When it comes to footwear, Skechers is one of the most popular and relied-upon brands in the world. In a 2022 survey, for instance, 33% of Americans said they liked Skechers. Additionally, 90% said they had heard from the brand.
One of Skechers sneakers’ defining qualities is its lightweight feel. However, according to TikToker Tom (@sidemoneytom), things aren’t exactly what they seem.
What is wrong with Skechers?
In the viral video, which has amassed 280,800 views, Tom replied to a comment that praised Schechers’ “lightweightness.”
“Don’t fall for this [expletive]. It’s not a feature,” Tom said. “We’re talking about Styrofoam slippers that cost you, like, $100 and it’s every single shoe you can find.”
The TikTok was filmed in a shoe store, with Tom showing viewers the thick underside of various Skechers sneakers to emphasize his point that this feature is a “scam.”
“I’ve seen it on a ton of other products. They put the same exact message, acting like it’s something special, but really, all it means is they’re using less materials,” he said.
Holding up a shoe to emphasize his point, he added, “I’m telling you guys. These name-brand $100 vegan foam slippers are no different than these knockoff $25 foam pieces of [expletive].”
He then theorized that “slowly by slowly, these companies are reducing the quality of everything we buy. And I think the idea is, if they do it slow enough and get us used to this [expletive], we won’t notice. But you know what? I think, with shoes, they finally have taken it too far.”
Tom ended the video by vowing that “it’s time we stop falling for fake BS features like lightweight, breathable or vegan shoes.”
Tom didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
@sidemoneytom Replying to @donkles #shoes #fyp #sketchers #nike ♬ original sound – SideMoneyTom
More shoe critique
This TikTok was made in response to a previous video Tom made, in which he asked: “When did we stop wearing real shoes, and start wearing styrofoam?”
Commenters agreed with Tom’s sentiments, with one saying that “everything now is lower quality and higher price.”
Another claimed that “everything is being made with lower quality/cheaper materials now,” while a third joked, “Capitalism, baby!”
But others were more defensive over the shoe brand. “Dude I buy a pair of sketchers every 2 years and they last,” one commenter opined. “They’re comfy, simple as that.”
‘Those non-slip Skechers at the beginning of your video are probably some of the most durable built to last everyday shoes on the market,” a second added. “Not a great example.”
A third proclaimed, “Skechers are amazing though. Knockoffs live two months and give blisters, Sketchers survive years.”
Things don’t seem much better for Skechers workers. In another viral video, a Skechers employee shared their embarrassment over a t-shirt they had to wear, which was emblazed with the slogan: “Just slip in” on the back. “I still can’t believe it,” the employee added in the clip.
The Daily Dot reached out to Skechers for comment via email.
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