Beware! New Shoe Shop On Soi Bukhao

[pjgsierra]

Whatever you do, don't buy anything from this shop outside Diana Estates next to the Butchers Arms pub on Soi Bukhao. I bought a pair of shoes for 990 baht, wore them only twice within a week and they started falling apart. Took them back and asked for a refund. The very rude manageress would not take them back or even exchange them. An absolute rip off! Went to the illustrious Tourist Police to complain and was pretty much told "hard luck" and of course they were too lazy to do anything about it. Typical Thailand attitude. And then they wonder why the "busy season" isn't "busy".

[Lucifer]

I go by the rule, ''Thai's never give money back''.

Can't go too far wrong if you did the same.

[gameon]

What an absolute disgrace, 990 baht and the police did not take you seriously. OMG what is happening to this place.

This place is obviously not lookig for repeat custom..and i for one shall not be shopping there in future

Were they real leather?

; )

[syd barrett]

Welcome to Thailand.

We all learn similar lessons over the years.

Never, ever, in Thailand, even at major departments stores or branded shops, such as Levis, Lacoste, Sony etc. etc. expect to get quality products. They will be either complete fakes or 'official' produce made in China.

Stick to flip-flops and in future purchase your quality footwear at 'Trickers' Jermyn St. London.

[PhilHarries]

Well I'm gobsmacked! I thought Pattaya was the world centre for quality footware.

I'm cancelling my plane ticket right now.

[DonTron]

Its the same with the FINDIG ´shoe chain. I bought a pair of shoes for 6000 baht, they broke the same day when I was trying to put them on, I brought them to the store and they refused to take them back, change them or even just refund the money.

Now I buy shoes in Central Festival, some of the brands (like ECCO) have a 4 year guarantee... and they keep it! (yes I tried it out)

[sotsira]

The only places that you have a chance of a refund on purchased goods in Thailand are the large chain superstores like Big C, Carrefour, Tesco, Central, Robinsons, etc etc.

All the privately owned shops, no chance!

So buyers beware when purchasing from such places.

[syd barrett]

The only places that you have a chance of a refund on purchased goods in Thailand are the large chain superstores like Big C, Carrefour, Tesco, Central, Robinsons, etc etc.

All the privately owned shops, no chance!

So buyers beware when purchasing from such places.

Big C is definitely the best regarding refund or replacement of goods in Pattaya.

I have had problems at both Carrefour and Tesco on more than one occasion.

[raro]

Had a similar case a couple of years ago with a shop at Outlet Mall. Not one of th official ones, but one of the booths in the middle.

They also refused to return the money. As I am the persistent kind and asked them quite loud in Thai whether it is their poicy to sell crap products and rip off the customers, thus creating some audience among Thais who were shopping there, the money was refunded after a while.

[moo9]

Maybe the Tourist fund can replace the 990 Baht?

[seank]

Thank you for taking the time to post the review on the shoe shop, its always good to get first hand experiences.

[tropo]

Welcome to Thailand.

We all learn similar lessons over the years.

Never, ever, in Thailand, even at major departments stores or branded shops, such as Levis, Lacoste, Sony etc. etc. expect to get quality products. They will be either complete fakes or 'official' produce made in China.

Stick to flip-flops and in future purchase your quality footwear at 'Trickers' Jermyn St. London.

This is nonsense. There are plenty of good quality products you can purchase here. Most made-in-Thailand products which are not copies of international brands are good. Obviously copies are rubbish and should be avoided. Major department stores (Central) do not stock copies.

[Mighty Mouse]

Thank you for taking the time to post the review on the shoe shop, its always good to get first hand experiences.

In this case it was first foot experiences.

[suiging]

I have taken back stuff to SB Furniture and a posh lamp shop just before Index. Both gave a refund. Maybe just lucky, but it can happen.

[farangpattaya]

I usually buy my shoes at BATA. If there is a problem, within a few weeks, I'll go back and they solve the problem e.g. repair or replace.

I bought some Italian shoes at a footwear-shop in the Outlet Mall once, and the glue used wasn't temperature-resistant.

At some point I bought a pair of shoes at Lotus.......was in a hurry and din't check properly.........after 3 weeks, the shoes moved to the garbage-bin.

Now I'm wearing ECCO's, bought them in Holland. They will probably last 10 years.

[Jonathanpattaya]

Another nail in Thailands' coffin?

Or would that be a load of cobblers?

Edited December 22, 2009 by Jonathanpattaya

[tropo]

I usually buy my shoes at BATA. If there is a problem, within a few weeks, I'll go back and they solve the problem e.g. repair or replace.

We bought a pair of BATA shoes for my gf's mum last Christmas. She wears them everyday and they are still going strong.

[xerostar]

In situations like this it helps a lot if you can speak Thai.

Combined with Raro's persistence and a Thai audience can be fairly intimidating for a shop owner.

Otherwise you're left standing like an idiot while the shop keeper ignores you. (no spik Ingrit ..)

My TW refuses to get into a confrontation (typical Thai). She just has that pained look and claims "headache".

I've had a confrontation with an English-speaking Thai (Thai-Chinese wife of computer shop owner)

She was totally impervious to any suggestion, criticism or expression of dissatisfaction about their service.

Like water off a duck's back.

Bad for my blood pressure!

[thaimate]

Since living in Thailand i always buy manwood shoes,you can get them in mikes or the outlet mall,first class fit and wear ,bata i find to be a little "cheap" not in the price but in the wear qualitiy ,Taywood slip ons are also good .

one thing i likesd about the girl on the Manwood counter in Mikes was the fact that when i asked was there a discount on the shoes she said yes "buy one get one free" and laughed . Think about it.

[TomBrown]

The only places that you have a chance of a refund on purchased goods in Thailand are the large chain superstores like Big C, Carrefour, Tesco, Central, Robinsons, etc etc.

All the privately owned shops, no chance!

So buyers beware when purchasing from such places.

Big C is definitely the best regarding refund or replacement of goods in Pattaya.

I have had problems at both Carrefour and Tesco on more than one occasion.

Depends what you mean by best regarding refund. I recently bought some electrical goods at Big C only to discover that it was missing the power adapter. Only 30 minutes later I was back at Big C asking for the power adapter. When they couldn't find it they had no choice but to give a refund as it was the last of that product available. I had paid with credit card, so it would be easy to refund, you would think, but according to the service counter the refund would be done in 30 days time. Obviously a small argument discussion about how they were quick enough to take my money for incomplete goods but not so quick to put it back, that it wasn't my fault their product was incomplete, and that it would be their fault I'd be charged a late fee on my credit card for something that has been returned within the hour, did they get a lady from accounts to come down and perform the refund, which was quick and pretty easy to do. It really shouldn't have got to that stage. You could argue that the money would have been refunded eventually, but you can see there is a reluctance. If I'm thinking bad, they might have thought I was a tourist and that they wouldn't have refunded my money, and I'd be in an awkward situation to get the money back once home, if I were thinking bad.

As for the electrical product missing the power adapter, I seen it the following day back on the shelf, ready for sale.

[SantiSuk]

I find that the biggest problem with refunds is my Thai partner. The culture is too respectful of those in authority - like shop assistants (yes seriously!) so she hates it when I go in to negotiate a refund, but practice and falang exposure is bringing her around.

[cobra]

I feel your pain,

How many times have my brand name knock-off sun glasses fallen apart after just a few days,

After spending days tracking down the street urchin that sold them to me at the bar, he flatly refused to give me my 50b back, then the tourist police told me to bring it up with my Embassy which proved to be quite unsympathetic.

Then there was the issue of outright fraud when I discovered my 400b Rolex was indeed not genuine, In retrospect I should have been suspicious when it was spelled with two LL's.

Then the super deal on the suit I had made turned out less than satisfying, apparently the pin stripes were patterned horizontally.

Edited December 23, 2009 by cobra

[xerostar]

Funny thing though, I bought a watch with LCD readout nearly 5 years ago in the Silom night market.

It cost me $15 - got ripped off badly and yet the watch is still running with precision timing!

I found out that it was made in China (no suprise)

It's a city where they just makes copy watches and not much else.

But they don't make 'em like they used to (5 years ago)!

[ArthurPewty]

If you are really in the right, like the time a Nokia phone came with a melted battery, it is time to forget all the Thai way nonsense and cause a stink. Complain, yell, demand and do not be ashamed.

If you go with a smile and a wai you will get screwed. The wealthy Thais know this and demand bitterly. Forget that Lonely Planet guff about cool hearts.