Do you know what Adidas’ return policy is? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.
Every once in a while, an online order doesn’t work as well as expected. In the case of Adidas, that could mean shoes of the wrong size or shoes that don’t fit well.
How does one return a purchase to Adidas if something goes wrong? Adidas offers 30-day free returns and exchanges for items bought online and in-store. Online orders can be returned in-store, while you can return in-store purchases at any Adidas store. Partnership products have either a shorter return period or none at all.
Now that we know Adidas’ return policy, let’s look at it in more detail.
What Is Adidas Return Policy?
Generally speaking, Adidas allows you to return or exchange your item within 30 days of your product’s delivery date.
If you buy your product during the holiday season, your return window doubles from 30 to 60 days.
The exception to this rule is their partnership agreement with other brands and certain artists.
For example, Yeezy items have a 7-day return window, while Bad Bunny collaboration items cannot be returned at all. Gucci and Balenciaga items have a 14-day return window.
If you just want an exchange, they’ll give you ten days to send your product back before exchanging it for something else.
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4 Reasons Why Adidas Return Policy Sucks
Adidas’ return policy may sound straightforward, but it’s actually quite rigid. As a result, some of the policies don’t always apply to other potential cases that may arise.
Let’s look at four reasons why Adidas’ return policy sucks.
1. Returns Must Be in Original Packaging Condition
Anyone who’s opened a brand-new shoe box knows the amount of padding and stiffeners included. Trying to replace them as perfectly as possible is nearly impossible; you’ll throw some of them away more often than not.
And yet, Adidas wants you to preserve the product close to its original, unopened condition. If you’re returning an item you received by mistake, this isn’t a problem. But if you’re trying to arrange an exchange, this is an issue.
They even want you to keep all parts of the packaging when returning an item. That means you must include every single piece of wadded paper and stiffener for them to grant your return request.
2. Some Partnership Products Have Limited to No Return Periods at All
Celebrities such as Pharrell and Bad Bunny have previously collaborated with Adidas to launch some merchandise.
While it’s great to have the Adidas quality behind them, trying to return it might prove to be more of a hassle.
That’s because the return window for those items is either very small or non-existent. For example, Kanye West’s Yeezy products only have a 7-day return window. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny’s items are not eligible for returns at all.
Sometimes, Adidas also partners with other brands, such as Gucci or Balenciaga. Those items come with a 14-day return window.
3. Receiving Your Refund Can Take Over a Month
Sometimes, you decide that your purchase isn’t as necessary and that you’d rather have the cash for something else. Sadly, you shouldn’t expect your money back anytime soon if you return items to Adidas.
That’s because the company can take up to 21 business days to process your return, excluding the transit time during shipping. In other words, you can wait up to four weeks and a day just for them to look at your item.
Once they’ve finally processed your return, you must wait some more to get your money back. This time, you’re waiting for your financial institution to clear the returned funds back to you.
4. Adidas Doesn’t Refund Any Seasonal Surcharges
During the holiday season, Adidas adds a “seasonal surcharge” to every order. It’s only a few extra dollars to cover any charges carriers impose during a busy season.
Adidas already doesn’t refund shipping charges, so not getting the seasonal surcharge back can decrease your refund again.
You can’t even circumvent this charge by making an adiClub account; the seasonal surcharge gets imposed regardless of whether you’re a member or not.
Suppose you have several orders to return, which all have seasonal surcharges. In that case, you can say goodbye to that portion of your refund.
5 Reasons Why Adidas Return Policy Is Great
Of course, Adidas is not always terrible regarding its return policy. For straightforward cases, Adidas’ policies are more than enough.
Let’s look at the five reasons Adidas’ return policy is excellent.
1. You Have 30 Days To Return Your Item
As long as your item is a regular Adidas product, you have 30 days to open a return. And remember: that 30 days starts once your item is delivered, not when you place the order.
That means you have quite a bit of time to decide whether you like the item or not. If you’re keeping it as a gift but need to return it for some reason, then you have 30 days to do so.
The timing is generous.
2. Adidas Is Extending the Return Window During the Holidays
The holiday season is a busy time of the year for everyone, and thankfully, Adidas acknowledges that which is why for orders placed between October 18, 2022 to January 10, 2023, the return window increases from 30 to 60 days.
3. They’ll Give You a Free Shipping Label
Adidas may not refund your shipping fees, but at least they’ll give you a prepaid shipping label for your return.
They use FedEx as their primary courier, so you’ll drop off your item at your nearest FedEx Office. There’s no need to scramble for a postage label.
Just remember that you must use the provided FedEx label for your return. If not, your return will not be processed correctly.
4. You Can Return Online Orders in Store
If you have an Adidas store near you and don’t feel like packaging your shipping return, you can always do it in-store.
You can bring your unwanted online order to any store, and they’ll take care of your request on the spot.
Keep in mind, however, that items ordered in-store but delivered to your house are considered online orders. You must start the return process online for this kind of order.
5. When exchanging, the Countdown Timer Stops As Soon as Your Shipping Label Is Scanned
Remember when we mentioned you could only use the FedEx label provided to you? That’s because Adidas’ return system works with FedEx tracking.
Upon scanning of the shipping label, it also updates on Adidas’ end to be recognized as in transit.
As a result, you don’t have to count the days it takes for your returned items to reach the warehouse. Your 10-day exchange timer stops once the FedEx label is scanned, protecting you from courier delays.
How Do You Return Items to Adidas?
All online return and exchange requests must be made on the website. If you have an adiClub account and used it when placing an order, go to Order History to initiate a return.
If you checked out as a guest, the Order Tracker would let you start the returns process.
From there, you’ll answer a few questions to determine whether you want a return or exchange. Regardless of your choice, Adidas will give you a prepaid shipping label to affix to the package, and you can drop it off at any FedEx location.
When returning merchandise to Adidas, make sure you still have the original packaging and tags for the item.
You must include any accessories in the return as well. Failure to follow these guidelines will cause Adidas to reject your return or exchange request.
How Do You Request an Exchange With Adidas?
Requesting a size exchange with Adidas starts the same way as a return – go to your adiClub account or use Order Tracker.
From there, request an exchange. Select the item you want to exchange your current product for and package your item for shipping.
The main difference between return and exchange is the 10-day holding period for the item you expect. That countdown timer stops as soon as your prepaid FedEx label is scanned for shipment.
Remember that Adidas only offers size exchanges at this time. If you’re experiencing buyer’s remorse and want to exchange your unworn product with another one, you might be better off doing a return and purchasing the other item separately.
How Do You Get a Refund From Adidas?
According to Adidas’ website, they’ll issue the refund within 21 business days after their warehouse processes your return. Once the return is approved and the refund is issued, the wait for your funds depends on your financial institution.
You should get your refund back to your original payment form. If you paid using a gift card, Adidas would issue you a new digital gift card that contains your refund minus the shipping fee.
If you paid using a combination of a gift card and a credit card, they’d issue your gift card refund first before returning the funds to your credit card.
The only fee Adidas won’t return to you is the shipping fee you paid when you originally placed your order, along with any seasonal surcharges.
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Conclusion
Although Adidas’ return policy has some disadvantages, their policies’ advantages definitely outweigh the bad.
It might be rigid, but Adidas strives to make the process as painless as possible for the customer.
As long as you’re meticulous in keeping the original packaging and have a bit of patience, the Adidas return policy won’t cause any problems for you.
Follow their instructions and your return or exchange request will be granted soon.
References
https://www.adidas.com/us/returns
https://www.adidas.com/us/help/us-return-refund/how-do-i-return-my-products