to think that just because you can, doesn't mean you should?

[bored1602]

I work in the shoe department of a big department store, selling fitted school shoes and the like. We definitely have a generous exchange policy almost to a fault

Today I returned my fourth pair of school shoes this week which were purchased last August/September. Of course if it were my call I'd say no but it's the manager's decision and she'd rather give people what they want rather than have them making a fuss and causing a scene. The ones I returned today, the decorative bow had fallen off the front - something I'm sure my mum would've just glued back on back in the day and I'd have thought nothing of it.

Now I'm all for school shoes lasting - and if you're spending £30 on them I'd be horrified if they did less than 6 months, but 10 months of wear is certainly a reasonable amount of time to expect from a pair of school shoes if you ask me! I wouldn't expect my work shoes to do any more than that! Especially if the return is for something silly rather than effecting the integrity of the whole shoe.

Of course getting something for nothing from a big company seems a little victimless, but those returns eat into our store's sales, and if our store can't make its targets, it's the employees who face the cut in hours.

Am I the only one that thinks that just because you CAN get a refund, doesn't mean you should?

Of course when I went to run the refund through today, the lady handed me a big load of stapled together receipts, showing that the shoes she was returning has also been purchased from an exchange from a 'faulty' pair - when does it end?!

I hope you replace them with the same size, unless she has a lot of children surely they'll outgrow them soon?

Sounds like she is getting free upgrades.

There's only 3 weeks to go until the end of term! Surely she could superglue the how back on for a couple of weeks?!
YANBU

Fumnudge we'll usually only replace with the same size or give half the value back towards a pair in a bigger size - but as she made a fuss my manager agreed to a pair half a size up.

CalleighDoodle my problem exactly - if they're falling apart after 6 months fair enough, but surely you expect to replace them every school year anyway?

BlueBananas I'm sure my mum would've sent us in a cheap pair from asda for the last couple of weeks if the bow was a big problem. Seems like someone just trying get next year's pair for nothing.

I would be fuming at your manager, how frustrating for you.

Fumnudge The company values keeping loyal customers (as they should) so I suppose the generous attitude is inkeeping with that, but she's not a 'customer' at all if all she does is take the free pairs. All they're doing is encouraging it!

(Of course it's nothing to do with the fact that she'd much rather not deal with a rude customer 15 mins before closing on a Sunday)

bored I actually did that last year, DS's shoes fell apart with about 2&1/2 weeks left, so he wore black pumps for the last few weeks, wouldn't have even crossed my mind to try to get them replaced after we'd got pretty much a full school year out of them! Cheeky mare!

...and those shoes were actually unwearable (his toe was poking out!) they weren't just not as pretty anymore with a bow missing !

Yanbu,

I used to work in a shop and you wouldn't believe what people would try. We sold quite upmarket clothes and dresses, every day we would get some silly cow coming in trying to return a dress she had obviously worn a couple.of times (tucked the tag in the back or something) and now wanted a full refund for it because she 'changed her mind'

My friend also worked in an upmarket kids clothes shop and she has parents trying to return baby clothes saying they had picked up 'the wrong size' the needed the size above. What had happened is their newborn baby had outgrown the outfit and they just wanted a free upgrade to the 3-6 months size!

My 3 DSs have had at least 12 pairs of shoes between them this year alone.
The last pair I bought for DS1 was bought on April 6th (Easter Monday- I was surprised the shoe shop was open, which is why I remember the date!). Last weekend I had to do a mercy dash to buy him a new pair as his toes had totally worn through the sole. I never thought to take them back, but maybe after only two months I should have done.

Which shop do you work at, OP? Since their returns policy is so good, I want to buy our school shoes from there from now on, just in case! Is it a shop where the staff are all shareholders by any chance?

BlueBananas I'd have done the same! Of course it's absolutely nothing to do with being unable to wear them and everything to do with wanting to nab a new pair for next year before its too late.

In fact I've seen pairs before where they've without a doubt been cut with scissors / things been pulled off on purpose / given to the dog (true story) just to get the 50% back because they need a new size. So frustrating!

amistillsexy I daren't tell you the name in case a get a bollocking 'word from the manager', but it's a concession of the big one you're probably guessing it is. No we aren't shareholders, but their hiring is brilliant - I've never worked with anyone who doesn't genuinely want to do a good job and keep their customers happy. I'd be mortified to think that anybody left my store feeling a bit put off.

PS they really ought to last more than 2 months and definitely grounds for an exchange!!

I should have returned them for an exchange, but I never considered it, TBH...I just threw them away and bought some more!

From September, I'm buying from big stores and keeping receipts/records of when I bought stuff, so I can return stuff that doesn't last

[completely misses point of thread and turns into type of person OP was complaining about ]

amistillsexy haha not at all, I'm all for things lasting as long as they should, it's just the 'make a fuss and get something for nothing' mentality I have an issue with.

Can't believe they would exchange this! I was delighted to get an exchange for the school shoes that lasted less than a month, but what a p*take!
Very annoyed as an honest customer that we are subsidising these cheeky grabby parents and I am sure most of your other customers would be too.

omg I actually can't believe the cheek of these people! Your manager really needs to sort this our or you are going to lose out on so much money. She should at the very least insist it's the same size. I would also say a 3 month limit. then maybe 3 -6 months they get 50% back (or same size pair) . I feel sorry for you having to deal with people like that . I won't say the name but am I right in thinking it begins rhymes with marks ?

No sorry, I reckon it's not the customers' place to understand what harms your business. If giving refunds harms the business/employees then direct your anger to the company setting the policy rather than customers.

I did once return a pair to Clarks after 6m. Actually, I didn't really expect to return them, I just asked "is this supposed to happen?" and they replaced them. Also insisted on measuring DS and fitting the new shoes so we got the next size up too.

I wouldn't have made a fuss if they'd said no because I wasn't entirely sure I was being reasonable. I wouldn't have done it in the last few weeks of term with the shoes likely to be replaced for the new school year though.

There's a reason there's only really one name in school shoes though. They've been giving service like this for generations, so it's clearly not bad for business. Even though some people here don't seem to like them, I find them excellent value for money and service second to none. (in 12 years of buying school shoes for 2 Dc that's the only pair that didn't last a year, or get out grown first)

My daughters lelli kellys lasted a lotnlonger than the clarks of the other girls in her class. Can really tell the difference. But yes i always find clarks service good.

I should hope they did for what they cost!