Schuh Imperfects, Ex-display and Offcuts Explained
Savvy savings with Schuh Imperfects.
Ever brought home a new pair of shoes, only to be ruined within the first week of wearing them? Yep, all of us then. But, it’s inevitable. Shoes are meant to look used and loved if you wear them regularly.
Walk into any high street shoe shop and you’ll likely find a sale rack with some discounted shoes, albeit with a little wear and tear. Do they still do the job? Absolutely. So, why not save yourself the heartbreak of scuffing your new shoes with Schuh Imperfects — because nothing is ever 100% perfect.
This way, it hurts a little less because they’re already a tad flawed. Plus, they’re only a fraction of the retail price.
Staying on top on the latest footwear craze doesn’t have to hurt the bank. Schuh Imperfects makes it affordable and reduces the amount left for landfill.
Genius.
In this article:
- What is Schuh Imperfects?
- How does Schuh Imperfects work?
- Common Schuh Imperfects defects
- How much you can save on Schuh Imperfect ex-display shoes
- Schuh Imperfects & ex-display brands
- Our verdict
- Where else can I get cheap shoes?
- Schuh Imperfects returns policy
- Other student discount codes on shoes
- Office Offcuts
What is Schuh Imperfects?
Schuh Imperfects is another name for Schuh’s ex-display or outlet section. You’ll find heavily discounted shoes across a wide range of brands, sizes and styles – including children’s shoes – but the condition of these trainers, sandals, boots etc will vary.
All the shoes have flaws, but some damage will be almost unnoticeable, while other pairs of shoes may be more obviously imperfect. The price of the shoes, and the scale of your discount, will depend on the condition.
In reference to its Imperfects, Schuh says, “shoes that have suffered from a little too much interest come here to find forever homes. We reckon it’s all character building stuff – some products here will have scuffs, discolouration and other individual quirks.”
Schuh Imperfects is the same concept as Office Offcuts, with shoe retailer Office also selling heavily discounted end-of-line, ex-display men’s and women’s shoes. Generally, the flaws will amount to minor wear-and-tear – often only small scuffs and marks from people who’ve tried the display pair on in-store.
How does Schuh Imperfects work?
Schuh Imperfects is a chance for the brand’s stores to flog (mostly unscathed) last of the line shoes to make more space for new stock.
This means that that there isn’t a wide range of pairs to choose from, for example, multiple sizes and colours/designs on offer.
However, you will find a range of different brands available at Schuh Imperfects. From UGGs to Dr Martens to Vans to Steve Maddens — you’ll find a pair of shoes for literally any occasion. Even the trendy Birkenstock Bostons!
Instead, Schuh Imperfects operates on a first-come, first-served basis online, with the shoes you see on offer being real images of the pair available.
Consider it the same as adverts for items you see on eBay, Depop, Vinted or the like – except the shoes are considered new with minor damage rather than secondhand. There will be a clear photo of the exact pair you’ll receive, rather than a more generic photo, and any defects will be listed in the description.
There are also loads of shoes available in the Kids range of Schuh Imperfects. Choose from brands like Adidas and Nike, as well as Kickers and Timberland.
Common Schuh Imperfects defects we’ve seen
Ex-display shoes commonly have the following issues:
- Discolouration on one shoe (probably from sitting at an angle in a window display)
- Damage to the uppers (the upper is the entire part of the shoe that covers the foot)
- Pen marks on some part of the fabric
- Scratches or scuffs
Schuh will display photos of the shoes and any faults they have. Levels of imperfection will differ from pair to pair, as will the price, but the pictures should show what the faults are so you can decide if they’re right for you.
How much you can save on Schuh Imperfect ex-display shoes
Prices vary depending on the size and notability of the flaw, but typically you can save up to 50% on the full price. What’s more, students can also save with our Schuh student discount!
Below, you can see four listings (four pairs) of UK size 5 and size 7 Timerland boots. Each pair is £99.99, reduced by 45% off the original asking price of £180. Once you open the listing, you can see the damage on the actual shoe – but most flaws are minor, affecting the aesthetic of the shoe rather than gaping holes in the sole or the like.
We’ve also seen multiple other smart buys, with big discounts and savings to be made. For example, a pair of white TOMS espadrilles are £24.99 down from £70. Being white, the espadrilles have a small but irremovable dirty mark on them – meaning they’ve come to the Imperfects section to find a new home.
But, it isn’t just boots and sandals on offer – if you’re looking for trainers, running shoes or other sports shoes, you’ll find big deals in that style too.
Nike, New Balance, PUMA and more brands are available at Schuh with prices slashed. For example, a pair of White & Red New Balance 550 trainers are £77.99 (down from £120), with the damage described as “the right shoe is suffering from some discolouration.”
There’s also a pair of Birkenstock boots – UK size 3 – selling for £67.99, down from £160. As is fairly common with Schuh’s ex-display options, the item is discounted due to discolouration (colour fading).
Schuh Imperfects & ex-display brands
Schuh has a whole basket full of top-name brands to choose from, and it’s no different with the Schuh Imperfects and ex-display stock. Granted, you won’t have every make and model of shoe available, but there’s a decent selection that is updated as the seasons change and trends disappear.
Here are some brands you can expect in Schuh’s ex-display:
- UGG
- Converse
- Nike
- Birkenstock
- Dr Martens
- Hunter Boots
- Kickers
- JUJU jellies
- New Balance
- Steve adden
- Timberland
Plus loads more which you can find at Schuh. Spoilt for choice!
Our verdict on Schuh Imperfects
If you’re someone who’s shopping on eBay or the likes of Vinted and Depop, you’ll already be familiar with the type of buying and selling model that’s offered by Schuh’s Imperfects range.
If you’re after something specific, like a particular colour of cheap Birkenstocks or design of Doc Martens, you might find the ex-display sales a little lacking, especially as all sizes aren’t always catered to, and stock is fairly low.
With that said, we think it’s certainly worth the effort to try and find a pair that you like in your size as the savings you can make are significant – especially on styles that are particularly expensive or popular. There’s really no harm at trying your luck and seeing what you end up with.
Most of our shoes will have some level of imperfection even from the first wear, so opting for cheaper offcuts and ex-display stock from Schuh with minimal imperfections is a great way to save cash on what won’t stay perfect forever.
We also think it’ll be a godsend for parents with little ones with growing feet who need to buy school shoes and sports shoes for PE throughout the school year. Schuh Imperfects includes shoes from the men’s, women’s and children’s range – meaning it’s ideal if you can find cheaper kids shoes than you’d get at a shop.
Where else can I get cheap shoes?
Most shoe brands offer a sale section for their sale items, while Office sells it’s ex-display models on a site called Office Offcuts – which is very similar to Schuh Imperfects. Other shoe outlets for cheap trainers, sandals etc include ASOS Outlet, Adidas Outlet, Sole Trader Outlet and Clarks Outlet.
There are a number of websites that sell cheaper shoes, like Everything5Pounds and Shoeaholics (which mostly sells discounted Kurt Geiger). You can also find more affordable, used shoes at secindhand sellings sites and apps like Vinted, Depop, eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
Student Beans’ Shoes Student Discounts.
M and M Direct
M and M Direct is a shoes retailer that aims to sell big brand shoes at the lowest prices. M and M Direct buys directly from brands and suppliers in limited sizing or designs sourced from the previous season to keep costs low for you, the buyer! There aren’t any physical stores, but you can shop a range or trainers, football boots etc at the brand’s website, and the items are then sent from the UK distribution centre.
How to find Schuh’s Imperfects section
The Imperfects section of Schuh can be found on the website. In the header navigation, you’ll find the Sale section, and below Offers you’ll find a link to Schuh’s imperfects ex-display offerings.
In the Schuh Imperfects section online, you can sort and filter results by size, colour, brand, price, department (men’s, women’s, kids’ etc) and more.
Schuh Imperfects returns policy
Schuh’s standard returns policy (not ex-display/offcuts/imperfects) gives you 365 days to return — which is extremely handy for some of us. For Schuh offcuts and ex-display, the returns policy is different.
Ex-display items cannot be returned to Schuh in-store due to them being one-off pairs. They’re also unable to offer an exchange. To return Schuh offcuts you have 28 days and can return via one of the following:
- Evri
- Asda toyou
- InPost
- Yodel
Other student discount codes on shoes
At Student Beans, we also offers student discounts at a variety of other shoe retailers – including:
- Vans discounts (15% student discount)
- UGG discounts (10% student discount)
- Doc Martens (Dr Martens) discounts (10% student discounts
- New Balance discounts (10% student discount)
- Nike discounts (10% student discount)
- Puma discounts (15% student discount)
- Timberland discounts (12% student discount)
- Converse discounts (15% student discount)
Office Offcuts
Office Offcuts is a similar idea to Schuh imperfects — except it’s a separate website to Office, whereas Schuh imperfects is a page on Schuh’s own site. The shoes include a range of ex-display, and final pairs of discontinued styles.
Brands you can expect to see on Office Offcuts include:
- Birkenstock
- Converse
- New Balance
- Nike
- UGG
- Veja
The ranges include men, women, and kids, so literally anyone can find a great bargain.
Like Schuh Imperfects, the shoes are, well, not perfect. Some might have general wear and tear, some might have bigger flaws like discolouration or scratches. Or you could strike gold and nab a pair without any imperfections. Lucky you!
