Zappos relies on “shoeperstious” Internet trends
1 min read

Zappos relies on “shoeperstious” Internet trends

Have you heard of “The Shoe Theory”? We neither.

But there’s a superstition gaining traction on social media that gifting shoes to your significant other will ultimately result in him kicking you to the curb.

#Shoetheory popped up on TikTok around Christmas last year and is based on an old legend that shoe gifts are unlucky gifts.

As TikTok user @DiscoSexGuru told Slate earlier this year, “You give someone a pair of shoes, and it’s you inviting that they will disappear from your life.”

She claimed that after gifting her partner a pair of Merrell Gore-Tex sneakers, they decided to leave their home in New York City and return to their hometown.

As bizarre and irrational as these beliefs may sound, the shoe theory and other so-called “shoe persistence” are not going away. Some deinfluencers even go the way and encourage their followers not to buy shoes for their partners or face terrible misfortunes.

@taylor.castroo #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #fy #shoetheory #xmas #ex ♬ Original sound – <3

Also Read: TikTok Video Goes Viral After Starbucks ‘Surprise Me’ Trend Goes Wrong

Zappos answers

Perhaps concerned that such theories could be bad for business, online shoe retailer Zappos has decided to take on the controversy. They recently conducted a nationwide survey of 2,000 people on superstitions, myths and social media trends surrounding shoes.

Isn’t it the rule of thumb to walk a mile in your customers’ shoes?

The so-called Shoeperstitions Report hopes to separate fact from fiction.

“On any given day — according to TikTok, at least — your relationship could be in jeopardy because your significant other got you a new pair of shoes,” Zappos said in a release. “The next day, skinny jeans might be considered out of fashion, or a ‘known theory’ that red nails lead you to romance suddenly piques your interest. Who says what is still credible these days?”

Shoe theory put to the test

Amazingly, 32% of people surveyed by Zappos said TikTok influenced their decision not to gift their partner’s shoes. But perhaps better news for Zappos and humanity, the majority of people (73.5%) said that the gift of shoes positively impacted their relationship.

That’s not to say that people don’t have other weird shoe problems as well. For example, 59% of men said they have a pair of sneakers for extra happiness, and 46% of women said their happiest shoes were sneakers.

Do people believe in other shoes?

Most people believe the theory that when you throw a pair of Vans, they always land right side up. In fact, 75% of these believers say they have tried it themselves.

Almost 20% of millennials believe that storing shoes upside down is bad luck, so you might want to keep your feet on the ground.