Columbia Sold Me Waterproof Shoes That Tore and Leaked Within Three Months

On 08.11.2024, I purchased a pair of Columbia BL6246 Konos TRS Outdry waterproof shoes from the Columbia store in İstinyepark AVM. Although I did not wear them constantly, I could not understand why they were letting water in. The main feature of these shoes is waterproofing, which is the reason I bought them. As soon as I realized where the water was leaking from, I took them back to the Columbia store at İstinyepark AVM on 18.02.2025. It had been three months since the purchase, and while I hadn’t worn them daily, I explained my complaint to the store representative. Within this period, both shoes had torn around the big toe area. The representative admitted that the tear was due to a manufacturing defect inside the shoe. This is not my first time wearing Columbia shoes, but it is the first time I have experienced such an issue. The strangest part was the response I received from the inspection unit on 11.03.2025: "Dear Customer, we regret the negative experience you have had with your purchase. After our review, we have determined that the issue you reported is not due to a production or material defect. Therefore, we are unable to accept your claim. Thank you for your continued trust in Columbia. You will be informed when your product is sent back to the store for pickup. Your support request number is 2-70062. Customer Service: 08502001141." It is extremely disappointing that a shoe I purchased for its quality tore in such a short period. What’s even more absurd is that the store representative suggested the issue might be caused by my toes. I have never had this problem with any other shoes before. After receiving this response, I tried to contact customer service, but despite waiting for more than 10 minutes, I could not reach anyone. Clearly, there are widespread complaints, and the relevant department is impossible to reach by phone. The product was already expensive, and I am certain that if this had happened in the U.S. (where Columbia is based), I would have received an immediate refund. Since the main purpose of these shoes is waterproofing, they are now completely useless. I request that my issue be resolved as soon as possible.