Branded Shoe staff amazing response to fault

miketheDIYman

I like this particular and popular shoe brand, its wide fitting and usually comfortable fit and lightweight. So when on offer I usually buy 2 pairs of same style and put one aside to wear when 1st pair are worn out. Now I had problems with sole on 1st pair but just put it down to wear and tare. However after starting to wear the 2nd pair recently I found after a few weeks of occasional wear the sole began to disintegrate in 2 areas allowing water to be absorbed and then hearing myself walk with a squeek. Brought them back only to be told - as you put them aside the rubber was unable to breathe and you have caused the problem yourself - unbelieveable. Unfortunately I don't have the receipt but their brand is embossed into the leather and the rest of the shoe is in perfect condition. Anyone advise how to proceed / write a letter to Head Office ?

Miaireland

From what you say the shoes are unfit for use so you are entitled to repair or refund or replace. To be honest it sounds like the manager just wanted to get rid of you. I would write to headoffice

lawred2

miketheDIYman wrote: »

I like this particular and popular shoe brand, its wide fitting and usually comfortable fit and lightweight. So when on offer I usually buy 2 pairs of same style and put one aside to wear when 1st pair are worn out. Now I had problems with sole on 1st pair but just put it down to wear and tare. However after starting to wear the 2nd pair recently I found after a few weeks of occasional wear the sole began to disintegrate in 2 areas allowing water to be absorbed and then hearing myself walk with a squeek. Brought them back only to be told - as you put them aside the rubber was unable to breathe and you have caused the problem yourself - unbelieveable. Unfortunately I don't have the receipt but their brand is embossed into the leather and the rest of the shoe is in perfect condition. Anyone advise how to proceed / write a letter to Head Office ?

what happens to shoes in a warehouse?

CramCycle

The manager wanted shot of you, and is completely in the wrong but you do not have a receipt, how would the manager know you bought them there and not somewhere else. If you paid by card, you might be able to get them to drag up a receipt on their system as you would have the date and time but depends on the shop/system.

Try head office and hope for the best, failing there, complaints via social media may be worth a shot..

dudara

lawred2 - please focus on offering advice to the OP.

dudara

Lux23

You don't need a receipt if the goods are branded and obviously come from that store. Would you have paid for them with a card by any chance because you can use that.

Melendez

This post has been deleted.

godtabh

Lux23 wrote: »

You don't need a receipt if the goods are branded and obviously come from that store. Would you have paid for them with a card by any chance because you can use that.

what if they can be bought from a different shop?

Lux23

It would really be up to the retailer to prove they weren't bought from them or they should direct you to their Head Office.

lawred2

dudara wrote: »

lawred2 - please focus on offering advice to the OP.

dudara

bit harsh - I was querying whether there was even the slightest bit of credibility with regards to the manager's response.

but whatever

daheff

dudara wrote: »

lawred2 - please focus on offering advice to the OP.

dudara

In fairness lawred2 is pointing out the fault with the shop persons response. If the fault is caused by the shoe being put away and the rubber not being able to breathe, surely the shoe sitting in a box in a warehouse is causing the same issue?

miketheDIYman

They are ECCO branded shoes and ecco is embossed into the leather
I may have paid by cash as I have checked my credit card statements with no luck Agree with last poster - does this mean they are partially disintegrated when you buy them as new since they were stored in their warehouse and anyway why can't they breathe in a warehouse or in my house ???

CramCycle

Lux23 wrote: »

You don't need a receipt if the goods are branded and obviously come from that store. Would you have paid for them with a card by any chance because you can use that.

They could have been bought online, possibly cheaper. The damage for all the retailer knows is from overuse.

Lux23 wrote: »

It would really be up to the retailer to prove they weren't bought from them or they should direct you to their Head Office.

Not really, the onus would be on the purchaser.

HeidiHeidi

miketheDIYman wrote: »

They are ECCO branded shoes and ecco is embossed into the (fake) leather
I may have paid by cash as I have checked my credit card statements with no luck Agree with last poster - does this mean they are partially disintegrated when you buy them as new since they were stored in their warehouse and anyway why can't they breathe in a warehouse or in my house ???

Ecco shoes are widely available - if you're looking to return them, I think you'd really need to be able to prove you bought them from wherever you're returning them to.

The "leather can't breathe" is a red herring imo.

Also, why do you say "fake" leather? Ecco are a fairly premium brand, are you implying that they're putting out substandard goods "pretending" to be leather? Just seems like an odd thing to say.

miketheDIYman

Ok maybe its real leather but its the RUBBER sole they say needs to breathe (not the leather) thats where the disintegration is and its not like usual wear on the edge of the heel its in 2 areas in middle of sole quite unusual

HeidiHeidi

Maybe you should delete the "fake" from your post above then?

And regardless of whether the whole thing fell asunder into ten different bits, if you're looking for a particular shop to refund you for them, I think you'll need to be able to prove you bought them there in the first place.

beechwood55

The retailer is entitled to proof that you bought them in that particular store. You could have bought them in a shop abroad or you could have bought them on Ebay.

miketheDIYman

Thanks for all responses - I think I'll buy a new pair and keep the receipt this time :D:D

JimsAlterEgo

contact the manufacturer, you are not likely to have any luck with retailer with receipt.

L1011

Natural rubber can easily degrade if stored incorrectly - e.g. with certain chemicals. Its unlikely to be the case here. How long ago did you purchase the shoes?

miketheDIYman

Not exactly sure - maybe 6 months see photos attached

VeVeX

To my untrained eye that looks to have melted rather than worn.

Delacent

This may give some credibility to what the store manager said -

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/fashion-and-style/the-mysterious-case-of-the-crumbling-shoes/article_78ef32d7-6fa7-5a84-b473-045b1404ba78.html

miketheDIYman

thanks for that link - interesting reading - think I will be changing brands
and to previous poster - no nothing has melted and never near heat or chemicals just stored on a shoe rack in my bedroom

Delacent

miketheDIYman wrote: »

thanks for that link - interesting reading - think I will be changing brands
and to previous poster - no nothing has melted and never near heat or chemicals just stored on a shoe rack in my bedroom

I'd look at shoe style rather than brand - it would very much depend on use.

These days everyone is looking for lightweight shoes - but they won't wear well especially on men.

Personally I have settled on timberland for the past few years - its the one brand that still seems to use quality leather.

M&m direct or Timberland store in kildare village always have decent deals, but still expect €70+ per pair

Samuel T. Cogley

miketheDIYman wrote: »

Thanks for all responses - I think I'll buy a new pair and keep the receipt this time :D:D

Then take back the faulty pair and exchange them.

L1011

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Then take back the faulty pair and exchange them.

They will likely state the design type so this would be impossible as well as fraudulent

Samuel T. Cogley

L1011 wrote: »

They will likely state the design type so this would be impossible as well as fraudulent

Obviously done with the right type of shoe, suggested fairly frequently and not fraudulent* as the OP is simply circumventing someone denying him his consumer rights.

If the retailer wishes to look very carefully at their sales records to prove the the shoes in question are not the shoes for the receipt presented then they can do the same to allow him to return the pair in question.

*Sorry allow me to rephrase. No more fraudulent than returning something with a receipt not originally purchased by you.

L1011

The likelyhood of the same type being available 6 months later is low. I suspect the courts would not be as quick to consider it non fraudulent as you are falsifying purchase date amongst other things.

Its also going to require going to completely different staff.

Samuel T. Cogley

L1011 wrote: »

The likelyhood of the same type being available 6 months later is low. I suspect the courts would not be as quick to consider it non fraudulent as you are falsifying purchase date amongst other things.

Its also going to require going to completely different staff.

It's not going to court. Retailers don't even care if a contract exists. They're simply trying to ensure the punter isn't ripping them off, they don't do any serious checking of receipts despite it being remarkably easy to do so.

Fair enough though, technically it's a bit naughty. Don't ever do this OP, it's wrong and two wrongs don't make a right.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

It's not going to court. Retailers don't even care if a contract exists. They're simply trying to ensure the punter isn't ripping them off, they don't do any serious checking of receipts despite it being remarkably easy to do so.

Fair enough though, technically it's a bit naughty. Don't ever do this OP, it's wrong and two wrongs don't make a right.

It's more than technically a bit naughty. It is, plain and simply, fraud.