Kids shoes...why so expensive?

Savvy_Sue

Quackers wrote:

Being rude is not acceptable.

Nor is asking a customer if their daughter (I don't have one) has cut their hair, because it looks a bit peculiar! :rotfl:

Gingham_Ribbon

Savvy_Sue wrote:

Nor is asking a customer if their daughter (I don't have one) has cut their hair, because it looks a bit peculiar! :rotfl:

:eek: Maybe schools should scrap maths lessons and teach common courtesy and manners!

bylromarha

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

:eek: Maybe schools should scrap maths lessons and teach common courtesy and manners!

Bad idea. Cos that way all the pricers at Clarks/Startrite HO won't have any clue what large percentage of the annual budget is spent ensuring your children are correctly shod!

nickinoo

For anyone close to the Norwich area there is a Startrite factory shop, I managed to get my daughter a pair of boots (infant size 7.5) for only £16 & they were properly fitted.

I worked for Timpson/Olivers years ago & did the Walkright shoe fitting course so I am reasonably confident but I'd still rather go to an expert as I feel I've got some comeback.

iluvm

I too have children with tiny narrow feet, my son has a 'C' fitting which is near on a nightmare to find shoes and when we do they are the same styles that I had as a child in the 70's. Startrite seem to be the best for quality and fit although the choice is grim there has to be some catch... Startrite are the oldest shoe manufacturer in England which may justify the price slightly and they also have a bit more room for growth round the toes than Clarks. The current pair have stiched on soles rather than glued, the velcro still works well after 3 months of wear, the leather is far softer than other shoes on the market which allows for the feet to breath and moisture to escape from his stinky toes! At approx £45 a pair some only lasting 6-8 weeks due to growth I do not grumble, although it is hard financially it is a sacrifice we make. Ugly squashed feet because shoes have never fitted correctly are not nice when you are older, and bad fitting shoes add to problems later in life. Always go to a shop that has been recommended (I travel a 70 mile round trip to where I went as a child) good staff will make sure that your children's shoes fit. If you are not happy with the fit when you get home - GO BACK and make sure the manager or owner re checks the fit for you they don't want you to be miss sold bad fitting shoes. Your children's feet can not be changed if badly fitting shoes are worn - no matter how expensive or cheap they are. Good fitting shoes will last as long as you remember to polish them and make sure that your children remember that they probably cost as much as weekly shop and they respect their shoes! The answer to your question is you may get cheaper shoes and if you do take them somewhere trusted to get them checked - if they don't fit take them back to where you got them and get a refund. In my case there never has been another brand or anywhere with narrow fittings cheaper that fit my son. Another tip is try the sales if you always go to the same shop they will remember you when they are making reductions. If you are cheeky enough to ask they will put your child's width fitting aside for you and call you if there is a pair reduced that may fit. They want to clear the stock as much as you want a bargain.

pdoff

ahmilligan wrote:

I have resorted to ebay also, my kids wear handmedown shoes if they fit so I dont see that buying them from another parent will be any different.

my mum has terrible feet now & her chiropodist says it is down to her wearing her sister's handmedown shoes when her feet were still growing. apparently shoes mould to your feet so have imperceptible indentations which can damage the feet of anyone else wearing them. just a thought. because of this my mum won't let me skimp on kid's shoes so always buys Clark's ones for birthdays & christmas to help with the cost.

jmm_2

Our local shop has some kind of award fro fitting shoes, and they are excellent. So probably finding a good shop is the first step- so to speak!

Then, I buy Doodles for as much of the year as I can get away with! Someone mentioned that they are not good for high insteps. However, it depends on the style- we all have high insteps and the lady in my lovely shoe shop explained it all to me. If the buckle seems to short to fasten properly, then that’s the problem.

Wellies are great for this time of year.

Also, when you go into the shop, ask the shop assistant not to measure the feet, but check the ones they are wearing. Very often you will be told they have another couple of weeks wear in them. Great- go back 2 weeks later.

I have 3 little boys and we all have wide feet and high insteps, so we need well fitted shoes. However, following the above it doesn’t need to be too painful.

black-saturn

pdoff wrote:

my mum has terrible feet now & her chiropodist says it is down to her wearing her sister's handmedown shoes when her feet were still growing. apparently shoes mould to your feet so have imperceptible indentations which can damage the feet of anyone else wearing them. just a thought. because of this my mum won't let me skimp on kid's shoes so always buys Clark's ones for birthdays & christmas to help with the cost.

I think that you will find that most people in those days wore hand me down shoes because people just couldnt afford them. Your mum probably would have got bad feet whether she wore them or not. Not everyone who wears hand me down shoes has bad feet. So you cant blame it on that.

lapat

clarks run a baby/toddler club ask at your local store
you join you get 5% off your first pair and then 5%off the following three pairs then 10% off the fourth pair then 50% of the fith pair
not sure if it works at the outlet malls though
and im curious why your clarks are £31 my lads average around the £23 every three to four months and hes just 2yr old

Gingham_Ribbon

I think cruiser/crawler shoes cost less but the shoes with sturdy soles are more expensive.