The LBS where I bought them (MD 75 mountain bike shoes) at is going to try to get me credit for them. What should I get that would be more durable?

At first, I thought of some Winter shoes like Specialized's Defroster shoes. But when I looked at the Shimano website & didn't see anything along those lines...

They started wearing out on both shoes at the outer edge, near the "SPD" logo, where the mesh attaches to the stitching of the solid edge part-thing. If there's actually a name for it, I apologize for not knowing it.

Anyway, I ride about 300-500 miles/month, in a mix of commuting & recreational riding. Any suggestions?

Remember, I'll almost certainly have to stick w/ Shimano to get the credit, and don't want to change from SPD's- I like being able to go into grocery stores, libraries, etc., w/o walking like a duck.

how old were they?

I bought them in January? February? March? of this year, about 3,000 miles ago.

My 1st experience w/ clipless- now I'll never understand how I was able to live w/ clips & straps for that long!

I've got about 5,000 miles on my most recent SH-M225S mountain bike shoes which I also use for commuting. They fit and feel a little like construction boots compared to my Sidi road bike shoes (which are exceedingly comfortable), but they are showing no signs of wear and tear. I seem to get a more life out of cycling shoes than most, so YMMV.