Running Spikes - Inherent Fault (Six Years To Make A Claim?)

sprinter400uk

Hi Guys,

I think I know the answer to my query but I’d thought I’d check on this forum first as I don’t really want to embarrass myself in the shop.

Back in January 2017 (yes, over 3.5 years ago!) I bought a pair of running spikes which were on sale from Sports Direct. At that time I was still training on the road (winter training) so I put the shoes to one side ready for the spring.

In the meantime, I got injured pretty badly and was unable to run at all for over 2 years. Over the last 12 months I’ve been slowly building myself up again and during the last warm spell I thought I’d give the running track a go!

Anyway, I found my new spikes which had NEVER been worn/used except for trying on (without the spikes) and they are of course in perfect condition. However, when I tried to screw in the spikes, ready for my session, I could only screw half of them in. It seems that the thread of some of the spike holes on the sole are faulty.

As this is obviously an inherent defect due to faulty manufacture am I right in thinking that I have 6 years to make a claim for repair/replacement?

Of course, if they are able to screw the spikes in I’d be more than happy but I’m not sure Sports Direct are going to be pleased about replacing them.

Kindest regards

theonlywayisup

As it is over 6 months ago then the onus is on you to prove the fault is inherent, which should be very easy considering they are unworn.  The cost of said report should be reimbursed by the retailer if you can prove the fault inherent.

You could initially try to see what Sports Direct say. 

DoaM

How much were they? After 3.5 years then you need to prove the inherent fault (as said above) - assuming that part is easy, SD will be obliged to provide a remedy ... repair, replace or refund (their choice), and any refund can be reduced to account for time of ownership. Forget the fact that they are unworn ... what do you think a 3.5 year old pair of spiked running shoes would be worth? You'd be lucky to get even 25% refund ... guess which remedy SD would choose .......

Sandtree

DoaM said:

 You'd be lucky to get even 25% refund ... guess which remedy SD would choose .......

I would be marginally more optimistic, especially if the same model is still sold today. If the condition is as good as said and you are lucky with the person on the returns desk they may do a straight swap out.  My experience of store and contact centre staff is that they are generally not asked/empowered to make commercial decision but instead have fairly inflexible processes.

As a teenager I was a manager in a contact centre for a mail order company (we're talking pre-internet shopping) and we sold some ok stuff at slightly high prices, we sold a lot of cheap tat at only just slightly cheaper prices and our buying department were good at picking up bankrupt stock for next to nothing. Our delivery/collection costs to England/Wales/mainland Scotland was peanuts as we owned our logistics network but to Northern Ireland or Scottish Islands the costs were massive to us as we used third parties. 

If someone bough one of our budget sofas and it turned up damaged or for some reason the customer didn't like it our agents could offer up to 25% discount to get the customer to keep it (small stain/mark on the back, customer says its going against a wall, 10-20% usually got them happy). Team leaders could offer up to 50% discount and managers had full discretion. I used to get very frustrated when an agent would arrange a collection of a sofa from N.Ireland as collection cost more than twice the wholesale price and so giving it away was a better result than collection but 75% of the time agents just arranged a collection rather than escalating as that was what their training said to do if the customer wasn't irate. 

Manxman_in_exile

What make are they?  I'm amazed Sports Direct sell spikes.  Bit too specific for them - difficult to wear as "fashion" accessories.

neilmcl

Manxman_in_exile said:

What make are they?  I'm amazed Sports Direct sell spikes.  Bit too specific for them - difficult to wear as "fashion" accessories.

What amazes me is that anyone would think about buying something like this from the likes of SD in the first place.

OP, consumer rights aside, I think you in for a struggle to get these replaced or refunded by Sports Direct.

Manxman_in_exile

neilmcl said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

What make are they?  I'm amazed Sports Direct sell spikes.  Bit too specific for them - difficult to wear as "fashion" accessories.

What amazes me is that anyone would think about buying something like this from the likes of SD in the first place.

OP, consumer rights aside, I think you in for a struggle to get these replaced or refunded by Sports Direct.

I did once buy a pair of cheap Puma spikes from Lillywhite's in Piccadilly when it was still a proper sports shop.  The last time I was in there I think it had been transformed into a massive SD emporium.  No spikes in sight on any of the four floors.

Sandtree

neilmcl said:
What amazes me is that anyone would think about buying something like this from the likes of SD in the first place.

Are SD really that bad? Sure their main target market are not serious sports people/athletes but amongst the "fashion" sportswear there does tend to be at least some reasonably priced mid market offerings as long as you don't need advice. 

Manxman_in_exile

They probably aren't that bad - I do actually buy stuff from them.  I always go into a SD to see what they've got, but I'm addicted to sports shops, and I'm usually - but not always - disappointed with SD.  (But they do obviously have a place in the market - although I doubt it's for spikes).

What I don't like is what they did to places like Lillywhite's which must have been the best specialist sports shop in the country.  You could buy almost any specialist item for almost any obscure sport straight off the shelf.  It was an Aladdin's cave.  (Plus - which is quite unusual for places like that - all the stuff was well laid out and presented).  The last time I was in there it was a warehouse of tat.

They (or Mike Ashleigh?) also bought up iconic British sporting names like Dunlop and outdoor gear specialists like Karrimor and Field & Trek and made them much worse.  30 years ago Karrimor made real high quality gear and Field & Trek were the best outdoor gear supplier in the country.  (Bit of a pattern there).  You could buy anything mail order from F&T (or one of their shops) and their annual catalogue and gear guide was tremendously informative.  They were much better 30 - 40 years ago than places like Cotswold are now.  Plus they made their own quality stuff.  My wife still uses a 30 year old pertex top of their's for rowing.  As good quality as Buffalo at half the price.

Did the same with SweatShop running shoes too, and are they now at it with Evans bikes?  (Whenever I used to go to London, Lillywhites and Evans were places I always visited, and SweatShop too if I could get to Teddington - or wherever they were.)

I'm obviously getting too old.

neilmcl

Manxman_in_exile said:

neilmcl said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

What make are they?  I'm amazed Sports Direct sell spikes.  Bit too specific for them - difficult to wear as "fashion" accessories.

What amazes me is that anyone would think about buying something like this from the likes of SD in the first place.

OP, consumer rights aside, I think you in for a struggle to get these replaced or refunded by Sports Direct.

I did once buy a pair of cheap Puma spikes from Lillywhite's in Piccadilly when it was still a proper sports shop.  The last time I was in there I think it had been transformed into a massive SD emporium.  No spikes in sight on any of the four floors.

Yes, it was sad day when Lillywhites in Nottingham closed and even worse when Sports Direct moved in.

neilmcl

Sandtree said:

neilmcl said:
What amazes me is that anyone would think about buying something like this from the likes of SD in the first place.

Are SD really that bad? Sure their main target market are not serious sports people/athletes but amongst the "fashion" sportswear there does tend to be at least some reasonably priced mid market offerings as long as you don't need advice. 

As far as customer service goes, yes. Not to mention the way they treat their employees, but we best not get into that.