Clarks shoe fiasco

Sorry didn’t meant to quote op

Yep, and if no good after that, small claims court.

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-faulty-product-aTTEK2g0YuEy

It looks like she rolls outeard on her feet: side of her foot when she walks and that’s put pressure on one side of the shoe as the leather is thin and soft not structured and so it moves with her foot and this has come apart from the thin sole. I do this & have had similar issues with similar shoe but diff brand.

Even so, lots of people have different walking styles and feet & it’s expected that a Clark’s shoes has a level of quality.

Maybe mention uk consumer law & that no level of wear could be achieved in just over 4 weeks that could justify this (literal) tear.

Find the number of head office and put in an official complaint.

I have these for my 8yo. She is running, climbing, doing gymnastics in them and scraping her feet along and they have stood up well. I’d have thought as you’ve said an 11 year old in secondary won’t be as hard on them and if they can withstand the abuse my kid is throwing at them, they should not have fallen apart for yours.

DD's DMs lasted 5 months of school.

I bought myself Solovair boots - they are the former DM uk factory which the staff bought out , and still hand make boots there. I've worn them about 2/3 of the data for the last 2 years, still look new.

I had similar experience with Clarks a couple of years ago over a pair of kids wellies which split after 2 wears. The staff were really unhelpful, quibbled over a refund and I had to return another day to get it sorted. I ended up buying a pair from a cheap shop for about a third of the price which lasted for years instead.

Dd shoes last year from clarks sole came away like this. Dp glued it and the other one too when that went. We'd had simialr shoes before with no issues.

This reminds me of returning shoes to Camper (expensive) who said with horrified face "you didn't wear them often did you? They're not designed to be worn regularly"

I would complain to Clarks HO.

But as an aside, I have never bought less hardwearing school shoes for my DC than the expensive pair I bought from Clarks. They didn’t even last a term, despite costing £45.

I still buy Clarks because they fit DC1's wide feet but agree that the quality and customer service is shite.

In September I was almost glad to see that they had started selling school trainers M&S style hanging up by size without a box. Still took ten mins of waiting in an empty shop (I knew the size already) to pay.

Last year DH took DC2 to a different Clarks shop for new school shoes. Despite the fact that he has narrow feet (can wear an F, but might be better with an E) and was then a size 12 they insisted he was a 1G. Should have taken shoes back after he got blisters from his feet sliding around in them, but I just bought another pair online.

I don't buy kids shoes from Clarks anymore, I had the same experience as the OP only without a refund ☹️

Those shoes look absolutely thrashed for a month’s wear. Thats not normal wear and tear - they look like my DS (Clark’s) shoes after a year of wear and playing football every lunchtime

I had a refund on a pair of clarks with Ds they measured and fitted them and he had blister after two days.
Dd used a pair of Heavenly feet black shoes for the whole two years of 6th form and first year of uni.
these only hers were the old style

Now Consumer Rights Act 2015

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents

This and I would splash it all over social media too!

We didn't have this problem in primary school by the way when he wore shoes with velcro straps and they seemed more robust. He also walks 20 minutes each way now to school.

I want to get him DM for his next pair but they are so expensive.

They have ‘off-shored’ production too so it will be interesting to see if they have retained their quality…

Globalisation has outsourced lots of products to places where standards are not monitored so well. Clarks shoes used to be good (I was still wearing a pair of their boots 30 years after I bought them, at a discount, at their outlet in Street - which is where they used to make their shoes). Not sure about their children's shoes now.

I think Clarks are one of those brands that is continuing to trade on its historical reputation for quality. I used to buy work shoes from there frequently and they were always comfy and hard wearing, but the last couple I bought have been shoddy tbh. Dr Martens are similar, I treated myself to some a while ago having lived in them when I was younger - these were really uncomfortable and noticeably poorer quality (no corresponding reduction in price of course!)

Clarks told me that my winter boots shouldn't be waterproof!! They used to be brilliant but after 2 pairs of the kids shoes falling apart after weeks, I started using other shops. Clarks are a joke nowadays.

I typod earlier. I meant SALE of goods act.

Have a google. Quote in your letter to Clarkes.

YANBU OP.

But I agree that Clarks school shoes are overpriced, overrated shit, and have been for years.

Even the adult ones can be crap. Teen DD wears an adult pair at the moment (last resort!) that looks very similar to yours. Slightly more expensive than the school model but have lasted a year. HOWEVER, I had to exchange them after less than 2 months because the heel became so very worn. And I took the new ones straight to the cobbler to have them reheeled (so an Extra £8). Shocking heel block material quality, especially for the price. Cobbler agreed!

I wanted a refund but could not find the receipt, otherwise I would not have considered Clarks shoes again. DD had a pair 10 years ago and they were crap too back then.

DS is in year 9. Since he started high school we have had shoes from Clarks, M&S, Kickers, Sports direct (Kangol). All of them have come apart between the sole and the shoe. Some within a few months, some a little longer. I want to get him DM for his next pair but they are so expensive. At least they should last until he grows out of them though.
Any other recommendations for brands with stitched soles which go up to men's size 11 welcome though.

This happened to my DD's shoes last year, she had had them just short of 6 months (by like 1 or 2 weeks) and they gave me a brand new pair without an argument. They were £5 cheaper than the ones we had bought and I got a £5 refund. I would take it to their social media if I were you. Their policy is full exchange or refunds for faulty items within 6 months. The sole falling off is clearly a fault. https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/returns-policy