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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Clarks shoe fiasco

142 replies

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:01

I just went into Clarks as the sole had begun to come away from the front of my daughter’s school shoes. I purchased them late Aug and obvs she didn’t start wearing them until term began. Well I just be naive because I expected them to be really helpful, I have only ever bought them Clarks for school and never had another other than great service and shoes. Well the lady was vile! She said I hadn’t looked after them and it’s normal wear and tear, she was referring to the bottom being dirty and inside where the sole had come away having some dust inside. It is her first year of secondary so not running around on a playground and school is a short walk away. I said as much and that they had been properly polished weekly and have never had issues before. She was really rude and in front of my 11year old, I am truly baffled. I said they have been worn for 35 days total, surely for £50 they shouldn’t fall apart after that? However she totally disagreed. I went in fully thinking it would be a helpful/polite process as it was when I made the purchase and have walked out utterly shocked?

Clarks shoe fiasco
OP posts:
Allybob88 · 05/11/2024 13:03

Did you ask to speak with the manager?

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:04

I know not quite the point of your thread, but have you tried getting them repaired? Try Timpsons

MrsKwazi · 05/11/2024 13:05

YANBU. I have only bought Geox after much the same experience with Clarks. No problems (boys, v narrow feet)

BobbyBiscuits · 05/11/2024 13:06

That does not look like normal wear and tear at all. I used to do a job where I'd walk upto 10 miles a day, 6 days a week. And my shoes remained in tact for about two years before developing a hole.
The quality must be awful. Unless she's playing football for 3 hours a day and walking to and from Buenos Aires. I'd push for a refund.
You probably won't get it from that store so go through head office. If you posted on social media how crap their school shoes were it wouldn't look good at all.
And definitely don't buy from them again. You'd be better off with shoe zone or Primark compared to that!

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:07

Allybob88 · 05/11/2024 13:03

Did you ask to speak with the manager?

She was the manager, well that’s what she said. Which I was shocked by as she was really aggressive. The the other young sales assistant looked mortified. Bizarrely after being so angry with me she changed the shoes but kept hammering home that it’s standard wear and tear.

OP posts:
soupfiend · 05/11/2024 13:07

I would say they are not particularly robust looking shoes but nevertheless I havent had that experience with a shoe before and it makes me question the quality of the manufacture of them

Go higher and get your money back.

What on earth has happened to customer service in this country. On the one hand shops and business are fallng over themselves to apologise to random, agitator type complainers who take offence at some small slight which is neither here nor there, but on the other hand you get stuff like this happening quite a lot and you cant get hold of companies who purposely withold contact details for them, cant get through, shut their lines at 6pm beofre most people are home from work. Its a disgrace.

Snorlaxo · 05/11/2024 13:08

I received a refund when ds Clarks shoes didn’t last half a term. Clarks is overrated and from that point I shopped any brand but them and the shoes lasted much longer. It’s amazing that they have a reputation for quality when everyone I know has a story about them being crappy.

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:08

Personally I don't think YABU but after half a term I can see the shop's POV (particularly in the case of kids' shoes where people might take the P if their child's feet had grown)

MumonabikeE5 · 05/11/2024 13:08

Camper shoes have a 2 year warranty. I have bought them for years without cause to use it, but when my son’s shoes lost some stitching I showed them and they replaced them in store without query.

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:09

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:04

I know not quite the point of your thread, but have you tried getting them repaired? Try Timpsons

I think mainly just am I the mad one to think £50 shoes should last longer than 35 days wear? She did replace but I went in thinking they would also be surprised/think they were faulty and got abused and mocked.

OP posts:
soupfiend · 05/11/2024 13:09

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:08

Personally I don't think YABU but after half a term I can see the shop's POV (particularly in the case of kids' shoes where people might take the P if their child's feet had grown)

The sole is hanging off? How is that OP taking the piss (or being perceived as if she might be)

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 05/11/2024 13:09

Clarks have been shit for years.

soupfiend · 05/11/2024 13:10

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:09

I think mainly just am I the mad one to think £50 shoes should last longer than 35 days wear? She did replace but I went in thinking they would also be surprised/think they were faulty and got abused and mocked.

Yes there should have been an apology and a recognition that its not up to par

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:11

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:09

I think mainly just am I the mad one to think £50 shoes should last longer than 35 days wear? She did replace but I went in thinking they would also be surprised/think they were faulty and got abused and mocked.

Sorry, I meant that assuming you'd not got anywhere with the manager - I see mow that you got a replacement

NoKnit · 05/11/2024 13:12

I would write to Clarks and send them that picture and explain that the woman spoke to you in an inappropriate manner.

TipsyKoala · 05/11/2024 13:13

I had exact same thing however mine were bought online. I sent photos and received a full refund. Maybe phone them and pursue it further.

HÆLTHEPAIN · 05/11/2024 13:14

That sole coming away thing happened to us and they replaced them and they said there was a known issue at the time. We didn’t even take them back until the Christmas hols (after buying ready for the September prior) and I wasn’t really expecting them to do much. They could see they weren’t overly worn - we live pretty much next door to school - and they were really good.

I’d email their head office and explain that although you got them changed, you weren’t happy with the way she dealt with you and ask what their policy normally is - as in was she right to kick up a fuss.

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:14

soupfiend · 05/11/2024 13:09

The sole is hanging off? How is that OP taking the piss (or being perceived as if she might be)

I didn't say that OP was taking the P (in fact I said I thought she is NBU if you read my post). I suggested that giving refunds could lead to OTHER people being CFs. But from later posts I see that they have in fact replaced the shoes, so clearly I'm wrong anyway! 😅

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:14

She threw the new box at me and said she will sent the old ones to head office who will say it’s my fault, I said ok well I want to take a picture of them first so I have my own record. I took the one I uploaded and then she snatched them off of me and said ‘they don’t belong to you anymore’. I think I’m old and stuffy and have too much faith in Clark’s. She said they aren’t very robust ones, which is fair but of the girls ones they are some of the most robust and get feet are an e width so very limeted. I just thought blimey, £50 isn’t cheap is it, that should last more than a term. To be fair it happened at the start of the last week but I couldn’t take them in or she wouldn’t have then to wear/I was at work.

OP posts:
Moier · 05/11/2024 13:15

I'd email head office.
Clarks is usually great on things like these.
Point out the consumer act " fit for purpose act"

Topjoe19 · 05/11/2024 13:15

@Cardboardeaux I received a 3 month guarantee when I purchased my daughters shoes. After a month my daughter said they felt tight so they did swap them (for some reason they sold a narrow fitting shoe initially when she is usually a wide fit). It's unacceptable that the shoes are like that OP, I would also be asking for a refund. Honestly what is it with staff having an attitude like this? It's like they take it personally!

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:16

ApolloRain · 05/11/2024 13:14

She threw the new box at me and said she will sent the old ones to head office who will say it’s my fault, I said ok well I want to take a picture of them first so I have my own record. I took the one I uploaded and then she snatched them off of me and said ‘they don’t belong to you anymore’. I think I’m old and stuffy and have too much faith in Clark’s. She said they aren’t very robust ones, which is fair but of the girls ones they are some of the most robust and get feet are an e width so very limeted. I just thought blimey, £50 isn’t cheap is it, that should last more than a term. To be fair it happened at the start of the last week but I couldn’t take them in or she wouldn’t have then to wear/I was at work.

😮 that's awful!

Tooffless · 05/11/2024 13:17

Clarks get by on their name but the quality and service is appalling. I stick to ricosta and geox for my DC.

soupfiend · 05/11/2024 13:17

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:14

I didn't say that OP was taking the P (in fact I said I thought she is NBU if you read my post). I suggested that giving refunds could lead to OTHER people being CFs. But from later posts I see that they have in fact replaced the shoes, so clearly I'm wrong anyway! 😅

I didnt say you said she was taking the piss, I asked how it could possibly be perceived that she was given there is a clear flaw with the shoe.

Cardboardeaux · 05/11/2024 13:17

Topjoe19 · 05/11/2024 13:15

@Cardboardeaux I received a 3 month guarantee when I purchased my daughters shoes. After a month my daughter said they felt tight so they did swap them (for some reason they sold a narrow fitting shoe initially when she is usually a wide fit). It's unacceptable that the shoes are like that OP, I would also be asking for a refund. Honestly what is it with staff having an attitude like this? It's like they take it personally!

Interesting about the guarantee, I didn't know they did that