Clarks Issue

[stardust22]

Purchased school shoes for my 12 year old about 2 hours ago.

In store appointment booked, feet measured, sales assistant took us over to see shoes for his size. We said we wanted lace ups as in Yr 8 now.

Picked out 2 pairs, sales assistant showed us a different pair of slip on shoes with faux laces/elasticated laces. She explained other people cut the original elasticated laces, take them out and put new normal laces in meaning you can tighten them up more.

She came back with the shoes to try on including the slip on elasticated laced ones. (We had issues with the 2 we chose, so no good.) We then tried the slip on ones, after trying them on and having them fitted the sales assistant noticed when putting back in box one shoe was a 3 ½ and one was a 4. She rectified this then my son tried them on again, had them fitted, walk about etc. He then said I have got 2 right shoes on. The sales assistant went off to rectify this, came back made sure both same size and a left and right shoe.
The shoes were quite loose but she explained once the elastic laces cut and taken out we could replace with normal laces so would be tighter.
We buy new laces at the till at the same time as buying the shoes.

We get home, I sit down, cut the elasticated lace in the one shoe and try to take it out but the laces are attached at the top of the shoe inside the leather and the lining! My husband tried pulling the lace out but it won't budge. Even if we manage to get the elasticated lace out there isn't a hole at the top for a new lace to go through so we'd have to make a hole.

I don't know what to do now. I have tried phoning the store for advice but no answer as they are very busy.

The shoes were £48 and we can't afford to buy a new pair.

I should have looked properly but going on the advice given I just snipped the lace, pulled it and then saw the issue.

Is there any point in trying to speak to the store for advice?

I'll try to attach a photo.

I always buy from Clarks and my DS is now 13. He would want the first pair that were just about ok as he can’t be bothered with the trying on so I take him to Clarks and get them fitted properly. Staff here are great. I have never had a pair of crap shoes from Clarks, DS have always grown out of them not worn them out and I have been buying there for 20+ years. And no, I don’t work there.

@IchHabeSiebenFlowers

I had a Saturday job at Clarks (25 years ago, mind!) - you had to line uo at the end of the day while the manager read out your sales. If you didn't sell enough matching handbags to court shoes, or polishes etc, you got absolutely bollocked. I'd imagine it's similar today, given your experience.

Once I was told off for having a migraine - "What are you crying for? It's just a headache"

Claire - if you're reading this, you were a shit manager.

This is exactly how Curry's PC World are!!! I worked there in 2013 and you got absolutely LAMBASTED if you sold a computer/laptop without Anti-Virus software and/or accessory.

I'd had enough once when it was my first sale without, due to the customer being a pensioner having saved up exactly what he needed to the penny and had no idea what anti virus was. He couldn't afford any accessories as he'd saved up his pension for 5 years to buy a desktop computer - bless him. To be told off for this, AFTER having explained the above to the manager, was the final straw for me.
You also get bollocked if you don't approach a browsing customer within 30 seconds of them appearing. If you don't get into a sales conversation within 3 new customers, you get a strike. 3 strikes and you're in a disciplinary

I've boycotted Clarks. Popped in one Sunday with DS desperate for trainers to tide him over a few weeks. Limited choice of shops.

"Have you GOT an appointment" screeched the assistant. "I've got someone IN at TWO". It was 1 40. She didn't even say hello. I walked out. They lost the £40 ish I spent in Next instead. Rude.

If I'm paying over the odds, I expect a level of customer service.

Please look at treads. They have a 12 month guarantee and their fitting is easy and you can print out a sizing measure.

My son's school shoes have always come from Clarks, until we couldn't get an appointment until last minute last year, then they didn't have anything in stock. Usually, school shoes had been great, and lasted the whole year (slow growing feet!). The previous year styles had, however, been particularly less sturdy looking I had noticed and actually "wore out", for first time ever. He loved his "emergency" supermarket pair! They were leather and a 1/3 of the price. Current pair are from Shoezone - I won't be returning to Clarks, as long as I can buy leather shoes, that he likes, and finds comfortable. Even If I have to buy 2 pairs per year, I'm still saving money. I have also experienced Clarks bringing out different styles in different sizes, when they didn't have what we wanted. Makes a mockery of the "fitting".

@MeredithGreyishblue I had the same experience a couple of days ago. Walked in, shop totally empty, met with 'Ermm, do you HAVE an appointment??'

They are not having my money this year. I think I will go with Treads on the basis of this thread. They have a pair that look exactly like what DS has asked for.

@Pippapet

Lysianthus - they weren't actual x-ray machines!

They simply were basic machine plates programmed to stop when they reached the sides of your feet (and record the width) and stop when they reached the top and bottom of your feet (and record the length) and do a size calculation based on that.

they did used to be some 60 years ago. I had my feet "x-rayed" as a child. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe-fitting_fluoroscope

[quote 2reefsin30knots]@MeredithGreyishblue I had the same experience a couple of days ago. Walked in, shop totally empty, met with 'Ermm, do you HAVE an appointment??'

They are not having my money this year. I think I will go with Treads on the basis of this thread. They have a pair that look exactly like what DS has asked for.[/quote]
It's the arrogance of the brand, I think. They really do seem to believe they're some kind of saviour service.
Not in our house any more!

Clarks shoes are hideous. I've never understood the appeal.

@AnonymousCheerleader

Clarks shoes are hideous. I've never understood the appeal.

I think the appeal has been that we're led to believe it's the best thing to do for your child's feet. And grandparent pressure, because THEY bought spendy Clarks for us because it was the right thing to do - to go without so your kids had their feet measured and shoes fitted.

But that's horseshit, isn't it. Because they aren't great now. And there's other decent options.
The goodwill will die out. Hopefully.

@Mydogisagentleman

Our DD worked at Clark’s on Sunday afternoon while she was at school. She had hours of fitting lessons and had to go to a half day event in Peterborough. She is not a big fan of children, but as she was the trained ‘girl’ she spent 5 hours doing it.

Things have changed for the better since I worked there then. Had about an hour training on the X-ray machine and was then let loose. Still feel a bit guilty about the shoes I tried hard to fit….lasted three weeks and then went off to waitress.

I was similarly sold a pair of sandals in Schuh years ago when the sales assistant said if DD wearing a pair of sandals in didn't stop them from cutting in then they'd refund me for up for a year. Obviously you'd expect that to mean the shoes would be actually worn during a normal setting and outdoors. Apparently not. I felt as though it was verging on mis-selling but think you definitely have been mis-sold in your situation.

In regards to Clarks itself, I feel as though Clarks has got so shit over the last couple of years. Went in 4 different Clarks in the span of 2 weeks with 4 different measurements in late 2019. Due to there impending start of school year, I thought I'd try buying some sturdy, long lasting shoes for DD. I was told about the fit promise last week whereby the measuring is done, written down then signed off once checked properly. Fuck that, it's a waste of time. If they don't fit you, then you should be able to take them back within 28 days - granted they're not worn outside (and I recommend trying to wear them in, inside anyway. Definitely learned my lesson after Schuh!

Their staff members seem very poorly trained and rushed off their feet even when in the past it's seemed to be quiet in there.

Really would be happy to pay Clarks prices more often if they were knowledgeable about the shoes and had that personal experience where they were trained better.

@Ducksurprise
DS- 12, size 9.5
DS's best mate, 12 (6 months younger), size 4
There's about a foot height difference in them too.

(DD, 9, size 6)

You did really well OP - I've had to be really firm in shops to get them to comply with their statutory obligations. It always makes my heart race too - who likes conflict?! But your type of situation is why the laws are there.

After a stressful 3 hour trip to the local shopping centre where we tried dozens of pairs of shoes on from Clarks, Next, an independent shop and M and S we popped to Deichmann, actually went in looking for bags on way back to the car. Lovely assistant in there who measured them both and spent about an hour checking every pair they tried on. Ended up with a pair of Hush Puppies for daughter and some Startrite for son
Both leather and best of all they were buy one get another half price. £46 for both pairs. Blown away by the service. They also had branded trainers and dome Geox brand school shoes. It's not a shop I've ever visited before and I usually use Clarks or the independent shop but they were useless this year and tried to sell me shoes that didn't fit

Going against the grain but Clarks shoes are the only ones that lasts the year out for my secondary aged son.

I won't buy in Clarks either, except for those kiddy sandals that do well on the beach.
I'm lucky enough to have a few independent stores nearby that stock Start rite, Bobux etc, which I thought were expensive but they're pretty much the same price as Clarks!
Also Charles Clinkard have been good - I actually got a pair of Clarks school shoes from there but the fitting was done properly and actually they had narrower fits (which I needed) whereas the Clarks stores often don't have them in.

@Marcee

We've got another place local that specialises in measuring kids feet.

It's in the posh part of town.

Anyway I got some shoes but wasnt 100% they fit correctly. But the woman was adamant they fit- and they had a limited selection so we took the shoes.
But as soon as I got home I put the shoes on her and wasnt happy- she needs properly fitting shoes. She is very clumsy- I'm not sure if she has dyspraxia- so if they dont fit perfectly she will fall- and a lot of the time she wont even put her hands forward when she falls- so falls flat on her face and hurts her nose.

So anyway the next day I went to return them- and they were really off with me checking very carefully to make sure the shoes weren't dirty which they weren't cos we'd only worn them inside for a few minutes to check them. Looked annoyed from her face.

Then the woman asked for the carrier bag back as well- it was one of their branded plastic carrier bag- looked quite trendy.
I've never forgotten that and I've never been back since.

Anyway just shows other shops even if they specialise in fittings aren't always perfect and service can fall short.

Was this a shop named after pigs’ feet, by any chance?

@Whinge

I feel like Clark's are the only option if I want someone to measure her feet. Don't think we have anything else locally.

You could buy a shoe gauge online, and would probably still be more accurate than Clarks fitters.

This.

My DS has always had Clarks shoes. Had to buy a gauge (Clarks sell them online under accessories) during lockdown to order online. They’ve been measuring his feet incorrectly for years. They had his feet as an extra wide, when they’re actually narrow.

[quote TheWoleb]@2reefsin30knots

I was thinking that. My 8 year old is a size 4 right now. But then there are tiny kids in his class still ins size 12/13.[/quote]
My 8yo is in size 1

@Flev

We're never going back to Clark again after they ripped us off. My husband took our toddler in to get her feet measured to check if her shoes still fitted. They measured her, announced she was a size 6, checked her shoes and told him her shoes were therefore too small. Husband therefore bought new shoes - cue one very happy toddler walking home in her new shoes.

It was only after they got home I told him that her previous shoes were already a size 6. Yes, OK he maybe should have known - but since they checked her shoes in front of him he didn't query it. And we then could hardly take the new pair backas they'd been worn home, through the park and DD loved them. He did complain but was told there was nothing they could do (not even retrain the member of staff who he was able to describe!)

Yes, they got one extra sale out of us - but they've list our custom going forwards.

That’s dreadful I stopped shopping at Clarks when they refused to sell me shoes that 2 yo DF had chosen from the “boys” section. They gave me some gubbins about boys and girls having different shaped feet, a “fact”. utterly refuted by 2 podiatrists and a different shoe fitter. Men and women yes, but not at 2.

*2 yo DD!

DS always measures as an extra wide fitting. Cue the assistant to come back with shoes half a size up and one width down because it's all they have. Every bloody time. Last school year I went with their advice and got the longer but narrower shoes, only for his little toes to be cut to shreds as they were, surprise surprise, not wide enough.

I took them back and they were also arsey when giving a refund.

Agree with M&S being brilliant for school shoes. Ended up there 3 years ago when 'experts' Clarks could not find a pair of shoes in the whole shop to fit! Despite them bringing out all shapes and sizes that bore no resemblance to the fitting.
M&S Chunky soled patent leather brogues - beautiful, shoes that lasted the whole school year, despite my DD's best efforts!

Meant to say only £34