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Original poster

Bought DS2 new shoes from clarkes...

28 replies

SoupDragon · 06/01/2007 11:38

... because I knew his old ones were a whole size and the new measurement was a half size. I assumed they'd grown. So, he wore them to school on Thursday, all muddy and scuffed, and I then notice that they are actually half a size smaller than his old ones.

I will, of course, try to return them but I am partly to blame for not remembering his old size correctly and therefore not noticing he'd been measured smaller. On the other hand, either this time or last time, he's been measured incorrectly (and the shoes are identical styles so it's not that) and they cost £32.

Do I actually have a leg to stand on?

OP posts:

SherlockLGJ · 06/01/2007 11:39

I would have thought so.

TwoToTango · 06/01/2007 12:06

I would be annoyed with the shop, especially if you always go to the same one. What is the point of taking the trouble to get their feet measure properly and pay a fortune for shoes if the shop aren't going to measure the feet correctly and make sure they fit. IMO if you couldn't remember his size the assistant should have looked at the label in his old shoe.

Furball · 06/01/2007 12:08

either way they either measured him wrong this time or he's been wearing shoes that were completely too big last time.

I'd go back and see what they say whether they are muddy or not.

Was it a Clarks shop?

Freckle · 06/01/2007 12:15

Do the current shoes fit OK? If not, I'd take them back and demande a re-fitting. If they do, then I think a letter to the manager about the clearly incorrect fitting last time would be in order.

I keep a notebook in my handbag - always useful when you need to write something down as little bits of paper either get lost or thrown out. Anyway, I note down the children's sizes in this book and update it everytime I measure them heightwise or have their feet measured. That way I know whether they have grown or stayed the same.

Hideehi · 06/01/2007 12:16

Why are you to blame, it's their mistake.

iota · 06/01/2007 12:18

are you sure that the right ds is wearing the right shoes?

noonar · 06/01/2007 12:20

good point iota. did he do PE this week? could he have swapped shoes with another child?

iota · 06/01/2007 12:22

noonar - it happened to one of ds1's friends - he came round to tea in 2 odd sized shoes - I checked the sizes as my ds1 had the same style

Original poster

SoupDragon · 06/01/2007 14:04

First thing I checked was that it was his name written in the shoes!

Whether or not these shoes fit is irrelevant in a way - I would never have bought them as the last pair are still perfectly wearable and clearly still fit (I don't believe half a size makes a lot of difference once you've factored in the "growing room") and would have lasted at least another half term.

I will certainly be cleaning the mud off the new ones and taking them back with DS2 in tow next weekend. It will be interesting what they say.

OP posts:

Original poster

SoupDragon · 06/01/2007 14:06

Hideehi, I'm partly to blame because I should have realised he'd been measured half a size smaller than before. If I'd realised in the shop we wouldn't have bought them. They've still made the mistake fitting him though.

I've never had a problem with them before.

OP posts:

MordecaiAliVanAllenOShea · 06/01/2007 14:09

I'm not sure that you do have a leg to stand on unless you spesifically asked the assistant to check if his old shoes still fitted.

winestein · 06/01/2007 14:14

Glad you are going back. I had a pair of sandals for DS from there in Summer, and each time he wore them he got a tiny pink mark on his instep. Nothing major, just a mark. When I went to get him measured again I took the sandals along and asked their opinion. They thought that the area of the shoe in question was a bit rough and gave me a full refund after him wearing them for 3 months!
Where I get my Clarks shoes from they give you a card along with the receipt that confirms that they measured his feet to the size bought. Do they do that where you are? In any case it is well worth going back - I think they have great customer service.

Original poster

SoupDragon · 06/01/2007 14:22

I kind of agree, Mordecai, but either these shoes fit correctly or the ones he had last term fitted correctly. on one of the occasions there has beena mistake (and I'm inclined to believe it's this time because there didn't seem to be as much growing room when she pressed down near his toes but I didn't think anything of it at the time). And nothing ventured, nothing gained!! I have no qualms about trying to get a refund

OP posts:

batters · 06/01/2007 14:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marthamoo · 06/01/2007 14:37

I don't think you'll have a problem (I hope not). When ds2 was little I took him to Clarks for a pair of Doodles and said to the girl "oh the ones he's got are a 7 [or whatever]" really just as general chat/giving her a rough idea. She didn't measure his feet at all, just got some in the same size, put them on him, and sold them to us (I ws a bit surprised she didn't measure his feet but she did the prodding and made him walk around etc.) A few days later he refused point blank to wear them as he said they hurt his feet. I took him back to get him double checked (in his old shoes as he really wouldn't have the new ones on) and he'd gone up a whole size. The woman who served me was tut-tutting when I said the other assistant hadn't measured him. They gave me a new pair of Doodles without hesitation (the old ones were clearly worn) - mind you, I was buying new shoes as well.

I don't think it's your responsibility to remember his shoe size - it's theirs to measure him properly.

lilymum · 06/01/2007 14:53

Ooh, very topical soupdragon, I just went yesterday to clarks and returned 2 pairs of shoes that I'd bought on Wednesday. My girls wore them to school on Thursday and both came home with red marks and raw skin where they had rubbed. Took them back ready to kick up mother of all fusses, and there was no problem getting refund.

Clarks provide a service that you pay for - namely to have the shoes properly fitted. If you think that hasn't been done, regardless of whether the shoes have been worn or not, you should press the point home and insist on a refund. Could you not say that he's been complaining that they're rubbing his toes if you think they genuinely don't fit him? They're unlikely to contest that and there's no way they can prove otherwise...

Good luck!

Original poster

SoupDragon · 06/01/2007 14:57

I can't really say they're rubbing as it could be they're the right size and last times were too big - they're bound to check the fit on any replacements.

OP posts:

lilymum · 06/01/2007 15:01

You're very honest soupdragon

Original poster

SoupDragon · 06/01/2007 15:08

Me "Oh he says these are squeezing his toes..."
Them "Ok, we'll remeasure him and check the fit... no, these are perfectly Ok and his last shoes were toobig..."
me "bluster fluster, er..."

Not honest so much as aware of my inability to keep up with a lie under pressure!

OP posts:

marthamoo · 06/01/2007 15:11

I'd just take both pairs - explain the whole story - and get them to check his feet carefully. One of the pairs must have been incorrectly measured - you need to know which. If the new ones fit OK you can look at them disapprovingly and say "well, the old ones must have been massively too big" and maybe they will give you some vouchers or something.

lilymum · 06/01/2007 15:15

Soupdragon, fwiw, when I returned my girls shoes yesterday, although they fitted them in the shop and were the right sizes, once they were out and about wearing them, the styles proved wrong for supporting their feet correctly. They didn't even bother checking them when I went back.

But you're right, best not start getting yourself into a corner. Listen to marthamoo and not me!

Original poster

SoupDragon · 21/01/2007 15:11

Hurrah for Clarkes!

Today was the first time I could get DS2 and the shoes into the store. The "team leader" checked the fit and said that they were Ok insofar as they weren't too tight (so wouldn't have been hurting his feet) but they were incorrectly fitted and should not have been sold. Swapped the size 11s for a size 12 which had the proper amount of growing room in.

Apparently the difference is about 3mm per half size no it's tiny.

Had DS1 re measured too and, surprise surprise, he needed bigger ones too (didn't buy him any last time as he'd not grown).

Team Leader couldn't have been more attentive, helpful and apologetic and said there was a need to "talk to people" about it

OP posts:

Original poster

SoupDragon · 21/01/2007 15:11

no it's tiny?? so it's tiny!

OP posts:

Sheraz · 21/01/2007 16:00

Hurrah for consumer power, and top marks to Clarks! At £26 pair I should think so tooo! Well done Soupy.

NAB3 · 21/01/2007 16:22

Why does anyone need to remember the size shoes their children take? They should either be in the shoe or if you want them checked they should be remeasured and then the shoes retried on to see if they fit okay.

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