Uncomfy shoes - what should I do?

Nomoneytosave

Any advice?

My sister bought me a pair of shoes from Next for my birthday. I really liked them and they seem to fit OK when I tried them on, but when I went out in them my left heel started feeling uncomforable and then increasingly painful. It feels like the shaped heel cup is in the wrong pace or too curved so that the front of it presses into my heel (if you understand what I mean!) . Both shoes look the same so I think it's just the shape or placement of the heelcup.

I honestly assumed Next would just change them for me, so I took the shoes with the receipt into the store today and to swap them. I was totally amazed when they told me they wouldn't change them because I'd worn them outside, they said I should have made sure they were OK in the house first. I said I thought the left shoe was faulty (to the best of my knowledge I don't have odd shaped feet!) and couldn't they just return them to the manufacturer but they said they 'don't have the facility' to do this. The assistant said she showed them to the Manager but because they couldn't see or feel anything 'sticking up' they weren't prepared to take them back!

So I'm left with a completely useless pair of shoes?? Surely this can't be right/fair?? I've just sent an email complaint to Next but where do I stand (pardon the pun!).

Thanks.

sarahlouise210

I would insist that even though they can see no visible fault that in fact they are faulty as you can feel the irregularity when you walk..this of course did not become apparent until you had walked for some time..which involved leaving your house!!! I would quite the fact that they are "not fit for the purpose" of walking and therefore demand a refund. I would advise them that they sold the shoes and it is not your problem that they do not have the facility to return the shoess to the manufacturer. You could try a different branch .. you may get more help. I am the queen of taking things back...I would not have left without a new pair of shoes or a refund.

hollydays

we have TWICE bought shoes for my partner from next, once they were one left,one right ,next time he discovered while wearing them ( i noticed before him!) that they were different sizes.First time exchanged them and asked for something towards my travel costs (£10 voucher given) second time( a different shop) the assistant said she showed them to the Manager and they refused as he had worn them.I rang head office pointing out that THEY sold me the wrong size and they were very apologetic.When I returned to the shop the Manager claimed to know nothing about it,so the assistant had not shown her or she was lieing .I agree with the above post.I would speak to the Manager in person,then ring Head Office if no joy,who will almost certainly back you up.Generally though Next are pretty good for customer service.

ilovemycats

Shop assistants are NOW cobblers are they? Interesting. What a wide variety of skills these people need to have. Cobbler, electrician, structural engineers, trading standards officer, botanist, fashion consultant, seamstress, IT engineer, financial consultant, payment systems designer.

I don't know how I'd ever cope in an interview. At least if I fall over and break my leg they'll have a trainee doctor at hand.

RadoJo

Apart from anything, are they seriously suggesting that their shoes (made in a factory which is probaby churning out thousand of pairs a day and subject to fairly minimal quality checks) are fine and the problem is with your feet (evolved into shape over thousands of years, have been quite happily hanging out at the end of your legs causing you no problems at all until now) are faulty?
It sounds like they haven't really thought about the implications of what they are saying!

Timmne

Shops have policies - such as not taking back worn shoes.

How do they know that the OP didn't go hiking in the Peak District in them before returning them, effectively getting free hire of a pair of shoes? Truth is they don't.

It's all because they've had years of people trying it on with them and now shoe shops have had to clamp down and say if the shoes have been worn outside they can't be returned.

I don't know if anyone else does it but I always wear my shoes inside for a while before wearing them outside - when you're spending £60-£100 on shoes you can't afford to take that kind of risk!

nearlyrich

True they don't know what you have been doing in them but to be honest in this situation I think the OP has a good case to get them replaced. I once had a problem with a pair of shoes that leaked in the rain and the shop tried to fob me off with the line that I shouldn't wear them in the rain!

Not easy to avoid the rain in the UK and whilst I agree they are not meant for walking through small streams and puddles they should keep your feet dry when you walk from house to car etc.

I would definitely get HQ involved and if only because you are being a nuisance they may well sort it out.

hollydays

Timmne wrote: »

Shops have policies - such as not taking back worn shoes.

How do they know that the OP didn't go hiking in the Peak District in them before returning them, effectively getting free hire of a pair of shoes? Truth is they don't.

It's all because they've had years of people trying it on with them and now shoe shops have had to clamp down and say if the shoes have been worn outside they can't be returned.

I don't know if anyone else does it but I always wear my shoes inside for a while before wearing them outside - when you're spending £60-£100 on shoes you can't afford to take that kind of risk!

know exactly where you are coming from here, but the store needs to be sensible,and they cant legally refuse to accept back shoes that have been worn outside ,if it puts them in breach of the sale of goods act.,and the OP is saying the shoes have not been manufactured properly, not that they are too tight or the wrong colour.this could be hard to prove though.hopefully she will get some sense from them.

uktim29

ilovemycats wrote: »

Shop assistants are NOW cobblers are they? Interesting. What a wide variety of skills these people need to have. Cobbler, electrician, structural engineers, trading standards officer, botanist, fashion consultant, seamstress, IT engineer, financial consultant, payment systems designer.

I don't know how I'd ever cope in an interview. At least if I fall over and break my leg they'll have a trainee doctor at hand.

I can't see people being asked for IT engineering, botany etc when being interviewed by Next!

Nomoneytosave

Thanks everyone. I only had them on for an hour or two so if I hadn't been so honest they wouldn't have known that I'd worn them outside! I sent an email to head office last night but it said to allow up to two weeks for a reply.

I might take SarahLouise's advice and take them back to a different store and insist on seeing the Manager if I don't get anywhere with the assistants.

pepperjulie

I am the office manager for a firm of footwear importers. we do not supply to Next but do supply a lot of the major shoe shops. I know for a fact if you had purchased a pair of shoes from the shops that we supply, you would have been given a full refund. In know because we get all the worn returns back in our warehouse and I have to deal with a lot of debit notes for the faulty shoes. The worn returns are either destryed or sold on to market traders.

Sometimes problems do not come to light until after the shoes have been worn for a while. At the end of the day you have paid for a pair of shoes with the intention of wearing them. Is it too much to ask to be able to do this? I would persevere on this one.
Good luck
Julie