To think Clarks have lost the plot?

[AudTheDeepMinded]

School shoe shopping today. Was shown school shoe for five-year old (size 10) from newest range. Lovely shoe, but fuck me £56. I don't spend this on my own shoes.
www.clarks.co.uk/c/Encode-Flash-Kid/p/26153466
AIBU to think Clarks have lost touch with the reality of what the majority of parents can afford. I don't mind paying for quality and a pair that will endure but £56 is surely completely ludicrous for a five year old? A pair of DM boots in the same size is only a fiver more.

I like clarks and happy to pay £50 a pair. With shoes you get what you pay for. Diechmann and supermaket may all look the same but they aren't the same quality. I don't want my children to be going whole days in plastic shoes.

It is usually cheaper in the end to buy Clarks as they should last the whole year whereas cheaper shoes will usually need replacing every term so could cost more, as well as not fitting as well.

That does seem outrageous!

We always used to buy our DC's shoes in Clark's. But when our eldest started school last year, we were warned off their school shoes, as a friend said they had found they always fell to bits. The same person recommended M&S instead, so we got dd some from there. I wasn't convinced though and they did wear through by the end of term, and that's obviously with the big lockdown break in the middle. Also, dd had to have an orthotics appointment at the hospital, for some problems with her feet and balance. They looked at her M&S shoes and said they are ok but next time we needed to get her something with a good, solid sole.

So, this year we have gone with Start Rite. They weren't cheap, but we're hoping they will last the year and help her feet a bit.

We still buy Clark's for casual shoes though. Trainers and things. You should see the queues as well outside the Clark's in our town at the moment! All families with primary aged dcs. So, it's obviously still doing ok.

I never pay more than £35 for leather shoes, they are a rip off!

This year I used the StartRite online measuring tool and bought directly from them - £39 for good quality leather school shoes

I usually buy from an independent shoe shop - Ecco are my absolute favourites - winter boots last for a good 6 months of hard wear and goretex treated but my god at £69 they should

@IwishIwasyoda

This year I used the StartRite online measuring tool and bought directly from them - £39 for good quality leather school shoes

They also have them in some John Lewis shops, which is where we got dd's.

Clark’s have an online outlet I bought my DS shoes for £25! Very please. I agree £50+ for a pair of school shoes seems a lot but they do wear them 5 days a week so probably worth it.

Thats terrible, a lot of poeple don't have £60 spare or even £6.00

Romeo totally agree and the 'marketing' for Clark's, Startrite etc is just so persuasive that parents feel guilty for not buying top 'quality' shoes for their DC. I have never bought too quality shoes for my DS, all the supermarkets do perfection choices, my DS has never had problems with his feet and is a county level sports player. It is a absolute myth that you need expensive, brand name shoes.

I agree!

I have 2 girls age 3 and age 1... from about £30 to £40 each pair and usually 2 pairs each size it adds up.

I wish I could re use DD1s on DD2 but her feet are so much wider.

I'd love to find a cheaper place that does the extra wide fit!

I just find it so sad that there's such a huge gap between the rubbish you get in Penny's or Tesco or the cheaper sports shops (for a few years we couldn't afford good shoes and the boys ones anyway are Soul destroying) and Clark's or the big name sports shops in both quality and price. My mum always said it's the first thing you should spend money on with kids as they're on their feet all day but if you have a few young kids that need shoes twice a year it's nearly impossible. When eldest got his first 'good' shoes I nearly cried at how much he talked about how comfy they were (partly because we still weren't able to afford them for the younger kids, who were wearing cousins hand me downs)

@randomer

Thats terrible, a lot of poeple don't have £60 spare or even £6.00

Exactly

I have two children and I had to buy school shoes, plimsolls, trainers for outdoor PE and wellies to walk to school with.

So 4 pairs of footwear for two children.

Imagine if I spent £60 of every pair

That does seem an awful lot. Dd is 13 and wears size 6 from the Clarks kids range and they are £44 (Scala Shine Youth) Eldest wore kickers but dd2 didn't want lace ups so chose those loafers

I’ve found M&S school shoes have lasted really well on my dds.

I do love the European brands like Geox, Ecco and Ricosta but they make Clarks look cheap

Yep and there was no sale which there usual is.

I was trying shoes on upstairs and the assistant told me there was 20% of trainers so I went down stairs in the shop and picked two pairs of shoes and two pairs of trainers era for my dds. Nearly fell over at the till when it was £180

£40 for kids trainers.

I asked for the sake reduction and the till assistant said it wasn’t on but the manager case over and honoured what the assistant upstairs said and took the 20% off.

No way would I have paid £40 for a pair of school trainers for a 4 year old

Won’t be going back when they need replacing

I bought my DDs shoes size 6 from France they were €50 and made in Portugal and leather inside and out. Much better quality than Clarks that would have been dearer.

YANBU At all. I also don’t trust the 14 year olds they seem to employ to measure feet, ds was measured at 6.5F in January and 6E last week.

@OhToBeASeahorse

I'll try and summarise the inevitable next ten pages:

1. Some people will say that it is important to have children's feet properly fitted by someone who is trained to do it and therefore it is worth the money.
2. The others will say that you can fit them yourself and therefore it is a waste of money as you can but much cheaper shoes or go for a different brand.

The things is though Clarks's shoe people are not suitably trained. I have had really bad - I mean bad fittings with my kids over the years -huge blisters, can't walk etc

So now we do next £25 is doable.

I always buy good quality shoes for my dc, (not always Clarks but usually), though i might skimp on other things. Last year for the first time ever i bought cheaper shoes, not complete rubbish but chainstore. My dd started having pains in her feet and it turned out to be plantar fasciitis. Went back to 'proper' shoes and it's no longer an issue. I will never buy cheap shoes again it's a false economy.

I used the startrite online measuring tool, and then bought them from TK Maxx. My kids have also had ricosta and petasil from there, and then I’ve passed them onto nieces and nephews in really good condition.

My youngest child’s cost me less than a fiver on eBay this year, but I think that was partly luck. When my eldest was small she had kickers - they lasted 4 terms until she grew out of them. They’re still only about £40-45 new.

Not a fan of Clarks. I don’t think they last well nor are their fitters very good. I much prefer Start Rite.

And there’s surely the same amount of work going into making a child’s shoe as an adults. Doubt material is much different in cost. So I’m surprised They aren’t more expensive given all the width variations they make etc.

I get my DC school shoes from m&s as I’ve found them to last ages!

School shoes from Clark’s should last the whole year really.
Average growth of a child’s foot is a size a year.

My child has H width feet so Clark’s is the only option for us sadly.

Amazed to see no-one has yet mentioned the car crash which is the current Clark's delivery and refund service. I was all smug having sorted dd's shoes in early August, by ordering several sizes on line (she's secondary, so easy). It'll be 3 weeks tomorrow and not a sign of a refund for the ones I sent back - and they're £50 each!! Apparently I have to wait 3 weeks before they'll actually look into it. Not had this problem with a single other retailer during lockdown. Utterly useless.
Never again !!