Let me start off by saying, I bought a pair of shoes I like very much…read more
Löplabbet, "The Run Lab," is a shoe store focused on all things running. The way it works is they evaluate your feet while standing on a pedestal, you run on a treadmill and they film it, analyze your running, and they offer recommendations on shoes. The cost of the evaluation is 250 Kr, unless you buy shoes in which they waive the fee.
I like running, but all of my previous shoe purchases have worked using the following system -
* Which shoes would I wear?
* "Do you have these shoes in a size [insert size here]?"
* Do they feel good walking around the shop?
* "How much are they?"
* If answer satisfactory, purchase.
So the idea of not even looking at shoes until I've been in the store 15 minutes really upends my process. However, in the end I bought a pair of Brooks Ghost 8 shoes for 1400 Kr which is very overpriced. I should add that they weren't even in a color scheme I would normally go for, but they felt great. They retail in the US for $130 and can be had for $110 and depending on the exchange rate that means between 650-850 Kr, roughly. That said, the experience and immediacy of the purchase makes it worth it. Although for clothing and accessory items I would probably make inquiries and purchase elsewhere.
And now we let the other metaphorical shoe drop,
As for the sales woman, generally agreeable, but I had a crying baby in tow and a 3-year-old that needed to use the toilet. The staff sent my wife and child down the street to find a toilet, feigning that they didn't have one. Fortunately, we are on good terms with Curry and Ketchup and they had no problems letting her use the toilet.
As I was about to pay I noticed the line of various fitness tracking devices behind the counter and asked the cashier her feelings on the likelihood of Garmin, Tom Tom and FitBit surviving the arrival of Apple Watch in Norway. She declared that the Apple Watch wasn't a competitor to the serious devices they had on offer and I just dropped the line of questioning.
Generally speaking, when you want someone to buy something from you predicated on experience it is best to avoid conflict and make exceptions for people's children. Hence, we come to the score. If I didn't like my shoes I would have given lower, but there you have it.