The Sneaker Shack Rosebank

The sneakers weren’t washed, they are in the very condition I brought them in. I’ve emailed the pictures.

Dear Sneaker Shack Management Team, I am writing to express my extreme disappointment and dissatisfaction with both the quality of your cleaning services and the unacceptable level of customer service I experienced when attempting to collect my New Balance sneakers yesterday, 7 October 2026. I entrusted my sneakers to Sneaker Shack with the expectation that they would be professionally cleaned and handled with the appropriate care and expertise. Unfortunately, what I have experienced has been quite the opposite. 1. DAMAGE TO MY SNEAKERS Upon inspecting my sneakers, I was shocked to discover that sections of the suede material had been severely damaged, appearing completely burnt or stripped away, seemingly as a result of the cleaning products or methods used. This is absolutely unacceptable. These sneakers are made from a combination of different materials, including suede, which requires specialised cleaning and careful handling. If I wanted to take the risk of washing my sneakers myself, I would have done so. The entire reason I chose to pay for a professional cleaning service was because I trusted that your company had the necessary knowledge, products and expertise to clean them without compromising their quality or appearance. To make matters worse, the sneakers were not even cleaned properly. There are still visible marks and dirty spots on them. I am therefore struggling to understand what service I have actually paid for, particularly when the result is a pair of sneakers in significantly worse condition than when I handed them over. 2. INCORRECT CLAIMS REGARDING THE ORIGINAL CONDITION OF MY SNEAKERS What I found particularly concerning was being told by your staff that my sneakers had supposedly arrived in different colours. This is categorically untrue, and I strongly dispute this claim. For context, I purchased these New Balance sneakers in the United States in May this year. They were worn for less than a month and had simply accumulated some dirt through normal use. They were not discoloured, damaged or in any way comparable to the condition in which they have now been presented to me. I find it incredibly disappointing that, rather than acknowledging the visible damage and taking responsibility for investigating what happened, your staff appeared to suggest that the sneakers were already in that condition. 3. UNPROFESSIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE What made the experience even more frustrating was the manner in which the situation was handled by your front-desk staff. One of the two ladies who assisted me, Rulani, repeatedly mentioned that she did not know what would be done about the situation because she would not be working the following day. Frankly, I found this response incredibly unprofessional and dismissive. Whether an employee is scheduled to work the following day should have absolutely no bearing on how a customer's complaint is handled. I expected accountability, reassurance and a clear explanation of the next steps. Instead, I was left feeling as though my complaint was an inconvenience that nobody knew how to handle. 4. ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OF R120 AND COMPLETE LACK OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Furthermore, to add to an already frustrating experience, I was required to pay an additional R120, which I duly paid. Then, to my absolute disbelief, I received an email from Sneaker Shack today asking how I found the service and requesting feedback on my experience. How is it that your company is requesting feedback on a supposedly completed service when my sneakers are STILL at your store, awaiting a resolution to the damage caused? Why is none of this being communicated or understood internally? Does anyone within your organisation actually communicate with one another? Has my complaint even been recorded or escalated to management? Is there any internal process in place to flag an unresolved customer complaint before sending out automated requests for service reviews? I understand that feedback emails may be automated, but surely there should be systems in place to identify when a customer's order is subject to an unresolved complaint. I find this level of disorganisation and lack of communication astonishing. Not only have my sneakers been damaged, but I have also been left without a clear explanation, without a resolution, and now with an automated request to evaluate a service that has been anything but satisfactory. I should not have to repeatedly explain the same situation to different members of your team, nor should I have to chase a company for accountability over damage caused while my property was in its care. At this point, I would genuinely like to understand how Sneaker Shack manages customer complaints, because my experience has demonstrated a concerning lack of communication, responsibility and basic customer care. 5. WHAT I EXPECT FROM SNEAKER SHACK I would like a formal written response from management addressing the following: What cleaning products and methods were used on my sneakers, particularly on the suede sections? How did my sneakers pass your quality-control process with such visible damage and remaining dirt? On what basis did your staff claim that the sneakers were already different colours when they were handed in when they were not the people that took my sneakers in? Why was I sent a customer satisfaction email when my sneakers remain at your store and my complaint is unresolved? Who is personally taking responsibility for managing my complaint, and why was no clear course of action communicated to me? Most importantly, what exactly does Sneaker Shack intend to do to rectify the damage caused to my sneakers? Given the extent of the damage and the unsatisfactory service received, I expect an appropriate resolution, including: A full refund of all cleaning charges paid, including the additional R120. Appropriate compensation or replacement for the damaged New Balance sneakers. A written explanation of what went wrong and how the matter will be resolved. Furthermore, I do not authorise any additional cleaning, chemical treatments, repairs or restoration attempts on my sneakers without my express written consent. They are still in your possession, and I do not want any further damage caused while this matter remains unresolved. 6. FINAL COMMENTS I want to make something very clear: I did not pay Sneaker Shack to damage my sneakers. I paid for a professional cleaning service, and I expected my sneakers to be returned in a cleaner condition, not a ruined one. As a customer, I should be able to trust a business that specifically markets itself as a professional sneaker-cleaning specialist. Instead, I am now left with damaged footwear, additional expenses, considerable frustration and no indication of how your company intends to resolve the situation. What concerns me almost as much as the damage itself is the apparent lack of accountability and communication throughout this entire experience. I would appreciate a substantive written response from management within three working days, outlining how you intend to resolve this matter. Should this matter not be addressed satisfactorily, I will have to consider escalating my complaint through the appropriate consumer protection channels. I sincerely hope that Sneaker Shack takes this complaint seriously and demonstrates the professionalism, accountability and customer care that should have been present from the outset. I look forward to your prompt response and, more importantly, a fair and satisfactory resolution. Kind regards, Sarita Narotam [I have sent this on email as well]

You took the soles out of my shoes and didn't put them back!!

You need to call me and make it right

my sneakers are not really cleaned and most of all one shoe's sueden has completly lost its velvet. Now I 2 different shoes :-(