Take shoes back to Clarkes or not?

[ragged]

I special orderd these shoes into the nearest branch of Clarkes. DS like them and we bought them on 22 July. He's worn them most days since.

16 August we find there's a V-shaped rip in the side of them, each side of the V is about an inch long. DS probably made the rip whilst out clamboring over straw bales and pushing thru hedges and bushes on the heath with his mates.

That's less than a month of use -- other than the rip they still look quite good, I could flog them on Ebay but for the rip.

Complication is: I paid cash and can't find a receipt, but they are this year's model and they might have a record of me special ordering them in, or would it be unreasonable of me to expect Clarkes to believe I bought the shoes at that branch? Am I being unreasonable to expect a shoe like that (obviously not leather) to take the abuse DS gave it?

Should I ask Clarkes to replace/exchange them?

WWYD?

TIA :).

I would ask them to exchange or refund! They charge enough and I expect good quality from their shoes!

So U don't think I'm being cheeky to ask, especially without a receipt?

I would ring them first tbh and explain situation stating you expect them to last longer etc....

Clarks are not exactly cheap (spent a small fortune there today for DS's school shoes ) and they should last longer than a month IMO.

I took a pair back that had split after about 8 weeks and got an exchage. I did have a receipt but I'd definately had them longer than yours.

I don't think it is cheeky to expect shoes not to fall to pieces after a month. After all, they get away with those prices on the basis that you are purchasing a quality product.

yes, definitely take them back

is there any creasing on them at all? only a v shaped rip might be from the leather folding, because it's a coated leather they're sometimes more brittle than a soft uncoated type and could have split where they're creasing

does that make sense?

sorry, used to work for clarks and have seen it happen before! you ought to be able to get a replacement easily

Thanks, that's great, okay, will ring today (am phobic about phone calls and demanding consumer rights, but I will ring!).
Can't see obvious creasing on them.

If we'd had them >= 4 months I'd leave it, tbh, especially as it's 17 miles to the shop, but we happen to need to go there tomorrow, anyway.

Update: they were fine about exchanging the shoes without receipt (said they never had seen anything like it).
Of course, I found both the receipt and original box the same evening we came back from the shop, didn't I!? :).