Since I'm back in action, I just wanted to rave about this company and share the experience I had last year.
I bought a fabulous pair of Dolce Vita pumps through Urban Outfitters last January. I wore them once to the office and a button (they were a mary jane-ish style) fell off one shoe. I found the button, sewed it back on, and thought nothing of it. I wore them again out for drinks with friends, and the same thing happened to the other shoe. I was kind of bummed, since I spend a fair amount of money on them, so I wrote an email to the company. I had bought several (and I mean several) pairs of Dolce Vita shoes/boots/sandals before and found them to be of good quality, so I told them that I was disappointed. I did not ask for a refund, exchange, or discount... I simply wrote to express my frustration. I said that I wasn't yet turned off from their brand, as I had had no problems in the past, but if I experienced similar quality issues again I'd no longer be a customer. A few hours later I received a reply to my email. They offered me a credit to use at their online store for the full amount (plus UO's shipping price!) of the shoes I ordered with a code for free shipping.
I've ordered lots of shoes from shopdolcevita.com since then, and my orders are always processed quickly and shipped super fast. I'm not sure if they have my name flagged (I'm thinking not) or if this is how they normally work... either way, it's great! They really won me over, and I cannot rave about Dolce Vita enough!
I had a pair of silver flats that I bought a few years ago. I wore them into the ground. I was so upset when I had to toss them... not because they were falling apart, but because I stepped in gum and it stuck to the upper (ew!). They lasted me for four seasons-- two Springs and two Falls. They were perfect. RIP DV silver flats