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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:

TheSkiingGardener · 24/02/2013 06:36

Clarks are complete and utter shite in my opinion. The shoes are mediocre quality which they drastically over barge for and the customer service is appaling. They also seem to expect you to fall over in gratitude if they deign to actually have a shoe in the shop that fits DS. Never mind that its a horrible shoe, it was the only one they had in his size so we obviously HAD to buy it.

I just said no and we went up the road to the decent shoe fitters instead.

OutsideOverThere · 24/02/2013 06:41

I'm sorry but I've also found Clarks shoes to be awful quality, in general. One pair I got ds1 last year lasted one week before going through at the toe.

I was amazed.

Ds2 just grew out of some rubbish Jack Nano ones I got reduced (only ever buy reduced in Clarks) and the rubber tips have completely detached from the leather...

I got ds1 some start rite ones, about 6 months ago and they are BRILLIANT - still going strong and he is your original wild child, he destroys everything he meets - these have survived.

So I refuse to use Clarks now unless it's a pair of sale ones and even then they have to be cheap or I won't do it.

They were good on exchanging once without a receipt when the size was obviously way off - they said their shoes do vary in size even if they're labelled the same. Makes a mockery of their fitting service really doesn't it?

wigglesrock · 24/02/2013 06:53

I used Clarks shoes for my first 2 daughters - they were really good, good quality, lasted well etc. I went 2 years ago to get dd 1 school shoes - the service was dreadful, the styles really limited, I just went to M&S. Dd 3 got her first shoes from Clarks - my Mum buys them (it's a thing ) again didn't last a crack. I went to Mothercare in a panic and bought her a pair of £12 shoes - they have been brilliant and she is "very hard on shoes"

PessaryPam · 24/02/2013 09:28

Just a vote for M&S here too, but I am going back 15ish years here.

steppemum · 24/02/2013 09:33

But if your child has a very narrow foot (ds) or a very wide foot (dd1) then you have to buy from a shop that sells narrow and wide sizes.

Most cheap shops don't and clarks are the only ones that fit ds.
He is now in adult sizes, but not many adult shoes have an extra narrow fitting

I assume that shoes need to be polished with polish (not kidscuff) once a week. My ds plays football on a tarmac playground and his lasted til he grew out of them, about 8 months.

alemci · 24/02/2013 13:23

yes, M&S or other retailers are probably fine if your DC has average width feet but both my dd had narrow feet as I do and it was hard enough finding narrow shoes in Clarks or Startrite. The shoes were always good but this was 15-20 years ago so things may have changed.

what always makes me laugh is the big fuss made about buying properly fitted shoes as children but adults are not catered for in the same way and most shoes don't stay on my feet.

tallulah · 24/02/2013 14:37

yes alemci, almost as if all feet morph into standard widths once you are an adult.

alemci · 24/02/2013 16:10

definitely Tallulah :) My mum has narrow feet too and you used to be able to buy different width shoes in most shops. I have to buy shoes with straps or boots. I can be lucky occasionally. sandals are easier.

there are companies that make narrow shoes but they are a)expensive and mostly mail order and b) often frumpy

Kubrown · 29/01/2015 19:09

I work for Clarks and that's really appalling that they didn't offer you something. In my experience of customer returns we would at least use our store use polishes to clean up the shoes to see if that helped and tell you which polish/cleaner is best for the shoes. I wear bootleg girls shoes as work shoes (tiny feet) and I've had two pairs that have lasted 2 and 3 years. I find in my own experience that our shoes are hard wearing but some kids are definitely tougher on them than others.

HotSquashedBun · 29/01/2015 20:48

I buy Clarks in the sale if I can but I find them excellent. I have a measuring gauge at home and order online after too many poor fittings from the supposedly trained staff. They've never scuffed, last ages (my kids take about 6-8 months to outgrow shoes) and still look great when they've been outgrown.
I bought startrite once for ds1 and they were terrible in comparison, really thin soles and the velcro strap got all worn.
I do have two boys though, boys shoes in general tend to look more substantial and hardwearing.

AliceLidl · 29/01/2015 20:50

This is a two year old zombie thread but it was also terrible customer service

KierkegaardGroupie · 29/01/2015 20:53

Clarks was bought by a us company I thought..maybe that changed things. They used to be the best.

MrsTawdry · 29/01/2015 21:08

I buy my DD patent shoes from Clarks now and paint them with patent paint when they scuff. It looks great.

JumpingJetFlash · 30/01/2015 12:49

Although this is zombie thread - if you have a Clinkards I highly recommend them. They do stock Clarks but also Startrite and Hush Puppy (& the forbidden Lelli Kelly's lol). I've used 3 branches and had great service in all and they usually take time to make sure shoes fit my pain in the backside daughters odd feet - something that Clarks don't always give the impression of.

Blueundies · 30/01/2015 13:08

Clarks told me they swop within 3 mths. The girls shoes do scuff like mad. I only get patent. I now actually buy M&S - they have been great

tobysmum77 · 30/01/2015 13:17

hush puppies - would never buy those again dd had a pair for school and they were destroyed in no time.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 30/01/2015 13:30

We bought some awful shoes from Clarks, scuffed and looked dirty within weeks. I think it was the mix of style and materials (creamy coloured leather with little purple print flowers).

I now buy M&S shoes as they're much cheaper and last just as long. My mum buys DD her school shoes from Clarks though and I've been happy with these, they seem to last fine and I wonder if the black colour hides quite a few scuffs! Plus they're easy to clean with a variety of products as they're black and we do use the shoe protector stuff on them too.

My plan is to get a foot measuring guide for use at home, otherwise I end up in Clarks or John Lewis getting DD's feet measured to buy shoes elsewhere (and feel a bit guilty about it)

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