To think this is dam cheeky of Clark’s shoes

[Lilylay]

We there yesterday to get Ds measures for school shoes and buy some. We have not got a lot of money but I have e put some aside to get DS these shoes as we have found Clark’s last longer so are better value in the long run.
When we got there the women came over the measure Ds feet and also asked him to tap his favourite colour on the screen. He got measure and we picked out some shoes
When the women came back with the right size she had three other boxes with her and took out the school shoes and put them on Ds. We were happy and said we were having them.
She then turned to Ds and says look at these wonderful green trainers and if your mummy and daddy get you these as well as your new school shoes they will get 20% off the trainers.

Now lucky for us we had just been in sports direct and get DS some trainers from there so Ds just say “I have got some new ones thank”
I am not at all happy with the selling technique and say to the women that I know she will a been asked to do this by her boss but could she feed back Clark’s have now lost a sale due to this tactic. We walked out and I have ordered some shoes online that have good reviews and are guaranteed for a year.
Incidentally there was a child having meltdown but his mum was saying she could not afford the trainers. The mum looked so upset.
AIBU to think this is not one at all

They would because it's cheaper to buy online.

I've never noticed Clarks website showing cheaper prices than in their stores. The reason I buy online is because our local Clarks stores never have the shoes we want in stock.

When i was younger (fresh out of uni) i worked as a stockbroker so sales was the name of the game. We constantly went over approaches, how to rebut EVERY objection, how to try at least 3 times over an objection, etc. I could never get comfortable with it and eventually moved into the operations part of the process (which was what i had always wanted), so I understand the pressure an employee could be under from their management to at least go through the motions. That being said, I can't imagine anyone thinking that approaching a child like that was even close to ethical! I appreciate that you worded your objection in a way that let her know you weren't necessarily blaming her for doing her job, but glad you were able to walk out and make a statement they'd understand!. Well done.

I've never noticed Clarks website showing cheaper prices than in their stores. The reason I buy online is because our local Clarks stores never have the shoes we want in stock.

People will get their shoes measured in Clarks and then buy online at a site other than Clarkes though and someone above mentioned ebay.

CLARKS IS A FRANCHISE

Yes I know that without you shouting. But if franchisees are following Clark's directive or going against it and damaging the brand its still an issue for Clark's as the brand holder.

Complain locally by all means but the odds are the staff have been trained by the franchisee to behave in this way and its the brand which is damaged as you can see clearly from this thread.

People will get their shoes measured in Clarks and then buy online at a site other than Clarkes though and someone above mentioned ebay.

They've always messed up measuring my kids' feet. Last time I went there they didn't know how to convert from European to UK sizes.

Shoe Zone (discount shop) has a foot measuring thing that you can use yourself in the shop.

Why I use their online measurements to buy shoes: download their measuring paper or trace around your children's feet on a piece of paper, measure length in cm, look at chart, buy shoes. I have been 100% successful with this technique for 3 children for a number of years for school shoes.

Plus you can get Clark's cheaper in other stores frequently: got my DD's pair from John Lewis last week online ... the Clarks school shoes she wanted on a price-matching sale. And free delivery. She is very happy.

I wouldn't say it was necessarily the salesgirl's fault. Years and years ago, when I was still at school, a friend was working for a shoe shop (I think Freeman Hardy Willis but not sure) and even then they were pushed to add extras onto the sale - boot trees, shoe trees, leather protector, suede brushes, anything - or their pay would be affected. The performance of the store overall relied on these extra sales as well, so the managers would make the sales staff push these extra products. It made for a very uncomfortable shopping experience!

Sounds like things have barely changed but it's a low trick involving the children :(

People will get their shoes measured in Clarks and then buy online

Reason I stopped going was they suddenly couldn't measure feet.

I bought a gauge - like ones they used to use in shops- it measures in cm length and width which you then convert to shoes size.

Though I also look at the guides on the sites, their current shoes sizes and reviews just in case some sizes come up small. I've only had to send one pair back and it was less hassle than I thought it would be.

shoe gauge

Completely beside the point but we have bought m and S school shoes for my DS the last 2 years and I've been really impressedwith the quality. They lasted the whole year each time
FWIW i think thats a really sneaky and underhand tactic to address children when trying to make an extra sale but like you say maybe they are encouraged to do that.

It’s not acceptable sales behaviour to try and get the child to persuade the parents they need trainers in that way

I do wonder if it’s because Clark’s are in a bad way.

www.mirror.co.uk/money/clarks-shoes-closing-last-uk-14085896

Wow, I must be the only one having had a nice experience buying school shoes at my local Clark’s (Worcester) last week. Walked in, took a ticket, got given a voucher for 20%off adult shoes, waited our turn. Assistant measured the feet, we tried the shoes on, went up another half size for comfort and then went to pay. No mention of trainers or any kind of up-selling. The place was heaving but we were still in and out of there within half an hour at 10.00am.

We have gone for treads online

Last time we used Clarks, we had selected the shoes we wanted (was for DS school so at least 10 years ago) and I asked for some spare laces to be told they didn't sell them (not that they were out of stock. They didn't sell them).

In fact to be accurate, that wasn't the last time we used Clarks, as we left the shoes there (apparently you can't do that ). We then discovered that Tescos (at the time) did quite a good range that allowed us to buy two pairs - which for a 13 year old boy seemed a Good Idea.

I usually pop in when it's quiet to have my dd measured at the start of the hols then order the style we want online from Very or Next.

This, and other similar posts, is breathtakingly wrong and selfish.

Clarks is not a public service; it is a business. If you intend to buy from its competitors, don't use the labor from another store to subsidize the lower cost of your shoes elsewhere. That labor cost is baked into the higher price of a Clarks shoe.

It's a huge problem with bookstores across the country: people come in, browse, read the staff recommendations, and then go buy the book on Amazon. It's one of the reason brick and mortar bookstores close: they're subsidizing Amazon with their labor.

If you absolutely need a cheaper shoe, I understand entirely. Next has a very good measure-at-home guide and you can buy and return.

I agree that Clarks' sales technique is outrageous.

I also think that posters who go into Clarks to get measured and then go online to buy their shoes from another, cheaper competitor are killing the high street.

Just had a look at Treads, they seem interesting.

What's the fit like on them? I notice everything has a "range", eg 6.5-7. Does that mean if your feet are 7 they'd be a bit on the small side?

@DGRossetti
I asked for some spare laces to be told they didn't sell them (not that they were out of stock. They didn't sell them)

Where does the expectation come from that Clarks or indeed any shoe shop HAS to sell laces???.
You are being very unreasonable.
Buy your laces at Wilko.

Where does the expectation come from that Clarks or indeed any shoe shop HAS to sell laces???

Its a shoe shop. Shoe shine, polish, laces are pretty standard upsells at the till in every shoeshop I've ever used.

They did this to my DS yesterday when my husband took him for school shoes. My DS cried all the way home because he couldn't have the dinosaur trainers...it's appalling!

was it a clarks concession though - most of them are so its an indiv shop owner using upselling techniques rather than clarks per se

I'd have said something like unfortunately minors are unable to purchase your goods due to having no income.
maybe you should talk to the parents.

I think its fair enough to offer polish/scotch guard at the til (its a yes or no question, usually a no from me) and i wouldn't think it unreasonable for a shoe shop to sell laces. In fact they're missing a trick if they don't, as while in wilko picking up laces you may as well buy insoles and polish cheaper than clarks too!
I do have a positive clarks story, that when i went to clarks with DD she wanted a fairly flimsy style of shoe, and the young assistant (he looked uni age) noticed her ankles rolled in and said he wasnt happy to sell me those shoes as they werent supportive enough for her. He recommended taking her to the dr or podiatrist to see about orthotics and made no other comment to encourage me to buy anything. I was pleasantly surprised at his honesty and non pushiness!

Its a shoe shop. Shoe shine, polish, laces are pretty standard upsells at the till in every shoeshop I've ever used.

Exactly. A SHOE shop, not a shoe accessory shop.

Which shops do you use for shoes? I can't think that Russell & Bromley, John Lewis, Office, Jimmy Choo sell these things.

I used to work in a Clarks shop when I was a student in the 1970s. The sundries you mention have a huge mark up which is why they are upsold. In fact we were trained to always ask the customer if they needed polish etc.

Laces are not worth the bother owing to the low mark up.

My son is currently working for Clark’s as a summer job. They are explicitly asked to upsell trainers and shoe products and are given targets so I’d complain directly to them and also on Twitter. He hates that aspect of the job and does it much more subtly. If they know they are losing sales they might stop.

Where does the expectation come from that Clarks or indeed any shoe shop HAS to sell laces???.

I know, weird isn't it ? Mind you, while they don't have to sell laces, by the same token I don't have to buy shoes there. Which I didn't. And in fact haven't. Online all the way for us ever since.

I picked up some very weird notions from my DF, on account of his not being English. One is that if you aren't happy with a shops service - for whatever reason - you don't have to buy there.