Why is it that the kids all need new shoes at the same time?
Kian was complaining of wet feet and I found his shoes had split, whilst both Eliza and Isaac have grown.
When the kids feet are still growing I insist on shoes that are properly measured to ensure they don’t damage their feet, especially for school as they wear them for such a long time.
I don’t know about you but I hated Clarks queuing system for buying kids shoes where you take a ticket and wait for your number. I always ended up frustrated that my number seemed to have been jumped or someone else claimed to have that number too. Now you can book your child’s / children’s shoe fitting online in Clarks stores.
The appointments are 15 minutes per child so if you book an appointment for multiple children, the appointments will be one after the other.
Once you confirm the appointment, you will receive an email confirming the details and a reminder email the day before your appointment and if you have saved your mobile number in your account, you will receive a text message to confirm your appointment booking and a text message reminder the day before your appointment – great if you have a baby brain like me!
Did it work?
Yes!
I walked in and was seen straight away, which is a real bonus when you have a 3 and 5-year-old with you who get bored very quickly. We were also amazed by the new measuring equipment on offer too – it has gone all hi-tec with iPads instead of the giant measuring machines.
Poor Eliza didn’t have feet big enough for the new iPad measuring system but Sam (the fitter) made her feel like a Princess and promised to bring her out some fairy shoes if she let him measure her feet with the foot gauge.
The boys however, got to try out the iPads and were very impressed. The iPad foot gauge features animated Clarks’ characters, Jack Nano and Daisy, who entertain children while guiding them through each step and Isaac got to help the fitter by choosing his character. The iPad app is used to measure a child’s foot length while a special digi-tape is used to measure foot width, which is then relayed to the iPad app. This presents an instant shoe size guide that Clarks trained fitters use to find the best fitting shoes.
I have to say the Sam the fitter was so patient with the kids and brought out several pairs of shoes for each of them to try on to ensure the best fit. He carried out a six point check to make sure the fit is right for happy, healthy feet and a couple of pairs were rejected because they didn’t fit Isaac’s feet properly.
Both boys came away with some smart new black school shoes and Eliza got her fairy shoes, and a pair of star buckle shoes too. She got to wear them straight away and I think you will agree she looks very proud.
My only disappointment was that I didn’t get to see any of their new Orla Kiely range of ladies shoes as they didn’t yet have them in stock.
Disclosure: I was sent a £40 Clarks Voucher for the purpose of a review.
I hate shoe shopping for children, it’s always so busy! This sounds like a great idea!
Everyone loves a new pair of shoes 🙂 Eliza looks super impressed with hers! xx
Awwww, look at that unmistakable new shoe smile! 😀
That sounds like a great idea. We had to queue in Clarks at the weekend and it was rammed! Luckily her feet haven’t grown too much so we didn’t have to buy her new ones! x
Very very handy servive!
Being able to book an appointment slot sounds so useful! I have been known to walk in, see the queue and think erm no.. let’s come back another day. I can’t stand it, waiting around for an unspecified amount of time with 3 little ones is not fun!
Oh I didn’t know you could book now! Harry is in desperate need of new shoes now so I must get that sorted.
That’s very exciting, I’m not a fan of that queuing system either. Must have been such a pain for you! Loving the new approach though, sounds like it’s working well too. Great stuff 😉
It’s great to hear that you can book your appointment online. I hate queuing for shoes. I can imagine the faces on the frazzled moms who’ve been queuing for ages when someone just walks in and gets served!
Wow our local clarks is not as snazzy as your one!
Love your fairy pumps Eliza!
Shoe shopping for littles is so not as fun as for grown ups is it! Still Eliza looks chuffed with hers! 🙂 x
The last time we went to Clarks my 2 year was fitted for shoes she could “grow into”. Seriously! At 2 years old I wanted her to have shoes which fitted properly, not ones so huge I wouldn’t need to buy them for another 6 months. That’s my only bad experience but I’m afraid it’s stuck in my mind and put me off shopping there again.
Oh I feel your pain with them all needing new shoes at once, and then there’s sports shoes, (eldest is very sporty so that’s astros, hockey boots, cricket boots, cross country spikes, athletics spikes, indoor and outdoor trainers……) and the fact that we have awkward feet so everyone has orthotics/splints etc. My heart sinks! However I must say Clarks are SO much better than they used to be, and their fitters (mostly) seem to know what they are doing now. One even helpfully pointed out to me that my daughter had outgrown her insoles!
We always book online and go to the smaller shop near us. They have older staff and are really attentive
The rate at which little one go through shoes is just astounding. Their feet seem to grow at a rate twice that of the rest of them 🙂
Shoes are so expensive especially when they grow out of them so quickly! I do think it’s important to pay whatever it takes to get a really good fitting pair.
Their feet grow very quickly, don’t they?! I love Clark’s! The feet measuring gadgets now are very cool.
What a neat idea – it sounds like it makes shoe shopping a little more fun, I remember being a bit of a pain when it came to shoe shopping as a child. x
Are you serious?!
This is sooo cool – I can’t wait to try this out with Hayden!
Thanks for sharing hunny x
Lotte xo
BericeBaby – London Parenting & Lifestyle Blog
Oh how times have changed! I remember have to put my sons foot onto a little board and then a strap across to find the foot width! x
Oh my gosh, what will they use ipads for next?! It’s so strange seeing this, and so completely different to how I remember it back in the day! She looks very happy with her new shoes! x
I have a great solution for kids shoes shopping – buy them online in few sizes and models… then return what doesn’t fit 🙂
Works for us every time.