Birkenstocks starting to come apart after less than two weeks

[heydorotheayoullgo]

I bought a pair of Birkenstocks less than two weeks ago. I have looked today and there are two patches on each shoe where the straps are starting to come away from the footbed on each shoe. It’s not insignificant wear.

AIBU to contact their customer service and ask for a replacement pair?

Strange. My DD had no difficulty at all. I may be wrong but I thought she filled out a form. In any case, they simply asked her to return, provided return label, and refund came shortly afterwards.

I’m stuck in an email loop.

I send the pictures. I get an automatic bounce back. They then respond 24 hours later and say the date on the piece of paper doesn’t match the date today!

im so close to just doing a chargeback

This thread is so delightfully bonkers, but useful as I hadn’t realised Birkenstocks had declined so badly in quality - I used to live in them for half the year and have been thinking of getting some new ones but shan’t bother now!

the ones I've bought have always been ok - just throwing that out there!
Tend to buy Arizonas

I was in a craft shop last weekend and a woman was buying bright blue strappy Birkenstock sandles.
She was wearing a pair and said she had work this pair every day for the past 6 years!

OP its clear from the sraps and sole those are new, the insole has taken a beating in the recent heat.

Good to know if the quality has dropped, it's happening with so many things.

They have a very loyal following for summer sandals amoung my friends, especially those pearly pink colour which are very pretty.

That is crazy. I live in my Birkenstocks. I wear them 5 days a week during the summer. They been on countless hols with me. Did 3 days in Italy walking all day 20k steps just now and mine do not look like THAT! They are 3yrs old now I’m honestly shocked I gasped when I saw the state of yours after only 2 weeks! I think you have a faulty pair as they shouldn’t be detaching like that! I’ve done some crazy stuff in mines and they’re still fine! Defo ask for a replacement or refund!

You are being unreasonable not to just call them, you say you don’t have time but realistically the time you’ve spent writing replies on here and emailing them , you could have done so 10 times over 🤷‍♀️

Not if they are faulty - you’re returning them because they are faulty, not because you have just changed your mind.

there must be a problem with this pair as I’ve got several pairs of Birkenstocks that I’ve had for over 10 years. I’m sure you’ll have no problem at all getting them to refund you.

@heydorotheayoullgodo wear foot cream before going out? That could be why the soles look heavily used and stained, that happened to me when I put on a rather greasy foot cream, it stained my Birkenstock and looked really worn!

The most I get out of a pair of Birkenstocks is about 3 summers. The heels wear away.

My oldest pair is currently in its eighth summer. They look really scruffy now but they’re still wearable. They absolutely refuse to wear out.

If you do a chargeback they can challenge it and the bank is likely to find in their favour. I speak from bitter experience. Really you need to just pick up the phone at this point and speak to a human.

If you’re stuck in an email loop, then perhaps you need to not send any more emails and ring them OP?

Do the chargeback on basis of they're not fit for purpose/faulty and your emails to Birkenstock aren't being responded to.

I found Birkenstock customer service to be very poor (different issue to yours). All emails I sent were ignored and I pursued the chargeback route.

I’m a bit baffled OP.

I checked what we did. We filled out the online form providing details of the order and the fault. (Not an email). All the details are under Customer Service on their FAQs.

They replied in two days asking for them to be returned and provided a return label.

They didn’t guarantee a refund so my DD was a bit nervous sending them back.

They confirmed and processed the return approx 5 days later.

My DD bought another pair as she really liked them, bar the fault.

I’m confused about the whole email loop issue, if you filled out the form that shouldn’t have been an issue?

sounds a bit like Hunter wellies, trading on their name but now just over priced fashion rubbish.

in fairness it's quite well known to rotate you shoes and not wear they same pair 2 days in a row, so they can dry out etc. maybe try that with the new pair, especially it it's hot.

Erm having looked at the photos there are different shoes in the different groups . The photos with one large shoe and one smaller have no heel strap but the others later down the thread do……this is very weird. I bought a new pair two weeks ago and they look perfect still…..something doesn’t add up.

They all have straps as far as I can see but the buckles don't look new, they are discoloured. Mine looked like that after a couple of years, not two weeks.

If I worked for Birkenstock I'd think OP had bought a new pair and was trying now to return an old pair saying they were the new pair. Not saying she is, but that's what it will look like.

The photo with one large and one small shoe are not OPs photos.

I’ve re looked at OPs photos and still don’t believe her. The buckles are discoloured too. I’ve got pairs where the straps are pristine too after so long. There either fakes from a fake website, which happens a lot! I work in retail. Or she is not being truthful.

They don't if they're faulty, that's just if you don't like the colour or style for example. Just email them with photos.

It really would be no harm to read the full thread, or at least OP’s posts ….

This is mumsnet, the headquarters of people who are too busy to click one button and read. I think you’re doing the equivalent of asking for the moon on a stick 😂

The quality of Birkenstock has really declined. Have a pair that I've worn on and off over two summers and a massive chunk of the cork sole fell out. I sent a photo and a copy of my receipt asking if this is a fault and they refused to investigate. Wasn't expecting a replacement, but at least an acknowledgement that shoes falling apart isn't ideal.
I'd previously had pairs last considerably longer. Wouldn't be buying again, given the price and very short life span.