My dad wanted to buy new running shoes, so I took him to Grand Gateway where all the major sports brands have retail stores. Last year he also bought a pair here, and we first went back to the same store. He found the shoes he wanted, and asked for size 45. A normal size in Holland, but apparently a bit on the big side for China, because the store did not have any shoes above size 44. So up to the next store. Here they told us that they have size 45, no problem. So we looked at several models, and decided on a pair. The shoe saleswoman then went to get the shoes, but the result after 10 minutes of trying to find them: Mei you (we don’t have them). We asked if any other models were available, but it turned out that the lady had been wrong and that also this brand only had shoes up to size 44.

All other stores we went to had the same story, except for Reebok. There the sales girl told us they even have size 46. Great, so we once again decided on a model, and she went to get it. Five minutes later she came back – without shoes. She then told us they only have shoes up to size 44… I asked her why she had just told us that they carry up to size 46. Her answer: “I did not say that…”. I left it at that, her colleagues were standing around her and she probably did not want to lose face. After almost one hour we ended up without running shoes. Strange enough my dad had no problem buying shoes a year ago, did something change?