Increasing Shoes

As a male, being only 5'6" can be quite difficult.  With the average male in the US at about 5'10 1/2" (according to Wikipedia), measuring up is a challenge.  Height (and weight) are probably 2 characteristics that potential employers can use against you without facing impending litigation.  Now, I am not suggesting that companies have a secret policy to only hire tall people, but studies show that there may be some implicit negative attitudes towards shorter people.  In China, some have gone to the extreme by undergoing leg lengthening surgery.  While I am certainly not willing to endure that pain (or the associated costs), I am interested in ways to increase my height.


Females have it easy as they can get away with 7" stilettos!  One solution for us guys is called Increasing Shoes.  These shoes come in a variety of styles and can increase your height from 2" to 5.5" depending on the style.  The shoes work by using a thick sole (similar to those found on Doc Martins) and a "hidden" insole inside the shoe itself.  For the test, I tried 2 styles: one at 5" and one at 5.5".  Both styles were represented accurately on the website and actually looked better in person.  The shoes also definitely did what they claim.  While wearing them, I did appear taller.  After adding a longer pair of Gap jeans, it was impossible to tell that I was wearing anything out of the ordinary.


My positive experience, however, ended there.  The shoes are extremely uncomfortable.  I expected the shoes to be slightly uncomfortable due to the "hidden" insole, but I did not expect the insole to cause a lack of ankle support.  Since the insole placed my heel at the top of the shoe, I felt like I was wearing backless slip-on hiking boots: a bad combination!  The lack of a back and ankle support made walking even harder.  With these points in mind, I would have given the shoes a C+ since they look good, do what they say, but are more uncomfortable than expected. The company itself, however, caused a huge loss of points.  First, the company doesn't seem to have a formal location.  The shoes shipped from Hong Kong, the return department is in Michigan, and the sales address is in Brooklyn.  Shipping takes quite a while and the customer must pay for return shipping costs.  I had no problem exchanging my 1st style and received  my exchange quickly because they shipped my new order once I provided a tracking number for my return.  Returning my exchange, however, has been a hassle at best.  In order to complete a return, the customer must email customer service and get a return number.  When I emailed customer service, this was their response:


"Please be informed that replacement items cannot be returned for a refund as exchange transactions cannot be converted to refunds.

We can only let you exchange the shoes for a second time. However, there will be a $19.99 shipping and handling fee for the second and other succeeding exchanges."

I responded indicating that this was unacceptable and to escalate the matter to a supervisor if needed.  Since the website does not say that exchanges cannot be returned, I will not accept that as the final answer.  After 2 weeks, I still had no reply.  Sick of waiting, I called the number listed on the website.  The lady I spoke with rudely informed me that she only takes new orders, is not customer service, and that customer service is only reachable by email.  I emailed customer service again and am waiting for their reply.  Even if the product itself would have earned an A+ from TheTravTest, bad customer service overrides everything.  The matter is still unresolved.

Increasing Shoes fails The Trav Test with an F.

• Category: Products, Shoes

• Location: Online

• Cost: $49.99 to $179.99

• Ease of use: Difficult

• The Trav Test grade: F