To think Clarks lady was not bothered about fit and just wanted to sell some shoes?

[Tokyotwist]

I took 2 yr old dd into Clarks today for a new pair of trainers. She got measured as a 7F and I told the lady that she needed a pair wider than the old ones, because they are too narrow and she ends up with red marks all over her feet.

I picked a pair that looked very wide in front but unfortunately they didn't have them in her size. So instead the lady tries to sell me 4 pairs exactly like the ones I've just complained about.

According to her the style of the shoe doesn't matter, as she measures an F and the shoe was an F. They should fit. I again pointed out that the old ones were an F and didn't fit, but she wouldn't give it up and said no these would be fine as she has just measured dd and dd is definately an F .

AIBU to think she was talking a load of rubbish and the style does matter. And to be a bit irritated at the rather hard selling tactics?

And, can anyone recommend somewhere that does wide fit style trainers? Preferably not Clarks.

Our local Clarks is a little like this. Unfortunately it is worse on a Saturday as they seem to employ a lot of Saturday staff who don't appear very interested in the work. We are fortunate in that a few doors away is an independent shoe shop that sells Clarks AND Startrite and other brands. When our dcs were little we were often turned away if they didn't actually need new shoes and we had just gone for a measuring. :)

If you say vaguely where you are local mners might know of "local" options for you.

Alternatively go on the Clarks website and order some trainers to pick up instore (e.g. the wider looking ones that you mentioned).

I won't take my DD (now 3) into Clarks stores any more. They never have many shoes that fit her wide (G) feet and I always feel they just want us in/out/paying asap. I used a chain called "Clinks" (Charles Clinkard) now but they may only be in the North (don't know, I'm afraid).

My DD has had comfortable and well fitting shoes from Lelli Kelly, Geox, Umi and Start-Rite. I know Lelli Kelly are a bit of an acquired taste and quite expensive but they really do last very well and fit beautifully.

I use a chain called... Sorry!

I've seen Clinkard round here too (Midlands/Warwickshire) but can't remember exactly where.

Clarks seem to be very narrow fitting on the whole for children with slightly wider than average feet. My dd is an H but we failed to find a Clarks school shoe to fit.

Once when funds were tight we had excellent service and fairly good quality own brand shoes from Brantanno. The assistant was very helpful and thorough with measuring/checking.

Go to an independent shoe shop. Clarks are rubbish ime. Where abouts are you?

It's certainly not chain policy to insist that what she measures fits - because my DC nearly always come out wearing a different width fitting to the measurement.

In fact, this very afternoon one DC has come away with shoes half a size bigger than measured, and the others are both a width fitting bigger.

Maybe you got such poor service because they're rushed off their feet with the start of term?

I once took a pair of shoes back because they kept falling off DS2's feet. I was forever running over them with the pushchair! I complained in a more local high street store that the retail park branch I'd bought them in, and they did seem used to the feedback, and replaced DS2's shoes with a narrower pair without much question. Clarks aren't all bad!

Start-Rite are much better at fitting than Clarks IMO. I agree that Clarks assistants often just want to sell you the shoes even if the fit isn't very good.

This is why I fit DD's shoes myself with the help of a measurer thingy I bought online.
I buy at Asda or Shoezone.
It saves me a fortune.

The only time DD ever had blisters was the only time I bought from Clarks.

Never again.

Have had this problem with Clarks in the past with DD. They didn't have boots that fit her last year but were determined, saying that boots are always wide and nowhere else would get us much difference. We left and did successfully buy elsewhere Not the first bad experience with them sadly.

We normally only use our local independent children's shoe shop for fitted shoes these days. Had such a better experience.

Never been able to get shoes for DD3 in Clarks; as she has wide feet G?H. So now measure in shop and then go onto website. You can order upto so many pairs to pick up in shop. Then choose ones that fit best. There is more choice this way.
Also Startrite site good and has fitting instructions to measure yourself.
Is difficult with 2 year old, as there feet/bones more fragile ie good fit essental imo and often they not very co=operative

Just got shoes for DS in Clarks, 6G and to be fair the assistant took her time fitting them and making sure he was comfortable in them.

Agree that its better to go midweek rather than weekend if you can.

We've had this problem with Clarks, DS is 8G with a high instep - so none of their shoes fit. Today they just suggested going up a size or two, resulting in his having what look like canoes on his feet. No we didn't buy from them. A friend has suggested Startrite to me and also Geox. We're planning on trying these.

The advantage with Charles Clinkhard (Belle you were kinda ok, they open in towns by buying independent stores is that they stock many different brands and are trained to fit them. My ds has never really been a clarks boy it is always a struggle to fit them.

A particular point is insoles, as a example of policy, if they are required to fit the shoe. Clarks charge for them, CC don't.

I just go get DS measured in clarks, then go to a website that has normally expensive shoes sold cheaply online - shoesforkids I think it's called. I just typed in his size that clarks gave me and presto! I bought 3 pair of shoes (one clarks, one "buckle my shoe" and one pair crocs) for a total less than just 1 pair cost at clarks! :)

I've just looked at that website starexpat and it looks fab...just wondered if you've ever had to return shoes to them and if it was a painless experience?

DD1 has high instep and it is hassle to buy boots...
twins have teeny fit which seem to shrink and grow depending on what time of day it is!

OP sorry for the hijack....

@mugglewump - can you remember where you got the measurer from?

@StarExpat - oooh great tip, just had a look! :)

I tried Clarks again last month after not bothering for the last three years. The fit was dreadful and the quality very poor. Ended up going to my usual independent and paid £6 more for a well-made properly-fitted pair of shoes for ds.

Foot measuring gauges are just a starting point and you can find that although a foot may measure as a G or an F that a different width may work perfectly well due to a number of factors.

The way a shoe fastens, the depth, overall volume and even the material it's made from can have an effect on fitting. The most versatile for fitting purposes is usually a double velcro and the most difficult to fit tend to be those with elasticated straps over the front.

A good fitter will talk you through what they are looking for, what they can see and feel and explain why a shoe does or does not fit.

As lots of posters here have said an independent will stock a few different brands, all of which will have different fits so you are more likely to find something that works than at a Clarks shop which only stocks Clarks products.

Poorbuthappy yes feet do change size slightly depending on the time of day - they usually measure slightly smaller in the morning than in the afternoon.

In our local Clarks shop they have this machine that dcs stand on and it tells the assistant the shoe size and fitting. For the first time in his life ds had both feet measuring the same (one is half a size different). I was amazed but less so when the assistant got those size shoes and tried to squeeze ds's feet into them.

poorbuthappy yes returns are painless and they will exchange or refund as necessary. I've only had to do it one time and only because I decided he didn't need another extra pair. They are great. You can also link to another partner site from that one and it's just as cheap/good. I searched by size so was easy to find shoes and look at the shape...etc.

Clarks do a fab job measuring then I always get the glare when I say "no thanks, I don't need shoes today. I just wanted to have him measured. Thank you!" :)

Those automatic fitting machines are notorious for giving incorrect measurements. The tiniest movement will throw the result out.

There is no substitute for using your eyes and your hands and your common sense as a shoe fitter.

Once you've been a shoe fitter for any length of time you can judge a fitting width fairly accurately from sight. That comes in very useful when you get the children now and again who resolutely refuse to stand still long enough to be measured.

My local Clarks are brilliant - probably why theres always a queue.

DS is 11.5 G with a very high instep and 2 'deformed toes' that cross - meaning he is heavy on the front. Young assistant this time especially took the time to find good shoes that fitted and even told me if he doesn't wear them outside they would change them after the poediatry apt Thursday and check fit if he's given insoles or toe splints etc.

The thing that REALLY bugs me is that they have a person logging how fast people are served and how many are served etc and I always thinkif that person served it would be quicker

oh and starexpat are you on commision that website is fab good advice

poorbuthappy they are good for returns , i asked for refund of ds poorly made startrite school shoes last year , they refunded without return / looking at shoes.
sadly nothing suitable for school this time round.