Clarks, great shoes with a very mixed service (Clarks)

Member Name: experimental

Product:	Clarks
Date:	25/03/09 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Extra sizes, different ranges, expertly fitted

Disadvantages: Service can be poor and staff appear to be lazy at times.

We've had a few experiences of Clarks and although I love the shoes that they give you and have most sizes available, I've never been that impressed with the fitting service.

The first time we went to Clarks they couldn't have been more helpful and fitted my daughters shoes perfectly. However, they only lasted a few weeks before they were completely rubbing on her feet so off we went to get more. I was a bit annoyed because the first shoes had cost £20 but then feet grow so what can you really expect?

The second sales assistant was quite rough when she was measuring my daughters feet as babies being babies tend to wiggle. This does seem to have caused us some huge problems as she is still too scared to put her feet into the measuring equipment and we have to get her feet measured whilst she's asleep! I know the assistants have to have their feet in the right place, but she was very rough. Anyway, they measured her feet and without feeling her actual feet in her shoes said no they're the right size she doesn't need new ones. Well the shoes were too small and we knew that because they were squashing her toes at the very end of the shoe! I felt the least the assistant could have done is felt her feet in the actual shoe to understand why we had gone back so quickly. We went to John Lewis the next day and had her feet fitted there and surprise, surprise my daughter came out with bigger shoes!

I've been to Clarks a couple of times since and had similar problems when i felt my daughter should have had bigger shoes. I don't really understand it at all though - wouldn't they want the money from the sales?

The shoes themselves have always been great apart from her last pair that's actually falling to pieces after a few weeks - but then she's a very active 17 month old that walks everywhere so I suppose it's to be expected.

Value for money? I'm not entirely sure. Yes, you get the shoes fitted (sometimes properly, sometimes not) so it's not really a surprise that the shoes can be more expensive than in other shops. But should you really have to pay £28 for a pair of shoes that will probably only fit for a month or two? I don't think so. I don't even pay this for my own shoes and there's a lot more material used for them!

Overall, Clarks are great when they're good and you encounter no problems so I would recommend them in that way. If you disagree with them, don't be afraid to ask someone else or get a second opinion elsewhere! After all, you know your child better than they do and if you think the shoes don't fit properly, then ask for a second opinion.

Summary: Great ranges of shoes but the shoe fitting service isn't always the best.