To be fuming at Clarks

[Twotinygirls]

Hi. I'm not a regular poster but I need opinions on this please I bought my DD (4) some Clarks shoes on the 30th Jan. they are the usual kind of leather Mary Jane type of shoe. They now, 3ish weeks later look terrible, old, scuffed all along the fronts, the tread is almost worn totally away on the bottoms. To spend £32 on kids shoes is not easy for us at the moment so I'm so cross that these new shoes look so scruffy and old in such a short time. I emailed pics to their customer services to be told to go to the shop. Which I did today, dragging two dds in freezing cold into town. I explained my disappointment in the shoes to the sales girl, she just seemed concerned in checking the shoes still fit, which they do. Then said I just need to polish them. I pointed out that the leather is scuffed off and the tread had gone and she said its just how my DD has been wearing them. (On her feet????) she took them out to her manager, and came back saying there is nothing they can do and the shoes are only supposed to last 8 weeks since kids feet grow so fast, and to buy some polish. So AIBU to be disgusted at the poor quality of these shoes and demand a refund or swap or should I just expect that kids shoes don't last long?

[50ShadesOfGreggs]

Leather does scuff easily though, it has nothing to do with the quality of the shoes. YABU.

[TheOneAndOnlyAlpha]

My DS's shoes are from clarks and they scuffed after a week. But he's a kid. Kids scuff shoes. YABU.

[sarahtigh]

try hush puppies my DD got some in december and now 3 months later still fine scuffed at front but not badly tread and everything OK my DD is 3.25 at her age and your DD age shoes should be outgrown before being worn out provided they fit I reckon a pair of decent leather shoes worn 5 days out of 7 should last 6 months CLARKS are rubbish startrite better have heard good things about timberland too but not tried them.

I got the hushpuppies brand new in box from ebay for £18

[sarahtigh]

scuffs are reasonable treads worn through is not

[lastSplash]

YANBU. Clarks customer service is crap. Either sell the shoes cheap, or if you're going to charge £32 a pair, make sure they're quality and be nicer to your customers

[Lynned]

I think most clarks shoes are rubbish, yanbu.

[Twotinygirls]

Thanks for the hush puppies tip. I have some boots from them (eBay bargain too) and they are fab, didn't know they did children's shoes. I'm fine with some scuffing, I know its normal, but the whole toe? After 3 weeks? And the tread going? I'll accept that IABU but I'm still annoyed.

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

Get the shiny shoes next time, my DD's shoes last for ages, otherwise i wouldnt use Clarks at all.

[EnjoyResponsibly]

Scuffs reasonable, they will come up with polish (DS's do, he's 5 and plays football at break).

If they're worn though on the bottom I'd have had a stronger point of view.

I would have also asked where it states that their shoes are only meant to last 8 weeks

[ouryve]

The tread shouldn't wear out. I don't buy Clarks soes for myself because, even in the miraculous event that they fit, I wear through them in about 6 months. I've I don't get 1000 miles out of the soles of a pair of shoes, I consider myself ripped off.

[frillynat81]

Clarks kids shoes are rubbish. My wee boys last school shoes burst at one of the seams. I don't think YABU.

[apostropheuse]

I found the patent leather shoes better for avoiding (as much as possible) the scuffs.

Unfortunately children do scuff their shoes though.

I'n not sure why the tread is worn out already. If it's in one particular area on the sole of the shoe it could be the way she walks. I remember driving my mother insane because I kind of walked on the edge of my feet and she was constantly having to replace shoes.

[ilovepowerhoop]

I have found Clarks are great quality - dd's shoes have lasted from part way through last year and do get scuffed and muddy but we just clean them up and polish them and she wears them again.

[BigAudioDynamite]

Clarke are shit...decent leather shoes, you can polish up the scuffs and they look good. Clarke only seem to have a layer of leather, which scuffs off and you can't polish them up. Their fitting service is also crap IME

Try Start-Rite

[ThePinkOcelot]

YANBU! TBH, I have stopped buying Clarks shoes as I found they were looking rather shabby too soon - the same as you are saying. I now buy their shoes from BHS or Marks and Spencer. They are a much better price and last and look better for much longer than Clarks. I think Clarks take the piss now TBH with the price of their shoes - what a joke!
I just feel around the front of the shoes and get them to walk back and forwards - the same as the assistants in Clarks!

[ssmile]

I had some last year same thing happened i hadnt kept the receipt but was told later that clarks would have given either some money back or replaced them as she had gone through the heel. I think it was a dodgy batch. I actually got them reheeled at shoe menders for £5 and they lasted another 3mths! The second pair of clarks differrnt style better heel lasted 6mths.

[Branleuse]

i have always found clarks ok quality, but my ds1 in particular is very hard on shoes. I recommend ricosta shoes and boots. My two youngest are in them at the moment and my dds boots are passed down too and still look nearly new

[GooseEnthusiast]

Yabu about the scuffs - leather scuffs and the only thing you can do to stop that is to coat it, which is what they do to get patent. It lasts loads longer.

Yanbu about the tread on the bottom, if its really worn get back in touch with customer services. They'll probably send you a voucher to replace the shoes for that if you explain about the sales assistant being generally unhelpful. If the sole is worn in one area I'd say its the way your DD is walking in them and there's not a great deal that can be done except for buying shoes with very thick soles.

I work for clarks and we generally prefer our customers to be 100% happy - all of our training is very focused on making our customers want to come back to us. Where abouts in the country are you? Some other stores round my way (Lincolnshire) have a reputation for being unhelpful.

[landofsoapandglory]

I don't understand why people don't polish shoes. Maybe we are old fashioned, but every Sunday night, DH would polish his and the DC's shoes ready for work and school, now DS2 does his own. DH does mine and his. Everytime we buy new shoes, DH polishes them before being worn, to feed the leather.

I noticed, last time I bought polish in Wilko's, that you can buy a product to cover over scuffed leather, so I'd use that then polish them.

[Twotinygirls]

Thanks everyone, I have always used Clarks and some pairs are still ok to be worn by my DD2 so I do feel that these are a bad style of shoe, polishing wouldn't help as its the top layer of purple that's worn off and browny colour underneath. Anyway, as it seems I may not be being totally unseasonable I shall be sending Clarks a snotty email on Monday and pushing for a swap or discount. And I'll be using all your recommendations for future shoe purchases.

[pigletmania]

Clarks are rubbish, my dd intoes and drags her feet ad Clarks were bad. I got kickers school she's in seotember and they are still going strong. They seem stronger and more hard wearing than clarks

[pigletmania]

Try the online shoe shop wyndsor shoes as recommended by mums tethers on here, you can get branded shoes for a much cheaper price

[needstodiet]

Scuffs are normal, depends how hard your DD is on the shoe.

I would get back in touch with customer service explaining that your local store was unhelpful.

I had a pair of boots where the heal split after 3 months. Was told to take them back to the store for a replacement. They did this without question.

Might be worth offering to have them inspect the shoes, and see what conclusion they come up with.

I wouldn't write them off.