Aren't children's shoes supposed to be cheaper than adults' shoes?

[BalloonSlayer]

Clarks

DD wanted lace ups. She is size 5½

She tried on the kids ones here. She tried on the adults' ones here. She thought the adult ones were better quality and had thicker, more comfy soles.

Aren't they nearly identical?

So we got the adult ones. They were £39.99. The children's ones were £40.

Aren't the grown up shoes supposed to cost 20% more? I mentioned it to the girl on the till and got "ah ha ha ha."

AIBU to think WTF?

Yanbu!

I have the same problem, and you -and I! are definitely NBU! I am so bloody fed up with having to buy adults' shoes for a 12 year old boy, and adults' clothes too. Do the manufacturers believe that children only go up to age 10 OR 5 foot, and then disappear? My DS is wearing adult clothes. He may be taller then me but he is still only a child.

And now I feel all angry again...

I think that size 5 is the max size for "children's shoes and bigger sizes have VAT even if they are designed for school, however, the smaller children's sizes are the same price so it doesn't make sense.

No, Clarks do a range that go up to size 10 (Bootleg) and they are £40 a pair. Football boots £40 pair. Trainers, even more. Trousers £40 a pair.

Rage to one side, try Clarks outlets.

YANBU
It's ridiculous, I can, and on occasions do buy kids shoes, DD1 is a size and a half bigger and is pushed almost exclusively into adults.

(Lovely Jones do size 6 teen boots, still £48, but better than £80+ for adult long boots and you get more tree climbing teen friendly soles.)

And don't get me started on school uniform. I may wear kids trainers and sandals, but I don't want a jumper or a polo shirt emblazoned 'Soggy market town High school'

Since VAT starts at 34" DD1 has never had a senior school jumper or be shirt without it

Ifindclarkesrepulsive....shoes awful

I'd rather -well, I wouldn't wear them myself either.

I think some of you are missing the point a bit! I am not complaining that DD had to wear more expensive adult shoes at size 5½ AT ALL.

What I am saying is that Clarks sell a range of adults' shoes and a range of children's shoes that are virtually identical, except that the adult shoes seem to be better quality, which is why DD wanted them.

My point is that the adults' shoes are a penny cheaper!

Children's shoes are supposed to be VAT zero rated. If the adult shoes (including 20% VAT) are £39.99, then the children's shoes should be £33.33 by my calculations. Instead they are £40!

People have taken this one and run, haven't they?

In your case OP you have been caught by the other stupidity of shopping for children's shoes.

Because schools are so anal and ridiculous about school shoes, Clarks bave pretty much a monopoly.

Basically as a parent you know if you buy Clarks shoes, there will be 5 other pairs the same in every class. This means school dare not think if some petty rule for why they are wrong.

This insurance against the uniform police has to be paid for.

I have noticed this too. My DS is 9 and a 6.5 shoe. His shoes are suddenly cheaper (especially football boots) since moving into adult sizes and also a lot more to choose from. Strange I agree, but like you Minot complaining

Minot??? Where did that come from?! Should say I'm not!

It's Clark's. They are nasty rip off merchants. Any desire to care for children's feet was lost and replaced by the pure profit motive a long time ago.

My feet never quite made it to adult sizing but I usually upsize for width. I tried a pair of Clarks shoes a few years back but despite the extra bit of width, they were never particularly comfortable. My last pair of children's shoes are walking shoes that were comf, but wore out without major wear. Despite people's proclamations that I must be lucky not to hsve to pay VAT, there's usually little difference in price and childrens items tend to wear out significantly quicker so are a false economy. My 3 year old wears out of his Clarks shoes before he grows out of them. Unfortunately it is by far the most accessible shop.