Clarks pulling promotion

[CaffineismyBFF]

Brought a pair of clarks shoes in the summer with the promise that these could be replaced if my child outgrows them before the end of February. My daughter was complaining about them in mid-November so we went back and they were adamant her size hadn't changed but she was on the verge of being the next size, but come back in the Christmas holidays for a resize then.

Now I've just heard that the promotion has been pulled. I'm not a happy bunny! I specifically asked in store when I purchased the shoes what happens if we go into another lockdown and was reassured they would extend the promotion. Had I known, I would have brought cheaper alternatives rather than spending £50 on a pair of school shoes shes only worn for a term.

Kind of split views on social media, some are fuming and vowing never to shop at clarks again (I'm in that camp) and hoping they go bust (which I'm not!) And others are telling people to suck it up and stop whinging.

I'm guessing those who are telling others to stop whinging are those who can afford £50 shoes every term. I can't. As a "goodwill" they have offered a measley 30% discount on new school shoes if purchased by March. They're having a laugh! They are expecting us to spend more when we were promised new shoes due to their guarantee. I wasn't planning to spend on another pair of school shoes and even with the 30% off it makes them £35.

AIBU to think they are copping out on thousands of customers? Probably going to lose a lot of business as a result of this decision. 100% will never buy clarks again.

I don't think its generous at all. Considering the cost price of their shoes is probably a few pounds and the mark up is ridiculous. I'm sure there was a watchdog piece on them a few years ago for those who vow their quality is the best.

Why on earth did you buy them then?

I've got a 2 year old and have always taken her to clarks to get measured and buy decent fitting, quality shoes. I do agree that the prices are ridiculous and that promotions like this are the only thing that make it affordable for many so it seems unfair for them not to extend it.

However, they don't have much competition do they? Where else on the high street can you go to get your kids feet measured and have a trained person check the shoes are fitting ok? I'd gladly go elsewhere if I knew of good options. I'm not keen to order online as I know sizing can vary.

#1 Did you get this promotion in writing? If so, you can complain to their corporate HQ and talk to the fair trading standards people or ombudsman. Or

#2 If it was just a sales person lying to get you to buy shoes, then complain to store manager so they can do discipline and better training.

I think 30% off when a third of high street shops ate going bust due to Covid is actually generous of them, if #2 applies. But if it’s #1, your upset is perfectly warranted.

We gave up on them in August when they would only let people in with an appointment and I couldn't get one around my half day off.

While it would be nice not to have to buy more shoes, I think YABU. Promotions are always subject to change. Investing decent money on good shoes for your child is part and parcel of parenthood. Sure, it's a pain that they grow, but tough tits.

I don't fully understand, did they withdraw the promotion or just didn't extend it? Ie when you bought the shoes, until when did they say you would be able to exchange them for a larger size?

Pretty sure that's legally dodgy because Clarks misled customers with their promotion. Can you get your hands on the T&C's of the time you bought the shoes, OP? Might also be worth posting on a consumer rights forum such as Martin Lewis.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

I think if you're at the stage of reading blogs about different brands of shoe you might be overthinking a little. They're just shoes, chill!

And I think if you're lucky enough not to have to worry about how to afford school shoes, and therefore which brand will last longest, then you should count your blessings and maybe use some imagination to work out why other people might care so much.

Pretty sure that's legally dodgy because Clarks misled customers with their promotion. Can you get your hands on the T&C's of the time you bought the shoes, OP? Might also be worth posting on a consumer rights forum such as Martin Lewis.

Technically they haven't though. The promotion stated that children needed to be measured in store in order to swap, as stores aren't open this isn't possible at the moment. It is sly on customers as it isn't their fault shops are closed, but it's also not Clarks fault either, and there is nothing to say that they will honour the offer via post (both them and also customers likely aware when buying that covid was likely to become problematic again). I disagree that they should offer it via post as there's not the validation that they have outgrown them, same with refunds. I think it's just another crap fallout from covid.

It’s a bit cheeky. Not really. Their offers have always been dependent on feet being measured in store.

Nobody was misled. Clark's don't have a crystal ball any more than the rest of us!

For other questions, Clarks have answered most of them in their press release....

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/read-this/clarks-scrapping-its-free-school-shoes-replacement-scheme-heres-new-promotion-3106643

Also for those mentioning they are the only ones to measure, you can buy foot measures on eBay for £2, or else there are guides on how to measure online for free, I do this and it's been fine. Clarks do have an online outlet website (different to their normal one), but I find supermarket shoes just as good tbh.

@ichundich

Pretty sure that's legally dodgy because Clarks misled customers with their promotion. Can you get your hands on the T&C's of the time you bought the shoes, OP? Might also be worth posting on a consumer rights forum such as Martin Lewis.

You would have to prove then that they didn’t know another national lockdown would shut the stores. I would actually be shocked if it wasn’t covered in the small print anyway.

Chances are the stores won’t be open before the end of February. If by some miracle they are then realistically they aren't going to be able to safely have the amount of people would want to use the offer in the time remaining

they offered to honour the promotion if you went back at Christmas, it's not their fault you 'didn't manage' to. and if you had, do you think the shoes that fitted at Christmas would still fit by the time schools eventually go back? so you're no worse off than you would have been anyway.

I think schools should relax uniform requirements until everything is more stable. never mind shoes, what about all the people who've bought blazers and all the other bollocks. all people can do is try and sell stuff on.

you can measure feet in decathlon as well fyi.

Yep l was told this too - probably breaking a trade description act somewhere but actually l am one of the lucky ones who hasn't been affected financially by the pandemic so will take the hit.
I did think at the time it sounded too good to be true and you know what they say ....

It's threads like this that makes me grateful that ds is in sixth form & can wear trainers for school. I've spent too many hours in the shop & too much money on Clark's shoes, this year I managed to buy ds two pairs of trainers & a pair of boots for what I would spend in Clark's in a year.

I gave up on Clarkes when they measure my baby DS2 as a junior 4 (and I questioned the size as his feet looked bigger than that...they were definitely bigger than DS1's at the same age).

3 whole weeks later I went back and complained that the shoes didn't fit, they remeasured him and he was a 5. "Natural growth" apparently. "They do grow quickly".

I've never been back.

Had she outgrown them in November (with the insoles out)? You surely could tell this yourself by feeling where her toes were, sticking your fingers in the heel or feeling the tightness of the breath of the shoe? If she had outgrown you should have insisted it was dealt with then.

The promotion can't be extended as they have no way of knowing if she had outgrown by the deadline or later. 30% is a reasonable goodwill offer.

Clarks must be near bankrupt with everyone living in slippers.

You can't take up offers from an ex-company, so I'd take what you can get and use it straight away.

I'm not a fan of Clarks. I think they have over relied on a reputation for quality, which, were it ever justifiable, certainly isn't now.
But on this occasion I don't think they have anything wrong. As far as I can see, the offer always required a visit to have the feet remeasured and obviously that isn't currently possible for reasons that are outside everyone's control. Nor does it look likely that it is going to be possible in the near future. If they extend the offer until shops are open normally again, the likelihood is that pretty much every child who got a pair of school shoes there last year will have outgrown them. A company that was known to be in difficulties beforehand and is bound to have suffered further due to Covid-19 is not going to be able to absorb that kind of cost.
It's unfortunate for the customers but probably unavoidable. Clarks will have been aware that this would damage their reputation I am sure, so the fact that they've done it suggests to me that they didn't have any real choice in the matter. As someone said earlier, if they go under there will be no offers of any kind for anyone and lots of people will lose their jobs.
I think we tend to assume companies that are regarded as British "institutions" will go on forever but that's clearly not true.A few years ago who would have thought that Debenhams would disappear from our high streets? But lots of shops were already suffering due to the economic climate and the change in our shopping habits and Covid is probably going to be the final nail in the coffin for quite a few more. I doubt this was a decision Clarks took lightly. I think it is almost certainly motivated by desperation as they struggle to stay solvent.

That's dreadful. Fill out an online form for the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and complain about their original ad. Try to find a copy of an ad (you'll find one online) to submit alongside your complaint.

It's prohibited, so they'll get a telling off and bad PR.

I would have thought Clarks would do particularly badly this year. People aren't needing work shoes or school shoes in the normal quantity. Even ds, who is 13yo has only had one pair of school shoes in the last year-often it's one per term, and dh hasn't worn his work shoes since last March, again he'd often get through a pair in a year, sometimes more.
Most people I know only go to them for school or work shoes.

I'd suspect they will be really struggling with lockdown, even if they were allowed to open, they won't have people needing shoes in the same way.

DD(13) wrecks shoes, always has. She really wears through the soles.

I think she had one Clarks pair. After that we bought Startrite, Geox and Primigi mostly. Bizarrely, patent shoes seemed to cope better with playground wear and tear when she was little.

I got into the habit of "sizing up" in the sales (and the amount saved was usually worth the risk of misjudging seasons for sandals/boots).

I think we're on our second pair of Treads (also look at Toughees if they are still imported). Yes they come with two insoles; one is a little narrower than the other. DD only wore them from September-December, walking 2-3 miles/day and has only worn them for a few weeks (as she spent much of the winter term in games gear), but they look in good shape, with no scuffing.

Tbh anyone that fell for this promotion is a bit silly anyway, we’ve been in and out of lockdown constantly, did you not think about there being another lock down and shops not being open or did you just assume they would extend it? I’m guessing they didn’t say anything about extending it if that was the case?

If it is valid until the end of February can you order online? I know you can't get them measured but presumably if you choose the same style a size bigger they should fit.