Wednesday 14 May 2014

THIS IS A CALL TO ARMS!!!





....Okay, maybe not to arms, but to something at-least….

Action! That’s it!

THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION

Ladies and gentlemen… and everyone yet to make up your minds, my name is Samantha.
I am a crossdresser from the UK, I’ve been a crossdresser (CD) for over half my life and I bloody love it.
What I don’t like is the choice in shoes that get thrown at me just because I don’t have UK size 8 (or below) feet.

This marks the start of my quest to get prettier shoes for girls and guys with feet sized UK 9 to 13 (and their international equivalent).

Why, you ask?
Have you seen the shoes that are available in those sizes? …No?
Well I’ll tell you about them,
 They start at £45 and that’s for a 3” heel court in patent black, white or red.
You want 5”? that’ll be £55 and you can have any colour you want, as long as it’s black, white or red.
You want straps or any details? Certainly, that’ll be £65 and you can have any colour of the rainbow… but were sold out of everything that isn’t black white or red.
What’s that you want a platform heel? Well you better go claim a street corner because that’s the only place you’ll be able to wear the ones we have in your size there, bigfoot!
If I sound sarcastic, it’s for a reason.
18 years I’ve been doing this and not once have I ever had the luxury afforded to 90% of genetic girls which is a selection of nice, stylish heels for less than £40.
I don’t see how I’m asking for a lot really.

The Back-Story

About 3 or 4 weeks ago I emailed the UK high street chain store, New Look.
I go in New Look a lot, usually being dragged around by my fiancé on a mission to find something while I do my own browsing.
Whenever we get to the shoes though, I have to stop looking because I know I can’t have them. Despite their excellent pricing, I just can’t have them…
None of them fit me.
They only go up to a size 8 (9s are sold online) and I’m a 10/11.

The email trail between myself and New Look can be seen below
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Samantha Smile <samanthasmile82@gmail.com>
Apr 19
Description: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif





To headofcustomerservices@newlook.com
Hello there, I hope you enjoyed your Easter break.
Welcome back to your desk :)
My name, for the sake of contacting me is Samantha.
I'm writing to you this evening after a long conversation with my friend on the telephone about how much we like your shops.
Bang on trend, all the choice in the world and not at stupid prices. We like this.
What we don't like are your shoes. Not the styles, we and many of us love your shoes. What we don't like is that they only go up to size 8 and in some cases, size 9.
My friend whom I was speaking to is a shoe size 10 and is 5'11" tall, I'm a shoe size 10-11 and 6'6" tall, and your beautiful footwear over which I have spent many-an-evening pining only cover up to an 8 (usually).
I'm guessing you've read between the lines by now, so I'll just say, me and my friend (and an estimated 300,000 men in the UK alone) are crossdressers.
And no this isn't a suggestion to start making fetish wear, we're not all like that.
We pride ourselves on looking at least half decent, and this isn't made very easy when most of the footwear available to you is designed for fetishists, strippers and prostitutes.
There is the occasional nice pair, but they end up costing near £80 delivered and they aren't even branded - My girlfriend bought 2 pairs from Iron Fist for that price!
I know there is a somewhat limited, niche market in crossdressing, however, I believe it would be a lucrative opportunity for yourselves to at least consider and look into offering all your shoes up to size 10 or 11, maybe even 12.
Here's why - even if you took your higher priced shoes, and charged an extra 30% or even 40% for the availability of larger sizing but keeping the same styling, crossdressers would not only be saving money, but you would be making a killing.
Have you seen how much size 10 heels cost? Cheap ones run you at £50 and that’s without delivery. If you undercut that price and routinely sell large heels at 40/45 quid delivered, you will clean up.
Nicer shoes for less money than nasty ones? You'd have to be mad not to buy from you.

And we haven't even begun to talk about the genetic women with large feet yet! They would benefit from all of the above too.

You don't even have to focus on the financial aspects of this. Just imagine the good will it would generate within the LGBT community.
'New Look supporting the trans community' - 'New Look for New Women' etc etc
And this in turn would generate profit because everyone loves the good guy, and the more awareness you have for your product, the more likely it is to sell.
I can virtually guarantee that these kinds of shoe would sell, even if you only launch them online because crossdressers are rarely forthcoming about enjoying their feminine side, and usually will buy online unless they're with the 'Out and Proud' gang.
I beg you to take this seriously. I've been crossdressing for more than half of my life and have never had the choice of footwear that I would like to.
You guys turn out the nicest shoes I've seen anywhere else for the money, so I beg you as my favorite shoe seller, please don't write this off as a joke or waste of time.

If you consider this further and need any further information or contacts in the LGBT community either on the web or in the flesh, please contact me for further info.
Or even if you just want to find a way of gauging interest in this idea, please get in touch.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Samantha.
-x-

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The response I got was less than encouraging
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ProofOfPostage <ProofOfPostage@newlook.com>
Apr 21
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to me
Description: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif
Dear Samantha,

Reference: 2651784

Thank you for your recent email to New Look regarding shoe sizes. I really do appreciate you bringing your thoughts and opinions to our attention.

New Look are always looking to improve our company and are all about making our customers happy and again really appreciate you taking the time to contact us regarding this. I can confirm I have passed this information onto the relevant department for there consideration.

However, if you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to contact us again on 08444996690, where we will be more than happy to help. Our lines open Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm, Sundays 10am-6pm.

Kind regards,

Michaela Dunkley
Customer Relations Specialist
New Look Customer Services

So today, I contacted them again.
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Samantha Smile <samanthasmile82@gmail.com>
11:53 AM (54 minutes ago)
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to headofcustomerservices@newlook.com
Hello.
Thank you for the reply and confirming my message had been received.
As it is nearly one month later, I was just wondering if any of the 'higher-ups' have had a chance to view my mail and given it any considerable thought?
Only reason being is that I still haven't had any form of reply that specifically addresses my questions.
I appreciate you must get a good number of emails each day and so I don't like to pester, but god damn I love your shoes, and I would like for them to fit my feet.
Sincerely
Samantha


And that folks, is where we stand right now.

Maybe it’s Conchita Wurst’s victory at Eurovison this weekend that’s inspired me (I’m well aware it was all just a great big middle finger to Russia and their anti-LGBT laws). Or maybe I’m just fed up wearing the same old shoes all the time.
Either way, I feel it’s time to act.

And I need you all to help me, each and every one of you.
UK folks, you should be making this a priority for today, please continue to read.
US and elsewhere citizens, while this may not impact you directly, I’m still asking for your assistance. This might end up being the action that sets precedent for the rights to cute shoes for CD/TV/TS women the world over.

All I want is an email.
Just one. For now at least, you may be needed to send further emails later.

What are we doing?
We’re letting them know just how much larger sized shoes would mean to us.
We’re letting them know were here.
We’re letting them know how big our community is and the power it can gather.

And I’m not just asking the active CD/TV/TS gals here, I want the supporters, friends, admirers and allies to pitch in too.

I’ll even give you the email you need to fill in the blanks and send.


I’m posting this thread in all of my CD/TV forums and on my blog, so edit as appropriate.



To -
 headofcustomerservices@newlook.com

Title
We want larger sized heels from you!

Body text

Dear Sir/Madam

My name is [Name, CD name, pseudonym]
I stumbled on a [thread/blog] today calling for people of the Transgender community to rally together in order to bring your attention, the potential popularity of producing your ranges of shoes in sizes up to UK 13.

This email is hopefully one of many that you have received that informs you that we are a community united, and we would like you to hear us.

I am writing to you today in a show of support and agreement with a member of our community who is, pretty much, campaigning to have you seriously consider the production and retail of your women’s shoe ranges in larger sizes.
Her name is Samantha, and I believe she has already contacted you regarding the matter. (samanthasmile82@gmail.com)

I would also like to have the opportunity to buy fashionable shoes and heels at prices that don’t kill my pocket. That is why, I too am asking New Look to take this seriously.

[Add and personal points and feelings/suggestions]
In this age of Transgender equality, wouldn’t it be great if we could all have stylish shoes that fit well?

Sincerely
[Name]

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And that’s it.

Spread the word, put it in chat sites, blogs, emails, tell your friends, spread it across message boards, forums… any way to get the word to as many people in out community as you can.

I’m not holding my breath, but I am counting on you guys.

Leave your comments in the box below and follow the blog to get updates as and when they happen.

Love you all

Samantha

-x-


P.s. What the hell, here's today's selfies -x-