To be annoyed with Clarkes salesperson??

[FanjolinaJolly]

The scenario,I bought dd a pair of trainers in the Clarkes sale,a couple of weeks ago.we wnet in,she had her splints on,they measured her feet,put on trainers,everything hunky-dory so I thought.

Fast- forward a couple of weeks.Physio watching dd on her frame is a bit concerned as she has started "in - toeing" she didn't do this before her new trainers,so physio sensibly suggests she thinks that the trainers are wrongly fitted and too big.

Today I go into Clarkes.Get a ticket thing.Wait for ages.Eventually our turn.Explain our predicament.Sales assistant looks down her nose at me and says "Well,you have to have a bigger size to fit the splints in "

Does she reckon I don't know this!!Yes of course this is correct but maybe these are TOO big!!

I explain again.I state that the physio trained for a four year degree course so probably has quite a lot of knowledge about such mobility stuff and knows her onions.

Sales assistant grudgingly agrees to drop half size.Then says "But given she has splints she would probably need an H fitting and we don't do those in trainers!"

"Oh" says I innocently "That's funny,because they ARE an H fitting" (which they are.)

So she goes on to say that they probably won't have any width fittings left at which point I lose my patience a little and say

"I'm not asking for a refund,I don't want gold plated diamond encrusted shoes,I just want her to have some that FIT!! and have been measured properly!!"

We got there in the end,but she was most unpleasant.

GRRR.So AIBU???

[piratecat]

love your name fanjolina !!!
clarks are arses indeed.

[TheArmadillo]

YANBU

What riven said.

Wankers.

[ImnotOK]

YANBU ---I love your name BTW

[Nbg]

No YANBU.

I used to be a manager for Clarks and from past experience it can be a long job fitting shoes/trainers for children with splints.

[JammyQueenOfTheSewers]

I have to say in defence of Clarkes here, we recently got DD her first pair of fitted shoes. We first went to Clarkes in a nearby town where we happened to be shopping one day. They measured her and said she wasn't quite a size 2 so to come back in a month or so. I was impressed they didn't try the "well she's nearly a 2 and they grow so fast, these will fit her in a week or so" routine that I'd expected. About 6 or 7 weeks later we went into our local branch, who measured her at 2.5H, tried on every style they had in her size to see which fitted her best, and when they didn't have the colour we wanted rang round some local stores for us. Nobody had them in unfortunately, so they wrote down all the details so I could try in the branch in my parents' town where we were visiting the following week. When I went in there I was offered a numbered ticker, but explained I already knew what we wanted, so would rather not queue to find they weren't in stock the woman sent for a pair from the stock room and checked the fitting before selling them to us, without making us wait ages (which I did feel guilty about). So three stores all gave us very good service as far as I'm concerned.

[JammyQueenOfTheSewers]

Sorry, in your case however YANBU!

[yummymummy1405]

I hate Clarks my son is quite small and when I last went in they told me my nearly 2 year old would have to chose out of the cruisers askids with feet as small as his aren't walking yet. Yet in next, woolworths everywhere else they do! I wouldn't go back but try woolies cheap and cheerful but last for ages

[mistypeaks]

Yes Clarkes have somehow managed to instill some mad guilt into us all.
I have broken free. We go to Brantano.
Pros:-
Cheap cheap cheap
Staff will measure your childs feet if you ask, but generally the measuring thingy is left for you to do yourself. Now because me and DH aren't trained we are both overly cautious and both do it until we agree we have the same measurement. Then try on shoes (well the kids try them on ) until we are satisfied that they fit well, child walks well in them etc. We have had less 'rubbing' issues since we started going there.
There's a wicked adult section - last time we went I bought 2 pairs of shoes each for both dds and a pair for myself. Grand total was still less than one pair from clarks. And they are far less 'clunky' looking!!
Cons:-
Your mom always says "are they Clarkes. You only ever wore Clarkes . . ."

[nancy75]

i used to work for clarks, if you think the staff are all wankers you should try dealing with some of the customers.

[Chocmad]

Ooooh - i frigging hate Clarkes...the first pair i bought in there for DS were so big that every time he tried to run at school he fell over, i tried again for DD and she had a little trot around the shop as you do and they were flipping off the back of her foot - the girl was all 'oh that's ok, shows they fit right'????? I had to demand a smaller size so that they'd actually fit her and they said i had to sign a disclaimer to say i'd gone against their advice??!! Bloody shoe nazis

[sherbetdipdab]

I was so disappointed in Clarkes when we got DS's first shoes last month, totally crap.

He can't wear them as they don't fit at all.

Will not be using them again. I got on better fitting him myself in Asda (bad Mummy I know!)

[bergentulip]

Just go to Clarke's to get the measurements. Say 'oh, hhhmm..., no, don't really like any of these, we'll keep looking',..... then go to another cheaper shop and buy some shoes there

[muggglewump]

The only time DD had fitted Clarkes shoes was the only time she had blisters and shoes that didn't fit!
I've never been back. They are way over my budget anyway but I feel no guilt at all for not having them

[piratecat]

I bought dd6 a pair of shoes form tesco yesterday. No they are not leather, but she loves them, they are comfy, and I am hoping they will do her from sept till it's maybe time to get some boots. They were £10, they have lights, they have hearts. They are not truly beautiful, but they have a good robust sole, and are very soft where you put your foot.

My dd is a nightmare to find shoes for, as she is very flat footed. She is a size 12 1/2 and alotof the girls's school shoes are far too modern in design, ie the sole is too narrow, or the heels are to high.

I have had the style prob with Clarks, feeling really annoying that they can't make a simple t-bar in any size higher than a toddler/tweenie's 9.

It's like is your child gets to age 5, and is more than a 9, they have to wear oafish, on trend styles.

I feel guilty, yes that they ar enot leather, but tbh she will spend 6 hrs a day in them, mainly sat on her arse in a class!!

The greatest thing is that she loves them!!!

[AbbaFan]

I would anywhere other than Clarks - hate them.

[SoupDragon]

Never had a problem with Clarkes.