My worst customer experience since contracting salmonella from a bad Subway sandwich in 1991. And it cost me nearly $600. In hindsight, I only have myself to blame for walking in the door at 9320 W Broad in the first place, after having read a glowing profile of company founder Ray Margiano in a franchising publication. I have plantar fasciitis and overpronate, and had already seen a podiatrist. The experience started with a color-coded foot-scan, the results of which the co-owner, Mrs. M-B G, walked me through with the help of a skeletal foot model: a "biomechanical gait assessment," I believe she called it. As she brought out $250+ shoes for me to try on, alongside costly hard-plastic orthotics, Mrs. G underscored her certified-OT credential and her husband JG's engineering background. I walked in several pairs, none of them feeling comfortable. Mrs. G said it was natural to feel like I was standing on a metal bar -- that my feet would strengthen and acclimate over time. She tried to seal the deal and have me buy a black and brown pair, alongside a pair of $40 rubber shower slippers, three pairs of ventilated socks, a hard-plastic "ten-year" orthotic, sole-inserts to place above this orthotic, and, for good measure, a $5 rubber ball to roll my feet over every morning. The whole thing was to cost me just shy of $800. I balked at the price and said I would come back after doing more homework and consulting with an orthopedist. To which she immediately darted to the clearance rack and presented me with these heavy, motion-controlled rocker shoes: "half off." I tried them on with the hard-plastic insert and liners, during which she retrieved a pair of heavy rocker ancient-Olympics-style sandals and the $40 Korean shower slippers: "closed-cell design," she touted. We went back and forth over my uncertainty over paying approximately $600 for shoes and accessories that felt so obviously uncomfortable. I asked to use the restroom. Mrs. G told me that there's was not for customers -- that I'd have to use a nearby fast-food joint's; another customer was waiting for her attention. Apoplectically, I asked her how they could justify denying someone use of their restroom and still expect them to fork over nearly $600. Mrs. G responded -- no joke -- that the cost of the shoes reflected her training as an OT. (These better be great shoes, I remember thinking, as I reached for my Amex). As she rung up the order, Mrs. G tried to up-sell me on shoe cleaners and a couple of rubber stress balls. I passed. Long story short: these shoes were a complete flop, and only made my feet feel worse. I followed the instructions and gave them second, third, tenth tries for months, even as my orthopedist (a foot specialist with his MD from UVA) urged me to throw them away; he'd seen others who had been remorsefully pressure-sold by Foot Solutions. My experience with this store was so bad that I took my case to company founder and CEO Ray Margiano. He was nice enough to field my emails and calls, but ultimately responded that none of the above-mentioned violated their franchisee best practices. Ok. So it is. I will not, however, rest until I get my money back. I urge Dr. Margiano and Mrs. & Mr G to read the bestseller Delivering Happiness by Zappos's CEO and founder Tony Hsieh. Zappos has a 365-day return policy and a fraction of the margins enjoyed by Foot Solutions. It also has incredible customer goodwill. Foot Solutions can count on the very opposite from me. To read more about my $576 experience, search for @FootSolutions on Twitter, where you will find more about high-pressure-upsell tactics in the quasi-medical foot pain business. I will be taking my complaint to the Better Business Bureaus of both Richmond and Atlanta, where Foot Solutions is headquartered. I urge you to avoid this store and chain, and instead avail yourself of a good orthopedist and New Balances or Rockports. Saxon Shoes is a good local example. Online, Zappos cannot be beat for selection and customer service. Don't fall for what I did. read more

I found foot solutions because of an online search for 1 particular shoe. I thought I would try to check it out/buy it local. The first place listed was Foot Solutions on Broad. Okay...off I went. I arrived at 11a. I needed to be downtown by 1. Should be plenty of time to look at 1 shoe....right? Both workers were helping customers. I waited 45 min to be helped. In that time period they checked out a customer who came in to just pick up an item.....but couldn't see fit to get me the one shoe I came in to look at. The customer in front of me left without buying anything and specifically said to the sales associates......I was in a hurry. YOU were the one that took a long time. So I got the impression she really had not listened to the customer. I asked to see my chosen shoe in 2 sizes as I wasn't sure how this brand ran. She insisted on measuring me......and then still ended up having to bring out both sizes. Mind you I am now on a time crunch as I had no idea it would take this long. They do some sort of parlor trick on balance telling you, you need some sort of balance help in your shoe. I DID NOT COMPLAIN OF ANY PAIN WHEN I CAME IN. I SIMPLY ASKED TO SEE AN EXACT SHOE IN 2 SIZES. The shoe could be ugly on my foot...why are we going through all this. LISTEN to what your customers are asking for. STOP pushing your agenda. She would not let me just try the shoes on to begin with. After putting inserts in that were painful............she offered to downgrade to something else that would probably not be that effective. The chip on her shoulder about being a "medical professional" was totally off putting. If the shoe looked right and felt ok I was ready to purchase immediately. I should have been able to come in. Request the shoe to check it out. If it didn't fit or if I actually complained of an issue......by all means hammer away with all the ways you can correct it. But waiting around and witnessing how you didn't listen to your other customers and then also didn't listen to me is NOT exemplary customer service. I bought the shoes because a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush....but the experience was so remarkably bad I really felt the need to warn others. To the workers....I cannot stress enough......LISTEN to what your customers are asking for. STOP pushing your agenda. read more

I have been a customer of Foot Solutions in Richmond, Va. for many years. After 7 foot surgeries, plantar fasciitis , and a toe amputation, I required expert guidance for correct footwear and associated products. John Greco has been instrumental in keeping me on my job as a courier. His knowledge,abilities, and superior product line for 'problem feet' made it not only possible,but even comfortable for me to keep working, and functioning well. On average I purchased and wore out 3 pairs of of leather lace-up shoes yearly, ( high mileage.) Each succeeding surgery presented new issues to be accommodated, and multiple different brands of shoes were utilized over the years. I found the prices to be fair and comparable to any other line of shoes and socks of similar quality. Mr. Greco has never failed to be professional, and expert in his reccomendations, and actively concerned for my ability to function and my comfort. Without his training and commitment, I would not have been able to stay on my job, and exceed even my doctor's expectations. I have never had a negative experience at Foot Solutions. I have certainly never been pressured in any way to make unnecessary purchases of any kind. I heartily and without any reservations recommend the services of Mr.Greco and the products at Foot Solutions. read more

Think twice before you buy. They have a long list of self-serving "policies" that are not flexible, no matter what the circumstances. They call themselves a "medical facility" and the woman accused me of infecting her $300 shoes because I tried one on off the shelf (in my size) with my own sock. On the whole, I do not find this business to be of the sort I want to deal with. read more

This store (and chain) preys on people with foot/knee problems. They have an act they follow using a machine (like the one at Wal-mart) which produces a color print out plus they tell you that they are some kind of professional (yeah...shoe salesperson.). They have you fill out info and then they keep this on file. If you return you give them your name as though you are at a doctors office so they can retrive your file from the back. Then you walk out most likely with shoes that are way too large. Return policy: 14 days if you do not wear them with a 15% restocking fee. Wear them and no Returns. Even the cheap shoe stores have a better policy. Shoes? : The same you can find elsewhere except for some gimmick shoes. They also try to sell you their $140 shoe arch support that are hard and hurt your feet. Better ones can be found online for $20. I consider myself a good shopper but I was taken in by their act....and it cost me. This store is a scam run by shoe salespeople that try to look as some kind of trained foot specialists. You can get same products elsewhere with better return policy and without the show. read more

I visited Foot Solutions on Broad St in Henrico on 4/4/15 to purchase shoe insoles for my son who lives in CO. He has purchased from Midlothian location 2 times in the past and was pleased with the product. When I arrived and described the item I wanted the husband and wife owners immediately tried to convince me to buy a superior product that cost $100-$300 more than what I wanted. I very patiently explained to them that I was sure the more expensive orthotics were better but that since my son was not present I would only be purchasing the one he requested. After showing them a picture of the box on my phone they gave me a product that was a different brand but assured me it was equivalent to the insole I requested. When I was packaging it to ship to my son I noticed it was for medium to high arches and the box I had showed them was for low arches. When I returned they tried to give me a store credit. I refused to take that since I had gone to the Midlothian location and gotten the correct insole( with no pressure sales). When they agreed to give me a refund it was minus a 10% service fee! I argued that the only service I received was of no benefit to me. They would not reimburse my full credit. I will never go to that location again. read more