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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be fuming at Clarks

67 replies

Twotinygirls · 23/02/2013 19:48

Hi. I'm not a regular poster but I need opinions on this please I bought my DD (4) some Clarks shoes on the 30th Jan. they are the usual kind of leather Mary Jane type of shoe. They now, 3ish weeks later look terrible, old, scuffed all along the fronts, the tread is almost worn totally away on the bottoms. To spend £32 on kids shoes is not easy for us at the moment so I'm so cross that these new shoes look so scruffy and old in such a short time. I emailed pics to their customer services to be told to go to the shop. Which I did today, dragging two dds in freezing cold into town. I explained my disappointment in the shoes to the sales girl, she just seemed concerned in checking the shoes still fit, which they do. Then said I just need to polish them. I pointed out that the leather is scuffed off and the tread had gone and she said its just how my DD has been wearing them. (On her feet????) she took them out to her manager, and came back saying there is nothing they can do and the shoes are only supposed to last 8 weeks since kids feet grow so fast, and to buy some polish. So AIBU to be disgusted at the poor quality of these shoes and demand a refund or swap or should I just expect that kids shoes don't last long?

OP posts:

Pourquoimoi · 23/02/2013 20:26

I have got 50% off a replacement pair of Clark's shoes twice recently as they had worn unacceptably and still fitted DSs (one pair each). In both cases the seams had worn (and split) but the boys measured the same size as the original shoes so we got exact replicas at half price. The half price was to recognise the wear we had had, in one case 5 months of everyday wear.

The problem is that some clarks shops are franchises and the franchisee may have different approaches. That said, the two separate 50% off were offered at different stores round here but only after in both cases I had asked about whether the wear was 'acceptable'. I didn't need to push for it though.

I still object to paying £40 for kids shoes when I don't always pay that for mine though.

Original poster

Twotinygirls · 23/02/2013 20:26

Thanks Gooseenthusiast I'm on the south coast in Worthing, she was so unhelpful, not rude just not interested. The tread going is generally all over and mainly on the heel, could this be how she is walking?

OP posts:

IneedAgoldenNickname · 23/02/2013 20:27

I've never had a problem with clarks, both my boys can have the same pair for a year provided their feet don't grow.

I was never allowed patent shoes as a child as Mum said they scuffed easier, have shoes changed or was my Mum mean?

GooseEnthusiast · 23/02/2013 20:30

If its all over I'd say its more likely the shoe than the way she's walking. I'd definitely push for a refund if I was you. When you call or email customer service tell them you intend to take your future custom for both of your children elsewhere and I can just about guarantee you a refund. Our policy is if we think that we could lose the person complaining as a future customer, we give them a refund

apostropheuse · 23/02/2013 20:34

I think maybe your mum didn't like patent shoes Indeed

My three girls all wore them and they definitely didn't scuff as badly.

My grandaughters now wear patent shoes rather than the other type as they keep nicer much longer.

Startail · 23/02/2013 20:37

Some clarks shoes are definitely better than others.

One September the choice was awful and 1/2 the girls in DD2's class had the same ones as her and they all looked worn out after 2 weeks.

Other times a bit of polish and the look ok again.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 23/02/2013 20:46

We weren't allowed patent shoes at school as we were told they let boys see up your skirt.

apostropheuse · 23/02/2013 20:50

ohyoubadkitten I love that!

I'm surprised my granny didn't tell me something like that.

Romann · 23/02/2013 20:54

Buy their shoes from Boden. I bought some Chelsea boots for ds. The stitching on the side of the elastic came away. I emailed to tell them and they refunded my credit card on the same day without even seeing the boots. Fantastic service.

alemci · 23/02/2013 21:00

I think though you need to try childrens' shoes on to check the fit and the width so I mostly bought my dcs shoes from Clarks or Startrite. Startrite seemed to fit better and be superior quality to Clarks.

bumperella · 23/02/2013 21:47

I'm not a huge fan of Clarks kids shoes, or of the shopping "experience" there - some assistants are good, some seem incapable of much. They do seem to fall apart pretty quickly (stitching coming away, tread worn down, etc). Like you I resent spending £32 on shoes that don't seem to be designed to last. If you bought them on 30 Jan then tehy've not lasted the stated 8 weeks anyway. I'd go back, speak to the manager, and explain that the Sale Of Goods act specifies goods should last a "reasonable" period of time and that those shoes haven't.

Youbadkitten, my gran used to say that! She was from Chorley though....

D0oinMeCleanin · 23/02/2013 21:55

I found Clarks to be very poor quality the last two times we bought them. We don't go there anymore. The last pair lasted about three weeks. Hush Puppies faired better, but still only lasted a few months. I have relented and bought Leli Kelly now Apparently they are indestructible. Three weeks in and they're scuff free and not worn at all on the soles.

tallulah · 23/02/2013 22:01

My DD once grew out of a pair of clarks in about 3 weeks and I got the next pair free

I think your mistake was taking them back on a Saturday. I try to get children's shoes after school so that we get the FT staff and not the Saturday girls.

Like others have said, shoes scuff, so I would focus on the tread which should not have worn out so quickly, however your DD walks.

LunaticFringe · 23/02/2013 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Paribus · 23/02/2013 22:08

Try UMI from amazon- recommended by American orthopedic society, great leather inside and outside, very nice designs. I've been buying them for DC for 4 years now and wish they made adult shoes!

ThePathanKhansAmnesiac · 23/02/2013 22:12

I posted about Clarkes a little while back.y mum took my dd and bought her a pair of school shoes, they left blisters on the instep of her feet.
I took them back, and asked for a refund. Just no way would the Manager refund.
The style of shoe didn,t suit dd feet, wtf?
That,s why my mum went to Clarkes, the childrens fitting specialist, bah!, complete overpriced tat.

dayshiftdoris · 24/02/2013 00:11

Look at the Clarks website as they welcome reviews and it might just show that there is an issue with the shoe.

I had this - only they lasted ONE wear... had the shoes less than a week and he wore them for a wedding. Had a similar response to you but in addition a member of staff said to her colleague in front of me and another customer that 'There was NO WAY he's worn them once'
So I stated LOUDLY (but not shouting) that I had bought them six days ago as proved on my receipt and as such if he had them on his feet EVERY day i would still expect less wear and in addition if they cared to go their own website they would see that 10 other customers had had the same issue and NO it was not the way he walks because he has a pair of clarks casual shoes on that he's had for 6 months without a scuff.
Oh and if you are going to basically call me a liar then its a good practice to be out of earshot of the customer

Then I just stood there... the place was rammed with back to school customers... one woman told them she had changed her mind about buying the shoes as they were same style I was bringing back and another who had been stood next to the sale assistant when she had commented about me left the store completely.

I got a refund... the manager started to get defensive but I asked what the issue was... it was a faulty product, it happens and as a customer I accept that a brand is not perfect all the time. Had her sale assistant not been rude I would have exchanged the shoe for another style...

Your shoes OP sound faulty to me... the 6-8week rule is recommended by trading standards to and you are well in that. I would go back and insist...

blondieminx · 24/02/2013 00:24

Some shoes at Clarks definitely wear a lot less well than others, DD has these and they scuff terribly, polishing them up only helps for a day if that. Never had a pair if shoes like it from Clarks

pigletmania · 24/02/2013 00:30

It seems as thugh girls shoes are more flimsy than boys, the boys ones look quite hard wearing

steppemum · 24/02/2013 00:30

when ds shoes fell to pieces (stitches on top worn through so shoe fell open) after 1 month I took them back to the shop. it was Brantano, I said I thought children's shoes should last more than 1 month, and they immediately agreed and replaced them.

So worn soles shouldn't happen, but worn leather is a difficult one. My dd can trash a new pair of shoes on her scooter or bike if she drags her toe, which is absolutely not the fault of the shoes, they aren't designed to be dragged along tarmac at speed. And the shop can't tell, so the leather is a difficult one.

steppemum · 24/02/2013 00:33

to be fair my dcs all have clarks school shoes and they have all worn well (now I have taught dd not to drag her feet on bike)
There aren't many brands that do the full range of widths, and so they fit properly. dd1 and ds wore theirs for 8 months last year

steppemum · 24/02/2013 00:37

I am amazed at all the people who can buy their kids shoes on-line. We usually need to try on 2, 3, 4 even 5 pairs to find one which is a proper fit. How on earth do you do that on-line?

Airwalk79 · 24/02/2013 01:08

We got new Clarks school shoes at Christmas.
They are crap,the sales girl brought the ones out with the shitty toy in, when I had specifically asked her not to. They are all scuffed and going to be unwearable soon.
will not be buying again.

Ericaequites · 24/02/2013 02:43

If possible, buy your daughters shoes meant for boys. Clothes and shoes meant for boys are made better. At school, I wore Docksiders boat shoes from the boys department, as we had to have brown tie shoes with low heels and flexible soles. They had to be polished every week or so, but lasted a long time.

Gingerodgers · 24/02/2013 05:50

I moved to nz and utterly despaired at the lack of clarks fitters for children. 7 years later I just realise they are the f..... Shoe police. I laugh now at all the nonsense I believed. I'd say.... Buy cheaper shoes, gawd, if they are only meant to last 8 weeks, it won't make much difference!

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