Im more angry that they DO NOT TELL YOU there is a shelf life. I dont think these shoes will get you any street cred with your mates (my OH hates them) but they are so comfortable and for the purpose of buying them they have exceeded my expectations. Like slippers that I can wear to Target and Starbucks without shame. My foot is also exceptionally narrow in the heel, and I found the new design to fit slightly looser in the heel than the previous model, so I actually returned them and bought a pair of Oneill Superfreak Tropical Round Toe Boots in size 13. They look like they belong on the vehicle and feel sturdy. This is my husbands first pair, and I have about 6 colors plus leather version. A 6 will always be too big and I can wear a 5 if the cut is right and I dont plan on wearing socks. Bearpaw have put their name to this slipper, but they are obviously mass produced, bought up by varying companies and dispatched without any quality control. Especially when you have children who apparently notice the difference in what each other has. That?s what I expect from thousands of tiny beads.