What can I do about badly fitted start-rites ??

[mummyloveslucy]

My daughter had some start-rites 4 weeks ago, the style I liked only came in an f width and my daughter is a G. She said it's o.k and she'll try them bigger so that she gets enough width.
I noticed that my daughter was tripping up more often in them and they just looked huge in length. I went back to the shop and the owner was there (not the girl that fitted them). She had a feel and said they are fine and it's not the shoes that are making her trip. She said if you're still concerned come back in 2 weeks.
I was in Exeter today and thought I'd ask Russel and Bromley to get a second oppinion.
They measured her as a 9G and the shoes are a 10.5 F. The manager and another fitter both said that they were way too long, and shouldn't have been sold to me. There is also a gap at the back when she stands up.
The manager said she couldn't believe that when she took of her shoe, such a small foot came out of it.
She has advised me to go back to the shop and say that they aren't right and see what they say. If they won't change them I'll contact start-rite. If she still insists there fine, what can I do about it? They have obviously been worn and are pretty scuffed from all her falls.
I'd be greatfull for any advice. Thanks

didn't you express reservations at the time they were ordered on another thread? You could well be deemed to have accepted them by her wearing them for so long rather than returning immediately, so you may well legally be dependent on their goodwill now. You could check with Consumer Direct re: your statutory rights though. Are these the ones she weed on too ?

If you can't get any money back/replacement you could sell them on ebay,
you may not get the whole amount back but it might make you feel better.

Yes, I'm afraid they are.

That's not the reason I want them changed though. When she said about going up so many sizes I was a bit worried but decided to trust what she was doing (as she is a trained fitter) The first few times my daughter tripped, I didn't know wether it was the shoes or just her. People also commented on how big her feet were when she had them on, which made me think.

ten10, I could never sell them. I wouldn't even give them to charity as she has weed in to them and they smell. I've tried all sorts to get them clean but they still smell.

You're right RubyRioja. If she had said to me when they arrived in the shop that she wasn't sure they were the right fit, then I woul never have bought them.
I've been told today that the scoop front style dosn't suit my daughters foot shape as well as a t-bar.

iirc you were adamant you wanted that style/colour so perhaps that overrode your decision and any query over fit in the end. Call Consumer Direct for advice but I suspect it is a bit too late to complain they simply don't fit. however, out of good will(and to keep your custom) you may yet get an exchange, or a proportion of the value towards a different pair, if you go back to the original retailer, but it certainly isn't Startrite's problem.

The point is wether they were weed on or not, they should still fit. It's probubly due to the fact that they gape around the ancle, that let the wee in.
I really hope she'll change them as they cost a fortune and I'll have to buy her new ones anyway. I can't rist her feet being damaged or her having a nother nasty fall.

Yes I did really want them, but if she said that they were not a good fit then I would never have bought them.
I trusted that she knew what she was doing. This time she is going to have the exact size and width that Russell and Bromley fitted her with and the style of shoe they recommended which was a t-bar. Her foot health comes way before fashion.

Don't disagree that the issue is that the fit is not right but it is the time lag (not the wee!) that is the real potential stumbling block. The retailer was responsible for ensuring they fitted at the time, which should still be self evident they didn't to both them now and you fairly soon after purchase. Do you have the receipt or proof of pruchase with date? Info here

Oh and I don't want to get the girl in trouble that fitted them as she was lovely.

If you want a replacement you don't have much choice, sorry. You have to go back to the shop to complain.

I could look for it but don't hold out much hope. If they don't change them then I'll never go back there and will go to Exeter in stead (which is a long drive).
Should I say that Russel and Bromley have fitted her as a 9G and say that they are far too big?

Her foot health comes way before fashion

and

the style I liked only came in an f width and my daughter is a G.

Have you read your posts back? You knew that the shop assistant was selling you a shoe a size (or several) too big in a narrower fitting than your daughters foot needs.

If the shop don't have the appropriate width in the styles I like, I get them to ring round other stockists in the area, or we choose others in the correct width.

Are you trying to tell us that for four weeks you didn't notice shoes gaping at the ankle or her feet coming out of them?

Imo you knew exactly what was going on but you put fashion over foot health. And now you want your money back because she has weed in them "It's probubly due to the fact that they gape around the ancle, that let the wee in." pmsl

Bank statement perhaps ? the shoebox itself with label ? It all helps strengthen the argument as it shows where and when you bought them. By the sounds of it, their present condition means someone could even think they had been bought 2nd hand off ebay, especially since the range doesn't change that much year on year so it is worth being able to show otherwise.

Tell them she was tripping so you had them checked in R and B as you were passing and were advised they weren't an appropriate size or style. However remember a measurement isn't 100% fixed, different styles can vary, but not normally by such a great margin as you have described, so any replacements may not be a 9G but still fit iyswim.

I've known them to go up half a length to get the width but never 2 or 3. I thought she must know better than me as she is a shoe fitter. I always thought they were on the big side but once they had been ordered for me and the lady said they were fine, I couldn't really say "I don't think so, I don't want them now". The fact that she's weed in them is irelevent. She would still wear them untill she grew out of them if they fitted her.

Well if you don't have any proof of purchase anyway you are onto a loser.

Thanks LIZS.

I think they will loose out more, I won't go back there for a start and in a small town a bad reputation is not good for buisness.

but legally I suspect you don't really have much of a case now, it is really up to their goodwill and if they want to keep your custom or risk their reputation. Go armed with your proof of purchase and explain as below and see what they say.

Flibbertyjibbet- I know that there is much more to shoe fitting than just measuring the feet and buying that size. Shoe fitters are very skilled at what they do. She told me that because the shoe was gaping at the back, it cleared her heel so it wouldn't rub. She told me to come streight back if they rubbed her heel, which they didn't.
Arn't I awfull for trusting the fitting lady? 4 weeks goes so quickly and she wears other shoes too.
I think it's a bit bloody rude of you to suggest that I wanted ill fitting shoes for my daughter because I liked the look of them. If that was the case, I would've gone to monsoon or somewhere and saved a fortune.

They wouldn't know about the wee unless they decided to sniff them. They are scuffed though. They come up lovely with shoe wightener but up close you can tell.
I can only try and then go from there. I find that R and B seem to be more stricter with fitting. I wanted a style once and when they tried it on they said it didn't suit her foot shape, and that was that. She had a different style. I much prefere them to do that than try and keep me happy by trying every which way to make it fit. I feel confident that my daughters feet are in safe hands with them.

I'm going to work now, but I'll try to get them exchanged tomorrow.
I might have to put it down to experience and not go back there. That would be a shame though as they are a lot closer to us than R&B.
Thanks everyone one (appart from flibbertyjibbet)
By the way, you're not the owner of the shop are you???