Hi Michael,
Thanks for your recent review. We’re sorry to see the 2 stars and wanted to clarify what happened.
Your return request came in over the weekend, and—as much as we’d love to be available 24/7—our team isn’t online during those days. That said, the moment we were back, your return was approved right away.
We truly value your feedback and hope you’ll give us another chance to deliver the 5-star experience we aim for.
Thanks again, and apologies for any inconvenience the wait may have caused!
Best regards,
Cobbler Union Team
“What a great company. Recently purchased a passport folder for myself and my son. One of the items was slightly damaged. Cobbler Union replaced the item quickly, professionally and timely. Hats off to Cobbler Union for their excellent customer service!”
“Amazing quality, comfort and good looking shoes.
The delivery for non American residents is frustrating (perhaps the service provider is a a problem).
The taxes required by the service provide to clear customs are also too high.”
“Took three months for a pair of shoes that aren't exceptional. Just a pair of shoes. Not the highest quality or best leathers. 3+ months for that!! Quite uninspiring. Major disappointment. They should have these in a store somewhere. 3 MONTHS!!!!!”
Hi Gerald,
We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations. We completely understand how frustrating a long wait can be — although in this case, as part of a pre-order, the 90 to 120-day delivery window was clearly stated upfront.
Our shoes are made entirely by hand, one pair at a time, by expert shoemakers using top-quality German leather selected for its durability, character, and feel. This kind of craftsmanship takes time, but it’s what allows us to create footwear with real soul — built to last for years, not just a season.
We understand that not everyone is looking for this type of experience. If you prefer something ready to ship, we also offer in-stock options that can be delivered much faster.
We genuinely appreciate your feedback and, despite the disappointment, we hope you’ll give the shoes a chance to show their true value over time.
Best regards.
“The shoes look great and fit comfortably. The ordering and delivery experience leaves much to be desired. They arrived almost a month after the estimated delivery date from when I placed the order. There is zero visibility into tracking. Eventually the order looked like it was just cancelled in the Shopify app. The CU customer service was responsive and polite, but I think they lack visibility on their end. This is an operations and CU management problem. I would avoid purchasing from this company if your needs are time-sensitive.”
Hi Frederic,
Thank you for your feedback.
We’re sorry we couldn’t fulfill your original size selection. As the pair was purchased from our Outlet section, availability is limited to what’s in stock — typically styles with minor imperfections and often in very limited sizing.
In your case, the size UK 8 was no longer available, so we offered two options: a full refund or the same model in half a size up (UK 8.5). You chose to go ahead with the 8.5, and we shipped it promptly.
We understand it’s disappointing not to receive exactly what was ordered, but we did our best to provide clear options and resolve it fairly. Given that this was an Outlet purchase with limited inventory, and that a suitable alternative was provided and accepted, we hope you’ll understand why no further compensation was offered.
We always strive to be transparent and fair — and we’re here if you ever need assistance in the future.
Best regards,
“Dear Cobbler Union Team,
While I am happy with the chukkas (size UK 8) I received on Jan. 10, I found the exchange process cumbersome and wanted to share my experience.
Dec. 2: Ordered chukkas (size UK 8.5), which arrived on Dec. 7 but were too big. (My third pair of shoes from Cobbler Union.)
Dec. 9: Initiated the exchange process, which required contacting you, waiting for a reply, taking photos of the shoes, and waiting for approval before proceeding with the return. This back-and-forth communication felt unnecessarily complicated. Perhaps the entire process—submitting photos and other details—could be completed in a single step through an online portal or form, avoiding multiple emails.
Dec. 17: Was informed that the replacement shoes were coming from Spain, though the website didn’t indicate this at the time of the exchange.
Dec. 26: Received notification that the shoes had arrived from Spain and would be sent soon.
Jan. 7: After hearing nothing further, I contacted customer service and was told the shoes would be sent soon, with a follow-up email promised but not received.
Jan. 10: Finally received the shoes.
Although the total duration of 5–6 weeks is not excessively long, the number of communications required made the process frustrating. Ordering shoes online often involves exchanges due to sizing variations, so a smoother, more transparent process is highly desired. Specifically:
Simplify the exchange process—Streamline steps like photo submission and approvals into a single interaction to eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth communication.
Improve communication—Regular updates and fulfillment of promised notifications would help reassure customers.
Clarify shipping origins—Indicating whether items ship from overseas upfront would set accurate expectations.
Perhaps I may come across as overly critical, but my intention is simply to help a good, small company like Cobbler Union succeed. I believe that with some improvements to your processes, you can provide an even better experience for your customers.
Thank you for your attention to this feedback, and I look forward to shopping with you again.
Best regards,”
“The shoes are fantastic. The customer support team was great but the experience was below satisfactory. I ordered my shoes in April 2024 and just received them in January 2025. There were constant delays that I would not have found out about unless I emailed to ask about status. The website said 3-4 months but took almost a year. Overall, poor communication and unacceptable delays caused me to be unlikely to shop here again.”
