Forums >Gears and Wears>Retailers & E-tailers: the good, the bad, and the ugly
I've ordered from RunningWarehouse.com several times and have had nothing but great experiences with them. One good thing is that they always list the sizes and quantity they have in stock, no guessing. They also ship a free return label with each order.
Hoodoo Guru
The tangents are moot.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Normally I buy my shoes at the locally owned running stores. I should have thanked the guy for reminding me why.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.
Runners run
I also noticed at check out that they were offering a NB tech t-shirt for $5--free if you bought NB shoes, (zoom-zoom!)--and figured why not. I ran in it this a.m. and it's one of the best tech t's I own. I'm trying to figure out what else I can buy so I can get a few more of those shirts.
Anne
The shirtless wonder
run.therowes.net
Hoping to Run Again :-(
I just had a really great experience shopping with GypsyRunner.com. At the Vegas Marathon expo I picked up 3 funny tech shirts for my hubby, kid, and I. When I got back to my hotel I discovered some gray smudges on the sleeve of my shirt.
Upon arriving home I treated the spot with stain remover and washed it. It didn't budge. So I e-mailed the company to explain the defect and she promptly asked me to send it back for an exchange, which I did.
Not only did she send me a new shirt, she also included $6 to cover my shipping and a free biker-girl car decal (one of those heavy-duty die-cut vinyl things). She was super friendly and nice at the expo too, even with all of the hubbub.
No run...need sleepy!
Dick's has been hit or miss with me. Sometimes it feels like I should get on the PA myself and ask if there are any staff in the store. Sometimes when you do get help it's from a minimum wage part-timer who is counting the minutes to the next smoke break. But sometimes you can actually find someone who cares and knows what they're talking about.
I keep going back because once upon a time I bought a really nice 4 season tent (retail $350) for $49. I don't expect much when I walk in, but I have been surprised.
Sierra Trading Post has been pretty good too. My issue is that I'm 6'6". Their stock tends to run in much more average sizes.
Long ago I signed up to be a member of the REI co-op. I bought a pair of Asolo boots which I thought I had thoroughly vetted at the store. I wore them a few times and just wasn't happy with them. They ended up in my closet. 5 years later on a whim I brought them back and they gave me a full cash refund no questions asked. That made me happy.
I love a bargain, but I also don't mind paying a small premium for the advice, experience and general good will of a quality local running store.
Fleet Feet Rochester: Excellent
I recently special ordered a new pair of Wave Precision 11s (my second pair of the exact same model) and then new pair seems to be causing my feet to blister. I asked if it was possible to get a bad pair of sneakers. They said that it was possible and offered to order a replacement pair at no charge.
A while back they gave me a really nice Mizuno backpack -- just because they knew I liked Mizuno shoes. I think a Mizuno rep had given them the bag for free. This isn't the little bags that Mizuno tends to give out at expos. This was a full-on backpack for triathletes.