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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking that if my DD's Clark's school shoes need re-heeling after 3 weeks, then they're not fit for purpose?

28 replies

Littlemissbusy · 22/02/2008 14:42

Clearly Clarks think I'm being very unreasonable. Took them back to store, to be told that the heels being worn down was just normal wear. Phoned Clarks customer services - very nice - told me to send in said shoes. Received them back today with nice letter (!), but basically it's tough luck! So - £28 down the drain! Has any one else had this experience?

OP posts:
readytopop · 22/02/2008 14:46

Not had this experience, but would be worth contacting trading standards. After all, £28 is £28, and in my household is represents a large chunk of our budget. And 3 weeks!!! Not fit for purpose for sure. Sometimes just the mention of TS or the headed note paper gets results. Doesn't hurt to try...

good luck

MinkVelvet · 22/02/2008 14:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

goingfor3 · 22/02/2008 14:54

AFter only three weeks! They should replace the shoes. DD1 had some startrite shoes and the velcro stopped sticking together on one of the shoes, she'd had them about 3 months. The shop replaced them with shoes of the same size but said they wouldn't have done if her feet had grown as it would have been up to me to buy her new shoes, after three months I think thats fair enough but in your case you should have had a refund!

Kathyis6incheshigh · 22/02/2008 15:00

that's outrageous Littlemissbusy! YANBU.

OatcakeCravings · 22/02/2008 16:02

YANBU, not at all!

I would go back to the shop and demand a refund. Shoes should last more than 3 weeks fgs and if your Clarks shop doesn't realise this then write to head office.

Miaou · 22/02/2008 16:06

So in other words, they think it is reasonable to need to replace shoes every three weeks? So that's ... um, 17 pairs of shoes per year? At £28 each - they are having a larf ...!

bookwormmum · 22/02/2008 16:07

who can wear their shoes out in three weeks? unless your dd has been doiong marathon walking sessions, contact TS.

they're trying to fob you off.

Flibbertyjibbet · 22/02/2008 16:14

I've never heard of having to have children's shoes heeled! Adult yes - I take a pair of mine every few months to be heeled but my feet have stopped growing and I have quality boots and shoes that I expect to last for years - plus there is 10stone of me wearing the heel down at every step, not a dainty child!

Wonder if shoddy quality has anything to do with them moving production to China recently?

(Slight hi-jack but everything else that moves production to China ends up cheaper. Not Clarks shoes though hey? They must see us mums coming a blardy mile off).

captainmummy · 22/02/2008 16:17

I bought new shoes for ds2 on 15th January - he's gone through the toes already! He has a problem in that he walks on his toes a lot, but honestly I expect them to last more than a month.

cheaper than £28 tho.

clam · 22/02/2008 16:26

Did you send back the receipt as well, proving the date of purchase? Was wondering if they thought you might be pulling a fast one as to how long you'd had them. Anyway, YANBU, and I should co-incide your next trip to the shop with a busy Saturday afternoon, and speak in a very loud voice. Although actually, this is one for Head Office, as others have said.

Original poster
Littlemissbusy · 23/02/2008 10:05

It has been to head office, with the receipt and the shoes - they all came back yesterday, and politely told me to push off! I think trading standards might be the next stop.

OP posts:
berolina · 23/02/2008 10:07

I have always bought Clarks shoes for myself (tiny, wide feet) - always stock up when we go to the UK - due to my mother only ever countenancing Clarks for us, but have heard so many bad things on here that I think I might switch to Start-rite, certainly for dses 8they wear German brands atm).

They've moved to China?

Flibbertyjibbet · 24/02/2008 19:07

Captainmummy and Littlmissbusy, can you email me with your email addys please I am going to contact watchdog over these crap clarks overpriced shoes.
If there are 3 of us on here goodness knows how many other people there are.

7 weeks ago I bought ds1 a pair of £30 boots with raised stitched ridge on the toe, sorta moccassin. Today we noticed that the stitching had come undone on both and the shoe is literally falling apart.

DP was taking ds1 to gps for the day so I instead of steaming into Clarks I rang them.

Because it is out of the 30 day money back guarantee period they will not do anything IF the child has outgrown them. In that case they will do exchange. If the child is no longer in that size when they measure his feet its tough shit. I said that I have a 2nd son with the same fitting of feet and that I keep shoes for him (Ok don't judge me on that they have a good pair and a playing out pair and ds2 gets them for his playing out/muddy pair). She said that doesn't matter I will still get nothing for the crap shoes.

I asked whether Clarks feel that the fact a child's feet grow is an exuse for terrible workmanship and shoddy goods. I also said that if I bought a pair of shoes for myself from say Next and the stitching came apart after 7 weeks I would be confident of an exchange or credit note with no quibble as to whether my feet still fitted them!

I have decided that an early morning will best for ds1's feet to possibly be at their smallest so can't believe I am going into work late and keeping him out of nursery for an hour tomorrow to go to Clarks.

Don't worry I will take him there in some other shoes and only ask for my exchange after I know what size they have him at. I am sooooo disgusted. Faulty goods are faulty goods, the manufacturer should not be able to say after 7 weeks 'tough shit you grew out of them!!'

So am ready for trading standards and watchdog if I have any probs tomorrow.

Anyone want to join me in a Mumsnet mass protest against Crap Clarks?

Flibbertyjibbet · 24/02/2008 19:08

Sorry I am so raging about our shoes that I forgot to say, our email is legoates @ tiscali .co.uk!

CarGirl · 24/02/2008 19:13

Johnsons shoes sold me a pair of boots for dd, after 4 months I noticed one was a 6 and the other 6.5, even after all that time they exchanged them and gave me a credit note for the difference. In all honesty dds feet hadn't really grown - they were a 6.5 startrite and she's now got 7's in clarks and the boots still had growing room it's just that her bigger foot had the size 6 shoe!!!

I avoid clarks whenever possible.

fizzbuzz · 24/02/2008 19:56

Contact TS. They will advise further correspondance, then go to Mymoneyclaim online. This is the first step in court action, they usually back down. I have taken several "awkward" retailers to court and always won, usually before it even gets to a hearing. Also, as shoes were less than six months old, it is up to Clarkes to prove there is a problem, not you.

3 weeks is a joke, you would win a court case. They are meant to be fit for purpose, I know because I teach Consumer Rights to A level

Unfitmother · 24/02/2008 20:01

I had a problem with Clarks, they wouldn't replace a pair that had fallen apart.
Next time ds' fell apart I didn't bother and last pair dd had the laces only lasted a fortnight.
I thought I had just had a run of bad luck.

RedJools · 24/02/2008 20:42

I bought 2 pairs of boots for dds from Clarks. After about 6 wks of occasional wear the zip went on one boot. I took them back and they exchanged them no problem- sounds like I was lucky!! I think the quality of Clarks shoes has definitely gone downhill, which defeats the purpose of spending the extra to shop there.

fizzbuzz · 24/02/2008 20:50

Aaah, but a zip is a component, and they can blame the manufacturer of the zip, rather than their crap shoes.

Start legal proceedings, it ALWAYS works

Nymphadora · 24/02/2008 20:59

'The thing about if they measure your childs feet and they have grown' What happens in instances such as they measure 10F and they don't fit and you end up with 9G etc very common in Clarks here atm keep hearing peoples measurements & shoes are different sizes

Original poster
Littlemissbusy · 25/02/2008 16:27

Have just phoned Consumer Direct (trading standards advice etc) to be told I really have no other course of action than to get an independent report done and take Clarks to small claims court!

Nymphadora - I started a discussion on this very subject last May!!!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2724&threadid=320784#6473730

OP posts:
Budcat · 25/02/2008 16:30

Hi
Same thing happened to DS's Clarks. Took them back to the local store and they were swapped (for a different style) without a problem.
They should do the same for you. Trading Standards have a very useful website which explains clearly your rights and the responsibilities of the seller. Should back up your case very well. Can't remember the web address but very easy to find through google etc

MamaG · 25/02/2008 16:31

I would seriously try a different branch - you never k now

TsarChasm · 25/02/2008 16:38

Good old Clarks. Glad to see they're up to standard with their crappy customer service...again

(YANBU Btw. That is a disgrace)

TsarChasm · 25/02/2008 16:38

Good old Clarks. Glad to see they're up to standard with their crappy customer service...again

(YANBU Btw. That is a disgrace)