To think that this shop was taking the piss (children's shoes)

[BerylStreep]

I went shopping today for school shoes for DS and DD.

I bought Geox for both of them, and they were both marked as £49. I was a bit distracted when I was paying, and it was only when I got home that I realised that DD's shoes had been charged at £69, not £49.

I phoned the shop to query it, and they said that now she is a size 3, they add on £20 to the price as it is now 'a ladies shoe and not a child's shoe'.

I checked Geox's own website, and the shoe on there was marketed as between £50 and £55 - the size 3 was £55 and the website does free delivery and returns.

I'm all for supporting local business, and don't mind a few £££ added on to cover overheads and professional fitting (DS' shoes were £49, whereas Geox sell for £42) but I think £20 is taking the .

The shop grudgingly gave me a refund on only my DD's shoes, but I can't understand how the shop can justify adding on £20 to a pair of shoes, when Geox, John Lewis et al only add £5 for the bigger sizes.

[JerseySpud]

You don't happen to live in Jersey do you?

[HarveySchlumpfenburger]

at jersey. No VAT, we'll call it a shipping cost instead.

I don't see how you can add £20 though. Are they charging VAT on adult shoes per shoe? Should be closer to about £10.

[Pipbin]

I've just looked this up and found this:

We will accept that footwear is designed for young people when the following measurements are met:

Boys’ shoes: up to and including size 6½.

Girls’ court shoes (that is a low cut shoe without straps or other fastenings): up to (and including) size 3.

Other girls’ shoes: up to (and including) size 3; and sizes 3½ to 5½ as long as the heel height does not exceed the sole depth by more than 4 cms (approx 1? inches)

customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_PublicNoticesAndInfoSheets&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_CL_000138#P224_8264

And anyway, and extra £20 is more than VAT.

[WanderingTrolley1]

Blardy hell!

Sorry, can't help - still reeling at the cost of kid shoes...

[mumofthemonsters808]

I'm glad you got a refund, £69 is a lot of money for school shoes, the mark up is extreme. I think I'm pushing the boat out putting my two in Kickers.

[escorpion]

That is how much children´s shoes cost these days?! goes away and faints

YANBU

[AngieBolen]

Much as I love Ricosta shoes, I refuse to pay £69 pounds for a pair for DD.....were you in a town beginning with R by any chance?

[BerylStreep]

Well, I have ordered the same shoes from John Lewis with free delivery.

I think this shop has really shot themselves in the foot in terms of having any more custom from me (boom boom).

[BerylStreep]

No, I was in Belfast.

[ROARmeow]

Oh, I really want to know what shop that was, I live in Belfast...

[Wolfiefan]

Aren't you entitled by law to refuse the product or insist you are able to buy it at marked price?

[BerylStreep]

Wolfie, I didn't notice at the time - DC tired, hungry and squabbling. It was a matter of them saying 'enter your PIN' and I did it without thinking. My own fault really.

Roar I think I am supposed to be coquettish and say 'oh, no, I couldn't possibly say which shop it was'.

It was the Inns on Saintfield Road.

[ROARmeow]

Oh right, thanks for that Beryl Is good to know such things as I'll be getting the DC school shoes next week.

[LIZS]

Aren't you entitled by law to refuse the product or insist you are able to buy it at marked price? The price is merely an invitation to buy, up to purchaser to accept what is offered and retailer can refuse to sell. Beryl, are you sure the shop will refund the original shoes if you get duplicates now ? They are under no obligation legally to do so.

[ArgyMargy]

How strange. I've been known to buy girls' shoes size 5 to avoid paying VAT. Not recently though - perhaps shops have caught on to that now. Anyway YANBU adding £20 is ridiculous. I remember being told that tiny shoes cost MORE to make because they're so fiddly. Saying that now it sounds a bit daft, I admit.

[BerylStreep]

LIZS I have already got the refund. I did that before I ordered the 2nd pair.

I am considering e-mailing Trading Standards about it.

[SavoyCabbage]

My dd's Geox shoes lasted one wear before getting a hole in because they were just a thin film of leather over fabric. They were like these ones.

[CulturalBear]

Once upon a time I worked in retail price control. If you had an item at a certain price on the shelf, you have to offer at that price. Same goes with offers eg BOGOF - if offer has ended but is still being advertised, you're entitled to the product at that price.

Admittedly this wasn't shoes, but I would expect in this case that the shoes would need to have had a 'from' £49. Even then they should have declared the 40% hike at the till.

Very glad they refunded you and well worth warning others to look out for this loophole!