Basically this. The more people you give your "tip" then the more likely it is that at least one of them will get a pair, but unless the people you gave this "tip" got shoes at a higher rate than people trying to get them without your "tip," then your info was useless. This appears to be the case, since even you apparently failed to get a pair (much less 2) despite your previous certainty that you would.
Plus, ugly shoes are ugly.