Stride Rite shoes and store policy

[fedoragirl]

We were on vacation at the beach (several hours from home) and I ended up purchasing two pairs of fisherman sandals at the Stride Rite outlet there. We have never had SR shoes as I love SKR shoes too much but the prices were very attractive and I just bought them a bit impulsively.
When we got back home (3-4 hours away), I checked the shoes again. DD's shoes seem nice and flexible. I could find several good reviews of them online. However, DS' sandals seem rock hard and I cannot imagine how a toddler can even bear to be in them. I got the shoes for dirt cheap but I'd love to be able to exchange them. I couldn't find reviews for his shoes online even though they look very similar to a SR shoe online. I am guessing different materials were used for this shoe.
Anyone returned or exchanged an outlet shoe to a regular store? We have corporate stores at the malls here so I could ask them. Meanwhile, if someone can answer my question, it would save me a trip to the mall.

[ciw]

I've always been told that shoes from a SR outlet have to go back to an outlet and can't be exchanged at a regular store. I believe they carry mostly different merchandise.

ETA: I think I heard that the outlets have extended their return policy -- I'm not sure how long you have now but I recently exchanged a pair of shoes and I think it had been at least three months since I bought them. I did have to exchange for another pair or return for store credit (the time period for cash returns had passed). Maybe you can wait until you're near an outlet again and see if you can do an exchange?

[trcy]

We don't have an outlet SR near us so I have never been in your situation, but if I were you I would go to your store and ask...it can't hurt. We had to return SR shoes once because of a manufacturing defect and had the shoes for a while because we bought a size up to take advantage of a sale (dd had not worn them long) and they gave us no problem about exchanging them.