Well not the worst service ever - but there isn't a not very good area
Since Ella began cruising I have only ever bought her Clarks shoes. Like my mum I feel until she is a lot older Clarks shoes are fitted correctly onto her wee feet etc. Well that was until today.
At the end of June, I went into Clarks shop in EK to get her sandles for her hols. I discovered that her feet had gone from a 3.5 to a 4.5 Shocked I bought her a brand new pair of leather shoes, and a lovely pair of doddles sandshoes. After our hols (so a grand total of 3 weeks later) Ella would not wear either pair of shoes without the unfastened. Also she started to walk funny - with her toes turning in. I have never followed the guidelines of how often to get her feet measured, cos I can always tell when her shoes are a little small as her toes turn in. Also another reason why I had went to Clarks to get her sandles for her hols, cos she was walking funny. Anyway so after my 3 weeks of wear out of 2 pairs of shoes - the leather ones were on about 4 times in total, I got her measured again on our return home. Also her wee feet were all sore with big red marks from the shoes. I was again shocked to discover she was now a size 5 As it was summer I bought her another pair of doodles, and then ordered a cheap pair on the web. She has worn them all summer, with no problems walking at all. Last weekend Neil - yes my very unobservant husband, actually noticed first that she was walking funny. He has been looking after her this week while my parents were on hols, and said a few times her wee feet were red and marked from the doodles. So this morning I put on the cheapies and went about the day.
We met my mum and she had said that as she bought nothing back for any of us, her and my dad wanted to buy Ella a new pair of shoes. Like I am going to argue at the price of the things! They had had her feet measured before they left - after seeing her walk a little funny one day too.
So off we went this afternoon into Clarks again. After a 30 min wait to be seen - yes that amount of time with a toddler in a shoe shop is not pleasant. Especially when she loves shoes and was desperate to try stuff on grrrrrrrrrrrr. The wee girl measured Ella's feet and said she is between a 4 and 4.5 E! Ella has been a G fitting for over a year. I got quite angry with this, and said there is no way she can have gone from a 5 to a 4 and dropped 2 width fittings. But the girl insisted on bringing out 4.5 for her to try on. What's worse she brought out the exact shoes I bought in June - the ones she has worn 4 times, and no longer fit her.
By now i was getting really angry and refused to let her put them on Ella's feet. She argued that I didn't know better, but FFS I have the exact shoes at home, in the same size never worn. Do you not think if they fitted at all I would be wearing them???????? Eventually she gave in, and tried 5's on her. So she has her new shoes, and does like them lots - I dont though. She showed them to everyone who would look But the sales girls wasn't finished. She insisted on making me take a record card - which she has written on it that Ella measured a 4E but mum went against advice and demanded a 5 G! She even tried insisting that as Ella wasn't wearing Clarks shoes today, then I clearly didn't have Clarks shoes for her. They would never have sold the wrong size! Erm wrong - cos at Hogmany we got her feet measured in there. The staff sold me walkers - even though Ella couldn't actually walk unaided! The wee soul couldn't walk at all even holding the furniture. I went back 2 days later to complain, and the mangeress admitted I had been sold the wrong, size and kind of shoe! There was even tissue paper still in the shoe - I hadn't checked, as Ella had hardly worn them - she couldn't.
My sis was really annoyed at me for getting so angry and being nasty to the wee girl but I dont care. How the hell can she have been a 5G less than 2 weeks ago and now a 4E!
I will not be getting her feet measured there again. Think may take a wee trip to the Fort or McArthur Glen outlet in Livingston tomorrow. Get a second opinion and other shoes.
Sorry for the rant ladies - am so annoyed about this
xx

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OMFG that is so annoying! No wonder you're so furious Fi, I would have given up trying to reason with her after she bought out the same pair that Ella already had and never worn and floored her! How can she tell you that you're wrong when the whole point of you being there in the first place was because Ella had outgrown her shoes? Normally, when someone outgrows their shoes it's because their feet get bigger, not smaller, or is that just me???!

What an arrogant bint for trying to give you a record card too! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

On a side note though, if ever there was a time and place to kick someone....................

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Thanks Sel.
Had a wee look in intermaweb yesterday. Apparently I am not the only one who has problems with Clarks measuring kids feet wrongly. There were hundreds of pages of similar complaints. There even was a study carried out by a doctor kidding on to be a parent. They went to many shops over Britain, and took all the shoes that "were the right size and fitting" for the child to a podiatrist who basically said if the child had worn any of the shoes she would have very badly injured her wee feet. And this girl was 13!!
Also found a page that said Clarks issue these record cards to ensure that you have no claim on a refund in a few days. It is apparently in their terms that if a parent has refused advice from staff, they have lost their right to refund etc. Well doesn't bother me - cos will be ripping up the stupid record and going to a different shop.
To be fair, her new shoes do fit her better and she is walking a lot better in them even though they are the same size. As long as she can walk properly I dont mind.
xx

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OH MY GOD!!!! i used to be a supervisor in Clarks and if that had been one of my staff members arguing with a customer in the shop front her or his arse would have got booted into next week.That is soo out of order i hope you got her name.When i worked in the shop i reccomended that children under two get there foot measured every six weeks, as when they are under two they go through crazy growth spurts.(I never hit my sales totals but hey ho) If their foot size never changed then there was never any pressure to sell more. And impossible to go back a size!! Saying that though, through fitting clarks shoes, i have found there is not really any continuity in the sizing. So if a parent wanted a specific shoe, we might have had to go up a half size to get the best fit. but still that doesnt excuse the sh*tty service you received and the attitude.I would go and talk to the manager/ess, tell them her name and demand a apology from them. They will be able to check who sold the shoes through the till, and who was logged on at a particular time if it doesnt tell you on the receipt.If that doesnt get you anywhere, get the details of head office. Good luck x

We went up to McArthur Glen outlet in Livingston today. I was feeling pretty crapp, but we were determined to get a second opinion on the sizing of her feet. hmmmmm as we thought she was a 5F/G. He even checked each foot twice and I sneekily keeked over his shoulders and yes she was definately a 5. So we bought her a cool new pair of flashing trainers which she was almost a fight to get her to take them off to go to bed
As for receipt saying I refuesed advice - well it has been filed in the B1N file Will not be going back to that shop - even in an emergency. Will instead drive at least to Glasgow Fort - almost 20 miles away and give them the custom. Or up to McArthur Glen and only pay outlet prices
xx

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i wouldnt go back either

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Centre or Mothercare Fi?

Female staff at the centre are C.R.A.P. I've had to take a few pairs of shoes back to Mothercare explaining they were too big/small whatever.

Now I check all shoes myself. If they can be pulled off easily they are too big, if I can't get a thumb space between her toes and the end of the shoes they are too small. If her feet bulge they are too narrow, if I can get a finger down the side with room to spare they are too wide. Anyone says anything I just reply "Well it won't be the first time Clarks have got it wrong, feel free to check with Head Office" they soon shut up!

In saying that we had a guy when we were getting Lucas' school shoes and he was absolutely fab. Spent a good 5 minutes checking and double checking the shoes fitted even though Lucas was saying they were fine.

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centre Yvonne although was Mothercare that sold her walkers instead of cruisers at Hogmany. It was a young boy at McArthur Glen and he was fabby. Really made sure he had measured correctly etc TBH i was feeling bit crappy when she was measured in Centre, but had I been feeling a bit better would have checked everything myself.
xx

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Christine's shoes from last school year were also measured wrong. She is a 1E, sometimes F, but they said she was a D. Needless to say, she only wore them a few days, then said they were too uncomfortable, but I didn't realise they were too narrow until recently.
I wouldn't blame you for not going back - a child's feet will not shrink in size.

Exactly Audrey! I have to say was saying to people in my work this week and they were all shocked how bad the staff were. Everyone at my work was under the impression Clarks were the best - but now re-thinking that.
xx

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