Page 3 | See how Mumsnetters got on with the Brantano children’s shoe fitting experience! NOW CLOSED

mamato3luvleys · 14/06/2015 10:42

Store visited - Washington retail park.

Age and gender of dc - dd aged 9 and ds aged 2.

Type of shoes purchased - both got sandals although my dd had wanted a couple of pairs of other shoes but there was none in her size that she liked so that's how I got my son his sandals too.

Brand of shoes - dd got blox sandals and my ds got Nike.

Shoe fitting service - was very basic also it looked to me like the fitters were fairly new to it all. Also they measured my dds feet at a 3.5 but when she tried sandals in a 3.5 there was far too much room at the front of them so in actual fact she was needing a size 3 still in sandals!
My son is a very difficult customer and the two shoe fitters had to measure his feet one each at the same time which was testing the patients of both of them but they handled it really well.

Customer service in general - they were really good with service and very understanding as it took quite a while for us to be fitted served and leave the store. Although I will say that because of how the shops laid out (in size aisles) it was hard to watch both children at the same time as near the little sizes was a toy table and my son wouldn't move from there which was very close to the automatic doors and I had to keep leaving him there while helping my daughter choose further into the shop which I was quite stressed about as I was worried he might run out of the shop, maybes they should move the toy table into the middle of the store where the older children's shoes are so as younger siblings could play while older children get fitted and served?!

Children's view of experience - my dd enjoys trying on shoes and doing her catwalk in them so was quite pleased and happy to do so I can't really say the same for my son who hates being bothered by buying new shoes etc.

Would I use the fitting service again? - probablies would use the service again maybes when it's been running a bit longer and the staff have more experience with it all.

Recommend? - I would tell my family and friends that it's an option if your buying shoes on a budget as I think that at Clarks or clinks you receive a much more professional service.

ColdCottage · 14/06/2015 10:43

Which store did you visit?

Oxford

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

13 month old son

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

An ankle shoe and closed toe sandal

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Startright

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Sheree who helped us was excellent. She took her time measuring our son and was great at interacting with him. She helped us with regards to how long they should last him and showing us the growing room he had.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

Shelter was great, she took ages helping us find the right pair, checking out back and also offering to have shoes ordered into store for us as they didn't offer Clarks in store.

What did your children think of the experience?

As he is only small he couldn't say anything but seemed very happy in store.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

Yes as the service was great, however I would like to see more choice for boys, especially in the small sizes. That would be the main reason for going elsewhere as only really had a choice of 3 pairs plus a pair of jelly shoes for DS.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Yes.

Mandatorymongoose · 14/06/2015 11:08

St Helens / Prescott store are the same thing according to my satnav Ellie I don't really know the area at all, it's a bit far from home for me.

Not that I'm a cynic but I just wondered if having prior warning of some mumsnetters being about caused them to up their game. Although it could just have been different staff, the assistant you mentioned wasn't around when I was there, just two male members of staff.

Minisoksmakehardwork · 14/06/2015 12:01

Which store did you visit?
I visited the Wisbech store.

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)? My eldest daughter (7) was the original target of the product test. But we also used our 3 year old daughter too.

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)? We bought shoes.
What brand was the pair of shoes? Clarks.
What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service? Tbh, my first experience was really quite poor. The gentleman who measured our dd's feet kind of plonked them on the plastic measurer and told us what size they were before wandering off again. I wasn't confident that he had measured dd2 correctly as she was a proper fidget and it took all of 2 seconds to give us a size. Dd1 was less of a concern as we'd actually had her measured elsewhere just before being chosen for the product test. The first time we didn't buy any shoes as they did not have what I wanted.

We returned again a few days later and couldn't have had a more different experience. I explained what had happened the previous day and we ended up with the duty manager that day assisting us. She re-measured both dd's, using the Clarks measurer for dd2. The difference in size was a half size smaller this time. On this occasion we weren't left feeling abandoned. We explained what we were looking for and the utmost was done to help us achieve that. Dd1 and dd2 left with matching shoes. They were fitted very well. Dd1's shoes fitted fine with plenty of growing room straight off. Dd2, due to the style of shoe we chose, needed insoles for the fit. The lady who was helping us went to great lengths to say the fit still wasn't necessarily the best - they were slightly loose at the heel because of the style - and if it hadn't been that these shoes didn't tick every other box for our needs, we wouldn't have bought them. We have since inserted heel grips which have successfully resolved this. And it was very much our choice to go ahead with the shoe purchase.

Having read the literature we were given with the shoes, I don't feel the first person who measured my dc's feet could be considered an expert fitter - it felt as if we were fitting number 1 after their 25 supervised fits, and the man was not very confident with young children.

What did you think of the customer service in general? In general, the first time I was very disappointed. I was left hunting down staff to both measure and then ask questions such as was a shoe available in a different size - that felt like an inconvenience. The second time our fitter was dedicated to helping us and not disappearing out of sight even while we looked for shoes - she came and asked whether we needed any help as it was clear we were quite stuck. On the whole the second experience was much happier and more family friendly, given that we had taken all 4 dc were with us and we're trying to maintain some semblance of control!
What did your children think of the experience? The girls were very pleased with the experience as we were able to achieve our objective. They were also happy to be addressed as the customers rather than us being asked- after all, they were the ones having the shoes fitted.
Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again? Tbh the second experience was the best I have ever had in a brantano store and more what I am used to elsewhere. If I hadn't had previous and very recent poor experience, I would consider using them based on this lady's assistance as she really was very good. However, the range of actual shoes as opposed to trainers or casual type shoes was very limited. And it is that which is the overriding factor in whether we would use brantano again.
Would you recommend it to your friends/family? For the range of shoes, I would not recommend brantano. For the overall experience, I would not recommend brantano. I have felt happier having had my dc's feet measured and shoes fitted elsewhere when time was taken.

Fizzyplonk · 14/06/2015 12:43

We visited a Leeds branch

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

5 yr old DS
2 yr old DS

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

DS 1 trainers and sandals
DS 2 trainers and sandals (paid extra ourselves)

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Nike trainers
Mountain peak sandals
Feet street sandals

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

We had 2 ladies serving us at different times. Both were helpful and explained the measurements.
They had nice interactions with both children.
It was helpful that they wrote down the sizing. DC liked the stickers.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

Customer service was excellent- very good, there wasn't a queue and we didn't feel rushed. Calmer than Clarkes which can be very hectic.

What did your children think of the experience?

No toy table, they were better behaved as there was less of a wait.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

Yes for trainers, sandals and beach shoes.
Not for school shoes or leather boots as choice was too limited.
In fact choice of trainers and sandals also limited but I felt good value.
Would be better if more sizes of the different styles were kept in stock.

Would you recommend it to your family/friends?

Yes for trainers/plimsolls/sandals
Not for leather boots and school shoes as choices too limited.

Thank you.

LadyDeadpool · 14/06/2015 13:14

Which store did you visit?

Riverside retail park in Bulwell

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

DD12 and DS2

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Ballet pumps and Trainers

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Ballet pumps were Brantanos own and the trainers were Nike

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Really basic, I could have done it at home with a printed shoe gauge to be honest.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

Rubbish, we weren't offered any help with choosing the right fitting shoes after both kids were measured with a plastic gauge and DS had to have a much larger size than we were told. The lady who checked us out however was smiley and helpful much nicer than the rushed shoe fitter who obviously couldn't wait to get back to standing by the tills.

What did your children think of the experience?

Not much to be thought of it to be honest, DD went off and chose her shoes while I struggled to find suitable shoes for DS.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

No, their boys range was awful and we were given no help in finding well fitting shoes.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

No, sorry but you get better service elsewhere.

Elliemayclampett · 14/06/2015 14:15

it seems like that could be the case mandatory . There were no male members of staff on duty when I was there. I saw three ladies -I got the impression one was the manager. Pretty bad luck to get two mystery mumsnetters in one store

PinkSnowAndStars · 14/06/2015 15:57

Which store did you visit?

Aylesbury

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

My 3.5 year old Son

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Trainers/Sandals

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Adidas/osaga

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Very basic, no width size given, although the assistant did explain that different types of shoe can come up larger or smaller than others.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

The customer service was great. we were looked after by a fantastic assistant called Ben, who did his upmost to help us, even when my son was having a complete sulk as there were some Thomas the Tank trainers he wanted (luckily none in his size!)

What did your children think of the experience?

He was a bit bored to be honest, but that's probably to be expected from a 3 1/2 year old. It wasn't very child friendly, nothing to do, nothing to keep them entertained.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

I'd use the store again, but I'd probably get him fitted somewhere else. Clarks give length and width measurements. Although the assistant was helpful, I didn't totally trust the measurements.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

I wouldn't in its current format, it needs updating, and perhaps when it comes to kids shoes it would be worth having extra stock rather than only what's on the shelf. I like that with adult shoes you can go in, see what there is, pick it up and go to the till, but I feel that perhaps there should/could be more of a range of sizes, variety and a better fitting service.

mrsronswanson · 14/06/2015 17:57

I visited the Kingston Park branch.
I took my 11 year old and 13 year old sons with me.
They tried on Nike trainers.
The shoe fitting seemed quite basic compared to John Lewis where we normally go. The lady measured their feet, then just left us to it, was not interested in coming to see how they were getting on, or seeing if the trainers fitted.
Staff were friendly though.
I'm not sure if I would go again - it's not that much more trouble to go into the city centre to get feet measured somewhere else.
I'm not sure I would recommend it either unfortunately.

bitingcat · 14/06/2015 21:40

Which store did you visit?

Worthing, Lyons Farm

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

I took my 8 year old daughter.

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

We bought sandals and trainers

What brand was the pair of shoes?

The sandals were Skittles and the trainers Sketchers. I had to pay an additional £6 as Sketchers are not cheap. However they have a rainbow tie-dye pattern with memory foam sole and are possibly the coolest trainers ever

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

It was the basic old fashioned method but this is perfectly adequate to give a starting point when there are so many different brands with some size variation.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

It was very good. I had to deliberately go and ask for dd to be measured and we were not pounced upon the moment we walked into the shop. I prefer it like this as it gave us time to look around. After dd had chosen her sandals I asked for them to be checked. The fitter found they were not a good fit and neither was the next size up. She helped dd to find some other sandals in a different style which were a much better fit and dd much preferred them.

What did your children think of the experience?

She really enjoyed it. Because the product test voucher was an unexpected treat, I was able to tell dd that she could choose whatever shoes she wanted. She was disappointed with the lack of choice and commented there were far too many high heals for her size (and I agree with her!) However she came away very pleased with two pairs of lovely shoes

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

Yes I would but I have reservations about the lack of choice and don't know that I would have come away so pleased had I been looking for something specific. I enjoy the fact that assistants weren't constantly breathing down my neck. I was quite happy to seek out help when I was ready for it. This laid back approach may not be for everyone.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Yes I would but I would warn them about the lack of choice.

Thank you so much for the voucher, it was such a great for me to be able to give dd such a treat!

Minisoksmakehardwork · 14/06/2015 22:25

I think some stores are definitely expecting more than one mums netter - I was the first at Wisbech. They checked as they thought I had to fill something in but it was a sheet they have to with our purchase(s).

bitingcat · 14/06/2015 23:43

When I went to pay, the woman on the till asked the manager to check my voucher, she said, "Oh yeah, it's a Netmums thing."

lorka · 15/06/2015 10:24

Which store did you visit?

Linlithgow

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

My daughter age 9

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

I bought trainers and sandals

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Nike trainers and Blox sandals

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

I thought it was very basic. My daughter's feet were measured using the handheld tape measure gauge and told she was between a 3 and a 4. My daughter has very narrow feet and this wasn't even checked. However, once measured the sales person did help find the kind of shoes we were looking for and checked fit whilst my daughter was wearing them.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

The sales person was very friendly and attentive. He helped find anything we were looking for and checked stock for us.

What did your children think of the experience?

My daughter loves new shoes so she enjoyed the experience. However, she was a little disappointed that they didn't have the trainers she really liked in her size.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

Yes I would consider using again. However, it would not be my first choice as I feel that I have had better fitting experience elsewhere. I probably wouldn't go there for school shoes, that my daughter would be wearing everyday, as I like to have a proper width fitting for her narrow feet.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Yes I would recommend for the range of shoes available.

Thank you so much for sending us the voucher. :)

iwantavuvezela · 15/06/2015 10:30

Thank you for the chance to try out this product test. It was very exciting receiving a £50 voucher for shoes!

Which store did you visit?

We visited the store the store in Greenford, Westway London Shopping Park, London

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

My 8 year old daughter took part.

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

We bought a pair of trainers, and also a pair of plain black shoes that are perfect for drama classes.

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Skittles, they were fairly priced as well.

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

We were greeted upon arrival. my daughter had her feet measured, and was given her size on a piece of paper (which I appreciated as I always manage to forget her size shoe, a little card and a sticker.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

I found the customer service really good. The women who did the shoe size fitting was lovely, she showed us where the shoes were, and when asked about different brands, types went and looked for us.

What did your children think of the experience?

My daughter loved going to the store, her size shoes) were clearly displayed, and she had fun trying them on.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

The store is quite far out - although it was in London, it took us quite awhile to get there. I found the staff very pleasant, and would rate the store on customer service.

However the only negative that I have to mention is the selection of shoes. There were a good range of trainers to choose from. I had hoped to get my daughter a good pair of sandals to last her the summer. The choice was dire. My daughter is a size 13, and almost 90% of the sandals were high heeled glittery shoes. They were totally inappropriate as footwear, dominated the display, and there were about 2-4 pairs of flat sandals, that were also glittery, with butterflies etc. I was really disappointed with this selection, and there was not a single pair of sandals that were in any way appropriate. From the website I had felt that there would be a good selection of sandals, e.g. Clarkes.
The selection of trainers was good, and we came out with a really lovely pair.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

For customer service, absolutely, for choice of sandals, no. I think management need to look carefully at what styles they have for this age group, and re-think what the average 6-9 year old wears on a daily basis. Not too much pink and glitter, PLEASE! This type of shoe (party perhaps?) needs to form about 10% of your display.

Spirael · 15/06/2015 12:34

- Which store did you visit?
Guiseley

- Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?
DD1 (5 YO) and DD2 (1 YO).

- What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?
DD1 got some party shoes and DD2 got some first shoes.

- What brand was the pair of shoes?
DD1 got Little Angels and DD2 got Start-rite.

- What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?
It was very good. We went on a Sunday afternoon, the store wasn't particularly busy and we were seen to straight away. The assistant was good with both of the girls, dealing with them at the right level for their understanding of the situation.

- What did you think of the customer service in general?
It was very good. When we produced the letter at the end, the assistant needed to find a manager who came over straight away and processed everything smoothly.
All the shoe styles we wanted to try were in stock in the right size. Only thing I would say is that there wasn't much choice for DD2, who is only tiny size 3 but is walking so needs a properly soled shoe to protect her feet when we're out and about. We're at some weddings over the summer so wanted something on the prettier side for her, but there weren't many options.

- What did your children think of the experience?
DD1 loved it, she was pleased to find her feet have grown and for once I let her have the most pink and sparkly shoes in the store. Wouldn't have been my personal preference, but she loves them so much she subsequently took them to bed with her-!
DD2 was a bit more bemused by the whole thing, but the assistant was very patient and the measuring and fitting was done well. In particular, the assistant was on the ball for checking when DD2 tried to curl her toes up inside the shoes.

- Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?
Yes. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. Usually because both DH and I work full time we are limited to shopping at weekends when the stores are manic, shoes are out of stock and the whole event becomes quite stressful. So the Sunday visit to Brantano was a welcome change!
However while DD2 is young/tiny footed, I might stick to our local independent shoe shop for her as they seem to have more choice/variety for the smaller sizes.

- Would you recommend it to your friends/family?
Yes, especially the Guiseley store. A bonus was the parking, which was easy right outside the store and free!

thesoupdragon44 · 15/06/2015 12:34

Which store did you visit?
We visited the Worthing Brantano store

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

We took my son age 9

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

We wanted to look for school shoes but as his feet hadn't changed since they were last measured we let him choose shoes that he liked and he chose to have some trainers.

What brand was the pair of shoes?

He chose some Adidas lite trainers

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

I found the children's shoe fitter was very quick and efficient at her job, and we were seen quickly and then told we could have extra help once we had chosen shoes.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

The customer service seemed very good the staff were quick to offer help as well as letting you have time to make your choices un hassled

What did your children think of the experience?

My son liked that the store was nice and quiet. He liked that they had different brands. He was a little disappointed that his first choise of shoe was only available up to size 2, but as he is in-between sizes 2/3 I think this is common. He was pleased with his final choice.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

I have used this store in the past and have found them good value for a range of different shoes. I certainly would consider using any of the Brantano stores for shoes both for my son and myself

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

I would recommend Brantano shoe stores in general although have found some of the smaller store had a smaller choice in kids shoes. I know there is a bigger store in Bournemouth and would certainly recommend this store to my family and friends.

cococandyfloss · 15/06/2015 13:02

Which store did you visit? Inverurie

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)? All 3 DC's 11, 8 & 3 got measured but the two youngest (girls) got shoes.

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

We got great value from our voucher-school shoes for our daughter 8 , pair of every day shoes for our 3 year old daughter, and a pair of gym shoes for school for our 8 year daughter plus two pairs of hello Kitty socks!

What brand was the pair of shoes?.

Skittles school shoes, Brantano own laced patterned gym pumps and Feet street shoes for our youngest.

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

It was basic. The shop was very quiet but I had to approach a member of staff to ask for the children to be measured (although to be fair I hate shops that have staff pestering you the second you enter so not really a problem) The lady that served us was friendly and pleasant and used a measuring gauge to measure the 3 children's feet. She gave us sizes but not widths. Then left us to it -there wasn't any assistance in choosing shoes in the correct size.

What did your children think of the experience?.

They were happy enough the lady was nice to them when doing the fittings , there wasn't really a big choice of shoes for them though. (Although we came away with shoes that they were perfectly happy with.)

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?.

To be honest I probably would go elsewhere for a fitting as not sure it was the most thorough -and I would probably look elsewhere for some more choice too. I would go into the store for good value shoes and for picking up bits like Wellies (great choice) or school gym shoes or flip flops for holiday that sort of thing. I guess I would use the store in the same way I use the shoe parts of supermarkets or Mothercare or next -off the shelf type quick buys rather than proper fitted school shoes or supportive walking shoes for little ones.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Only for the things mentioned above in the previous question probably not their fitting service or choice of school shoes and trainers.

Thank you for picking us for the test - The girls really like their new shoes and it has saved me some money on school kit.

DragonsDontFly · 15/06/2015 13:12

Which store did you visit?

Colchester

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

Boy 3yo

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Sandals

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Clarkes

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Very good - fitter was fast and seemed knowledgable

What did you think of the customer service in general?

The woman that fitted my sons shoes was very helpful, she helped him try on a few pairs and gave good advice about fit etc.

What did your children think of the experience?

Son was happy.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

Yes

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Yes. Store was quiet especially compared to clarkes etc.

FancyPuffin · 15/06/2015 17:14

Thank you for selecting us for this product test

- Which store did you visit?

Westwood Cross, Broadstairs

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

Dd 7 years old

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?
We bought 2 pairs of trainers

What brand was the pair of shoes?

One pair was Nike and the other was a non branded.

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

It was fine, the lady helping was very nice and the measuring matched what I belived dds feet to be.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

It was good, we were approached in store to be helped and didn't feel rushed.

What did your children think of the experience?

Dd enjoyed 'testing' the shoes (running around really fast )

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

Probably.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Yes

Just wanted to add that I was very disappointed that in at least the size 13/1 trainer displays they all included a couple of pairs of high heels. I feel strongly that high heels are not good for 6/7 year old girls, little feet (and minds) are still growing and developing at that age.

NerrSnerr · 15/06/2015 17:47

Which store did you visit?
Gloucester

Which of your dc's took part?
My 9 month old daughter

What type of shoes did you buy?
Canvas velcro shoes

What brand?
Clarks

What did you think of the fitting service?
Very good, my baby's feet were too small for the fitting service but we tried and they were very good with her.

What did you think of the customer service in general?
Really good, because her feet were too small I bought shoes in the smallest size and they told me to come back in 4-6 weeks to double check the width and they'll exchange if needed.

What did your child think of the experience?
She charmed all the shop workers so got a lot of attention which she loved. Lots of smiles and giggles.

Would you use this store and fitting service again?
Yes, they were really good with good choice

Would you recommend to friends/ family?
Yes I would.

JustKeepKnitting · 15/06/2015 21:33

Which store did you visit?

Longton, Stoke on Trent

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and

gender)? 1yr 11 mth girl

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Canvas shoes and jellies. And a foot spray (own brand)

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Clarks doodles and Thomas the Tank

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Her feet were measured with a tape, no ipads here. The width was measured as well which I was pleased about after hearing from friends that they hadn't done that for their DC. Her feet came out at the size I'd expected.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

Good, the store was pretty empty considering we went on a Saturday morning and we were greeted straight away and asked what we needed. The lady measuring/fitting was friendly, polite and good at reassuring my daughter who really doesn't like having her feet measured. At the till I was asked if I wanted a barrier spray to go with the jellies, I assumed that this was part of trying to sell more products and the staff have to ask the questions but I'd not heard of this spray before and am interested to see how well it works.

What did your children think of the experience?

She enjoyed looking at the shoes (and toys). She really doesn't like having her feet measured, usually lots of tears and trying to hide her feet, but this time it wasn't that bad, the manner of the lady fitting helped as did the chocolate buttons bribe!

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

I'd still prefer to go to my local independent shoe shop, I feel that they have much more experience and are more confident with questions about feet/shoes. They also have a better range than Brantano did. I'd return to Brantano if I needed a cheap pair of jellies/wellies/slippers as its convenient to get to/park. I was disappointed in the proper shoes though; I wasn't keen on the choice, some just seemed like smaller versions of ladies' shoes and the ones that I did like were only available in limited sizes.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

I wouldn't actively recommend it, I'd say about the independent shop before Brantano, but from my experience in this branch it would be the lack of choice in sizes and styles that would put me off recommending it rather than the fitting or customer service.

golemmings · 15/06/2015 22:32

Which store did you visit?
Shrewsbury

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

5yo dd
3yo ds

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?
school shoes for dd; sandals and walking boots/shoes for ds

What brand was the pair of shoes?
clarks for dd; others weren't brands I'd heard of.

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?
We had to ask to get their feet measured. As the lady measured their feet she did say of we wanted any shoes checked once we'd found some, just to ask.

It was probably accuate. Both were very slightly bigger than when they were measured last time (11 months for dd; 6 months for ds).

What did you think of the customer service in general?
Nobody offered to assist us; staff were very willing when asked and it was nice to be able to browse without being under any pressure but in other shoe shops staff have been out on the shop floor, more proactive and engaged.

The children both have wide feet and the range for wide fittings was very narrow. I traipsed over to the desk once or twice wth some shoes to ask if they had them in the right size. They didn't. I should hav asked what they did have in that size but didn't and the information wasn't volunteered - they just said there wasn't much difference between and F and G.

What did your children think of the experience?
They enjyed the fuss that was made of them by the lady who did the fitting and they liked having a sticker.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?
Only if I was that side of town. The range was a bit limited and for really wide feet a bit more of a steer as to what shoes they actually had would have been helpful.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?
Probably not above the shoe shops in town.

poorbuthappy · 16/06/2015 09:55

Which store did you visit?

Brantano Cwmbran

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

3 in total – 10 year old, and 6 year old twins – all girls

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Trainers for the eldest, and converse style daps for the twins

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Adidas trainers, and Skittles daps

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Initially I thought the lady who served us (Deputy Mgr) was quite brusque. However by the time she’d measured 3 pairs of feet twice (Clarkes measuring and non-clarkes measuring who knew?) I realised she was being very professional and importantly quick. She did the width and also filled out all the relevant paperwork, including asking the girls’ names. Once the measuring was done however she did leave us alone which made me feel like they hadn’t quite finished!

What did you think of the customer service in general?

Generally it was very good, she was available to answer all questions. Once she realised I was doing the test, she was very good. I paid, then she stapled all the paperwork together, gave me the reminder sheet for the next visit, and pointed out there was a 15% off voucher for adult shoes. She then also informed me that if we went on the website we could order up to 6 pairs of shoes for free for delivery into the store, with no obligation to buy, which I thought was a great idea.

What did your children think of the experience?

They were happy, the store was quiet so they tried on lots of shoes, loved the paperwork given to them.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

The fitting service, yes, but Brantano is let down by the lack of choice. They only have 1 pair of shoes in each size. The twins almost imploded with the injustice of not having the same pair of shoes until we realised that 1 set of feet were a size smaller! I’ll be completely honest here, I thought the standard of the flat shoes for my 10 year old were way below the £6 pairs from Primark, hence why she ended up with trainers – which were very nice but not really what she wanted. I was also extremely disappointed with the choice for girls size 10/11.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Can’t fault the service, or the choice of school shoes which was quite extensive. But I don’t know anyone who buys regularly from here because of the lack of choice and quality of the shoes.

Thanks for the opportunity!

RumAppleGinger · 16/06/2015 12:10

Which store did you visit?

Edinburgh (Straiton)

Which of your DC’s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

DS who is 4.

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Trainers, sandals and a pair of canvas slip ons.

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Trainers and slip ons were non branded, sandals were Skittles.

What did you think about the children’s shoe fitting service?

Needs more work. The assistant serving us was absolutely lovely. She measured DS'S foot with an old fashioned gauge rather than the tablet style measure that was hanging on the wall. Didn't mind that at all but she only measured one foot rather than both. She told us what section to go and look in for our size. Once we had selected the trainers I called her back over and she asked DS to stand so she could check how much growth room there was. She then asked if they were comfortable and asked him to walk to a point and back. That was that. From my many years as a Clarks fitter i would have expected checks of the width, around the ankle and a heel pull to make sure there was no rubbing. No checks were offered for the other two pairs.

What did you think of the customer service in general?

Despite the fitting service not being up to scratch the customer service was great. The shop was very quiet and there were two members of staff on the shop floor. Both were friendly and helpful and engaging with DS. Couldn't fault them on this aspect at all.

What did your children think of the experience?

DS loved it. He liked that all the shoes in his size were out to choose from rather than in Clarks where he would pick a pair, set his heart on them only to be told they didn't have his size in the stock room.

Would you use this store and the children’s fitting service again?

I would use the store again. I was happily surprised by the selection of branded and non branded items and the staff were helpful.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family

I would recommend the store but not the fitting service. I am in a position where I can check the fit myself so can be somewhat confident that my child won't leave with I'll fitting shoes but at present I don't have the same confidence that a friend's child wouldn't. I would definitely recommend it for adults shoes however. Looks like they had a great selection.

amimagic · 16/06/2015 13:46

Which store did you visit?

Carmarthen

Which of your DC?s took part in the product test with you (age and gender)?

My daughter, aged 5

What type of shoes did you buy (trainers/school shoes/ sandals etc)?

Pumps and unseasonal boots

What brand was the pair of shoes?

Clarks pumps and Skittles boots

What did you think about the children?s shoe fitting service?

The man who measured DD was friendly and polite, he measured her at an 11G, whereas she was an 11F in Clarks a few weeks ago, but we ended up with shoes without width measurements anyway. We then went our own way to look around at what was available and he didn?t attempt to check the fitting of the shoes that we then chose. He did check the stock to see if there were any more Clarks available than were on the shelves as the choice in DD?s size was quite limited, but they only had those that were out on display. The store is quite big, and there was no way of telling who needed help and in what order without queuing at the tills which I saw some do (unlike the ticketing system in Clarks).

What did you think of the customer service in general?

The store was quite busy and there seemed to be only two staff on to operate the tills and service the store so we had to wait a while before being served. Both staff members were polite, friendly and helpful, but unable to cope with a rush of a few families due to being only the two of them.

What did your children think of the experience?

My daughter loved getting new shoes, and she enjoyed having the time to look around and try different styles without taking up the time of the assistant. She fell in love with a pair of riding boots and we ended up getting them, despite it being the wrong time of year because she loved them so much. She also picked Clarks pumps with glittery sides which she?s happily wearing to school most days.

Would you use this store and the children?s fitting service again?

Yes I would. Whilst the fitting service feels a little less professional than Clarks, it suited me better that we could go our own way to make a leisurely choice in a more relaxed setting. I was happy to check the fitting myself, making sure there was room to grow etc. There were plenty of good value options there, as well as the more expensive and substantial types. I found it useful that I could tell DD which shelves she could look at, knowing they were all in her size.

Would you recommend it to your friends/family?

Yes, I would recommend the store. I don?t think I would specifically recommend the fitting service as such, but if you were fairly relaxed about this element I would definitely recommend the store as having a decent and varied selection for children as an alternative to Clarks.

Thank you so much for picking us for the product test, my daughter is so happy with her new shoes.