Faulty children's shoes - can I return them?

Minerva69

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, please move it if it is.

7 weeks ago I bought a pair of Start Rite sandals for my 2 year old daughter from Clinkards in Leeds. She hasn't worn them that much but the stitching has come undone on the strap of one of them and they are coming to bits, if it continues the strap will probably come away completely.

I have the receipt - would I be entitled to take them back to the store and ask for another pair, or a refund? The sales assistant told me they would last all summer but obviously they haven't!

numberonemummy

My sister owns a start rite fitting shop,
they have returns every now and then, usually find a certain style is always coming back,
she would take them back and replace them and then send them off to start rite, so take them back to where you brought them from and ask for a replacement, take your receipt as well as proof you have not long had them

hth

bucksliz

A couple of years ago I took my son to be measured for new shoes at Clarks in Milton Keynes. His feet hadn't grown enough to buy new ones but the ones he had were falling apart. They were his school shoes and he had worn them for about 4 months. The sals assistant said Clarks policy was that if shoes fall apart before the child's feet have out grown them they replace them free of charge...which they did! I have never had reason to try this policy out again but it must be worth a try.

I have used Clinkards in the past and found them to be excellent.

milkfloatquack

Yes, you should definitely be able to return them. If you exchange them, try and exchange for a different style, in case it's a problem with that style of shoes.

Gondo_2

You've touched my sore spot!! I've picked up a pair of Startrite shoes for my daughter that within a week the front of the sole started crumbling away!! I took back to retailer who wouldn't replace and only offered to send back to Startrite for them to do a report 'and then they probably wouldn't refund in full' :eek: as the shoes had probably been misused as 'they were only tested for walking on'-we all know 5 year old girls will kneel on the playground playing with their dolls/colouring etc and this was just a week!!:mad:

I am now in the process of liaising with trading standards and the retailer over the 'fit for use' and 'not acceptable standard' clause and have involved Startrite in communication although it is the retailer that has the responsibility to replace (the Clarks shop looked at them and said not up to scratch we'd replace!) and to be honest we've replaced with another Startrite pair that has lasted longer than a week so have no real gripe with Startrite shoes per se-I think this pair just slipped through their quality standard check in error.

We will probably have to send the shoes off for their report but are sending everything recorded delivery and keeping a note of costs and informing the retailer that we expect them to refund but I can foresee from the conversations I've had with him to date that we may well end up in small claims court for £37 out of principle-he's being a real stubborn XXXXXXX!!

But in answer to your question yes you should be able to return as they are 'summer' shoes and clearly meant to last a season (growth pattern willing!) and although the summer is short in the UK I think 7 weeks is too short!!:rotfl:

Good luck and forgive my rant

Forgot to say the retailer can offer to repair and make good rather than replace as part of the legislation guidance

Minerva69

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I took the sandals back today and the sales assistant tried to persuade me to have another pair the same, but I politely declined. They gave me a full refund and it just so happened that they had a sale on, so I bought my daughter a different pair of sandals and some Clarks shoes too for only a bit more than we originally paid for the faulty ones :j

Gondo - I really hope you get your problem sorted out, I can't believe you couldn't get a refund after only a week :shocked: I think you are right to take him to the small claims court and I hope you get a successful outcome.