Ok, so if you can't rely on the price to signify quality, what can you rely on? Where does one go to purchase a pair of shoes that will endure?

The best I came up with so far is using Wirecutter reviews. This way I discovered, for instance, where to buy treat-quality bedding and towels, but it doesn't cover anywhere near the spectrum of things that I need. Sometimes I find something good and they stop making it a year later.