All I can think of is that the fashion 'elite' think that if a boot is pre-scuffed you won't feel so bad about scuffing it. I always waterproof, stain-proof or whatever-proof to keep my shoes in mint condition. I love the look of a good leather shoe/boot/handbag, etc. and work hard to keep them looking nice, that's one of the reason's I prefer leather to the so-called 'vegan' materials which are actually more hazardous to our environment, yes, that's my little soap-box these days if people only thought things through, if you want earth-friendly products stick to naturals, like cotton, wool (sheared every year from the sheep before it falls off naturally for the summer), linen, bamboo, and etc.

The one plus about this boot is that so-far I haven't seen any reviews about cracked soles, which apparently a couple of similar styles by Madden have been having, that's good.