The benefits of complaining

Bought a pair of shoes about 1.5 years ago from Clarks. Recently the shoe started separating and the shoes stated leaking badly. Basically there is an inset logo in the sole and the logo and the sole itself separated allowing water to enter the shoe all around the logo. I was ready to just buy another pair of shoes but, I called up clarks first to see if they'd give me a discount on a new pair.

They didn't offer me a discount but they did offer me a new pair of shoes as replacement for my 1.5 year old shoes. NICE!

Pretty cool. My g/f like Clarks shoes. They have an outlet-store in central NJ we usually go to about once a year.

I'm wearing my clarks desert boots right now. Totally dig.

Ironically... the exact same thing happened to me! I got a letter from them offering me a choice of anything on their website.

I've got on some Clark's right now.

Glad to hear they are not shiny happy people.

Is 1.5 years an unreasonably short lifespan for a pair of shoes? I am happy for your good fortune, but I'm curious why it deserves a discount or free pair.

Did you get both shoes or just replace the leaky one?

MitchellC wrote: Is 1.5 years an unreasonably short lifespan for a pair of shoes? I am happy for your good fortune, but I'm curious why it deserves a discount or free pair.

I couched it as they had a manufacturing and design flaw, which they did. I guess I figure I spend $100 on a pair of shoes, they might as well last more than 1.5 years. The leather uppers and soles themselves are actually in great shape, except for the logo hole.

My made in the USA Carolina boots are still around 10 years after I bought them.

914Driver wrote: Did you get both shoes or just replace the leaky one?

Both shoes leaked with the same failure mode.

The soles came off mine in big chunks, they were virtually new.

MitchellC wrote: Is 1.5 years an unreasonably short lifespan for a pair of shoes? I am happy for your good fortune, but I'm curious why it deserves a discount or free pair.

Depends on the shoes. Anything outside of dress shoes I expect 6 months or less. I don't pay money for longevity, I pay for comfort.

Lesley wrote: The soles came off mine in big chunks, they were virtually new.

shoulda picked up the phone and complained.

MitchellC wrote: Is 1.5 years an unreasonably short lifespan for a pair of shoes? I am happy for your good fortune, but I'm curious why it deserves a discount or free pair.

i had a boss that would buy 6 pairs of the same shoe and rotate daily wearing them so they would air out between uses and not stink..... i think he was a bit OCD there as he also said he typically buys his 6 pairs every 6-12 months!

I had two pairs of dr. martins crap out on me before I could even get the sole broken into. They had me send the boots back and determined the cheap chinese leather couldn't handle the way the boot was constructed. I got one free pair than after the second pair died I gave up. To hell with their cheap junk product. I wouldn't feel sorry for the manufacturer as this is valuable information for them to see what failed and how to fix it. With manufacturing going overseas quality control is going out the door. Everything is basically a commodity, the more boots you can pump out the more money you make. If a low enough of people complain about workmanship/quality/longevity the company makes out ahead. They were able to sell you an inferior product and have you foot the bill when it failed in a predictable manner given its construction. Whenever I buy a pair of shoes I inspect them to make sure they are designed correctly. If I see excess seams or plastic vital part or a new pair in the store already broken it is a good indication of an inferior product.

This is why buying an extended warranty is stupid. If something fails prematurely due to either manufacturing/assembly flaw it is in the best interest of the company to keep a customer happy. This also generates "real world" data.

Tifosi2k2 wrote:

benzbaron wrote: I had two pairs of dr. martins crap out on me before I could even get the sole broken into. They had me send the boots back and determined the cheap chinese leather couldn't handle the way the boot was constructed. I got one free pair than after the second pair died I gave up. To hell with their cheap junk product.

I still wear my first pair of Doc's that I bought back in 1993..... still good. When they were still made in England. Love those shoes.

they now make a warrantied for life extra strength Doc. I assume its the same as the old ones.

It makes me wonder who is to blame for shoddier production... the manufacturer for chasing lower costs, or the consumer for wanting lower prices. I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Tifosi2k2 wrote:

Ignorant wrote: they now make a warrantied for life extra strength Doc. I assume its the same as the old ones.

That's good to know, thanks!

I believe there is the vintage docs which is still made in england...

I broke the steel shank in a Vasque boot that was worn out. I called not to complain but to say that they were great and I was buying another pair. They asked me to send them the receipt for the replacements along with the old boots. I was amazed that they sent me a check for the cost of the new ones and wrote that they were changing the shank as some others had broken as well. That was in 1990, it might be different now.

driver109x wrote:

Tifosi2k2 wrote:

Ignorant wrote: they now make a warrantied for life extra strength Doc. I assume its the same as the old ones.

That's good to know, thanks!

I believe there is the vintage docs which is still made in england...

http://www.drmartensforlife.com/