Have Clark's children's shoes recently decreased in quality?

[Silversky70]

I just wanted to see of anyone else had a similar experience recently. My son has been wearing shoes from Clark's all his life. We usually manage about 1 pair per school year. We normally have to buy new ones due to his feet growing or the shoes wearing out on the outside due to daily use. This academic year the shoes are ok on the outside but have 2 holes cut out in the heel inside after only a few months. Somebody else said this had happened to them, so I just wanted to check if this was a wider problem.

I'm going to complain, and will probably stop shopping at Clark's as the quality has obviously changed. Where else can I shop?

They were crap when my teens were kids.

That's interesting. I just wondered if anyone had the same specific problem with the holes forming inside the heel on the inner sole.

Ds1's Geox shoes wore a 10psized hole in the heel of the insole. It not just Clarks.

I vowed last year to stop buying kids shoes from there. Absolutely awful. They looked terrible after a month. Bought from elsewhere half the price and they have lasted all year.

Apologies for the multiple posts. MN is being arsey.

Yes it is being a pain tonight, isn't it?

I agree. They were crap when 10yo DS was little.

Go to Russell & Bromley

I buy leather school shoes from Asda now. They're sturdier and only about £12. Clarks are good at measuring but not much else.

I got some boots for myself from them. The fake leather peeled away off the toes in weeks.

I had to take back DD's boots and DS's school shoes as they were falling apart within 3 months. Got him trainers as he was allowed them at school at the time and got her Ugg biker boots. Both pairs lasted substantially longer than Clarks

Yes definitely poor quality from Clark's now. Last time I bought a pair from there was two years ago, the strap broke after 4 months. Awful quality. I find George leather school shoes are the best quality.

For me they have but I have a daughter who doesn't like the new style of school shoes and wants the old styles back.

I've given up on Clarks.
In the space of two years they've incorrectly fitted dd twice, resulting in burst blisters.
Now they've stopped making girls sandals in over an F width. They tried to persuade me to just buy a sandal in half a size up. Dd was stood in sandals way too big and still too narrow.
I saw red. I've had many many many miserable years bra shopping in M&S before I discovered bravissimo, and I flash backed. It felt as though a shop was telling my dd a part of her wasn't fitting a perfect mould and she should make do.
I probably overreacted but I just find shops that stock start rite now.

Gah to Clarkes

I love their women's shoes. Amazing quality and styles. Well done. Even better in sales. But why are there wide fittings yet no narrow?

Men's shoes what the almighty fuck? They only make shoes for Grandads. They are appalling. They don't have a classic brogue even to match the ladies variety. It's all sick coloured suede and soft edged comfort soles.

Kids I gave up on a longtime ago. Young boys only available in dinosaur style.
DS has been in Geox Savage since YR - 5 years ago!. I simply buy the next size up whenever it goes below £40 on Amazon which is a good price for them.

My DD has a C/D width and they simply cannot cater for her. Even if we find a E width that might just do the job, they make it narrow across the toes width rather than the depth and they don't adjust the heel cup.
She also has been in the exact same startright shoe for eight long years poor girl. And their quality is also a big bag of shite. I've had three pairs replaced by the independent we go to. Now they put a leather insole in and half size her up for free as the quality of the insole is so poor.

C'est la vie sadly.

My DD has had school shoes from M&S this year, there were very cheap in a sale and have lasted amazingly! Admittedly her feet haven't grown but they still look new and she says they are very comfortable. I'll be looking there again in September.

DS's feet measure as H+ fitting on their tablet style measuring guide and an I fitting on the old fashioned measuring tool that has a strap....but guess what? They don't go wider than a H fitting.

I got 2 pairs for my sons years ago-both pairs lasted about 3 weeks (the doodles ones) in one sons case the whole sole fell off!
I went to next after that for boys shoes and Asda for my daughter

I’ve put DS1 in DMs. He chewed through three pairs of shoes in two terms - Clark’s, a startrite and some Asda ones. All equally shite. His last DM’s lasted a year - totally worth it.

My 2 boys both have clarks school shoes and they both have holes work in the insoles at the heel.

Bought the measuring guard from start rite and buy from them.

Just take them back to the shop, I've had two different pairs do that now one pair for my DD and for myself and they've exchanged them no problem

I have found exactly the same !! Weve just had to buy another pair but should the same happen again i wont go there , im not talking a little bit of wear the whole of the sole had a whole in it ! I expect better from clarkes