Clarks shoe fiasco

[ApolloRain]

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?

No, they shouldn't fall apart that quickly. That is not normal wear and tear.

As they are less than 6 months old, it would be up to the shop to prove the issue was due to you failing to look after them rather than the shoes being faulty when purchased if they refused to replace or repair them. I see you have been given a new pair, but I would still complain to Clarks about the poor service you have received.

Was in Clarks in Andover by any chance?

I stopped buying Clarks shoes after my son went through three pairs in 4 months. They exchanged them sharpish, calling it a 'sole bond error'. They knew there was a problem - bloody expensive, crap shoes.

I bought my son's shoes instore in August, couldn't be bothered travelling to the shop when the front starting falling off one of the shoes. I went onto their web chat, ignored the bot saying to go into the shop and then chatted to a person straight away. They sent me a refund as soon as I sent photos.

No it was Maidstone. This is all very helpful information. I do think it is a fault as it is only one shoe, although the other one looked like it could go as had lifted a bit. She acted like she had made them, whereas I naively went in thinking we would both agree they were faulty!

Absolutely complain. Shocking service. Clark’s would want to know about this.

My friend had this. She spent quite a bit of money on boots on the high street and the sole started peeling off after 3 days. When she brought them back to the shop she was told they were not for every day wear! 😂

I had exactly the same thing happen to a pair I'd bought ds

I was a skint single mum,but invested in shoes for the kids

I bought a pair for him in the sale and he'd worn them 3 times over 4 days (just trips to the corner shop,a walk to his grandparents about 1/2 a mile away and a trip into city centre)

He was stood next to me,wearing them while in the city centre and we went to walk away when the whole sole fell off

We where round the corner to the shop I'd bought them from,(coppergate branch in york-i moved away 8 years ago so dont know if its still there) so took him in (with the receipt that was still in my purse) and the same sales assistant that had sold me them,yelled at me 'what do you expect?they are SALE shoes!'

Busy Saturday afternoon-everyone who was in the shop heard her and ds burst into tears thinking it was his fault

She refused to swop them for another pair or a refund (she just kept screaming about them being sale shoes) and I got nowhere with head office-they just brushed me away

£30 is a lot of money when you've saved so hard in the first place

I'd never go back to them-i found next where ace for boys shoes and asda for girls (but it's been a while since I've bought children's shoes)

Not as bad as you daughter's shoes but I complained to Clarks after my DS's new shoes were showing excessive wear in the heels after only 3 days' wear. Like your DD he is at high school, walks 20 minutes there and back and otherwise isn't running around or doing anything to trash them. Clarks couldn't have been less interested, their online customer service took weeks to even respond to me by which time they wanted new photos and then said it was standard wear and tear. His shoes are adorable worn now, after half a term, as last year's pair were after a full year's wear! The soles are very soft and crumbly this year, really disappointed with them and won't be buying anything from Clarks again. I left a negative review on the website, unfortunately as an online purchase that seemed all I could do. DS's school don't allow any trainer-type shoes so I'll probably have to look at Hush Puppies or similar for when he needs the next pair

Came on here to say similar!

They look like they have had much more than 6/7 weeks wear! I wonder if they had been a return when you bought them?

Completely agree with @Panda368 👍🏻 I also work in footwear - I manage an independent store stocking many brands and deal directly with our suppliers.

The shoes are faulty, no question about it. The adhesive has clearly failed. FWIW, they look like terrible quality anyway.
From a managers point of view, you do get people taking the piss quite a lot. Like the man who ripped the sole off the fashion boots I sold him because he was wearing them on his motorbike 🙄 Or the lady who wore suede boots out in the snow and grit and then brought them back to complain of staining and salt marks 🙄 But it’s very easy to see a genuine product failure and they should have procedure in place to deal with this!

She said the shoes coming apart was normal wear and tear? That is a straightforward admittance that they are not fit for purpose.

I’ve had this with shoe shops before. I cut them short by saying ‘are you going to refund my money or not?’ They did, but I think the aim is to ensure you won’t go back there. I didn’t!

This pair seem to be OK so far, but I'm just waiting for it to happen.

Like many companies who survive on their name the quality is not what it was. I was appalled to see Christie towels on sale with the Union Jack on the label, they haven't been made in England for many years, sadly, yes the country of manufacture is on the label in small letters but the large flag is very deceptive.

I stopped using Clarks shops over a decade ago when they went from people who could measure kids feet to inexperienced staff who couldn't and didn't see an issue ramming young feet into incorrect shoes.

Then went to independent shoe shop that sold Clarks styles and one year girls insisted on what I though were flimsy Clark shoes - we got them.

They didn't last half term went back to independent to get new shoes - we walk a lot and while it wasn't great assume it would be ware and tear. Independent shop insisted on full refund and said they'd get their money off Clarks that it wasn't acceptable and they would be sent back and it must be a fault in both pairs of same style shoes.

Don't think we've bothered with Clarks since.

This happened to my DD's shoes last year, she had had them just short of 6 months (by like 1 or 2 weeks) and they gave me a brand new pair without an argument. They were £5 cheaper than the ones we had bought and I got a £5 refund. I would take it to their social media if I were you. Their policy is full exchange or refunds for faulty items within 6 months. The sole falling off is clearly a fault. https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/returns-policy

DS is in year 9. Since he started high school we have had shoes from Clarks, M&S, Kickers, Sports direct (Kangol). All of them have come apart between the sole and the shoe. Some within a few months, some a little longer. I want to get him DM for his next pair but they are so expensive. At least they should last until he grows out of them though.
Any other recommendations for brands with stitched soles which go up to men's size 11 welcome though.

YANBU OP.

But I agree that Clarks school shoes are overpriced, overrated shit, and have been for years.

Even the adult ones can be crap. Teen DD wears an adult pair at the moment (last resort!) that looks very similar to yours. Slightly more expensive than the school model but have lasted a year. HOWEVER, I had to exchange them after less than 2 months because the heel became so very worn. And I took the new ones straight to the cobbler to have them reheeled (so an Extra £8). Shocking heel block material quality, especially for the price. Cobbler agreed!

I wanted a refund but could not find the receipt, otherwise I would not have considered Clarks shoes again. DD had a pair 10 years ago and they were crap too back then.

I typod earlier. I meant SALE of goods act.

Have a google. Quote in your letter to Clarkes.

Clarks told me that my winter boots shouldn't be waterproof!! They used to be brilliant but after 2 pairs of the kids shoes falling apart after weeks, I started using other shops. Clarks are a joke nowadays.

I think Clarks are one of those brands that is continuing to trade on its historical reputation for quality. I used to buy work shoes from there frequently and they were always comfy and hard wearing, but the last couple I bought have been shoddy tbh. Dr Martens are similar, I treated myself to some a while ago having lived in them when I was younger - these were really uncomfortable and noticeably poorer quality (no corresponding reduction in price of course!)

Globalisation has outsourced lots of products to places where standards are not monitored so well. Clarks shoes used to be good (I was still wearing a pair of their boots 30 years after I bought them, at a discount, at their outlet in Street - which is where they used to make their shoes). Not sure about their children's shoes now.

I want to get him DM for his next pair but they are so expensive.

They have ‘off-shored’ production too so it will be interesting to see if they have retained their quality…