# Meermin......The party's over



## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

Meermin has changed their pricing policy. Now the website lists US prices for their shoes with the 21% VAT deduction already performed. However, they have raised the prices to reflect what they were before the recent Euro devaluation. That is a 16% increase from the bargain prices enjoyed by the Euro free fall.

I guess this was inevitable, and I'm sure we'll see other manufacturers following suit.

Pepe responded promptly to my concern. He explained that when purchasing from Euro tanneries, the transactions occur in USD, causing them to have a large increase in material costs. The exchange rate has also affected the costs of their Singapore portion of the construction.

This is all understandable, yet the pricing inside the Euro zone has remained the same, with no corresponding increase.

To offset this,they have reduced the shipping costs and made it in USD. Now it is $35 for 1 or 2 pair, and $50 for 2-3 pair. He says they plan to further reduce shipping fees and modify the return shipping proceedures and rates to offset the price differential between the Euro Zone and the USA. If this pricing in dollars obviates the foreign transaction fee, and if they begin to accept AMEX instead of Pay Pal, the surcharge loss and shipping savings will go a long way to restoring the balance.

As it stands now, the Linea Classico is $175, and the Linea Maestro is $290 - $310 for shoes, and $340 for boots. Still a bit less than AE, and Carmina after shipping is included (especially if bundling more than 1 item at a time).

If they make the proposed changes to shipping costs, and the foreign transaction fee and Pay Pal are eliminated, then happy times are here again.

Until then, I will watchfully wait, and be a bit more thoughtful before commiting to a new shoe. They are still a great product in their price category, IMO the best quality and value among the competitors, it's just the psychological effect of the dual pricing that gives me pause. Increasing the Euro price, reducing or eliminating the other "hidden fees" will go a long way to removing the feel that US buyers are being penalized and surcharged due to the Euro's slide


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## WHHarrington (Dec 28, 2014)

Oh my. I have an order in house for a Linea Maestro oxford shoe and am curious what price I will end up paying. Think it's time to drop them an email. 
WHH


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## sogno (Jan 3, 2015)

are meermin good quality for price shoes for the european customers too? Or are they only popoular among americans because of the tax free and other advantages?


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

momsdoc said:


> Increasing the Euro price, reducing or eliminating the other "hidden fees" will go a long way to removing the feel that US buyers are being penalized and surcharged due to the Euro's slide


Yikes.
Don't say a word about increasing European prices. We already pay way too much for most things compared to Americans.
The declining Euro, (one of the worst ideas in history), still works out well for the UK shoe buyer.


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## Shawl Lapel (Jul 5, 2010)

I think the Meermin party was over long before the price adjustments. The candles burned out and the ice cream melted when they ramped up sales with GMTOs but the communication remained as intermittent as before, and in some cases probably even worse. Great prices and poor communication is an unfortunate circumstance of growing too big for their britches. Now trying to make up for the currency situation on top of it is just too far.


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## RogerP (Oct 31, 2012)

Reality bites. Even value-leader Skoak is having to raise their prices on certain brands - some drastically - to account for currency fluctuations. 13-19% on EG and G&G. To their credit, they gave everyone a one-month heads-up where they will honor the existing price structure, even though it must be hard on them to do so.

The devaluation of the Canadian dollar (relative to the US$ and GBP) has in and of itself put the brakes on my shoe purchases. Which isn't a bad thing, entirely.


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## mistabutters (Jul 10, 2014)

I've never ordered from Meermin, but why are you paying foreign transaction fees? Do you not have a credit card that waives them?


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## style417 (Jun 28, 2014)

RogerP said:


> Reality bites. Even value-leader Skoak is having to raise their prices on certain brands - some drastically - to account for currency fluctuations. 13-19% on EG and G&G. To their credit, they gave everyone a one-month heads-up where they will honor the existing price structure, even though it must be hard on them to do so.
> 
> The devaluation of the Canadian dollar (relative to the US$ and GBP) has in and of itself put the brakes on my shoe purchases. Which isn't a bad thing, entirely.


Bummer. I was planning on making a few European shoe purchases, but from a price POV there's a little less incentive now. I guess I'll put some of that money over to Rancourt as I need a new pair of casual shoes and the flint kudu suede is calling to me.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Well this is all somewhat confusing.

Have been planning to visit their shop in Madrid.

But really wondering, if I have custom lasts made up for me in Northampton, could Meermin use them to make me shoes ?

Guess I will have to email them again, what do you bet they say no ?

But that's the burning issue on my mind right now where Meermin is concerned.

Or, should I wait to have the lasts made till I try the different lasted Meermin shoes ? Probably that's it.

Sorry didn't mean to get off on a tangent but trip is coming up in a couple of months and trying to plan accordingly.


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## CLTesquire (Jul 23, 2010)

What were the Meermin lines running at in price before the change? It's been a couple weeks and I just don't recall.


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## jeffdeist (Feb 7, 2006)

I placed an order with them over 2 weeks ago, received a thank you email to await further instructions, and haven't heard from them since...


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

They are also sending new bills to people who ordered a couple days before the change and charging the new price instead. It's 30-45 per shoe increase. Pretty shady business tactics to change an existing invoice.


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## justonemore (Jul 2, 2009)

jm22 said:


> They are also sending new bills to people who ordered a couple days before the change and charging the new price instead. It's 30-45 per shoe increase. Pretty shady business tactics to change an existing invoice.


Wow. I've had my share of complaints against various manufacturers & merchants before but that's a new low. Unless they honored the original agreement I'd just cancel my order and be shot of them. And it would be my last order even if they did honor the original price.


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## jeffdeist (Feb 7, 2006)

jm22 said:


> They are also sending new bills to people who ordered a couple days before the change and charging the new price instead. It's 30-45 per shoe increase. Pretty shady business tactics to change an existing invoice.


Not to mention that the raw materials for existing stock were bought by them before the recent Euro devaluation.


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## Youthful Repp-robate (Sep 26, 2011)

jm22 said:


> They are also sending new bills to people who ordered a couple days before the change and charging the new price instead. It's 30-45 per shoe increase. Pretty shady business tactics to change an existing invoice.


That's not acceptable.

But $210 to the door is acceptable for shoes comparable to AEs, which are nominally $350 shoes, eh?


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## justonemore (Jul 2, 2009)

Youthful Repp-robate said:


> That's not acceptable.
> 
> But $210 to the door is acceptable for shoes comparable to AEs, which are nominally $350 shoes, eh?


It's a bit hard to determine your viewpoint here. Surely you're not suggesting that meermin is correct in changing an already agreed upon price & that jm22 is wrong for agreeing to buy meermins product (no matter how low priced) at the advertised price point, are you?


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

CLTesquire said:


> What were the Meermin lines running at in price before the change? It's been a couple weeks and I just don't recall.


Linea Classico shoes were 141Euros, boots were 181Euros, and Linea Maestro shoes were 240- 256Euros. Shipping was 35 Euros for 1-2 pair and 50 Euros for 3-4 pair. Now shipping is $35 and $50 so a little savings there.

When all is added up, they've based the total charges to be the same in Dollars as it was when the Euro was trading for 1.3 to 1.

A Linea Classico shoe was 141 + 35 Euros = $227 in the Fall, now they are $175 + $35 = $210, but with the devaluation were only $200. 
A Linea Classico boot last Fall with shipping was 216 Euros or $280. Now its $245 + $35 = $280. Surprise! But at current exchange rates would have dropped to $245 with shipping.
Linea Maestro shoes are now $340 + $35 = $375. They were 290 Euros with shipping, which when I ordered them was $387, but now would have been $335.

On the one hand, it's not a price increase in Dollars from what it was 6 months ago. This makes them as good a buy as they were when I ordered them, but it has negated the Euro devaluation incentive.

As Roger points out this seems to be happening with other manufacturers. To charge customers retroactivly however is unconscionable. I have 2 boots that were supposed to ship this week (surprise, they're late), but haven't been invoiced for the new difference. Then again these were ordered in November.

The Euro devaluation was fun for us here in the States while it lasted. If the currency continues to slide, it seems the window of opportunity is shortlived. Meermin it seems has found a way to avoid the freefall by changing US sales to a stable dollar amount. What I don't understand is why the prices in Euros hasn't (yet) increased accordingly.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

OK I still think it is a good deal !

But yes want to see if they'll use lasts I have made up, doubt it though.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

Since they have long stopped making single MTO shoes, I can't imagine they would use your own lasts. They would first have to ship them to Singapore fo the upper's assembly, then back to Mallorca for the welting.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Odradek said:


> Yikes.
> Don't say a word about increasing European prices. We already pay way too much for most things compared to Americans.
> The declining Euro, (one of the worst ideas in history), still works out well for the UK shoe buyer.


You get to pay less for the English clothes I want! When I was in London I was amazed at how much lower Turnbull & Asser costs. The basic shirts there are £175 including VAT (which is $269). Here we have to pay $335 (or $365 with tax). That's almost a hundred-dollar difference! The sale prices here used to be low enough that I could buy them but the price has gone up considerably in the past few years.


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

jeffdeist said:


> Not to mention that the raw materials for existing stock were bought by them before the recent Euro devaluation.


Yes, but the replacement materials have to be made at the new higher cost.

I once raised this issue with a friend who owned a retail business, and also a machine shop. He explained that when replacing the item with the older, lower wholesale or material cost, he had to pay the most recent higher replacement cost.

If you did it the other way round, you would be effectively reducing your mark-up percentage each time you sold something. Over time the decline in mark-up percentage would compound downward.

Gurdon


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

momsdoc said:


> Since they have long stopped making single MTO shoes, I can't imagine they would use your own lasts. They would first have to ship them to Singapore fo the upper's assembly, then back to Mallorca for the welting.


I see your point, thank you.


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## jeffdeist (Feb 7, 2006)

I ordered, or thought I ordered, a pair of Linea Maestros way back in early February. Never having used the site before, I was surprised to receive the email telling me to await further instructions for payment. 5 weeks have gone by, and it's clear the shoe/size combination I want was not in stock at the time of my request. So why not just tell me then, or show it as unavailable on the site? And what happens when they contact people many weeks or months later when a shoe is available but the person has lost interest?

I still want the shoes I ordered, but I can imagine many people would just walk away and buy something else.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

This is not uncommon with Meermin. It's hit or miss on delivery. A chukka, monk, and boot I ordered last week are already in transit. A boot I ordered as stock in the end of November arrived 2 weeks ago. An MTO that was to arrive in late Feb. never came. Last week they informed me (2 weeks after claiming it would be shipped the next day) that it failed QC. They are going to remake it, but I expect delivery in May or June.

Assume 2 weeks to 2 months when ordering from them. They are not alone. We here at AAAC have been waiting since October for a Carmina boot that was supposed to be delivered in mid January. Still no sign of it. A recent Bonafe MTO was supposed to take 12 weeks, they sent notification that it will be at least 16 weeks.

if you look at their website, they claim shipping within 3 weeks for a stock item. That means 4-5 weeks until you recieve it. If it's out of stock and needs to be made expect that time to triple. Welcome to the world of small boutique manufacturers.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

I like when I order something, then it takes a long time to get here, and I forget all about it.

Then when it comes, I wonder "what's in this box" ? 

A nice surprise when I see what it is.

Do you ever do that ?


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

I've come close, a couple of times to ordering a shoe/boot that I've thought I needed. Only to realize (in time, thank goodness) that a similar one is still in the pipeline. 

I wonder if there is a shoe organizing app, along the lines of those used for wine cellars. Of course that would make it easier to identify holes in my collection, which might cause an increase in purchases. It might end up causing more problems than it solves.


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## CLTesquire (Jul 23, 2010)

momsdoc said:


> I've come close, a couple of times to ordering a shoe/boot that I've thought I needed. Only to realize (in time, thank goodness) that a similar one is still in the pipeline.
> 
> I wonder if there is a shoe organizing app, along the lines of those used for wine cellars. Of course that would make it easier to identify holes in my collection, which might cause an increase in purchases. It might end up causing more problems than it solves.


I think you and RogerP would be the only ones to get any use from that app...:biggrin:


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## vpkozel (May 2, 2014)

momsdoc said:


> I've come close, a couple of times to ordering a shoe/boot that I've thought I needed. Only to realize (in time, thank goodness) that a similar one is still in the pipeline.
> 
> I wonder if there is a shoe organizing app, along the lines of those used for wine cellars. Of course that would make it easier to identify holes in my collection, which might cause an increase in purchases. It might end up causing more problems than it solves.


Just use a spreadsheet with the shoe type on one axis and the color on the other. Then just put an abbreviation of the maker in the intersection.


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## Question (Jun 18, 2014)

I never really got the popularity of Meermin. Sure, the shoe itself may be decent quality at a good price, but its a long wait for your order and whatever savings on the shoe pricing was offset by the huge shipping cost. They never went on sale either. For those in NA, AE would be much cheaper, and barkers/loakes on sale would be cheaper too.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Interested in hearing MDs response, although I believe he feels that the value is better at that price point. I think we get 20% off in light of the VAT, n'est-ce pas ?


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## CLTesquire (Jul 23, 2010)

I've never seen a pair of Meermin's in person but at $290 for the top of the line, plus shipping and customs, I think they are still cheaper than full priced AE's ($385 these days). Momsdoc assures me that the quality is much higher as well.

Something interesting to me is that you can order a pair of Carmina direct for around $315 depending on the exchange rate of the day and get free shipping. FedEx charges around $22 for customs/duties on that so they're cheaper than AE and Meermin. I think the quality is higher than AE in that the leather seems of higher quality, the finish appears better, the lasts are sleeker, the leather soles are channeled, and the heels aren't full rubber like AE.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

Carmina has so much going for it, that it's hard to beat. Forgetting about shell, where it has no competition at it's price, they really do hit the sweet spot in calf. Prior to the Euro devaluation and price adjustments, Meermin had them beat by a mile in quality per dollar. Now since the Euro continues to slide, Skoak has made their price increase mild, Carmina is shipping for free, and Meermin has gone up, the differential has become much smaller.

Both these Spanish brands appeal to me due to their styling. I have a fondness for AE's classic American styling, but in my collection, they have reached the saturation point. UK shoes have their own look, and that is one I wish to continue to expand into. The lower end brands such as Loake, don't appeal to me from a materials standpoint until you get into their higher end offerings. At that point we're into another level of pricing well above Carmina and Meermin.

When comparing the two, Carmina and the Linea Maestro are well matched. I give Meermin the edge based on the beveled waist and hand welting (not a small issue). The Singapore aspect gave me some concern until experience with the product allayed my worries. Their craftsmen do a fine job. The early QC issues seem to have been addressed aggressively by the company. The pair of MTO I ordered in December were not released due to failing to pass QC. Even though this is causing a few month annoying delay in the delivery of the boot, I am more pleased that they caught this, and are redoing the boot. There was no attempt on their part to pass these off. This is a very reassuring factor.

I have found the Linea Classico leather to be of less quality than Carmina, more comparable to AE. The Maestro leather IMO is a small step up from Carmina. Both show excellent detail to the finishing stitching, well beyond anything I've seen come out of Port Washington.

As far as shipping, $35 is a good amount of money for one pair of shoes. But by the time you do 2 for $35, or 3-4 for $50, it's nothing.

The greatest area of concern with Meermin, is the unpredictable deliveries. You have to go into the purchase process with a mind set of que sera,sera. But I'm still waiting for that Carmina u-wing burgundy boot. I had hoped to wear it this winter, but on the other hand it will now be a new item next winter, so, que sera, sera.

All in all, AE, Meermin, and Carmina make a good product. I've become a little spoiled as to my minimum requirements for quality and finishing, as well as expecting more for my buck. This has relegated AE to a niche shoe for future purchases. They would have to have a style I can't get anywhere else to warrant choosing them.


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## ilikeyourstyle (Apr 24, 2007)

Having briefly checked their website, I could not find any information on width sizing. For those of us with wider than average feet, are we sized out of consideration with Meermin? Also, the "dark brown" on their site looks more or less like burgundy. Is that an accurate statement?

Thanks to anyone who can answer from their own experience.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

They do not come in widths. The last determines the width.this chart arranges the lasts in increasing width from left to right.










Missing is the Park last. I have found it to be a narrow D. It is, according to their e-mail between the New Rey and Hiro width. From personal experience the Hiro is a D width, and the Ama is a D/E, the Rui is an E. those are the only lasts I've tried. As I am. D-E they have all fit, but the Park is tight. I would have sized up 1/2 size had I known , but they should work in OK. They are not uncomfortable, just with a wider V than I'd like in a bal.

The dark brown is a dark chocolate brown, not a hint of red. It must be the pic and your monitor. I have a burgundy monk coming on (hopefully) Monday. I will post a side by side of the burgundy and the dark brown then.


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## jeffdeist (Feb 7, 2006)

The Euro continues to slide against the dollar, which must make pricing difficult for a small manufacturer/retailer like Meermin.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance...s-single-currency-plunges-to-12-year-low.html


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Thanks MD, I didn't realize that last photo was arranged in a series. Very helpful.


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## CLTesquire (Jul 23, 2010)

jeffdeist said:


> The Euro continues to slide against the dollar, which must make pricing difficult for a small manufacturer/retailer like Meermin.
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance...s-single-currency-plunges-to-12-year-low.html


Things have fallen enough that Skoak's pricing on Carmina after the price increase at the end of February is now back to what it was before the price increase.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

Carmina is as low as $300 shipped to the US right now. With the cost of Meermin and inconsistent shipping it's hard to not go carmina right now


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## tigerpac (Jan 23, 2014)

I guess I'll never understand currency. US dollar gets stronger so foreign goods should get cheaper OR more expensive apparently.


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## vpkozel (May 2, 2014)

tigerpac said:


> I guess I'll never understand currency. US dollar gets stronger so foreign goods should get cheaper OR more expensive apparently.


The USD is the de facto world currency, so most of the time prices for raw materials are going to be in USD.

Let's use a simple example of shoe that costs 100 of whatever currency you choose to make.

Labor = 30% of the cost
Material = 40% of the cost
Overhead = 10% of the cost
Profit = 20% of the cost

The labor and overhead are most likely in local currency, so fluctuations will not influence them at all. But if the material cost $40 (40% of 100), and then the price of the USD goes up for you by 25%, now that $40 is $50 to buy the same things. So either you have to raise you price or lose profit.

There are ways around this by using forwards (basically buying the dollars now, but redeemable at a point in the future), but many places do not do this.

Of course, if the USD goes down, then the goods become cheaper to make. But more expensive to purchase if you are buying them in USD.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

*Customer Service par excellence*

My Mahogony country calf boot failed the QC process. Meermin searched, but could not find any more of this material. They offered me a refund, or to make it up in one of the other country calves they have ordered. I'm a bit heavy on the browns, so I opted for the country burgundy. Since this will be a one off shoe, I figured I'd press my luck and see if they would make some changes.

they were very gracious, and willing to do anything I'd like to get me into this boot. So the brown storm welt will become a flat black welt. The commando sole will become a double York sole. Most importantly they will do the GY-2 hand welting process in place of the machine stitch, and use a beveled waist.

The boot has been transformed into a more useful color for me, with a dressier sole, and upgraded construction techniques. These should pair better with a country sports coat, as the look now moves up a notch in dressy. I have enough storm welted boots for foul weather, these will be more appropriate for work and dinner even with the country calf. I estimate delivery somewhere in July.

This is turning into the season of burgundy. 4 burgundies vs. 2 dark browns.


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