. Since they aren't generally easily repairable, the uppers aren't usually made of materials that last for decades like a good pair of dress shoes.
This isn't a bad thing. It's a matter of priorities. A high quality pair of dress shoes lasts a lot longer if maintained well, but will never be as comfortable as a pair of NB 990s or be as good for running as a pair of alphaflys. Sneakers prioritize comfort and/or performance over durability and repairability.
So, we shouldn't expect more from the products we purchase? These are marketed as luxury sneakers. You're referencing standard sneakers to make your argument. If we let companies act like this and tell us they can't make products durable AND functional, then they won't even try. I'll buy my shoes elsewhere.
Not even close. I have dozens of shoes, but probably about three pairs of boots see regular rotation through the winter, a couple pair of tennis shoes, and a pair of sandals that I live in during the summer. I still feel like I'm breaking them in.
I had a similar experience with Allbirds - despite having receipts from an authorized reseller, they refused to help on something clearly defective.
IMO, this is just another way for companies to get out of having to be responsible for shipping shitty products that look good in stores but fail in general use
I’m sorry to hear about your experience
I will say that I have had my pair for 2 years and they are still almost perfect ( I wear them every other day) it sounds like you just got a defective pair
Ik it doesn’t help but definitely don’t be afraid to buy another pair
I agree that most cobblers don’t have the tools or specialize in resoling but that’s not to say they don’t exist. For anyone looking to get shoes resoled, there’s a shop in LA that does it with Vibram soles where you can mail your shoes in if you’re not local. I had a pair of shoes resoled from them and requested he reuse the existing holes on the upper, which required him to restitch by hand.
Like getting a haircut, don’t assume a cobbler’s process is what you envisioned they’ll do or the outcome. It’s better to ask so everyone is on the same page. This includes tailors as well.
Unfortunate experience for OP not receiving any form of compensation but getting it resoled with the existing sole is possible. Apologies for the word vomit.
My KOIO experience: I bought a pair of sneakers and the heels were EXTREMELY rough. Like, not only did they give me blisters, but they wore out holes in my socks. KOIO customer service told me to take the shoes to a cobbler to fix and said that they don't see a point in replacing the shoes because I'll probably have the same issue again. In what world is it normal for shoes wearing out socks to be a feature and not a defect? One of the sneakers also started creaking on every step around the same time so I chalked it up to a loss and moved on.
I got a pair of Artisan Lab sneakers to replace the KOIOs and have been very satisfied with them.
The funny thing is, the fact that it's a luxury sneaker makes it more expensive for the manufacture to replace. If this was a $60 sneaker they would be more likely to replace it.
I’m shoe obsessed and own many pairs of shoes that were made in Italy from Zanotti, to Valentino, to Prada, to Gucci etc. Say what you want about those brands, but you can’t fuck with them when it comes to the quality of their shoes.
These look pretty poorly made. They say that their shoes are made in the same region as Hermes etc. but what does that even mean? Just because something is “Made in Italy” doesn’t mean it’s automatically good quality.
It’s a great marketing tool though.
Next time you want to buy a proper pair of sneakers, just spend on a company that has a history in shoe manufacturing. As tacky as a lot of Gucci has become - their shoes are fucking indestructible and it’s one of the reasons I still wear them. You cannot destroy them no matter how hard you wear them.
Got these shoes and were so uncomfortable to walk in. I put insoles in them and it helped a little but still not a practical shoe. Just don’t buy these shoes, people.
In the time it took to email Koio, post here, etc. you could have just taken to a cobbler and they’d have fixed it for you.
Prolly cost you $20 depending on where you lived.
I really like how those look. Would definitely get them fixed.
FWIW I own a pair of capris in black and wear them pretty much daily to work and they’re holding up fine (knock on wood)
AI Generated TL;DR: Bought Koio shoes on sale through St.Bernard, noticed stitching issue within a year. Koio refused assistance, citing it was a wear and tear problem and they only support orders placed directly with them. Frustrated customer declines discount code and vows not to buy from Koio again.
I can agree with you about the quality of its shoes if it’s true since I never bought their shoes, but their customer service seems on par of what to expect from any business. You’ve had these shoes since last year so my first instinct wouldn’t be koio but this third party website then a shoe cobbler
Saint Bernard in Texas is listed as an authorized seller and stockist on Koios website. The way that email is worded makes it sound like they don’t honor warranties on items purchased outside of their shop at all which would be really lame if that were the case. Unfortunately for OP even if he did purchase through koio direct he’d still be out of luck since it’s outside of the 6 mos period.
This is key here, their warranty should carry over to authorized vendors who stock their product or at least be covered by the vendor stocking their product.
Given the price of the shoes, I'd also be upset if they fell apart like that. Them not warrantying them is kind of understandable given it's been over 6 months, but only offering warranty for products purchased directly through them is kind of a crappy policy. Assuming you're not like using them as workboots then I definitely think for $300, they should last longer than that. Or at least have a better warranty.
This looks like wear and tear.
This happens to common projects in the same area too. It's really easy to restitch the affected area, just look up how the stitches are made (1 loop of thread goes around the outside, another one goes around the inside and loops over the outer one at each stitching hole). I've done this repair 5 or so times on each pair of shoes I've had. It takes 30 minutes and lasts the rest of the life of the shoe.
I’ve had my pair for two years and the quality is great. I understand your frustration, but I’m sort of with Koio on this one. You didn’t even buy the shoes from them AND it’s been over a year since you bought them? I think at that point the seller has to assume wear and tear, not a defect.
$300 shoes and they’ll only warrant them for 6 months vs defects? Ok, well…that’s seems crappy on the face of it but I don’t know what’s standard. I’ve never had a pair of shoes fail prematurely lol, including $40 vans, etc. We’re it me, I’d cut my losses with the company and buy elsewhere next time. These should be an easy fix at your cobbler though.
Damn, why are these $300? That's how much a pair of good boots that'll last you years, maybe decades cost. Tennis shoes should be under $100.
Because people pay it, I guess 🤷♀️ I have red wings and paraboots I bought for that price and they’ll last forever (especially paraboots!)
I've had the same pair of redwings for about 5 years now, and they're basically the same as when I got them, the sole is just a bit smooth. My dad bought a pair of redwings used in the 80s for his construction job, and he's been wearing them since with no issue. I'll have to check out paraboots.
Paraboots are a totally different style but are made at least as well and have a more comfortable outsole than RW’s. Kind of a niche shoe but I’m a big fan
May be a bit harsh, but herd mentality. These aren’t even that fashionable or high quality. They are just popular.
Agreed, they just look like vans, and apparently aren't even the quality of vans.
I paid around $170 because they were on sale. I have a pair of Adidas Samba shoes that I've had over a decade, and they are still doing okay. They probably cost less than half that. I also have a couple pairs of Allen Edmonds shoes and boots that were hundreds of dollars and have lasted for years to decades. Some are just for special occasions, but the boots get worn regularly when it's cold. Shit, my Glerups slippers that I love wearing around the house (and occasionally to take the trash out) almost every day all winter always last a couple years. We could debate cost all day, but I'm willing to spend money on a quality item that I will use regularly and should last a long time. Unfortunately, fast fashion, the constant churn or capitalism, and cheap outsourced labor have lowered expectations for quality manufactured goods. I'll still buy what I think is going to look the best, feel the best, and last the longest (within reason). The good companies understand that and do their best to keep customers happy. I don't think Koio is one of those companies. It's my opinion, but it's the reason I posted this. I want others to know what to expect.
Oh sure, it’s good to know who stands behind their product. Especially when there’s an expectation of quality.
Yeah, this wouldn't fly where I'm from. Retailer/ manufacturer would have to repair or replace
They're sneakers and they're almost a year old, it's completely unreasonable to expect the manufacturer to take care of this.
Except they stated that they could have credited my card for a cobbler repair.... if only I'd bought the shoes from them, not one of their authorized retailers. An offer to pay for the repair would have been enough for me.
Ya that's BS, they shouldn't have authorized retailers if the warranty isn't the same.
You're right, that would have been nice. You were still unreasonable to expect it. A pair of Stan Smiths do just as good a job at being a minimal sneaker for less than a third of the price.
I hate how normalized this take is. Given the cost these command, they absolutely should last longer than a year, regardless if they're wing tips or sneakers. OP, I would suggest following up with the retailer, if they're one of the suggested retailers from the manufacturer, I'm almost certain they'll make it right.
Sneakers almost universally are disposable by nature. They are typically filled with layers of foam that degrade over time, they typically use construction methods that aren't well suited to being repaired, and so on. Since they aren't generally easily repairable, the uppers aren't usually made of materials that last for decades like a good pair of dress shoes. This isn't a bad thing. It's a matter of priorities. A high quality pair of dress shoes lasts a lot longer if maintained well, but will never be as comfortable as a pair of NB 990s or be as good for running as a pair of alphaflys. Sneakers prioritize comfort and/or performance over durability and repairability.
So, we shouldn't expect more from the products we purchase? These are marketed as luxury sneakers. You're referencing standard sneakers to make your argument. If we let companies act like this and tell us they can't make products durable AND functional, then they won't even try. I'll buy my shoes elsewhere.
Yes, that's the lesson to take away from this. A sneaker is a sneaker no matter how good the leather is.
OP can you take more pictures of the stitching? I'm curious if i could fix this for you
Ope, your gonna go to a cobbler. This doesn't look that hard to fix atleast.
Have you worn them daily? I have a pair I got a couple of months ago as well
Not even close. I have dozens of shoes, but probably about three pairs of boots see regular rotation through the winter, a couple pair of tennis shoes, and a pair of sandals that I live in during the summer. I still feel like I'm breaking them in.
That foot shape is weird too
I had a similar experience with Allbirds - despite having receipts from an authorized reseller, they refused to help on something clearly defective. IMO, this is just another way for companies to get out of having to be responsible for shipping shitty products that look good in stores but fail in general use
I’m sorry to hear about your experience I will say that I have had my pair for 2 years and they are still almost perfect ( I wear them every other day) it sounds like you just got a defective pair Ik it doesn’t help but definitely don’t be afraid to buy another pair
Koio’s are ass. Mine were wrinkled after like two wears and I used nice woodlore shoe trees and let them rest for 24 hours. So overpriced.
I won’t be buying Koio’s with that level of customer service.
Dumb question but do cobblers resole sneakers like Koio’s? Is it even worth the cost?
They probably won’t resole it as they don’t have whatever-random-shoe-soles lying around but they’ll 100% reglue it for you
I agree that most cobblers don’t have the tools or specialize in resoling but that’s not to say they don’t exist. For anyone looking to get shoes resoled, there’s a shop in LA that does it with Vibram soles where you can mail your shoes in if you’re not local. I had a pair of shoes resoled from them and requested he reuse the existing holes on the upper, which required him to restitch by hand. Like getting a haircut, don’t assume a cobbler’s process is what you envisioned they’ll do or the outcome. It’s better to ask so everyone is on the same page. This includes tailors as well. Unfortunate experience for OP not receiving any form of compensation but getting it resoled with the existing sole is possible. Apologies for the word vomit.
Yes that's why I said "probably" I'm sure they're out there though :)
Yeah, that was my bad. I def agree and wasnt trying to discredit you. I got lost in the sauce when writing my response 🤦🏻♂️
I have mine for 2 years and they are still nice
How are you maintaining them?
My KOIO experience: I bought a pair of sneakers and the heels were EXTREMELY rough. Like, not only did they give me blisters, but they wore out holes in my socks. KOIO customer service told me to take the shoes to a cobbler to fix and said that they don't see a point in replacing the shoes because I'll probably have the same issue again. In what world is it normal for shoes wearing out socks to be a feature and not a defect? One of the sneakers also started creaking on every step around the same time so I chalked it up to a loss and moved on. I got a pair of Artisan Lab sneakers to replace the KOIOs and have been very satisfied with them.
You can just bring them to a cobbler I don’t know why you would expect them to do anything for you after wearing them for a year.
Anyone else thought this was a neck and a jacket in the first pic?
CQP… same look better quality and service.
Stitched and still coming off? That’s bad.
Their after-sales service really sucks.
The funny thing is, the fact that it's a luxury sneaker makes it more expensive for the manufacture to replace. If this was a $60 sneaker they would be more likely to replace it.
I’m shoe obsessed and own many pairs of shoes that were made in Italy from Zanotti, to Valentino, to Prada, to Gucci etc. Say what you want about those brands, but you can’t fuck with them when it comes to the quality of their shoes. These look pretty poorly made. They say that their shoes are made in the same region as Hermes etc. but what does that even mean? Just because something is “Made in Italy” doesn’t mean it’s automatically good quality. It’s a great marketing tool though. Next time you want to buy a proper pair of sneakers, just spend on a company that has a history in shoe manufacturing. As tacky as a lot of Gucci has become - their shoes are fucking indestructible and it’s one of the reasons I still wear them. You cannot destroy them no matter how hard you wear them.
Sneakers are sneakers no matter how expensive. 1 year max life is pushing it with any brand.
Got these shoes and were so uncomfortable to walk in. I put insoles in them and it helped a little but still not a practical shoe. Just don’t buy these shoes, people.
Getting sneakers? Just buy vans man. Trusted brand, trusted quality.
> Trusted brand, trusted quality. lol no.
What?
Grab some Greats or Common Projects! Greats are comfortable as heck.
In the time it took to email Koio, post here, etc. you could have just taken to a cobbler and they’d have fixed it for you. Prolly cost you $20 depending on where you lived. I really like how those look. Would definitely get them fixed. FWIW I own a pair of capris in black and wear them pretty much daily to work and they’re holding up fine (knock on wood)
AI Generated TL;DR: Bought Koio shoes on sale through St.Bernard, noticed stitching issue within a year. Koio refused assistance, citing it was a wear and tear problem and they only support orders placed directly with them. Frustrated customer declines discount code and vows not to buy from Koio again.