2021 Update: LISSOM is back. And not only that, the founder is paying me back in monthly installments the affiliate money I am owed (see below). When I have received all my backpay for affiliate sales, I will update this post completely.
LISSOM sent me two pairs of their shoes since the brand came back in 2021. They are exactly the same as my original LISSOM flats – same materials, same fit, same fit, and support.
While I share below a negative experience I have had with LISSOM, I do find these flats to be extremely comfortable and high quality. Over 2020 I made an effort to feature more small brands, especially those that are owned by people of color and women. This experience gave me more empathy for small business owners, including the owner of LISSOM.
There is a difference between having a great idea and being a great business person. And usually, a person isn't both creative and business-minded. A lot of small businesses fail because of this fact, or are bought by big conglomerates and their creative idea gets diluted or changed completely. I believe the founder of LISSOM had a genius product concept but struggled to grow as her business gained popularity.
She could have easily moved on, but she took the time to meet with me on Zoom and schedule regular payments to pay me back what is owed from LISSOM flats I sold based on me wearing and reviewing the product. I really respect this, and understand how she ended up in the situation she was in.
While I still have my experience from 2019 below, I want you to understand that when you purchase from a small business, it won't be the same experience you have when you shop Amazon, or Macy's, or even an individual brand like ELOQUII or Eileen Fisher. Very often that business is run by one individual who is in charge of marketing, production, shipping, returns, customer service, and more. That person may have a staff, but the small business owner is the entire C Suite and HR department while also putting on other hats on a daily basis.
If we dismiss small businesses because they can't perform at the levels of multi-million dollar corporations, we stop innovation. We prevent any small business from growing. I don't believe one should lose their money to support a small business (hence me keeping this review up until I am paid), but I do believe in having some grace and empathy. And to remember that we have enough in our closets; anything we order may feel like a need but it is truly a want. And good things come to those who wait.
A reader placed an order with LISSOM in 2019. After weeks of no contact, she reached out to LISSOM and was informed orders were backed up for the holidays and her shoes would ship in January. Then at the beginning of January, she received this email:
“We are writing with an update on your recent LISSOM order. We sincerely apologise as it has come to our attention that some orders placed by customers over the recent holiday period have not been delivered. I regret to inform you that LISSOM has now ceased trading and has instructed liquidators Wilson Field (UK based).
In light of this unfortunate situation, it is important that you contact the payment processor that you made a payment with (either PayPal or your credit card company) to claim back funds you have paid for any order you have not received. We understand that several customers received tracking numbers for orders that were fulfilled during this period but that these orders have not been received. Please also contact your payment provider to claim your refund, as we are now unable to trace the whereabouts of these packages. For any other enquiries, please contact liquidators Wilson Field on the following email address: [redacted]
We are deeply disappointed at this outcome and apologise sincerely for the inconvenience caused and frustration that you must be experiencing from this situation. We send a heartfelt thank you for your custom and support of LISSOM over the past two years, Lissom Ltd.“
I wish I could say I was surprised by this email, but I am not as I too had problems with LISSOM in 2019. I bought my first pair of LISSOM flats in 2018 with my own money to be able to do an unbiased review. The brand saw how I wore the shoes a couple of times on the blog and linked to them asked how we could work together. I told them I was already writing up a detailed review to publish. If my readers bought LISSOM flats from my unpaid honest review and liked them as much as I did, we could then discuss paid collaborations.
I asked if instead they would set up an affiliate program so I could make money off sales instead of a sponsorship. I directed them to Refersion, a company I have recommended to other small businesses to set up an affiliate program and manage promo codes. I wrote my review in January of 2019 which was at this URL, sharing my honest thoughts and using the promo code and affiliate links they created for me.
Almost immediately, readers began contacting me about delayed deliveries and issues with orders. I forwarded them to my point of contact at the brand. In February, the founder of LISSOM emailed me directly:
“We have run into a slow patch with fulfilment the last few weeks due to 1) a huge amount of orders being received on the back of Well + Good article just before your post and 2) Chinese New Year (our fulfilment centre was closed for a period of time and also there is a large backlog of orders for them from their other customers as well to send out before the New Year). Despite repeat assurances that all parcels would be sent out on time by our fulfilment team, there have continued to be delays and we have been told that the remainder of parcels have been fulfilled over the weekend and today (but are awaiting tracking information for some orders).
I apologise sincerely for these delays – I can understand how disappointing this is for you to recommend a product to your readers and for them to encounter these delays and inconvenience. We have updated information in accordance with the information our fulfilment company have passed to us, so it has been frustrating that they have kept changing the information that they have issued to us and in turn we have had to change the information we have passed to our customers . I am working on a solution to ensure that this does not happen again – after our pre-orders delay last year it has been so important for me to re-establish our reputation for delivering on time – so that customers can concentrate on how comfortable our shoes are instead of when they are going to receive them. I am disappointed about this temporary setback but very much focused on solving the issue going forward and am ensuring that we have the optimum capacity to fulfil in the coming months.
I also wanted to let you know about a project I am launching and which I'd really like to have your feedback on. We get so many emails every day from women with wider feet wanting to know if we have a specific fit for them. As you know, we have been saying that because our shoes are stretchy then they can take their normal size. But I have always wanted to do a specific wide fit shoe because I think that there are some alterations that we could make that would truly suit the needs of a wider foot – e.g. a little broader arch support, a slightly deeper toebox etc. I think women who have wider feet are tired to always be told – just go up half a size – knowing that they won't ever get the right fit. So I plan to launch the wide fit campaign on Kickstarter by sometime in April.
The reason we can't just launch the wide fit immediately is because the cost of developing the shoe and the molds is expensive – so we thought – why not get the women who need the wider fit to help fund our campaign (they will get the shoes at a discounted price to what we normally sell them for on our website) and in the process they will help many other women to be able to access our wider shoe fit as well. I'd be really interested to get your thoughts on this and speak in more detail about this project.
Is there anything I can do to help you and your readers with the inconvenience of the delivery situation? I am so keen to get their shoes to them as soon as possible and we are so appreciative of your and their support.”
I emailed back the next day letting her know once the orders were resolved and my customers were cared for, I'd share the shoes again on the blog and YES I was interested in working on a wide fit option. I didn't hear back.
Near the end of April, I heard back from my original point of contact at LISSOM. She shared she sent a commission payout to my PayPal for the current sales and that it was her last day with LISSOM. She said the reason was that she was moving and notified me that the founder would be my point of contact from that point forward.
I reached out to the founder at the beginning of May 2019 desiring another pair in a different color to style. The founder said she'd send out a pair and we scheduled a call to discuss ideas for the future of LISSOM. We had a great call, discussed what you readers thought of the brand, I shared ideas on what I thought would be good ideas (I suggested the brand carrying a range of skin-toned shoes from ivory to a rich brown and go that route instead of the wannabe sneaker route of some of the line).
The founder followed up with an email thrilled with the feedback from our call and asked me to fill out an extensive survey in exchange for $100. I filled it out and sent it back June 3rd with some ideas on fellow influencers I felt would be a good fit for reviewing and promoting the brand.
June 30th I followed up asking when I would receive my PayPal payment of $100 for the feedback, how I still hadn't received a payout from the affiliate program, and again asked for that additional pair of shoes.
I followed up again on July 9th. On the 26th I finally heard from her. She said she was, “…in the middle of closing an investment and also have an ill [relative] (and trying to hire additional team members to share the load!).” I didn't hear from her again until the end of August:
“May I start by offering my sincere apologies for lack of contact. I am incredibly grateful for our relationship with you and I have high hopes for what we can achieve together in future. Thank you so much for completing the customer profile information – it was great and incredibly helpful. I am still in the middle of closing this fundraising round (which will allow us to launch so many more colours and very importantly – wide fit!!!), getting the next production finished (so we have stock to sell) and also my [ill relative had an update].
I couldn't get Refersion to work, so I've asked [the old assistant] to help me find out the total owing to you. She'll be able to take a look it at in the next week or so. Meanwhile, I will send you $1,000 immediately in the meantime whilst I await the total figure. I need to pay this from my bank account rather than Paypal though – could you please send me your account details and I will wire the funds. Two more things:
- Could we please schedule another call. I am interested to work with you more closely as I mentioned on leading referrals to other bloggers in your network. I'm trying to work out how this role would look and the payment structure and some input from you would be really helpful.
- We are launching a waiting list for wide fit. Could I please ask for your permission to use your images that appear on your post (the ones in the blush Flytes) as I love them and think they'd look great. We are posting this as an ad to generate sign ups to our mailing list so in this one instance it might be difficult to credit you. But would be so wonderful if we'd be able to use them. Thank you.
Look forward to speaking with you again. Also please let me know if there's any shoes that are currently available on our website that I can send you. I know I was meant to send you some more shoes but we've been sold out. So if there's anything else I can send in the meantime, please let me know. I'm anticipating being back in stock in about another 6 weeks max.”
I let her know I would rather wait for a payout from Refersion as it would be better for bookkeeping on my end and I'd love to set up a call. We scheduled a date for a call, she never called. I followed up by email. Nothing. Followed up, nothing. October 9th I sent an email stating,
“I am mentioning LISSOM in an upcoming post and would like to feature LISSOM in upcoming outfit posts. I want to make sure all is well so I'm not promoting a brand that isn't delivering. I know this may be a very busy time, but I'd like to reconcile my affiliate commission and when you have time, catch up on how LISSOM is doing and what I can do to help with the next phase.“
She replied two days later stating she was in China dealing with production and wanted to chat the following week. I didn't hear back from her until October 24th stating, “I haven't forgotten about you and you have been much on my mind. Trying to get our investment closed and have just been in China. We will have a full shipment of stock arriving early next week (but 3 weeks until our next shipment of socks which are currently sold out). It's great to be moving forward again.”
The next call never happened, and no payouts had happened either. If you're keeping track, I also never got paid $100 for my brand feedback. I began emailing her every week, totally hoping to be a pain in the ass. I now was owed thousands of dollars in affiliate revenue and didn't know if I should delete all mentions of the brand or if things were okay. My emails were always pleasant but firm.
On November 21st I received an email from the LISSOM brand, the kind they send to customers and it was the first communication I had received to show the brand still existed. I emailed the founder: “Just got your brand email about the 10% off and that shoes are back in stock. That is fantastic. I still need my money, I have sold over [redacted] pairs of your shoes and haven't sold any recently because I don't feel confident promoting a brand that isn't paying me commissions. Can you please get back to me, and if you are having trouble with Refersion, they are really great with customer service. I look forward to hearing from you very soon.”
That email actually got a response, and one same day:
“I totally understand your position and I was about to write back to you. For several months I've been on the absolute edge of getting our funding round closing alongside my [relative being ill] and it's frustratingly just not quite over the line yet (fingers crossed by year end). I'm so sorry that you've had to chase this with me. You have been an incredible supporter of the brand and you are very much appreciated though I know it doesn't feel like it right at this moment. I'm sorting some interim financing and I'll make a payment to you next week. It might be for half next week and then half the week after, but I will advise you at the start of next week exactly when you can expect them. I completely understand that it is the holiday season and that you need this income and will work hard to get it to you asap. Thank you so much for your support and understanding.”
I never heard from her again. December 23rd I reached out to Refersion directly, desperate for a payout for the thousands of dollars I was owed for the many many shoes I sold through my blog. Refersion CCed the founder and said they were sorry but there was nothing they could do and they recommended ceasing all promotion of LISSOM.
It was on my to-do list to just delete this post and any mentions of the brand this weekend when my reader sent me the email she got about the liquidation and how LISSOM took her money without a pair of shoes in return. I couldn't delete this post, I had to turn it into a warning.
It's unfortunate it ended this way. I truly loved the shoes, as did many of you who ordered the shoes because of my review. I only heard of the brand because of a reader, only ordered them because they sounded like shoes you would like. I thought they were a supportive, comfortable, and cool-looking alternative to Rothy's flats, which weren't as good for wide feet or those who require inserts.
I don't think the founder expected things to turn out the way in which they did, which is why I am not including her name in this article. Businesses fail, it happens on a daily basis even to brands with great ideas and great products. My anger comes from the lack of communication. I have been in difficult situations, financially and emotionally and personally all at the same time. I know that feeling of drowning, of wanting to hide. But when you put yourself in the situation to be a leader or an owner, you lose your ability to stick your head in the sand.
I want to apologize to all who may be affected by the liquidation and had your funds taken without a product in return. I wish I had control over it and could pay you all back myself. It's unfair and a crappy way to have to start the new year. These weren't cheap shoes, I didn't go into this review lightly, I only did it because I really thought they were worth the money.
Fun fact: LISSOM is an old English word that means flexible, nimble, agile
This fun fact is from my original review, which I have now deleted. As a blogger, I have learned to be flexible, nimble, and agile. This experience is just one example of what goes behind the scenes for those of us in my job to create the content you see and to receive payment for our work. It may look as though all we do is go to Starbucks, Soulcycle, and Trader Joe's and receive free stuff at our front door. It's much more than that. Like most entrepreneurs, we get burned quite often but we try to learn from those experiences and use them to become more agile.
If I ever find a shoe that is similar to LISSOM, I will let you know with another review. While I got screwed out of a substantial amount of money in 2019 because of this shoe review, I am still proud to have written one you all trusted so much you made so many orders. I will continue to provide such quality reviews, and do my best to partner with honorable companies.
also got the exact same email as your reader. I got an email that said my TWO pairs of shoes had been shipped. USPS never received the package. Because they sent me a tracking number (but the shoe never got to USPS), my credit card didn’t want togivemmy money back because Lissom made sure it looked like they were going to be shipped.
Guess who just started selling shoes again? That is right…. Lissom Flytes are available to order again. VERY frustrating. I wrote to them and told them I was never able to get my money back and I never got my shoes. I asked them to make it right or I was going to have no choice but to make sure other people knew what a scam this company is and make complaints and share wherever I can in a public platform. I’m so frustrated!!M even more so after hearing your story. I am so sorry you went through that. What awful business practices.
I just got an email for their shoes this morning. Was very interested as they gave black on black (work requirement) and sound super comfy for long days on my feet. But after reading the above, they are a hard pass for me. If a company can’t treat a longtime customer who promoted their brand right, what makes anyone think they will treat new customers any differently. So NOPE. Not gonna burn me.
Thank you so much for your honest post. I had just ordered two pair in December 2019 via an email sale that I received. I had not received them yet, but when I ordered my first pair it took a bout 2.5 months to receive them, so I had not gotten too worried. Something made me check today. When I could not get the webpage to come up, I did a google search and found your facebook page. Fortunately, I paid on paypal credit, so they should be able to research this fairly quickly. I included your information on who to contact.
It is so sad that the company is going under. The shoes are great. I bought my second pair a half size too big b/c my big toe hit the top of the shoe, but they were too big, so I just wear them with black socks and it works fine.
Thank you for letting us know. I was just about to look for the site to purchase a new pair. I’ve loved them, and have walked an extraordinary amount of miles in them. Soooo disappointed this is what happened to them, I was worried that this might be the case when it took months for the black/black to be available again.
Sorry to hear that you have had your troubles with them.
Thank you for posting this. I actually purchased a pair of Lissom shoes (based on Oprah’s recommendation in O Magazine). I had to send them back because they were too small. I understood that the shoe is supposed to stretch to fit but my big toe was smashed up against the front of the shoe (despite ordering my true size). I contacted Lissom and was given an RMA # and return authorization along with the details of where to send the shoes back. I shipped the shoes back in mid November and by mid December still hadn’t received a refund or any correspondence from Lissom. I sent several emails – no reply. I called customer service several times – all went straight to voice mail despite calling during business hours. Frustrated, I did a goggle search on Lissom and found your article. At least now I know what’s going on and can move on. I opened a dispute with PayPal in hopes of getting my refund. Thanks for ending the “mystery” for me!
Sorry that you had an issue. I don’t think this was a scam. I have ordered shoes from them on multiple occasions (including one just a couple months ago) and never had any issues with my orders.
I was actually going back to order another pair when I found that their website had been taken down. A google search led me to this. Sad to see this outcome, hopefully they will be back as I live the shoes.
It is sad as they were unique and high quality shoes!
So sad. I was a returning customer searching for them. I was going to purchase in several colors. Looks like they have the customers. Thanks so much for the update. Sorry your faith in the company was never reciprocated. At least this lead me to your blog. Thanks again, Gail
Oh, Alison. I’m so sorry that happened to you and your family. Hope your finances didn’t take too hard of a hit. And thanks, as always, for being honest with your readers. Helpful to have a fuller understanding of the nuts and bolts and infrastructure behind what is (for us) a fun and vicarious thrill to read.
I just got word that the liquidation of the company will take in account any affiliates, so fingers crossed I get payment this year!
I’m sorry they treated you like that, Allison. Update on May/June 2019 posts–I ordered Lissom black flats per their sizing recommendations, and they seemed big. I contacted the company and came away with the impression of it being a rather fly by night 2-bit operation. I kept the shoes and wore them for about 5-6 months. I stopped wearing them because the insole got too grody to wear, and aftermarket insoles did not work out at all and actually caused foot problems that I’m still dealing with. I am wearing the Arcopedico brand a lot these days–they have been great for the pain issue and offer proper arch support, which Lissom did not.
I’ll have to check out Arcopedico, thanks for the suggestion!
Have you considered reviewing Tieks? I have heard good things and I see them on women around town. They are just so pricey to me. Of course if they felt great and lasted for years I might consider it. I also think the toe looks a bit to round for me.
I will not be reviewing Tieks. They are more like a “barefoot” shoe without any support in them, they don’t come in half sizes or widths. I know some swear by them, but I don’t see the value for my life. Also as a woman with high volume yet short feet and solid legs, I enjoy my appearance more with a flat that has an elongated toebox as I think it balances my shape nicely. I am not a proponent of a round/ballet toe, its very limiting as it really only works with very specific pieces of clothing. But it seems I am in in the minority, there are major Tieks fans.
Wow, what a saga. I’m sorry you won’t be paid for the work you provided. And sorry too for the many customers that are now going to have to fight to get their refunds. What a mess this person has created, though I have to be honest and say she sounds like a bit of a con artist to me. (I’m really glad to hear you didn’t give her your banking info.) If she is on the up and up, she’s likely ruined her reputation in certain business areas. Thanks for sharing with us a side of blogging that I never even gave a thought too. What a tale of caution. And once again, I’m sorry this happened to you.
I think she just ended up over her head. Running a business is so complicated, especially when you’re dealing with manufacturing. I don’t think it was a scam, and I think she had a good product, it was just too many problems at once and she didn’t have the experience, skill, and support to handle it. I understand, but I’m still angry.
What a mess. I’m sorry you weren’t paid; very unfair. Thanks for the heads up. This is a great favor.
Thanks Dawn, this was definitely a post I didn’t want to write.
I’m confused…what shoes are readers buying? I must have missed something in your post — it seems that people are ordering a shoe you don’t recommend.
This permalink originally held a detailed review of LISSOM flats, their Flytes style of shoe. I bought a pair, loved them, shared my thoughts. From this review, I sold hundreds of pairs but the company ended up not being as great as I thought when I did the review. I feel it’s my duty, especially since readers have shared they had their money taken without receiving product, to turn this original review into a warning.
Sorry, I didn’t even look at the dates of the posts or I would have figured it out. I am so sorry about what happened to you and some of your readers. I was really impressed that you would do this post.
This entire saga started to sound like a “scam” from the point they couldn’t put $100 in your PayPal, but rather needed to put $1000 into your account from their personal account and for you to send your “routing numbers”. I do think reading it educates people on how bloggers make $ – thank you for the education!
“Over communication does you no harm.” My husband
I don’t think it was a scam, but I never feel comfortable with sharing information like that unless it’s an established company with which I have a contract, an accounts payable department, etc. Some brands I work with only pay through ACH, but they are ones that are well established. And your husband is wise!
When I first saw the headline for the article I didn’t realize it would be about finances of the company and their folding. I thought it would be a warning that the shoes can cause back problems, which was my experience. I, too, had the experience of slow shipping, etc. when I purchased them in the spring, but my nightmare was how the shoes changed my gait and in turn led to SI joint issues that took months to resolve. I regret donating the shoes and not just putting them in the garbage. I hope I didn’t cause someone else back problems with my donation! At the time of my troubles, I knew the shoes were a problem for me and quit wearing them. I did not realize until later, after my trouble didn’t resolve, that they were indeed one of a couple of culprits that contributed to my issue. Unfortunately, it seems the company needed to fold and the shoes go away. I hope no one else had my experience, I also feel for you and everyone else on the losing end financially. Here is to better shoes and experiences in 2020!
Oh gosh, I am so sorry that happened to you Sandra! I haven’t had any issues, I still wear the shoes regularly but I can see that they are not the right shape and purpose for all. Thank you for sharing this, as this post ranks high in Google when people search for info on this shoe brand and others may be dealing with the same thing you did.
How do these shoes perform on wet pavement and rainy days? We have lots of rain in central Florida and this is an important question to me. I love Crocs, which are much less expensive, but they do not do well in rain. I need a good shoe that can stand up to lots of walking including being on wet surfaces. Thanks so any info on this topic!
The soles are softer than Crocs, so they don’t skid over water. I think they do more like sneakers in rain. However, they are neoprene shoes without a very thick sole so if you wear them in the rain you will end up with wet feet.
Hi Alison, I’ll spare you the saga…Were your new Flytes a snug fit when you first got them? Thanks.
They were. They stretch out. I’m wearing my black pair today and they’ve become a hair too loose from me wearing them without socks. I’ll wash them this weekend to shrink them back down. But yes they should but be sure to wear them a lot during the 30-day trial to ensure it does for you.
I have been looking at these shoes but it’s hard to find a pair that is comfortable for wide feet. After reading your review today, I ordered a pair and got the socks for free thanks to the code you posted. I’m excited to try them.
Great review. Thank you. I tried to order the socks and the python print shoes but there was no where to put in your code to get the socks for free. Suggestions?
I just had a chat with the owner today, she said try again for the field should be there. Sorry for the trouble!
Just fyi – if you get the wrong size, even though you’ve followed their recommendation on sizing, return shipping cost is up to you. I called them about this, and it seemed like the person answering the call was at a residence rather than a business, and she sounded distracted. Maybe it was a false impression, but it was an impression nonetheless.
I’m so glad I found your review! I stumbled upon Lissom, I think Instagram, and have been considering these shoes for an upcoming trip to Europe. There will be a ton of walking! I’m hoping to wear them on our excursions. I’ve been going back and forth between black and blush. I want something I can wear with “everything”; capris, dresses, jeans. I think blush it is, especially since they seem more summery. Your review helped me make the decision. Thank you!!
With the black pair, after you washed them, you said they bounced back. Did they go back to starting over on the foot molding part? Or just kind of tightened up the actual structure of the shoe? I’m just curious because a friend of mine didn’t like theirs and was thinking about shipping them to me to try….if they’re already molded to her feet, I wonder if they’d work? ♀️
They lose most of their custom fit after washing, but not all.
thanks for the review – been looking at them for the past 2 weeks and decided to do it
I hope you love them!
Will you tag this post in shoes? I knew I had ordered these shoes after seeing it on your blog but could not remember the name at all and couldn’t find them by searching for shoes on your site. So I had to scroll back through old posts to figure out the name of the shoes. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far!
That’s a great suggestion, I’ll work that in!
Love your honest and detailed reviews. Flats are hard for me, I may just give these a try after reading their FAQ.
If you do I hope they work for you as well as they did for me!
Thanks for the honest review Allie! Your reviews are one of the most valuable parts of your blog and I really appreciate them, I have been so curious about Lissom but hesitant to pull the trigger. Your review plus the offer convinced me to give them a try.
Thank you! I know it’s hard to find detailed reviews these days, especially when there’s affiliate money at stake for so many websites. I write the kind of reviews I want when I’m making a purchase. I hope you like them!
I appreciate the 30 day guarantee, since the product is something of a paradigm breaker. It’s tough when you try new shoes and realize they’re not for you only after you’ve worn them enough to make them nonreturnable.
I fully agree! You can’t determine the comfort level of a shoe walking in circles on your bedroom carpet.
The trick is that you have to put the socks into the cart prior to entering the code….then they are credited as free.
What is the code good on? You convinced me to try and I’ve got the black flytes in my cart. I’ve entered your code and it says it isn’t valid for these shoes. Any ideas?
I know you got a response in the FB community, but to help others I reworded the post to clarify the promo code. Thank you Lisa!