Unhappy with Clarks

Mcfi5dhc

A few weeks ago, Clarks measured my eldest sons feet as an eight. We bought one pair of shoes for him.

We went back yesterday to get another pair of shoes, and they measured him again, but as a 7 1/2. The girl really squeezed his feet in the old fashioned measuring thingy (not the dodgy laser one).

Have a niggling feeling they were trying it on. Had we got a 7 1/2 it would of hurt No.1 sons feet, and would have lasted no time. They have done similar before where the shoes we were sold have no room in them at all.

PLEASE NOTE - I will give my sons anything. I would go without for them. But I am starting to dislike Clarks (especially the Chester store where I was yesterday). A basic pair of shoes there is £28 (my son is 2 years & 10 months). If we had got the 7 1/2s, they wouldn't have lasted 5 mins.

Had we got the 7 1/2s, I am sure we would have got a refund a week later (he wouldn't have been able to scuff them by then!). But if we get any other size - for example an 8, they write on the receipt "Parent ignored recommendations" - blatently this means "No refund if it doesn't fit".

In the end we got a pair of 8 1/2s for him - he won't wear them just yet, but soon.

Has anyone got any similar experience with Clarks? I can't fault the products at all, but can't help feeling they may be a bit of a Gillette company - one day people will wake up and realise that some of the cheaper alternatives are actually better that the pricey ones. We haven't got round to trying cheaper ones yet though as everyone does say Clarks kids shoes are the best.

Thanks, rant over. Feel a bit better now

mirrorimage0

i love clarkes shoes so thats what we buy but i have never bought them full price, i always wait for the sales or go to an outlet shop our nearest one is freeport and it has a lovley clarkes shop. i do think your right though they try and get them to just fit so they dont last long

Lip_Stick

Aren't you supposed to get at least 3 months growing room in a pair of clarks shoes? So, if they last a lot less than that, the child would have been incorrectly measured and you'd get another pair?

Saying that, my son was measured as two different sizes in two different stores on the same day. It doesn't exactly make you confident about the service when that happens! The 2nd lady said that the first lady who measured my son was probably a Saturday girl. In fact, the first one looked more like the manageress.

TEDDYRUKSPIN

Mcfi5dhc wrote: »

A few weeks ago, Clarks measured my eldest sons feet as an eight. We bought one pair of shoes for him.

We went back yesterday to get another pair of shoes, and they measured him again, but as a 7 1/2. The girl really squeezed his feet in the old fashioned measuring thingy (not the dodgy laser one).

Have a niggling feeling they were trying it on. Had we got a 7 1/2 it would of hurt No.1 sons feet, and would have lasted no time. They have done similar before where the shoes we were sold have no room in them at all.

PLEASE NOTE - I will give my sons anything. I would go without for them. But I am starting to dislike Clarks (especially the Chester store where I was yesterday). A basic pair of shoes there is £28 (my son is 2 years & 10 months). If we had got the 7 1/2s, they wouldn't have lasted 5 mins.

Had we got the 7 1/2s, I am sure we would have got a refund a week later (he wouldn't have been able to scuff them by then!). But if we get any other size - for example an 8, they write on the receipt "Parent ignored recommendations" - blatently this means "No refund if it doesn't fit".

In the end we got a pair of 8 1/2s for him - he won't wear them just yet, but soon.

Has anyone got any similar experience with Clarks? I can't fault the products at all, but can't help feeling they may be a bit of a Gillette company - one day people will wake up and realise that some of the cheaper alternatives are actually better that the pricey ones. We haven't got round to trying cheaper ones yet though as everyone does say Clarks kids shoes are the best.

Thanks, rant over. Feel a bit better now

I started to worry that you stated eldest son wears size 8. Then I got more puzzled that your child was a baby at 2 and half years.

All I would say, is measure them yourself. Buy slightly bigger for a child as they grow as fast!!!!

3onitsway

I see you went to Chester. Have you tried Cheshire Oaks for cheaper Clarks?

I dont' believe in cheap shoes, we tried Next and Asda one year, they lasted about a week! This year, DD has hush puppies from Brantano - they're lovely.

Before she got the hp's, we went to Clarkes as usual. She got measured as an 11 1/2 H, and the assistant found the shoes she liked. She tried them on, had a walk about - but couldn't decide if she really liked them. The assistant said she'd put them aside while we finished our shopping, and we could come back and get them if she'd decided she wanted them.

Half an hour later, we went back to Clarkes - DD decided she wanted them. The original assistant had finished for the day, so we told the next assistant that these 11 1/2 H shoes had been put aside.
Assistant found them, and fitted them onto daughter - saying, these can't be the ones put aside, they're far too small!
She was measured again, and was a 13 G!?!?! She grew a size and a half in half an hour?

Becles

The measuring and initial size is not an exact science. It's just a guide as to where they need to start fitting shoes. Shoes and feet come in various shapes, so they may need to go up or down a size and/or width fitting depending on the style of the shoe.

If you are not sure about the shoes, have a feel of the growing room yourself or explain your concerns.

Clarks did fit my daughter in a shoe that I felt didn't really have enough growing room, but they insisted they did. A few weeks later, the shoes were too small, so I took it back and they happily swopped them for the next size up.

mrcol1000

Really its up to the parents to take the advice given and then make their own choices.

Mcfi5dhc

TEDDYRUKSPIN wrote: »

I started to worry that you stated eldest son wears size 8. Then I got more puzzled that your child was a baby at 2 and half years.

I don't get the above comments. My eldest son is 2 years, 10 months old and wears size eight, which is the average for his age. Your comments are neither humerous, or helpful.

Everyone else's comments were helpful though, so thanks for this. It does seem to be a common trend (at least for four or five of us) that Clarks seem to be getting it wrong in their favour - ie. the shoes won't last long.

Have tried Brantano, some of them say they can't sell Clarks shoes if they are near a Clarks store, but will try Cheshire Oaks Clarks store as well.

Are their any Clarks staff on the MSE forums ? It would be nice to know your opinions

valos_mummy

I worked for Clarks about 10 years ago now and went on the child fiiting course too. Things have changed, they were just bringing in those high tech measuring gadgets as I was leaving. We have the manual measure for the younger ones, and I also used the one where you put your foot in the hole and those metal bits came in from the sides and front to measure you. Lots of parents bringing in their kids after PE at school - lots of sweaty feet! Eww, but it was my job so I got on with it.

Anyway, I digress. You had either the laces or straps to make sure the foot was securely held in and couldn't slip out at the back - after which you felt round the sides. There had to be enough for a small squeeze so that they weren't too tight. The general rule round the front was to feel where the big toe was, then make sure you had a thumbs width from the end of big toe to the end of the shoe for growing room.

So secure round the back with thumbs width space at the front, and a tiny bit of give round the sides. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you, but we were always told about the importance that you had the growing space, because children's feet are in constant development and anything that won't allow for growing has a risk of causing permanent foot damage in the future.

Whatever we measured kids feet at, we bought out that size shoe, but most of the time it was a starting point for going up and trying various sizes and widths around that measurement to get the right fit.

lolly1981

we always get our sons shoes from startrite his previous pair have lasted better than the ones he has now but typical boy is forever scuffing them.
we havent tried clarks yet so would now be a bit concerned in using them..as i know how important it is for kids feets to be able to develop properly and obviously being a time when money is tight (for everyone) last think i want is to fork out 30 quid for a pair of shoes that last a week lol...even tho my sons only last marginally longer lol

Samanthapom

I've had a similar problem on a couple of occasions at Clarks.

I bought my son a pair of trainers at the beginning of the 6 weeks school holidays & when I went back 3 weeks later to get his new school shoes they measured him a size bigger. I asked them to check the trainers aswell & they said he's only got a couple of weeks growth left in them. Now I know kids grow fast but that's ridiculous.

Then last week I went to get my daughter (aged 14months) a pair of boots. She measured a 4F but the assistant had trouble get that size boot over her ankle so she tried the G but that had the same problem. In the end she recommended the H width! I queried it at the time but she assured me that as it was a boot not a shoe it was ok.

ANyway, when I got home I put the boots on my daughter in the lounge & she could hardly walk in them, she kept falling over & the boots kept falling off. I took them back to a different Clarks the next day for a refund & the assistant there told me that no way should have I been sold them (She also said that boots weren't really suitable for babies that haven't been walking long).

So needless to say that I wont be going to Clarks again!