Reebok Shoes a double Whammy. for POOR Indiancustomer….
I had been a “walker” for over six years and in initial stages was having leg pain with normal sports shoes. It was suggested that “ I switch to a professionally designed, ( preferably international) “branded” shoe. I went for a Reebok shoe in 2005 and that did it, “ Itsgone” and so I inadvertently became a Brand ambassador for International Brands in general and Reebok in *particular *for about three years, until I purchased my second Reebok which I would henceforth refer to as Reebok-2 at Vijayawada from Brand Show Room in 2008.
While I donot know whether my woes with my Reebok-2 are accidental or a general reality but on reading other reviews on the net, I felt the latter seemed more likely.
History as per Reebok Site: Before you read my owes read this about Reebok, the Brand.
Reebok’s UnitedKingdom-based ancestor company was founded for one of the best reasonspossible: athletes wanted to run faster. So, in the 1890s, Joseph WilliamFoster made some of the first known running shoes with spikes in them. By 1895, he was in business making shoes by hand for top runners; and before long hisfledgling company, J.W. Foster and Sons, developed an international clienteleof distinguished athletes. The family-owned business proudly made the runningshoes worn in the 1924 Summer Games by the athletes celebrated in the film"Chariots of Fire." In 1958, two of the founder’s grandsons started a companion company that came to be known as Reebok, named for an Africangazelle.
The Brand now Boasts of Dhoni’s endorsement in India.
Coming to my owes: The(Reebok-2 model RB 604 KTS) shoe lower sole(a sheet of plastic in touch with ground) started peeling off WITHIN A WEEK . This despite the fact that I am a moderate walker and walk between 3-5 Km a day at 5-6 KMPH Max. When I contacted the showroom for replacement, they just refused and said the warrantee covers only repair and pasted back the peel off.
The rest was OK for about six months but off late all the plastic pieces forming the so called heel started disintegrating at jet speed. I have enclosed a few photographs for viewers appreciation. It is high time we realize that the these bigbrands seem to spend more money feeding sport stars and models than in ensuring their product quality. May be this timeI will say a Jai Ho to Bata which will cost me about Rs 1000-1200/-; one third of what I spent for my Big name “Sneaker” which incidentally was a “Made in China”.