I got a pair of Ariat two-tone (caramel and milk chocolate brown) leather lace up ankle boots. They retail between $200-$400, and I got them off ebay for $25. They are gorgeous, in great condition, look to have been worn twice at the most, and fit like a glove -- or a well-made boot, I've just realized how many pairs of gloves I've tried on that haven't fit. I understand why people buy expensive shoes; you don't realize the difference in quality sometimes until you stick your foot into a $30 boot and then into a $300 -- what I don't understand is why they'd bother paying full price!
I've bought second-hand high-end shoes in the past - wearing a pair as I type, in fact - and would only recommend it if someone has (genuinely!) only worn them very, very briefly i.e. a few hours or so. Your pair sounds like it fits this description and certainly, the ones I'm wearing did when I bought them.
Leaving aside hygiene issues, the bigger reason is that once the shoe's footbed moulds itself to someone's foot, it's very difficult for it to reshape itself to yours. According to a orthopaedic colleague, that can to potential subtle problems further down the line. I haven't read any literature around this myself, so don't know if he's being overly cautious/paranoid, but I've decided it's probably best to err on the side of caution. So I've personally stopped buying second-hand shoes completely, and I think the pair I'm currently wearing is the only one left in my wardrobe.
