I Face Stitching Defect with New Balance 530 Shoes and Warranty Refusal

On September 23, 2024, I purchased a pair of New Balance 530 sneakers from the House of Step Istiklal Street store (transaction no: 679874, terminal no: 01643566). After less than a year of very light use, I noticed that the shoe started tearing at the stitching, as clearly shown in the attached photos. About 10 days ago, I took the shoes to the Capacity branch for inspection. To my disappointment, they told me the result was negative and claimed it was not a manufacturing defect.

I strongly objected because the shoes are still under the two-year warranty promised at the time of purchase, and this kind of stitching defect is not caused by misuse. The staff said they could send it for a second inspection, but even admitted that the chance of a positive outcome was low and suggested I file a complaint with the Consumer Arbitration Board instead. This gave me the impression that the shoes were never properly sent for inspection in the first place and were simply kept in the store’s storage before I was given a generic rejection.

When I revisited the store three days later, I again received the same explanation. I even asked where the product was sent for review, and the employee said “headquarters,” but when I asked where the headquarters was located, they admitted they didn’t know. This lack of professionalism shocked me and reflects very poorly on the brand.

It is unacceptable for a product that is less than one year old to develop serious stitching damage, and for the brand to dismiss it without standing behind their warranty. I demand an immediate replacement of my shoes. As a long-time customer, I expect New Balance to honor its commitments and focus on customer satisfaction instead of discouraging tactics. If this issue is not resolved promptly, I will escalate it further through official consumer rights channels.