Step Ahead

Long over-​due review. Patti helped my mom and I with the consultation for orthotics. After over an hour of tests, trying on different pairs of orthotics, and being pressured by Patti, my mom and I purchased two pairs of orthotics for our plantar fasciitis. My mom and I decided to use the orthotics later that day and it pretty much made our plantar worse. Excruciating pain. You ever felt so much in pain, you started getting goosebumps?! Yes… That bad. I called Step-​Ahead, spoke to Patti and she said to come bring it in and she’ll help us out. We went there the following day, and by then, my mom and I were convinced these orthotics that cost us over $ 300 were not for us, especially if it’s going to be THAT painful. So after seeing what Patti had to offer us, (different size orthotics, etc), I just wanted our money back. I looked all around the register, the walls, the receipt I had for the pairs, the entire store. NO REFUND POLICY DISPLAYED ANYWHERE. She refused to give us our money back, and then started to raise her voice in anger in front of all her customers. I was very frustrated but I had to put my foot down. No orthotics, especially after spending almost $ 300+ should be making my feet hurt more than it already is! I called American Express immediately at the scene and told the representative the situation. Luckily, the transaction was still pending so it wasn’t finalized. Patti and I went back and forth, she didn’t budge for a long time, yelling at me that it was my decision to get them. But all in all, it was her that persuaded me on and on that it was the perfect fit of orthotics for my feet. She eventually ignored me altogether and gave me my refund & receipt.
This place is a scam if I ever seen one. How is this place still in business? Smh…
Try out ULTIMATE FOOT STORE! At least they don’t pressure you, make you feel bad, or make you feel uncomfortable in any way and instead, genuinely try to help you.

RUN AWAY! Or if your feet hurt as bad as mine then walk, limp, or have someone carry you elsewhere! Please read through these reviews, the only good ones are from 2014 or older.
I’m going to just give it to you straight. I am going to attempt to keep my opinion out of this review as I think the 1 star shows enough, and it’s 1 only because 0 is not an option. I am not just a disgruntled customer looking to make waves or drama or get any response from the store.
The visit to the store started off fine, the lady was a bit frazzled having just gotten to work. She ‘measured’ my arch by having me walk across an inkpad and came out with 2 sizes of inserts to try on… I tried them both and decided one size worked better than the other. Decided that I need something like this to help my feet we went ahead with the transaction but suffered from a bit of sticker shock. After deliberating with my husband we decided on which 1 to get and if it does well to come back for the other (each size has 2 different inserts for different activity styles) So the price came down to a reasonable amount, which for the purposes of this we will say X amount. Which was still WAY more than I had ever anticipated paying but I tell you I have suffered for almost a year so I am willing to give it a try. Lady was not very happy with us and was quite rude since I guess she probably works on commission.
The next morning we checked our bank account and X amount had been charged then a 2^nd charge we will call Y. We promptly call to find out what had happened. In a very rude way we were told that she had made a mistake and undercharged us and so she used the machine to charge us Y amount to make up for her mistake. UUMMM excuse me?! I understand you made a mistake but you can not just charge an account without authorization. We spoke with another person at the store who suggested we call the owner. The owner was not very friendly either and after getting all of the information said she would call us back. Well here we are almost a week later and not a single phone call. If my review and others aren’t enough, please check their ratings with the BBB as they have an F rating.

Whenever I see their TV ads, I want to throw something at the TV. Luckily, only lost $ 130. Some lost way more.
Went there because they claim they have arch supports for women’s sandals and open-​toed shoes. Did not think walking across an ink pad would be a true assessment of my arches’ conditions. Then when Patti came right out of the back of the store with my «custom» supports, should have left on da spot. But I bit, bought them, and took them home, willing to give it a try. She offered me a second pair at a discount, but I resisted.
FIRST TIME I wore them, my knees started hurting, big time. Could barely walk. Soon as I took the supports out, my knees felt fine. Never used them again. And it’s not because I’m unaccustomed to arch supports. Been buying arch supports for closed shoes, Birkenstocks, and slippers with arch support for years with no problems. Just wanted something that could be worn in a woman’s dress sandal without showing.
Should have stuck with the advice a podiatrist gave me years ago, just buy Spenco arch supports for about $ 30, sometimes less on-​line. Been using them since 1996 and had no problems with heel spurs ever since. No longer care if their green covering shows in my dressy sandals.
A wide selection of Spenco arch supports can be found at Go Bananas on Kapahulu and in Aiea. A limited supply has been available at The Ultimate Foot Store, though I have issues with the less than helpful staff and no longer shop there. And there’s always Amazon. Not wild about Amazon, but out in the middle of the Pacific, sometimes it’s the only option to find what you want or need. There must be other on-​line sales options, as well.

Purchased a pair of FitFlops a week ago and the strap on one side started to fray so I went in to do an exchange and it was more difficult than I thought it would be considering on the day of purchase me & my husband spent a total of $ 250. I didn’t have my receipt because I’ve been buying foot wear from them for the past 3 years now and they have all their customers in their computers database, but all of f a sudden they telling me I’m not in their system «oh really?» Is that so? interesting I thought. Anyways the worker had to call the boss lady Patti on the phone for approval to do the exchange & Patti & I was going back & forth unnecessarily «Really Patti?» U are in the retail business how do you not honor refunds at all let alone exchanges with out any hassles? I think your in the wrong business lady. I will take my business to the Ultimate Foot Store the next time I need to spend money on new FitFlops

This is a late posting. I walked in looking for slippers with a good arch support. The salespersons just went to a section with men’s slippers because my feet are wide. He asked what size I was. As I was trying to tell him, he cut me off and said, «just tell me what size you are?!» Dude, don’t try to just shove me out the door because I’m not there to buy inserts! He didn’t even bother to measure my feet! Very rude!

Be very careful they make promises they do not keep about their return policy, they do not keep their word and it seems will say anything to close a sale. Saleman kept claiming they are «medical grade» orthtic inserts not so.
Some of the products may help some people some of the time its hard to say.
I told the sales person I must get my MD to approve any orthotic inserts and he said I could return them if not approved. Then switched his story to exchange or store credit only the next day. I can not use their over priced misrepresented products.
Note to self always look up reviews before purchasing!!! Yikes. They also have a number od BBB complaints. They should not be allowed to be in business or at the very least make medical claims about products.

DO NOT SHOP AT THE 725 KAPIOLANI ST STORE! I bought a pair of running shoes that were defective and took them back 3 days later. I was then told they do not refund your purchase you can only get a store credit. So I was forced to ‘buy’ another pair of the same shoes that were defective. The second pair was also defective so I took those back to the weird lady with badly dyed blond hair. She again refused to give me a refund and insisted I wait for a new pair of shoes (Hoka) that were coming in soon. This was in October 2013. Here it is December 2013 and still she has not got the Hoka shoes in and still REFUSES to give me a refund. I told her it’s not fair to me that she sells defective shoes and then is not able to get the Hoka shoes in. She is the most flakey business owner I have ever met. I am also filing a complaint with the DCCA Business Registration and the Better Business Bureau and contacting Action Line to get my money back.

Very knowledgeable very helpful but follows the Econ pricing model of «what the market will bear.» Know your pricing before purchasing because there are no returns. Can you say buyers remorse argh

Our feet carry’s the weight of our world on a daily basis. When ‘Good Feet’ was in Ala Moana my husband and I purchased the orthotics and it was pricey. Then we put it in storage until our daughter c/​o knee pain and is under medical supervision. We heard of Step Ahead and she was fitted with a firm orthotic insert and she immediately felt the difference. She uses it in her slipper and flat shoes. Because of re-​education by Tammy we pulled out our very similar or same, but different color ‘Good Feet’ orthotics and my husband who works on his feet c/​o knee, hip and feet pain has had fewer complaints after using these inserts again. I have adjusted to using it again and will continue to use it. Also, Step Ahead offers a program to purchase your second orthotic inserts for half price if bought within 30 days. In our experience, purchasing the cheaper drugstore brands amounted to no cost savings for us.

They are so so helpful. I have plantar Fasciitis and had surgery for it that did not help, I still was in horrible pain months after. I went it to get slippers because it’s Hawaii I don’t want to wear shoes all the time and it was the best purchase I have ever made. They are so comfortable and the arch support is perfect. They were so patient as I tried on so many different pairs until I found the ones I wanted although they were all comfy I wanted the most comfortable. I then started grooming dogs and had to get shoes that I could wear all day without the pain overwhelming me, before going in to get these shoes I could barely make it through work and could not walk once I got home. I am so happy with my Klogs yeah they are not the most stylish and they did give me more stylish options but I was looking for comfort not style. I will be going back for shoes to workout in soon. I went to the foot store in pearl ridge mall just to check it out and it was a horrible experience. Seems like they hire whoever and they are not knowledgable or have any care to spend time to help you. This is not the case with step ahead, they know what they are talking about, they are not only willing but want to help you. I just can’t say enough about how awesome they are but I think I should wrap this up. Help your feet and stop in you won’t be disappointed. Oh and p. s. My feet are so much better from wearing shoes from here all the time!!!

I was having major foot problems in the ball of my foot. Shooting pains and it felt like I was walking on a rock all the time. I had gone to the competitors across the street but they offered no help and just pointed me to a corner. I left and went straight to Step Ahead. As soon as I walked in I was greeted and helped. They sat me down and took a print of my foot. They showed me exactly where my problems were and told me why. They then showed me shoes slippers and orthotics that all felt so good and helped me walk again. I bought shoes and orthotics the first time then went back and bought the slippers. My foot problems were gone in about 5 days and I continue to wear everything. The staff is amazing and knowledgeable and do not pressure you to buy! I have recommended to all my friends! I have even started running again! Check them out and don’t waste your money (or time) elsewhere!

I didn’t shop around and was in excruciating pain! I walked in and the other sales guy-​not white, not blonde, not a lady – got me into some heavy duty orthotics $ 235 that I’ve put into my gym shoes. They took the pressure off the pain I was feeling immediately!!! And I even got on treadmill and did a 2 hr 3.5mile walk uphill last night. Didn’t solve all the problems… But can cope and rebuild fallen arches from climbing, dancer heels, slippers, and past 20 years of fashion shoes that Just Fab just killed it!!!

Came here looking for knowledge and that is what we got!
Jeff, Abira, and I caught the bus here so we did not have to worry about the awful parking in Pearl Kai Center (half of the reason for having 4 stars)
Jeff’s feet hurt almost all the time now since he started working. He saw the place and thought it’d be a great idea to ask them about why his feet are hurting and what could be done to help them.
We were greeted by Ty, this really tall bald guy. He was soo friendly. He must’ve just gotten through helping another customer because his area was filled with slippers and shoes on the ground lol.
He took a footprint of Jeffs feet and explained to him in detail what was going on with his foot. He had Jeff try on some slippers at first, but since Jeff was worried about his feet hurting at work, we moved onto the shoes.
The shoes themselves are awesome. Then Ty put in some of those foot things to help realign the feet (did you know there are actually 4 arches instead of just 1 to your feet?)
I took the bait and got my footprint and was shocked at how my weight is distributed. I learned I still have pretty good arches (=D)
The other half of the problem — the price. For everything Jeff tried on, it would’ve come out to 500 bucks. He and I would come out to 1k. If we did not buy the shoes (140 each), it’d still be pricey.
We really are considering going back because Jeff really really liked how his feet felt in the shoes.
What I loved was that Ty did not try to sell us the shoe. He told us if we have shoes, there’s no reason to buy theirs. His job is to sell the things that’ll help correct our feet, and that’s the foot things (LOL I forgot what they’re called!)
I have diabetes and have problems with feeling and circulation. I could feel the foot* (ohh goodness, i had it as ‘food’ LOL) thing kinda massaging my feet while I walk, so that was amazing.
If you can put down a lot of money, this is a good place to have good shoes.

I thought the service here was by far some of the best on the island. Went in for arch supports for my feet although kind of pricey but I know will help in the long run. I walked in and was automatically helped. If you ever come here ask for Ron. He was by far the coolest guy and knew his stuff. I learned so much just by sitting there for 10 minutes. He took a copy of my footprint and went over all my problem areas I was having, I didn’t even need to tell him. He was so helpful and so easy to talk to. I didn’t feel pressured at all to buy my new insoles at all. Go and check Ron out for all your foot needs. Great service. I’ll definitely be back.

While shopping for arch support shoes for my girlfriend, one of the salesmen while talking with another customer came off as rude and basically told the customer that if she was only looking for a shoe that was recommended by her doctor (which the salesman wasn’t selling) that she shouldn’t waste his time. I have never heard someone speak to a customer in that way. I guarantee I’m not going back to that store. We just walked out after hearing that. We drove to town and went to the Ultimate Foot Store and spent our money there.

Came in here with the hubby to check out their slippers, as my hub was trying them on, I asked 3 times what the cost were, no response from anyone. I wasn’t asking my hub what the price was and there was no sign advertising a price, finally I asked again and the blonde haired lady said I would have answered you but «it’s rude» to interrupt while your he (my hubby) was speaking. I said excuse me I’m the customer someone needs to give me a price. I don’t need a lecture and obviously this place doesn’t need the business, I had intentions of purchasing 3 pairs but guess what I will stick with Olukais!

Came here because I needed to get shoe inserts. From the minute we walked in we were being pressured to get a product. I tried it out and liked it but the girl kept trying to get us to buy more stuff. She wanted us to purchase shoes, slippers, etc. Very pricey product. They should really stand behind their product and allow returns. Also, the owners were arguing while the girl was trying to get us to try out some products. Honestly, I don’t think it was worth the money, but I think that’s how they get customers, by pressuring them to purchase unnecessary extras

This place saved me from foot pain with custom arch supports and FitFlops for everyday wear.

I could hardly walk a block before I entered this store. I left completely pain-​free. Went back after a few weeks because I thought maybe the arch was too much. They switched them out, no questions asked, free of charge, with a smile. Ended up getting a second set to reduce humbug a little. Pricey, but worth every penny to me! Great product; great folks.

I bought for my daughter the ’ orthotics’ in lieu of real orthotics. The step ahead orthotics caused more pain and discomfort after wearing them a day. In the store they seemed to work. The SILLY keep your balance test is a gimmick. We could not return the orthotics and was issued a store credit. What a waste. If this store really stood by their product they would allow returns not credit.