Toys in Clarkes' shoes [angry] - anyone else fed up with them?

[crayon]

I mean, how clever is it to put a cheap bit of plastic tat into a shoe so that a child is influenced to buy the pair that may not be most comfortable? When I moaned buying school shoes this week, the assistant said I was the first person to mention anything .

I know they have to improve their image so the 'masses' see them as trendy, but I feel aggrieved that my pocket/children's feet have to suffer.

Anyone else?

[brightwell]

I heard someone saying that these type of shoes don't come with the usual Clark's guarantee. Thankfully my ds are too old for that type of shoe.

[whoops]

I don't like the idea of them as the kids are going to want to get the toys at any opportunity ie in lessons etc so I can see teachers getting fed up with them!
Ds wants a pair of these and I'm hoping they won't have them in his size as his feet as so much smaller than they should be for his age

[gscrym]

DS wanted these but Clarks just don't fit him thankfully.

[flyingmum]

Thank heavens we had a much older chap fit shoes this time and DD2 tried on the pair without the flashing lights which fitted and while he was walking in those the bloke turned off the lights in the second pair and we didn't mention that they were there. DD2 insisted on trying on that pair but because nothing happened and they had two straps I managed to comvince him that the first pair (just one strap - no lights) was much better. There are going to be a lot of pissed off primary school teachers this September! It does seem daft to introduce something that is going to entail another potential battle and I would have had one on my hands had I got one of the young fitters who hadn't got a clue what it is like to battle with a determined 7 year old.

[tortoiseSHELL]

We got the ones with a doll in the shoe, because they did fit the best(!), I tried to justify not getting them on principle but they really were the only ones that fitted. However, I have not told dd that the doll comes out, and she hasn't realised, she think it is a 'pretty picture'. When she does discover, I think some superglue might come in handy!

[MrsPuddleduck]

I purposly avoided going to Clarks to by school shoes for this reason.

I think it is disgusting to encourage children to take toys to school and it will only be a matter of time before parents get a letter home saying they can't be taken in to school.

[LIZS]

Our independent fitter wasn't happy that when the toy is removed, the cushioning and heel support would be affected.

[Whizzz]

Is'nt it just the same with those Lili Kelly shoes or whatever they are called - with the lipstick / glitter / plastic tat they come with - maybe its Clarks trying to jump on that bandwagon

[Marina]

I am being really ruthless on this front and just taking the Dcs to a shoe shop that is not Clarks. Ds would take pleasure in scorning the company for this misguided marketing poloy, he's older, but dd would go ape at the prospect of an ickle tiny fairy in her shoe . If I do get pestered beyond the point of no return, I do have the additional get-out clause that Clarks shoes don't fit her all that well either.

[LIZS]

But at least you can inconspicuously take away things liekt he lipstick much easier than the integral toy. Persosnally I woudl avoid them too thgouh. We've ahd the odd keyfob in the past but nto boguth those shos because of it. Actively marketing to kids , with assistants showing these shoes to them ahead of the less gimmicky ones , is fundamentally wrong imho.

[tortoiseSHELL]

you are lucky marina! Clarks are the only shoes that fit dd's feet. My mum and I spent two hours in an independent shoe shop, while they tried each and every shoe, and concluded that she 'didn't fit shoes'. Dd fortunately loves shoe shopping, and adores trying shoes on (weird child I know).

It's only 1 style at Clarks that fits as well - she needs a really 'deep' shoe, which is why the doll one is the only one that fitted. I loved the t-bar style, but her feet bulge out of the holes .

[Marina]

That's a PITA tortoiseshell. We do get the reverse annoyance in that the Doodles range are very nice IMO, and good value, and because dd has such a narrow foot we can never just walk into a shop and rely on finding a style in her size And we do often end up buying admittedly elegant but £££ Italian or German shoes instead
I had no idea these Lelli Kelli shoes came with extra tat. Isn't their appearance enough?

[cornsilk]

Clarks are usually crap IMO anyway. They never have the shoes we pick out in stock and I've had to go back several times 'cos shoes have been fitted incorrectly by a 17 year old who couldn't care less.

[tortoiseSHELL]

It is a PITA marina - but doodles do fit! She's definitely missed out on the 'beautiful dainty shoes' as she wears her huge great clodhoppers.

[Tommy]

I'm very disappointed with Clarks at the moment as well. I thought their whole selling point was that they are sensible, traditional shoes tha parents have confidence in.

My DSs have Startrite this time (DS2 usually does as they fit him better anyway) but it does make me cross that Clarks have the majority of the market and have got all us trying to do our best parents over a barrel

[bambi06]

this year was the firt year we bought from clarks as normally they dont fit my dd..very slim skinny foot and even tinier ankle but after looking in every shoe shop [within affordability] in the last three weeks already... we tried clarks and i asked the assistant to bring out all the school shoes that were in her size and unfortunately for me they were the only ones that fitted her and it wasnt until afterwards we both realised [me and my dd] that they were the yotoy ones..hmmm!!!damn.. dd very happy of course but heh if they fit and i dont have to fork out more money for expensive european[german] this time time i`m happy...

[UnquietDad]

DD and DS have just got some of these. It occurred to us that the little concealed compartment would be ideal if you wanted your child to be used as a drugs mule.

[Kammy]

I had a very public disagreement with ds (5.5) in Clarkes over this shoe where I very loudly expalined in great detail why these shoes were utter tat....marketing policies and how if we spent money on shoes that broke after 2 mins there would be no money left for star wars toys....
Did the trick and I bet hundreds of parents have said something. Angry, me?

[Blandmum]

Hate them. Also hate trainers with flashing lights. Why?

[peanutbear]

I had the same argument besides the school shoes looked like trainers to me but we went in today for trainers yes you guessed more blooy toys in them

I complained too will be going to startrite from now on

[TwoToTango]

I hate them. Went into get DS school shoes and told the assistant not to even bother bringing them out - shoes are to support feet not to store toys - she didn't look too suprised so they must have had a lot of similar comments. Then 2 of the 3 pairs of shoes she did bring out looked like trainers. I'd go to startrite if they weren't so expensive.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

does anyone remember Clarks Commandos - shoes for boys with animal footprints on the soles and a hidden compass in the heel ?

[PTA]

My ds1 who is only 4 wants a pair only for the toy. Luckily he doesn't need new shoes at the moment and I'm hoping he'll have forgotten all about it by the time he does.

He dragged me into Clarks last week to "just have a look". The sales assistant gave him a SpongeBob comic which he was happy with but she said that they has seen a marked increase in interst from children rather than parents so the marketing men seem to have earned their money on this on!

[ShinyHappySchmooo]

I was going to get DD some.. I thought they sounded rather fun!

[ShinyHappySchmooo]

clarks.titled.co.uk/yotoy/yotoy_base.html here they are. Bit more expensive it appears.. but quirky Stop being such boring old farts, the lot of you!