DSW is a store that is mainly dedicated to shoes and other footwear accessories. The store offers customers fair prices on all its products, and there is a good range of brands being sold Nationwide. What makes the store even more popular are the clearance sales it offers from time to time. According to a reputable ranking site, DSW ranked 57th on the shoe and footwear sector ranking in 2020. As expected, different customers have different impressions of DSW regarding the quality of products, customer service, and support and payment flexibility.
So, is DSW Legit?
Yes, DSW is legit; it operates physical and online stores all around the country.
History Of DSW
DSW was initially discovered in 1991 when one of the founders, Steve Nacht, who happens to be the owner of Shonac retail firm, visited a warehouse in Atlanta, where his shoe inventories were being sold at steep discounts. Upon his return home, Steve had decided to open a footwear store in Dublin, Ohio, within six months.
The company currently operates from its headquarters in Ohio, and there are more than 1000 store locations Nationwide.
What You Should Know About DSW Stores
The following are incredible information you should have about DSW stores;
1. DSW Operates 180 Stores in 32 States
The company was incorporated under Shonac Corporation in 1969, and the company has more than 4,800 employees nationwide. In 2004 alone, the company generated more than $962 million in sales one year and has since been listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Aside from shopping online or in-store, this shoe chain store offers self-services where you can find more than 30,000 pairs of shoes displayed and more than 2,000 diverse styles. The company’s headquarters measures 25,000 Sq feet, with more than 90% of the entire space for displaying and selling shoes of all kinds.
2. The Initial IPO was in 2005
DSW was first listed for public trading in 2005, and this initial IPO was greeted with lots of activities. The company also vowed to operate more than 500 stores since its inception.
What Does DSW Stand For?
DSW is an abbreviation of Designer Shoe Warehouse. It is an online retailer that features luxury and designer footwear for women, children, and men.
The range of shoes you can find here include; Merrell, Nike, and Dr. Martins. You will be surprised to find a lot of JLo’s shoe collections on this website too. The site has been laid out to make it user-friendly, and you can find lots of information about buying shoes there. Unfortunately, the returns and shipping policies don’t work for all brands of shoes on the site, which could have contributed to some negative rankings.
Price Range And Popular Options On DSW
Prices for DSW show collections can vary from under $20 to over $200. You can also find high-end shoe collections for special occasions and very cheap shoes for vacations and sports.
There are numerous options or styles of shoes you can find here; these include; boots, wedges, heels, pumps, and comfortable sandals. If you are looking for more bargains, you can check the clearance sections for the best-discounted footwear.
DSW offers a wide range of selection of footwear for people of different age groups. In addition to more popular brands like Nike, you can also find shoe brands like Asics, Sorel, Mizuno, and Ugg. You can find kids’ shoes of all kinds and browse through the “New arrival” section to discover the newly added brands.
The website comes with different galleries where you can browse through product pages, and you can view products from different angles to see how they will fit in your legs. The style options are mostly placed to the right of the shoes, giving you the flexibility to choose different styles, sizes, and colors available.
You can put your purchase on credit, and you will see the price per month displayed right away. This is one feature you may not likely find on many of DSW’s rival sites.
What Is The DSW VIP Scheme And Support?
The DSW VIP and support scheme is available on the DSW online store. This is one of the best opportunities that you can use to save money. You can opt for any of the following VIP memberships;
- VIP Club
- VIP Gold
- VIP Elite.
You can upgrade from one level of VIP membership to another. Each of these levels comes with its unique rewards for all ages of shoppers. Fortunately, the basic VIP membership is free to join, and you will get points for every dollar you spend. As a member of the VIP subscription, you will get a $5 gift on your birthdays, and you also get free shipping and in-store returns as a standard member benefit for any VIP category.
If there is an issue with your order, there are a few ways you can facilitate the return of the product. First, you can return a defective product to the store in person and for free. You can also return a defective product online return, but this product has to be shipped for a price to qualify for returns. Keep in mind that you have to return a defective product within 60 days of purchase.
DSW Free exchanges
In addition to free shipping and other benefits, DSW offers a wide range of many other benefits. Free exchanges are some of the added benefits of becoming a member. The exchange procedure is quite straightforward, and you will receive a free shipping label with your order. All you need to do is affix this label on the product’s package box and send it back to DSW. You will not be charged for returning the package and the new product you will receive.
Keep in mind that DSW offers a live chat that is available during working hours, and there is a toll-free phone number on the website. You can contact DSW via email, and the company promises to reply to emails within 24 hours. The FAQ section also offers answers to numerous questions consumers ask about DSW.
DSW Changes Names To Designer Brands
New things are happening at DSW lately, and one of the biggest announcements made is that the company has changed its name to Designer Brands. In addition to changing its name, the company has decided to add some of its products to the range of options available across all categories.
Just before, DSW was solely selling brand products from other companies; the addition of its own products on the store shelves will give consumers even bigger flexibility when shopping.
DSW, now referred to as Designer Brands, will continue to operate its retail stores under the DSW Designer Shoe warehouse, The Show Company, and The Show Warehouse. The company will also produce its own items under the Camuto Group that it acquired in November 2019.
Though shares were initially down after the announcement of the company on the New York Stock Exchange, a number of investors who purchased the stock at that time are enjoying the benefits till today has the shares have risen by more than 100% since inception.
Today, consumers are making show purchases from the company directly, a situation that has further propelled it into more success. Making its own exclusive product lines have also helped the company maintain a steady flow of sales and income. By 2021, the company is expected to maintain an income flow of over $850 million or more yearly.
Reasons Why DSW Remains Legit
You may find DSW having low ratings on some trusted websites online, but that can be attributed to some regular disputes between customers and some branded sellers. This perhaps is one of the reasons why DSW had decided to introduce its own line of products, and it will help them deal with customer issues directly instead of having to rely on brands to sort them out. This decision has reduced DSW’s reliance on third-party brands for conflict resolution and also improved customers’ faith in the company.
Another reason why you should consider shopping on DSW is that it offers a quick return policy. You should consider sending any product with issues within the stipulated time and get a full refund if the brand is found to be faulty. You will even do yourself some good by taking a video when you unwrapped a shipped product, as this will provide huge backing for your full refund request.
DSW offers a wide range of contact avenues. You can call its toll-free number and get your issues resolved on the phone. You can also send an email to the company for conflict resolution, and that will be responded to within 24 hours normally. The live chat or live messenger perhaps is one of the most convenient as you can log onto the DSW website and chat with a customer representative for instant conflict resolutions.
