Faulty school shoes

[winesolveseverything]

I bought a pair of Geox school shoes during the summer for my 5 year old..
After 3 days of wearing- this has happened..

The picture shows the worst of it, but the leather is starting to come away on the opposite side, and in the same places on the other shoe.

Taken it back to the shop today only to be told that it is 'probably something your child has done'.... Although when I queried exactly what he's supposed to have done, the manager couldn't answer..

I've never ever had a problem with damaged shoes for either child. Their feet grow slowly so I've always bought good quality school shoes so they last the year. Yes, there is a little wear and tear after a year but nothing like this!

Any advice on how I can get my money back? The manager has held onto them for now as he has a meeting with the Geox guy tomorrow. Although if he opens that discussion with he thinks it's my child's fault I can't see that going very far.. I'm so cross.

Hopefully the picture will attach..

Thanks for that Marigold...

I'm really hoping I can get this resolved with the shop.. They said today that Geox are difficult to deal with.

Despite what the majority think on here, I really think they are faulty, or there is some weakness on that area of the leather. For them to have gone in 4 places is very odd.

I'm reading up on the consumer rights act tonight..!

You bought them from the retailer, not Geox, and so your contract is with the retailer. Why are they waiting for Geox to respond? They should be refunding you as not fit for purpose.

I bought geox once and never again. After the coating on them rubbed off, fairly quickly. They definitely weren’t top quality leather shoes.
I agree with previous posts suggesting your contract is with the shop rather than geox.

You would be surprised at the amount of people who purchase items then try to return the old ones with the new receipt. It is far more common than you would imagine. As is the amount of items that go wrong a day or two before the guarantee runs out so they get a replacement with a new guarantee for a year. Plenty of people have a new kettle/toaster/microwave every year.

If the shop believe that your child has caused the damage they can send them for testing before issuing a refund or replacement.

Even if the child picked at a scuff, new shoes shouldn't scuff after 3 days. And making it hard to return goods, just means that parents are unlikely to buy from them in future. Not helping themselves really, for the sake of the cost of one pair of school shoes!

Op, it's very hard to tell as they look like old worn knackered dirty school shoes. I've no idea how your camera made them look like that.

Oh my goodness- I agree, it's a rubbish photo! It was taken really quickly, on a grey, rainy morning, with my son in his car seat, kicking his feet in the dark footwell!!!!!

I took it to ping across to my husband- who obviously knows they are new! If I'd taken one specifically for this thread, I would have taken it in good light and not whilst they were on my child's feet!!!

But it's the only one I have. I truly believed that the shop would have got this sorted for me today. I'm not daft, there's no way I'd be complaining about old, knackered school shoes!

I will post a proper picture of them and the damage as and when I'm reunited with them!!

I can understand that the retailer wants to show the shoes to the maker. If he has to refund the customer he will want to be refunded in turn.

The soles will give a good indication of the age of the shoes. If they are only three days old the soles should be almost unmarked.

I bought a pair of Geox for my 5yo, and they also had this problem, though different style. Very disappointing for the price

Not fit for the purpose they were made for.
Not merchantable quality.
Any school shoe needs to stand up to a certain amount of abuse. Kids shoes are made in a slightly different way to stand up to the daily rigours of being at school.

Those look like Geox Savage OP? That's all my son wears, and sometimes a pair will last a whole year, they're usually very robust.

I used to work in a shoe shop, and any issues like this the customer was always refunded and the shop took it up with the manufacturer. Your contract is with the shop not Geox.

My ds has these exact shoes. We've had no trouble with them I'm inclined to think that you have either had a dud pare or it could of happened if they came into contact with certain chemicals. Did you polish them and if so what did you use?

Not Geox, but my then 5 year old wore through a pair of trainers in a day, right through the uppers. The lady at customer services was disbelieving, but I pointed out that a young child should not be able to destroy a pair of shoes having a normal day in a holiday club. The rest of the shoes were bright and fresh and clearly only a light film of dirt and no wear on the soles consistent with only being worn a day. I got the refund, albeit with a bit of grudging.

It might even be the same pair that my DCs have. After 3 days, the leather should still be firm and treads of the soles still sharp. It would be clear if it's an old pair.

Geox usually wear well and are worth the slight price difference to Clarkes for slow growing children. Last year, DS2's survived the year (just) and DS1 had a replacement mid-year (had a less solid style).

Update from the shop...

Geox rep states shoes are faulty and we are going after school to be fitted for a new pair... (might however choose a different make)

Fair play to him and the shop manager for sorting it so quickly... 😀

Well done OP. And I'm sure you will continue to patronise that shop.

Great result for you.

Well done OP I don’t buy Geox after the stitching fell apart after about 4 days of wear on some blue trainers. They in my view are expensive and turned out to be poor quality. We got a grey pair/red pair as exchange replacements and the leather went bare quickly a bit like your photo but about 2 months had passed by then, so although not as hard wearing as they should have been, I knew taking them back wouldn’t have been fruitful so I avoid the brand now