Simply Run - Simply shocking

On Saturday I went to Simply Run in Stratford, I was after new shoes but wanted advice and possibly even gait analysis.  Cost was not an issue I wanted the best shoes I could get that would suite me.

I rang the shop several times during the morning but could not get an answer.  So I went to the shop anyway only to find the door open but no staff around.  Eventually two members of staff did appear but looked put out at having to deal with us.  I explained I was after shoes and some advice.  The assistant asked what size I was and after being told went off for several minutes, on his return he simply told me that they didn't do my size.

I was absolutely stunned at the poor level of customer service offered and the way I was dealt with.  I will not be shopping there again.

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Comments

  • I will never be shopping online from them either. Lost my shoes in the post and were so so hard to get a refund from
  • They didn't have your size in any shoe? Or just the ones you wanted? That sounds like shocking service.
  • And instead of moaning on t'internet you wrote to their head office with details of who you spoke to and the time you went in so they can possibly try to repair the damage done to their reputation?
  • PC- They said they didn't have shoes of any knid in my size.

    Lirish - My email regarding the issue went to the company on Saturday afternoon so I am giving them the opportunity to sort it out and will post the outcome.

    My reason for posting was to see if my experience was exceptional or the norm.  If people post saying what a great shop it normally is then it will be a fair representation of how they treat their customers.

  • Good Morning. I am the MD of the company that runs SimplyRun.co.uk. As a runner I use the forums fairly regularly and was shocked and surprised to see this thread. I wouldn't usually comment on a thread of this nature but I feel that a few items need to be addressed here.

    Firstly, I apologise to LOD for the poor service received in our Stratford upon Avon Running Store. The email you sent in to us has found its way to me and this matter is being investigated by the store manager (who was also very disappointed and surprised at its content). We are currently training a number of new members of staff and it sounds as though at the time you visited the store they were temporarily left alone to deal with customers. This should not happen and as stated above this will be addressed. Regarding not having your size in any shoes - that is quite correct, we do not stock size 6 in mens shoes in any size (we start at 7/8).

    Contrary to what you may now think, at SimplyRun we take great pride in offering all customers the best possible service. The full-time shop staff are runners who have a genuine interest and passion for the sport. We pride ourselves in being able to offer help and advice to runners of all abilities and have worked hard to gain a good reputation. As a small business having and maintaining  good reputation is key to remaining in business as every sale counts.

     It is  a measure of how strongly you feel about this issue  LOD that you have felt the need to create a forum account purely to air your grievances, it is a shame you couldn't have contacted us first to address this issue to give us the opportunity to respond before making your views very public. As you have made your comments public I felt that this should also be replied to publicly and I hope I have now dealt with some of the issues raised.

    You will be contacted again seperately by the store manager on this issue. If you wish to speak to me personally about this it can also be arranged as I am in the office most days (or will be once I return from holiday!).

    Josh - I have also looked into your order. The order notes say that we were notified of the missing shoes on the 9th of February and the refund was processed on the 16th (although it can take a few days to credit back to your card). We understand that it is frustrating when orders go wrong - we get frustrated too when items go astray in the post - it is not good for business! As a gesture of goodwill, we would be more than happy to offer you a 10% discount off your next order - If you want to accept this simply bring this tread to the attention of customer services and it will be arranged for you.

    Happy Running everyone!

    Dave Knight

  • BeetleBeetle ✭✭✭
    Plain Lazy wrote (see)

    Good Morning. I am the MD of the company that runs SimplyRun.co.uk. As a runner I use the forums fairly regularly and was shocked and surprised to see this thread. I wouldn't usually comment on a thread of this nature but I feel that a few items need to be addressed here.

    Firstly, I apologise to LOD for the poor service received in our Stratford upon Avon Running Store. The email you sent in to us has found its way to me and this matter is being investigated by the store manager (who was also very disappointed and surprised at its content). We are currently training a number of new members of staff and it sounds as though at the time you visited the store they were temporarily left alone to deal with customers. This should not happen and as stated above this will be addressed. Regarding not having your size in any shoes - that is quite correct, we do not stock size 6 in mens shoes in any size (we start at 7/8).

    Contrary to what you may now think, at SimplyRun we take great pride in offering all customers the best possible service. The full-time shop staff are runners who have a genuine interest and passion for the sport. We pride ourselves in being able to offer help and advice to runners of all abilities and have worked hard to gain a good reputation. As a small business having and maintaining  good reputation is key to remaining in business as every sale counts.

     It is  a measure of how strongly you feel about this issue  LOD that you have felt the need to create a forum account purely to air your grievances, it is a shame you couldn't have contacted us first to address this issue to give us the opportunity to respond before making your views very public. As you have made your comments public I felt that this should also be replied to publicly and I hope I have now dealt with some of the issues raised.

    You will be contacted again seperately by the store manager on this issue. If you wish to speak to me personally about this it can also be arranged as I am in the office most days (or will be once I return from holiday!).

    Josh - I have also looked into your order. The order notes say that we were notified of the missing shoes on the 9th of February and the refund was processed on the 16th (although it can take a few days to credit back to your card). We understand that it is frustrating when orders go wrong - we get frustrated too when items go astray in the post - it is not good for business! As a gesture of goodwill, we would be more than happy to offer you a 10% discount off your next order - If you want to accept this simply bring this tread to the attention of customer services and it will be arranged for you.

    Happy Running everyone!

    Dave Knight

    Good response.

     Things do go wrong. The acid test is how the `offending` party deals with the issue.

     For what it`s worth I` ve dealt with S.R. on  a number of occasions - always had pretty good service. The one occasion when something went wrong it was my fault but they sorted it out anyway.

  • I said that I would post the outcome of my complaint and I imagine it will bring this to a close.

    The company have been in touch explaining that it was down to new staff/busy moving stock.  They say they cant offer gait analysis as they don't have my size shoes (although I took my old ones with me).

    They have offered me a discount on any future order and have been very apologetic via email.

    I visited Sweatshop in Manchester over the weekend and was dealt with fantastically.  Polite, well informed staff and a range of shoes in my size, I will defiinitely go back in the future.

    In posting/emailing my purpose was to let the company know what had gone on. I hope that this helps them improve their customer service, but I won't ever find out.

  • I'd always be very wary of believing anyone on a forum with no history who only comes on to complain.

  • cougie wrote (see)

    I'd always be very wary of believing anyone on a forum with no history who only comes on to complain.

    Ok for the conspiracy theorists out there.

    I have no connection with any of the businesses mentioned in this thread.  I have simply reported two very contrasting shopping experiences within a week of each other.

  • And you also have no background. Never communicated with anyone on here so with all respect we don't know you. And we do get a lot of spammers on here.

  • My humblest apologies for wishing to share my experiences of shopping at a major running store that, by its own admission did not do a good job.
  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    What makes people wonder is that you've never posted on this forum before (not under that username, at any rate).

    You neglected to mention that you take a shoe in a size which is not worn by many people - so it's not quite so suprising that you were told they didn't have any in your size.

    Having had a quick look at men's shoes on Startfitness, none of the ones I looked at came in sizes below 7. 

    For gait analysis the shop staff  put you in the shoes they think will be good for you, then film your feet as you run on a treadmill.  Then they look at the film in slo-mo to see how your feet and legs move. 

    They could hardly do that if they had no shoes in your size.

    You did not receive good customer service, that's clear, but you also didn't tell the whole story on this forum.

  • Two issues: I feel it's a little harsh to criticise someone for complaining about something on the basis they've not posted or not posted much on here before. I understand there are spammers, but is there a threshold? And maybe he was hasty in posting on here before the issue was totally sorted, but sometimes people do this in the heat of their anger. The second is the question of shoe sizes: I'm intrigued by this - is LOD really so rare in being male with size 6 feet? I'm only asking. I didn't know it was an issue.
  • Peter - I just don't put much credibility in someone coming on a forum - for whatever it is and using their first post to criticise something. And the same thing with a poster coming on to praise some wonder product to high heaven.

    Now if the OP had previous posts that had been constructive or useful or something to give him some kind of history - they are a bit more credible. One post and one complaint could be read as just a bit negative.

    Size 6 is small I think - what size do kids shoes stop at ?



  • SlugstaSlugsta ✭✭✭
    I certainly take a large pinch of salt with any newbie posts that either praise or castigate a product/company, especially if that person does not also contribute to other threads. That is, IMHO, simply the sensible thing to do on a forum that is open to anyone.
  • Nice responce from Simply Run.. I have more regards for a company addressing issues than one which does not. Things go wrong its a fact of life, it's how a company responds which sets them apart imho

  • I take your point, but maybe someone just had nothing to say before. There just seems to be a slightly bizarre set of unwritten rules on here. I mean, people can make their own minds what credence to give any post.
  • SlugstaSlugsta ✭✭✭

    If you were out on a run and someone stopped you to tell you that a certain shop was rubbish, would you take that at face value?

  • I take most reviews with a pinch of salt, somewhere between the best and the worst is usually pretty safe.

    If you want a laugh - check out these impartial reviews on TripAdvisor :

    Nothing to do with running - but the reviews are all over the place.
    Either gushing with praise. Or damning.

    I've been there and I can tell you that some of the reviews are clearly made up.

    http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186498-d320292-Reviews-Stewart_Hotel-Appin_Argyll_and_Bute_Scotland.html
  • Clearly I have encroached into some kind of private members club that requires posts in the thousands before your opinion can be shared.

    The accusation was that I was on to promote a particular company, yet many want to defend the shop concerned.  I was also said to be telling only half the truth yet the shop itself have gone to the trouble of apologising  and offering me a discount on any future orders.

    It is true that some shops don't do mens size six but looking round a few site lots of them do across brands and types.  This why I tried to phone the shop before going but got no answer.

    Anyway its been interesting!

  • Thanks for the discount and apologies image
  • LOD - I too was unaware that someones opinion doesn't count unless they have posted many times before! Oh to be in the clique.....
  • Its nothing to do with a clique at all - just experience - hang around here long enough and you'll see how many 1st posters kick off with a fantastic review of some product or service.

    It does make you a cynical.

    Its very easy to create an account to slag off something, or try and boost your own sales. Much harder to do it believably though with a background of race entries, questions or advice offered.

    If I walked into a party and you'd not me me before and I said bad stuff about someone across the room - would you take that at face value or with a pinch of salt ?
  • I am also wary when someone comes on a forum to say something really positive or negaitive about something...........

    especially without giving a company chance to have its say...........

    its like going up to a stranger ..not bothering to say hello or get to know them and going straight into a subject............like do you want a shag............sorry but don't we even get a drink first so that I know  your name

    we  have had so many people in the past doing this.example..............have just been for this brilliant massage........they were excellent..............I highly recommend.................to discover the poster was the owner............

    there are millions of threads on here that surely if people are interested they would find at least one to enter in the converstion...............

    so i think its natural for people to be wary when first posts are to slag off or to praise something

  • Or you could look at another way - what's the point of having an opinion on anything and posting it on here if you are deemed not to have 'hung around long enough' or don't have much 'experience' ?

    It does make you cynical!
  • Just check out the 'new posts' view on any given day.

    Todays listing includes people very happy with cycling jerseys, someone advising cheap flights to Rotterdam and someone else flogging cheap shoes.

    Do they have as much credence as a poster whos bothered to join in the discussions ? Not for me they dont.
  • So if someone 'spammed' thousands of times, we'd give them more credence? We're all grown-ups - an internet forum is, in my judgement, a silly place to take seriously in very many contexts. I do, however, find it odd that people are prepared to be so rude to a new poster that is not obviously spam even if they don't give his views any credence. Doesn't give a good impression in my old-fashioned opinion.
  • I don't count spamming as joining in Peter.
  • I think it's clear by now the OP wasn't spamming. If something is obviously spam, they open themselves up to it, but I'm rather disillusioned to find that so many users of this forum, like so many other forums, say things under the cloak of anonymity that they probably wouldn't say face to face.
  • What has surprised me most is people's reaction to my post.

    I understand that if you do not know the person you may place less importance on their opinion.  The analogy used by others was the idea of meeting someone for the first time at a party etc.  However, in those circumstances most of us would not vociferously attack the person we had just met, for example if someone criticised a TV program you liked you wouldn't accuse them of working for ITV.

    It has hardly been a warm welcome from the online running community.

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