6pm is a clearance bin with a shopping cart, and that is both the appeal and the frustration. Amazon owns it, Zappos runs it, and it exists to move last-season inventory, odd sizes, and overstock that never sold at full price. When it works, you land a pair of Cole Haans or Sam Edelman flats for half of what Nordstrom charges, and it feels like getting away with something.
The catch is that the good stuff is a moving target. Search for a specific style in your size and you'll watch it vanish between the time you add it to cart and the time you check out. What's in stock this week is gone next week, replaced by something in a size 6 or an 11.
And then there's returns. Zappos built its entire reputation on frictionless free returns and 24/7 customer service; 6pm quietly does not extend the same treatment, and plenty of shoppers only discover that when a box doesn't fit and the process feels like a downgrade from its own parent company.
What you actually want is the discount without the coin-flip inventory — somewhere that treats a return like a courtesy rather than a hassle.
If price is the whole point, Shoe Carnival and Rack Room Shoes run near-constant buy-one-get-one-half-off promotions that beat 6pm on everyday brands. TJ Maxx and Sierra dig up designer overstock for less if you're willing to hunt, and Poshmark undercuts everyone on discontinued styles and hard-to-find sizes secondhand.
Best returns and service
The single biggest complaint about 6pm is that returns don't match Zappos. If that's your dealbreaker, Zappos itself offers 365-day free returns and 24/7 support, while Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx both let you return online orders in physical stores — a huge convenience 6pm can't touch.
Outdoor and performance picks
For trail runners, hikers, and performance shoes, Sierra and Steep & Cheap discount premium outdoor brands far deeper than 6pm's mostly mainstream mix. Both run rotating deals, so the treasure-hunt feel is intact but the gear is more technical.
Which Alternative Is Right for You?
Leaving 6pm over the return headaches? Go to Zappos for the gold-standard service, or Nordstrom Rack if you want the discount kept but with in-store returns. Chasing the lowest possible price on family and casual shoes? Shoe Carnival, Rack Room Shoes, and Famous Footwear win on stacked promotions. Want the designer treasure hunt without 6pm's vanishing inventory? TJ Maxx, Sierra, and Saks Off 5th deliver rotating premium finds. And if the exact style and size you want is already sold out everywhere, Poshmark is where discontinued shoes go to resurface.
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhy is 6pm so much cheaper than Zappos if they're the same company?
6pm sells previous-season inventory, overstock, and odd sizes that didn't move at full price, while Zappos carries current-season stock at retail. The catch is 6pm doesn't extend Zappos's free 365-day returns and 24/7 support, so you're trading service for price.
QWhich site has better returns than 6pm?
Zappos leads with free 365-day returns and prepaid labels. Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx both accept online returns in their physical stores, which is far more convenient than 6pm's mail-back process. DSW also allows easy store returns for online orders.
QIs there a site like 6pm with less inventory churn?
6pm's fast-moving overstock means styles vanish mid-checkout. DSW, Famous Footwear, and Zappos carry more stable, restocked inventory, so if you know the exact shoe and size you want, those are more reliable than the treasure-hunt sites.
QWhere can I find designer shoes cheaper than 6pm?
Nordstrom Rack and Saks Off 5th carry genuine designer footwear at outlet prices, and TJ Maxx and Sierra surface designer overstock if you're willing to hunt. For discontinued designer styles, Poshmark resale often undercuts all of them.
QCan I find discontinued or sold-out shoe styles that 6pm no longer carries?
Poshmark is your best bet — its peer-to-peer marketplace lists new-with-tags and lightly worn pairs in older styles and hard-to-find sizes that discount retailers have long cleared out. You can also make offers to sellers to push the price lower.
Our Verdict
The Best 6pm Alternative For You
Leaving 6pm over the return headaches? Go to Zappos for the gold-standard service, or Nordstrom Rack if you want the discount kept but with in-store returns. Chasing the lowest possible price on family and casual shoes? Shoe Carnival, Rack Room Shoes, and Famous Footwear win on stacked promotions. Want the designer treasure hunt without 6pm's vanishing inventory? TJ Maxx, Sierra, and Saks Off 5th deliver rotating premium finds. And if the exact style and size you want is already sold out everywhere, Poshmark is where discontinued shoes go to resurface.