Unhappy with Clarks

gibby

no keen on Clarkes, they are not the firm they used to be.
the shoes are very poor quality now, a friends soon is reacting to the chemicals they use to dye the leather badly


G

*speed-queen*

Hiya,
I’m a Clarks trained shoe fitter ( I work in a small independent shop though)

I’m really disappointed about the problems you have had,
I’m sure it can be frustrating when your told one thing, and then another a few days later, or when asking another assistant

all I can say really, is in my experience,
shoe fitting is not exact, a lot of it is about opinion,
there are guidelines to go by, but people interpret them differently

the measures although good, are only a guide, as the size measured can be altered by many variables, like the socks they are wearing, whether their feet are hot, who is measuring them, and how they read the measure

also the resulting measurement is only a starting point,
as all shoes and styles fit differently,
just as they do in adults shoes, or clothes for that matter

one shoe fitter may say that a shoe fits, but if somebody else was fitting it they may have liked to go bigger/smaller

I know in my shop we would never try to get you to buy something if it wasn’t needed,
we often tell people to come back in 4 weeks time because there is just a little more wear you could get out of them

Its funny really it works both ways as well, its really frustrating as a fitter, being asked to fit something properly, and being doubted when you say its too small, and then the next person wants to go the size bigger than what they measure, and when you say its too big, they buy it anyway

In general, my advice would be, see if you trust the shop assistant that’s helping you,
you can generally get a feel of what your fitter is like, and how good they are at their job, and if your not happy, politely ask to see another person.

In general though don’t judge always by age, I’ve been at my shop 5 years and I’m only 20, and people often come in and go straight towards the older lady that has only just finished training, assuming she will be more experienced!


xXx

CRANKY40

I'd like to second the Cheshire Oaks Clarkes outlet as being a lot cheaper than the ordinary shops. The staff there are usually very helpful too. My sons school shoes came from there. They were £18, he's been at school 6 weeks, and they look like new (I do polish them most nights).

kazzah60

buying your son shoes too large completely negates having them fitted in the first place - Clarks would NEVER advise you to buy shoes "to grow into"
I too am a Clarks trained shoe fitter and I can tell you that children don't grow steadily- they grow in spurts- so one week your child may measure an 8F and then in 12 weeks they could go straight to a 9 1/2 - your son may well grow more than you think and the shoes will be useless

there is a VERY easy and foolproof method of seeing if your child has outgrown their shoes recommended by Clarks many years ago
The TALC test - sprinkle some talcum powder inside your childs shoe
shake the shoe to coat the bottom of the innersole
GENTLY put the shoe in and get the child to stand up
then gently remove the shoe taking care not to shake it too much
bingo
you will have a clear imprint of where your childs foot sits in the shoe
ALL clarks shoes are designed to last ONE FULL SIZE of growing room
individual shops may encourage you to buy each half size- but then they would wouldn't they!

sometimes different style of shoe will require different sizes- sometimes ( like my own son) your childs feet may be so wide or so narrow that for the style you have chosen you may need to go up or down a size
the measurement is ONLY a GUIDE
the real skill is with the shoe fitter in determining which style and size fits each child best.

Paul_Varjak

I love Clarks shoes too. I am disabled and have to buy odd sizes. Clarks give a good discount on supplying odd sizes and even give that discount when the shoes are already reduced in price!

Of course, not all staff members are conversant with the discount scheme so I like to go when the manager is there.

The last time I bought shoes they worked out at exactly half the price I would pay at Brantanos! So, I am very happy, yes!

geordieracer

Mcfi5dhc wrote: »

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.

It did sound as if your child was older that 2 years 10 months in the first part of your post so i could see the confusion. You have to remember that people forget that kids sizes go up to 13 and then start all over again you know.

Im sure he wasnt trying to be obtuse

Quackers

Mcfi5dhc wrote: »

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.

Because the 'dodgy laser' one does not measure feet as small as your child's.

It measures from a size 9 so would not have picked up your sons feet.

Sounds like you already don't trust the 'dodgy laser one'??

As other trained fitters on here have said - the measure is only a guide.

You could take your son to 7 shops on the same day and get measured 7 different sizes. I often find myself saying 'well, he measures a 7F but does he usually have a 'g' because his feet look wider than an F.....

That really doesn't matter - as long as the pair you purchase fit correctly.

We do occasionally have to write 'self fit' on the receipt as many parents now want bigger shoes for their children...to last longer....unfortunately so many parents do not seem to realise that a pair of shoes too big is just as bad as a pair of shoes too small....they will damage your childs feet just as much.

Getting your child measured at clarks and then buying online/from other stores is pointless....the measure is only a guide...they may need a different size in certain styles.

Its disappointing that you are unhappy....but like every store...there are good and bad individual stores/sales assistants.

We only usually hear the bad...:D

sujac

I too was a Clarks fitter (in fact was a manager of a couple of stores) What Quackers says is quite true, you could measure a child several different sizes in a day and the smallest of things can alter the measurement, like the way way the child is sitting for example. The measurement is a starting point as styles come up differently all the time and not every style suits every child's foot.

The best advice I can give anyone is if you have any concerns over the fitting ask at the time if possible. It isn't in Clarks' best interest to put them in shoes that are too small, the cost of having to refit due to a fitting error in time, effort, money and reputation is too great.

Mcfi5dhc

Thank you for everyones comments - I'll take them all on board

M

liam8282

I have noticed that most different brands or styles of footwear for children differ quite a bit in sizes.

The difference in size may just be down to a different style of shoe possibly?

Personally I like to try each pair of shoes on my son and see how well they fit him. I think you can see yourself if a pair of shoes fits or not, and if the child is comfortable wearing them and walking in them.

The best shoes and just about the only shoes my son wears are Kickers kick hi boots. He is now 5 and has a black pair for school.

With regard to the TALC test, sounds good in theory, but who is going to buy a pair of shoes that somebody has just put a load of talc in, and if the shoes don't fit who else is going to want to buy them or even try them on?? I know I wouldn't!