Customer Complaint

So, I wrote a customer complaint to a major footwear chain - Woodland. This is the first time I gave feedback to a company whose products I consume. And it turned out to be a hilarious exercise! There was no feeback book available at the store and I wondered if I should email them. And then my friend Sushmit inspired me, by calling the company’s lapse as "Sexist Capitalism!"
Here is what transpired:-

from Harmanpreet Kaur <harmankaur.82@gmail.com>
tocare@woodlandworldwide.com
ccsales@woodlandworldwide.net
date Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 12:35 AM
subject Customer Complaint

Hi,
As a resident of New Delhi, India and a regular shopper at the Woodland stores, I'd like to complain regarding the availability of trekking shoes in the women's range. Why are trekking shoes for women unavailable in India? Doesn't the company manufacture them? Or are they just not stocked or sold in India?
As a woman who frequently likes to be outdoors, I would really appreciate if Woodland launched a few interesting designs for women in the trekking range. Woodland has such a wide variety for men's trekking shoes. Does the company feel that women in this country do not like the rugged outdoors like their male counterparts?
The designs that are available in the shoes range, are not made for the purpose of trekking. Women only buy them to keep their feet warm in the winter season. They are quite boring actually.
There is a market for a whole lot of women in this country who have started to travel and explore. It would be profitable if you would cater to their demand. There is also no other brand in this nation that caters to the demand of outdoor shoes like Woodland does. If a woman wanted to go a trek in the mountains, she would not buy sports shoes from Nike/Reebok/Adidas. She would buy them from your store, BUT you do not manufacture it for her! It's a clear gender bias.
As a customer of Woodland since it launched in the early 90's, I remember purchasing the women's trek shoe (olive and brown) with leather laces when I was a teenager! Please resume that style or launch new ones!
Rgds
Harmanpreet Kaur

from Harkirat Singh <harkiratsingh@woodlandworldwide.com>
toHarmanpreet Kaur <harmankaur.82@gmail.com>, pksharma@woodlandworldwide.net
mailto:ccchamanlal64@hotmail.com
date Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 12:39 PM
subject Re: Customer Complaint

Dear Ms.Kaur,
We will certainly look into the issue and develop certain models for trekking and outdoors for women.Pls let us know your foot size and we will try to arrange something for you sooner.Thanks for your valuable comments.

Regards,
Harkirat Singh.

from Harmanpreet Kaur <harmankaur.82@gmail.com>
to Harkirat Singh <harkiratsingh@woodlandworldwide.com>
ccpksharma@woodlandworldwide.net,chamanlal64@hotmail.com
date Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 1:58 PM
subject Re: Customer Complaint

Thanks for your response! My foot size is 5.
Rgds

Now, I still don’t believe I wrote this, but I did – my emotional agitation was deep, and I was feeling sarcastically comical.
Ha! And I’ve just realized that my friend Anjali in Aberdeen shares similar grievances!! She read my email complaint and tells me that she too has been unable to locate good trekking shoes under various brands online! In her words, "I found funny baby blues and shiny pinks and NOTHING AT ALL SUITABLE."

The situation of women’s trekking shoes is abysmal in this world! I demand the same shoes that women wear on Nat Geo/Globe Trekker.
But, I do feel like an empowered consumer. And as my friend suggests, I hope I’m in for a free pair of boots here.