Tobutt Sports - Bolton (Highly Recommended)

Highly recommended -  TOBUTT SPORTS, 508 Blackburn Road, Bolton, Manchester

The service was fantastic, FREE Gait testing and great range of products.  

I went to Foot Traffic on the opposite side of the road in Aug 08 and the service was terrible, as were the range of trainers - all £85+, plus he looked to charge £10 for the gait test and threatened me in the store and said he were going to call the police on me for not paying £10 (never advised of charge before using the machine), and i needed the machine to help advise or decide which trainers to buy!

 I would never set foot in there agian and recommend TOBUTT SPORTS on the opposite side of the road.

Comments

  • Mark

    I think I should point out the facts.

    When you asked about the cost of our Gait Analysis Service, I clearly pointed out that if was free of charge if you were buying shoes, a fact that I and my customers do not find an issue.

    The reason for a charge is to maintain a high level of service, particularly on busy days like saturday.

    Customers don't have an issue with this generally and in fact I have never had a single customer have to pay for the Gait Analysis purely because they appreciate the time and effort we sped with them and the reason for them visiting a specialist running store is to purchase a pair of shoes.

    The cost of the test is clearly displayed in store.

    When you visited me on Saturday, after telephoning me earlier in the day you were told all of this.

    When you visited me on Saturday you told me you had just been to Tobutt Sports but HAD NOT purchased any shoes. You also told me that they DID NOT do a gait analysis such as the service we offer, hence the reason for coming to see me.

    We offer THE widest range of specialist running shoes in the area with approx. 120 DIFFERENT models currently available.

    We offer shoes from £25.00

    The shoe shoes you tried were priced at £65, £75, £80, £85 and £90.

    You told me the shoes you preferred were the ones at £85 and £90!!

    You spent half an hour in the store and you were analysised in 5 different shoes.

    When you told me you 'might come back in the week' I advised you of the charge again and explained that this would be refunded from any future purchase - you became threatening and abusive to me.

    Your behaviour became abusive and I am sorry but I cannot tollerate such behaviour from you or people like you. When you used language as you did to me or any of my staff I have to draw the line.

    I find this particularly insulting especially in front of other SERIOUS customers.

    I felt at one point that I may have to call the police in order to have you removed from the store.

    It is obviously disappointing that you then appear on this forum to critisise what is ultimately you own abusive and 'time wasting' nature. But hopefully other retailers may now be aware of you for future referrence. I will retain the CCTV footage.

    Kind Regards

    Paul Freary
    Foot Traffic
  • Well said Paul.

    I sympathise with you for having to deal with such situations.

  • Good for you Paul.

    Having spent twenty years in retail I full understand your need to post and respect your statement.

     TMM

  • Bought some trainers (Muzuno) from here this afternoon and very happy with service.

    Dont let the other post put you off.If you want cheaper shoes buy from the internet there's lots but none give you good advice and gait analysis.
    If you want to buy the right shoes, get them instore from a specialist.

    I will be happy to buy from here again.

    Thanks Paul!!

    C.S.
  • Mark:

    If you have an issue with a store, please don't post multiple times about it and show some dignity by refraining from making direct comparisons with a shop in close proximity.

    Also, please don't take us for idiots. And remember that some of us have been involved in this sport for a fair while.

    If the service AND range of products was so great at the first shop you visited, and you had a free gait analysis there, why did you visit the second shop? Secondly, no running shop is going to sell shoes at over £85 only, it simply wouldn't make sense. But if they do, that is their choice. You are not forced to buy there or anywhere else.

    I have to admit that I'm not a fan of paying for gait analysis, I'm inclined to think that it does put pressure on people to buy shoes in order to recover the cost of the service. But at the same time, running shops are businesses, not charities. They are aware that some people would take them for a ride if it were free. This is a difficult point. But if it was pointed out to you in advance, and there is a sign in the store, the choice is yours.

    There are two sides to every story, and we have both here. If some of your points are clearly nonsense, the rest of what you say won't be taken seriously. Incidentally, I recognise the name of the man from Foot Traffic as someone who has gone out of his way to assist people here in the past, which doesn't tally with the scenario you describe.

    Just my independent take on it!

  • Marc i have been into both shops and they both offer a good amount of service, and the price of the gait test is clearly outlined. a dispue may have taken place and maybe both parties were at fault but in my opinion and from previous visits is that both shops offer a good amount of customer service.

    not many shops in bolton offer specialist footwear but another to mention which i was quite pleased with is Sportsdirect located within the town centre, they have a good range of sheruns/heruns specialist footwear. i was really pleased with the service and their selection.

  • Interesting points about charging for gait analysis. There are a lot of time wasters out there who suddenly 'remember' they had to be somewhere and rush out of the store after getting your time for an hour, they then go straight home and buy the shoes you have suggested online to save a few £££'s.  I can't stand people like this, for me this is pretty much theft. Thankfully people like this a well in the minority. In retail you soon realise that there are a lot of totally unreasonable people out there  - the skill is in how you deal with them.

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  • I've been to foottraffic

    good store

  • Yes, it's extremely annoying isn't it Plain Lazy. Could you not leave them with just a slight element of doubt as to whether they are the right shoes or not?
  • flippin 'eck FF just noticed how many posts you have made!!!! erm, do you work!?
  • I've been on these fora since they started, when a busy day was literally maybe 2 or 3 posts. Some forumites have been on far less time them me and have posted several times the amount of posts that I've done. I worked out once that one person was posting around 100 times a day which I find unbelievably sad to be honest.

    But yes, I do work. Full time.

  • I have been buying running shoe's from Foot Traffic since 2003, and have never ever been disappointed with the service and the shoe's, Paul is a good honest guy and very helpful with sound advise.
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