I think it's a scam, however I'd like to point out that by virtue of being honest, it could be avoided. If you are honest, you'll think "this is too good to be true", and rather than thinking "ha ha, fools, they'll make a minus on this and I get cheap shoes" you'll look closely for a catch.
That's not an excuse for the company at all, of course.
They are your classic fast fashion shoes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_fashion) fast fashion is cheap. Go into your local Forever 21 and look at the prices, especially the shoe prices. I can buy a whole wardrobe there for under $100.
These shoes aren't built to last. They are built fast and cheaply to capitalize on current trends.
I bought some boots last year for $30, and now they need replacing this year because they are starting to fall apart. I don't wear them every day, or even close to every day, and not during the summer. They were not built to last. I knew they weren't built to last.
Yeah but I think they said the shoes cost 79$ for non-members and 30$ for members (don't recall the exact prices). So you could wonder what they get out of membership to make up for that.
No. That appears to be a marketing ploy. There appears to be no way to buy it without joining "VIP". "Regular" price is just to tell you how much you "saved" to make it look like you're getting a great deal. It's the oldest marketing ploy in the books.
That's not an excuse for the company at all, of course.