Help...Shoe shop problem!!

db1969

Hi

I hope someone can help me. My son went to a shop on Wednesday to get a pair of shoes for christmas ...Vans £55. When he saw the ones he wanted he asked one of the staff for a size 10. He tried them on and thought they were a bit tight and asked if they had a size 11. He said no that was the only size they had left. So my son thought well they are new I'll break them in and purchased them.

Later he wore them for about five minutes and thought they were pinching and took them off. When he looked at the shoes and the box he noticed he had been given a US10 (UK 9). He went back to the shop the next day and at first they said sorry and took the shoes and the receipt to do a refund. When they noticed they had been worn (a slight mark under the Vans label) they said they would not refund them. They handed back the shoes to my son. He left the shop. He realised they hadn't give him back the receipt so he went back in and they said they haven't got the receipt and would not do him a copy either.

I have e-mailed the shop quoting the Sales of Goods Act 1979 (amended) and said they were not as they described - they should be exactly what they told him they were. They have got back to me and said my son did ask for a size 10 and they said they only had a nine and my son was happy with them. They will not refund or replace as he has worn them.

I have spoken to my son and his witnesses and this is not true they never said they only had a size 9.

I am now stuck with a pair of £55 shoes that don't fit...and I feel that I've been done! Help!!:mad:

Biggles

Sizes vary enormously; the problem is he tried them on and was happy enough to leave the shop with them.

Only ever try shoes on at home indoors, on carpet, until you're sure - one way or the other. Most shops advise you of that when you leave the shop if you're at all uncertain but when you've marked them you've got a much harder job.

They certainly won't give a refund under the circumstances, but try for getting them to exchange them for some other shoes, it's your best bet and the loss of the receipt won't matter so much.

And go with him!

db1969

Thanks Biggles

I will go with him in future but at 18 and the first time I'd not gone with him I could scream....kids eh!!!

Savvy_Sue

If all else fails, sell them on ebay? No idea what you'd get for them there but you should make something back ...

And yes, it's frustrating, but he has to learn some time so while you might go with him (and take one of the witnesses if you can) to calmly discuss the refund situation, he shouldn't make the same mistake next time, or ever again!

db1969

Thanks Savvy Sue...and it is frustrating...it's an expensive mistake to make...ggrrr kids!

Savvy_Sue

db1969 wrote: »

Thanks Savvy Sue...and it is frustrating...it's an expensive mistake to make...ggrrr kids!

Yes, so next time, make sure he knows it will be HIS mistake not yours.

At 18, I reckon it's a jolly good idea for children to start having a budget for shoes and clothes and sorting themselves out. It happened a bit randomly with my lads, I continued to buy 'basics' as required, but if they wanted 'non-basic' clothes they organised and paid for that themselves. As I had one who never wore anything BUT basics, one who mostly wore basics but bought a few 'interesting' t-shirts, and a youngest who declined to wear basics from a much younger age, he continued to expect me to shell out for much longer than the older two.

And one of them will wear shoes LONG after they have worn out!!! Even if I offer to pay for a new pair!!!

Biggles

db1969 wrote: »

I will go with him in future but at 18 and the first time I'd not gone with him I could scream

I'm older than 18 - by several decades - and I still hate buying shoes on my own. It's always good to have someone sensible to discuss them with while you're making the decision.