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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I feel sorry for Clark's Shoes staff

60 replies

MT2017 · 02/11/2019 11:11

Visited there mid week with DS1 and DD. DS1 is in large men's size, was told there were only two pairs in his size - boots and slippers.
DD in very normal size (6) - nothing in her size at all in black lace up school shoes.

I felt really sorry for the woman serving us, her service was fine but due to the lack of shoes in stock we couldn't buy anything.

Had to order online and couldn't order next day as they were originally coming from different places, then had email to say they would be arriving together on Tuesday. Nearly a week!

AIBU to think their staff should be better supported by the stockroom?

OP posts:

Venger · 02/11/2019 12:27

It’s not like she’s going to be flogged for not selling you shoes they don’t have

They have sales targets though and are threatened with disciplinary action if they don't meet them. DB worked for them briefly over the summer break from college. It's called 'four for the floor' or 'four on the floor', something like that, and you're expected to sell a minimum of four pairs of shoes every four hours. They also have upselling targets which is why they push the second pair of shoes and the cleaning products.

ChilledBee · 02/11/2019 12:28

I think their personal service is unnecessary and bad for business

lotusbell · 02/11/2019 12:47

Still buy .y sonds shoes from there, having tried Mark's and Spencer and Bext a few times but have no confidence in their fitting skills now. Didnt have shoes in right fitting so.brought out same size in next fitting, so from E to F and young lad said there wasn't much difference! So why have different fittings at all?! ?! As PP said, you can tell there's no training now, it's all about the sell. Bringing out a pair of trainers in his size at the same time as the actual school shoes and asking if we wanted them as well. Then the polish AND insoles hard sell at the checkout.

Glacecherrychops · 02/11/2019 12:48

I take the kids there to get measured, make an excuse and leave as I don’t like their shoes, but they are the most professional fitters.

Occasionally they have a nice shoe that invariably isn’t in stock, and all they have in stock are weird, overly gendered ones, I,e covered in butterflies and pink for a girl, or junior works-man style hefty black shoes for boys. How are they still in business?!

lotusbell · 02/11/2019 12:49

son's and Next, awful typos sorry

BouleBaker · 02/11/2019 12:51

We went to get some school shoes. They didn’t have any style he liked so the shopkeeper literally put a shoebox in his hands and told him he would have to buy those as they were the only shoe in his size. She seemed completely flummoxed by the idea that we would go elsewhere.

melissasummerfield · 02/11/2019 12:58

I always have this problem in Clarks, so annoying having to order online when you have to go to the shop to get measured.

They always fail on next day delivery too, and just refund the delivery charge. I don’t actually think they have the facility to offer next day, its just available so people order and then don’t want the hassle of cancelling and trying to get shoes elsewhere!

daisychain01 · 02/11/2019 13:01

Can't people on here see that if store takings go down because there isn't the stock available in store, it's just another step closer to high street shops like Clark's, M& S etc closing down and everything being on line = job losses.

OP I really get you, I feel the same about M&S - I cannot believe that in the Information Age, where there is meant to be electronic methods of counting sizes and restocking on a Just In Time basis that there is any excuse for running out (they even have "Intelligent Stocking" tags on their clothes - my arse!). They are always running out of middle of the range sizes.

Conspiracy theory . I'm sure it's to drive people on line so they can close bricks and mortar shops and the bean counters get their bonus.

wanderings · 02/11/2019 13:03

There have been loads of threads on MN moaning about Clarks: upselling, and putting extra shoes that weren't asked for into the children's hands.

In the mid 90s, there was a column in the Independent "Do we need...?" (MN would have loved it!), which featured postmen, good manners, channel 5, TV weathermen... and Clarks shoes. It had stories of people telling how they had been marched off to Clarks in 1970, and subsequently hid the shoes because they disliked them so much (they were finally unearthed in 1988).

Lilyannarose · 02/11/2019 13:19

When buying a pair of shoes for £60 and wondering if they are going to last a full term - it's not the staff I feel sorry for.
We don't have a great deal of choice where I live as regards having feet measured.

Welltroddenpath · 02/11/2019 13:19

If you can find a Clark’s outlet they are rammed to the eyeballs with kids shoes. For around £23 I can buy good enough shoes to last until they go up a size. Sales assistants are all great with my SEN kids even when extremely busy. I only buy schools there

gamerwidow · 02/11/2019 13:24

What I hate most about Clark's is doing the whole faff to get DDs foot measured then when they invariably don't have her width in stock they try to palm us off with a completely different size because that'll do. Either the fit's important or it isn't.

Crinkle77 · 02/11/2019 13:25

Me and my sister went on Friday and faced the same issue. Also the staff just had jeans and hoodies on. Didn't even realise they were staff at first and they didn't look very smart at all.

Nikster11 · 02/11/2019 13:25

I know exactly what you mean!! The amount of times I've taken my 2 year old there and needed to purchase totally normal sized shoes for her, and they have about 1 horrible pair in stock and nothing else!

It's a bit silly really that they don't stock it better, especially for toddler sizes.

ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave · 02/11/2019 13:33

I think once you get to a certain size or age, as in OP's case, you shouldn't need to be going to Clarks for "childrens" shoes.

I stopped when at age 13/14 they tried to insist my DD needed size 5 for growing room. She in now 22 and still in Size 4.

Drabarni · 02/11/2019 13:38

Misses the point but who pays those prices for slippers?
The quality of clarkes is rubbish now, they used to be good. now just twice as expensive as good quality.

As for th stock, they must have been popular shoes, and he's an unusual size, they don't stock as many so they aren't hanging around.

TotalSlattern1 · 02/11/2019 13:38

Clarks is the only high street shop I have had to go full on Mama Bear to fight my child's corner. I was as nice as I could be, but they were awful, and wouldn't believe a word my child said about shoes being uncomfortable.

I avoid them like the plague these days and go to Clinkards.

hoodathunkit · 02/11/2019 13:43

I blame the Jamaicans

www.vogue.com/article/history-between-jamaica-and-the-desert-boot-clarks

lighthearted :)

MaybeitsMaybelline · 02/11/2019 13:45

I buy from Clarks lots. Go online, usually in the sale, buy several pairs of boots and shoes at once. I can wear 5.5 or 6, never have a problem. Also buy in the Clarks outlets.

How old are you DC to be in a large men’s size and a 6? With those sizes you can buy their shoes anywhere, mine wouldn’t have been seen dead at school in Clarks from about age 12.

Rainycloudyday · 02/11/2019 13:46

Clark’s are awful for the hard sell, absolutely shocking. They get out and out hostile if you suggest you might go to another shop that carry Clark’s for the same pair of shoes that they don’t have in stock. And the second they get a sniff of your intention to purchase they bellow at the child without any checking with the parent. ‘do you want to wear them home?!’ I’ve realised recently it’s purely to ensure the shoes are worn and you can’t return them if you change your mind at home. The awful pushy and hostile staff have honestly put me off shopping there.

Rainycloudyday · 02/11/2019 13:48

And yes, they spend ages fitting then when they don’t have the shoes you want in stock they bring out other sizes and try and back track on the size they’d previously said your child is

TheDarkPassenger · 02/11/2019 13:50

I used to find it embarrassing when I worked in a top end restaurant telling people we didn’t have stuff in stock, nor the replacement they want, nor the next thing. When they’re paying over the odds for food.

I imagine it’s similar there too. I used to get pissed off

RoseToes · 02/11/2019 13:50

I stopped going to Clark’s years ago. There’s nothing in stock and it’s all incredibly overpriced considering they fall apart by Christmas.

WitsEnding · 02/11/2019 13:52

The staff in my local Clarks are lovely but the selection of shoes for wide feet is disappointing. I go there every couple of months in hope, but I haven't bought anything for years.

I do feel sorry for the staff as I think that store will close in the next few years.

ChanklyBore · 02/11/2019 13:58

My trips to Clarks consist of measuring, then they say they don’t make shoes in that size. Measure again, say it again. Occasionally they go to search the stockroom for something two sizes out and attempt to bodge it onto the foot.

I ask them if they know of any places that does make shoes in that size. They say no. I leave.

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