Brown Shoe Co. launches Shoes.com and Famousfootwear.com

Brown Shoe Company Inc. is launching two footwear e-retailing sites: Shoes.com and FamousFootwear.com. Both will be managed by Shoes.com Inc., a company jointly owned by Brown Shoe, The Walking Co. and private investors.

Shoes.com will offer more than 1,200 shoe styles from popular brands including designer brands, athletic shoes, European style and kids` in prices ranging from $19.99 to $325. “Shoes.com seeks to provide the largest online selection of brand name footwear that customers know and want, with an emphasis on customer service and expert shoe advice,” the company said in a release announcing the sites’ launch. Brown’s FamousFootwear division operates 925 stores in all 50 states and will allow FamousFootwear.com customers to return merchandise to a store.

Both sites will operate on the same e-commerce platform and are fully integrated with Brown Shoe`s merchandising, distribution and customer service systems.

Premiere brands on both sites will be featured in "brand boutiques" that encourage on-line shoppers to shop by brand. Both sites feature the ability to browse for footwear by categories, like men`s boots, athletics-girls`, or women`s sandals, and by size and color.

Brown Shoe began selling online in 1999 with its naturalizeronline.com site, which the company says is now profitable. Shoes.com launched as a small e-retailing site in 1999. Later that year, the site was purchased by The Walking Co., a closely held specialty footwear retailer based in Chatsworth, California. In Spring 2000, The Walking Co. and Brown Shoe began to explore joint development of footwear e-retailing sites through combining management, technical, distribution and inventory resources. Brown Shoe acquired a controlling interest in Shoes.com Inc. in November 2000. Steve Adler, founder of The Walking Co. and a 23-year veteran of the shoe industry, heads Shoes.com Inc. as president and CEO.