My wife bought a pair of Adidas trainers for one of my lads about 6 weeks ago and the sole has started to come unstuck.

She threw out the receipt and box a couple of weeks after buying them.

I took them back to sports direct tonight and they said that they cannot exchange them without the receipt, box or a copy of a card statement (she paid cash).

She insists that this is wrong.

I have no idea either way but at the moment I have a pair of £40 6 week old trainers that are a write off.

Anyone have any knowledge in this area?

You’re effectively asking them to swap a knackered pair of trainers for a new pair, with no evidence whatsoever as to where/when they were purchased?

They probably get people trying it on like that all the time

If everything you say is accepted as being true they owe you the cost of the pair of trainers . The Sale of Goods Act is your friend . goods must be of merchantable quality the seller not the manufacturer is in breach of contract if they are not . Your problem is proving you got the goods from sports direct , they will not accept your word on this hoping you will go away. So write saying you hold them in breach of contract give them 14 days to provide a full refund failing which you will issue a claim in the county court and will seek refund plus costs plus interest . they will either send you the cash (you win) tell you to do one or ignore you in which event you issue (can be done online) they will either pay up or defend in which case you ask for a hearing your wife says i bought these shoes from sports direct they fell apart the judge thinks those shoes are rubbish why would she be claiming against sports direct if she bought somewhere else and you win.

Your big problem here is sports direct! Bunch of ****!

I took them back to sports direct tonight and they said that they cannot exchange them without the receipt, box or a copy of a card statement (she paid cash).

She insists that this is wrong.

Unfortunately, it’s your wife who’s in the wrong. Sports Direct are under no obligation to give a refund, especially after six weeks.

You aren’t legally required to produce a receipt to get a refund, but neither is the trader obliged to offer a refund, replacement or credit note AT THIS STAGE. Had it happened after a couple of days, then fair enough, but in this case it seems like it’s tough titty. They would have a fairly good argument that the goods were of merchantable quality and fit for purpose at point of sale and for a reasonable period afterwards, but six weeks? I doubt it…

The only thing that you could do is raise it with Adidas UK, but I suspect that you may have no luck there either – I suspect that they may not be genuine UK spec goods. I once bought a pair of what appeared to be Nikes from Sports Direct and while they have lasted there is absolutely no way they’re the genuine article.

Lots of good advice HERE

Office of Fair Trading Sales of Goods Act Explained

‘If a customer returns an item and complains, you are entitled
to check that the item was bought from you and on the date
claimed. It is the customer’s responsibility to prove that the
item was purchased from you.’

From Here

Your big problem here is sports direct! Bunch of ****!

Not really, well yes really, but you cannot expect to get John Lewis levels of service at Sports Direct.

…although, I reckon you would probably struggle to get a refund at John Lewis with no proof of purchase.

The shoes would have been covered if proof of purchase was available, shoes that are ‘fit for purpose’ do not come apart in six weeks. I know, I’ve just had a pair changed that were bought eight weeks ago with no quibble.

I know, I’ve just had a pair changed that were bought eight weeks ago with no quibble.

Where from?

The only thing that you could do is raise it with Adidas UK, but I suspect that you may have no luck there either –

Your contract is with the retailer NOT their supplier.
The maker may give additional rights but you have no contract with them as you did not buy them from them

Lets pretend i dont like the shoes, so damage them after a period of time, i then take them back to a shop that sells that brand and tell them i bought them there, and they also charge more, so i get more cash back than originally paid the shop kindly gives me 55 quid for my troubles, but hasnt actually sold the shoes to me, so im happy but the shop is 55 quid down, thats why shops ask for proof of purchase.

With a certain shop chain, just tell them the date and approximate time and cost you paid, they look it up on their till and they can tell you how you paid, and give you a refund either cash or card whichever way you paid.

I suspect that they may not be genuine UK spec goods. I once bought a pair of what appeared to be Nikes from Sports Direct and while they have lasted there is absolutely no way they’re the genuine article.

Are you saying Sports Direct are selling Counterfeit Goods ?! ?

couple of lessons to learn from this.. dont buy anything with cash.. use credit cards at every opportunity..

Or debit cards

Or keep the receipt

You have to prove you bought them from there. It is your fault SD haven’t done anything wrong do lets stop hitting them with the Superstar Bombers.
Instead write to SD explaining and asking them nicely and if that doesnt work try Adidas. This approach shows genuineness and has served me well – Timberland replaced some shoes bought in the US after 5 years by this approach!

Just buy another pair and take these back in a week for a refund

Are you saying Sports Direct are selling Counterfeit Goods ?! ?

Easy now, Mike Ashley.

I’d do what wysiwyg says too 🙂

To be fair I bought a crap pair of shoes from sports direct in Belgium and refunded me with no problems back in the UK (with proof of purchase).

Easy now, Mike Ashley.

Who is mike ashley ?

It’s a pretty big claim though.

I took them back to sports direct tonight and they said that they cannot exchange them without the receipt, box or a copy of a card statement (she paid cash).

They can request a proof of purchase, but that doesn’t have to be a receipt. Bank statement would suffice. With nothing at all, you’re probably knackered unless it’s an item which is exclusive to that store.

You aren’t legally required to produce a receipt to get a refund, but neither is the trader obliged to offer a refund, replacement or credit note AT THIS STAGE. Had it happened after a couple of days, then fair enough, but in this case it seems like it’s tough titty.

I don’t know what THIS STAGE is, but you’d be hard pressed to be more wrong.

The SOGA states that any fault is assumed to be inherent if the goods are inside of six months old, unless the retailer can prove otherwise.

Your contract is with Sports Direct rather than Adidas; however, as you can’t prove the existence of any contract, it might be worth seeing what Adidas have to say.

Just buy another pair and take these back in a week for a refund

They’re not obliged to refund.

Thanks for the comments. I kind of thought they were right but my wife is so insistent about faulty goods (from her time working in a shoe shop when she was a teenager!!) that she had convinced me.

The trainers still look like new so it should be obvious that I am not trying to pull a fast one but I understand why they are refusing an exchange. It is very clearly a manufacturing defect.

I think I will give Adidas UK a try. I know we are (very) small fry but we have loads of their gear in the house from trainers, footy boots, cycling kit, football kits etc. Maybe they will do something???!

If not, the impact adhesive will be in action!

Where from?

No idea, local shop. But I can find out if you’re compiling a list of shops that actually know the law and comply with it.

Of course a decent business knows that good customer service pays far better than expensive advertising, some faulty product is built in to the business plan. Ditto the manufacturer.