While looking for a new pair of running shoes, you may come across the Road Runner Sports, which is a one-stop store for all popular running gear brands.
But with so many controversial and mixed reviews of their online service, you may wonder whether it’s legit or not.
No more wondering!
This article will clear your confusion about Road Runner Sport’s legitimacy along with all the details and proof you may need.
So, tag along for a hassle-free purchase!
What is Road Runner Sports?
Road Runner Sports has been a popular name while purchasing running shoes since its founding in 1983. The company was started by Michael Gotfredson, a runner himself, who wanted to provide a one-stop-shop for runners to find all the gear they needed.
Today, Road Runner Sports is one of the largest specialty running retailers in the world, with over 40 stores across the United States.
The company sources its shoes from some top brands in the industry, including Brooks, Nike, and Asics, ensuring that its products meet high standards.
Additionally, Road Runner Sports has developed its own line of shoes, which they call R-Gear. These shoes are designed specifically for runners and are crafted with high-quality materials and advanced technology.
However, this retail shop also has an online one-stop extension featuring footwear, apparel, and accessories for both men and women runners, and also for kids.
Buying shoes physically from their retail locations may seem quite easy to you, but many runners have complained about their online service.
So, customers often doubt the legitimacy of Road Runner Sports shoes.
Let’s find it out!
Here is our separate post on why do Soldiers wear Combat Boots and not Sports Shoes?
Is Road Runner Sports Shoes Legit?
Road Runner Sports shoes are not legit unless you are buying directly from their retail shop. Despite having the largest collections of authentic running gear, most customers are not satisfied with the company’s shipment and return policy when buying online from their website.
For many years, Road Runner Sports has been a trusted name in the US running community. But in recent years, people have been vicious about their policies—especially VIP memberships and other reward programs. Even many have referred to these programs as scams.
Let’s see what the reviews say.
Road Runner Sports Shoes Reviews
In several online surveys, you’ll find both positive and negative comments on Road Runner Sports, just like other footwear-selling platforms like Rack Room shoes or Kicks On Fire shoes.
In the last 12 months, only 28.6% of people gave positive reviews for Road Runner Sports.
But the thing to mention here is all the positive reviews were about how well-behaved and helpful the staffs were, and given after buying shoes physically from their outlet locations.
Like, one customer said he was very impressed with the service he got from the staff member while buying shoes from the Rockville Maryland outlet.
As for negative comments, you’ll find tons of them.
Here’s another customer who was not satisfied with their return policy. According to him, despite Road Runner’s claiming an easy return or exchange policy with no additional charges, he got charged $10 for a return.
According to another customer, buying shoes from Road Runner’s website was the worst online ordering experience for her. As even after several days of ordering, the products weren’t shipped.
Although you may find some positive reviews, the negative ones are reigning the surveys. As I’ve experienced while buying from Road Runner, their shipping, and customer management is terrible, and so is the return policy.
Is Road Runner Sports VIP Membership Worth It?
Honestly, no, Road Runner VIP membership doesn’t worth it. Actually, it’s the worst feature of this well-known retail shop. Although they offer a VIP membership only for $1.99, the auto-renewal is for $39.99 per year, which is often kept unclear to the customers.
In fact, this non-transparency of the VIP membership policy is the reason people lost their trust in them.
While being a trusted seller in the past, recently Roadrunner Sports is being accused of some horrible and unethical practices. For example,
- Road Runner Sport often signs up buyers for their VIP subscriptions without obtaining approval. Then, they automatically renew each year, whether you gave approval for it or not.
- They frequently offer discounts and alluring offers (like free shipment) only for VIP members, which makes the customers subscribe to the membership. And once subscribed, whether you purchase from them or not, you would get charged for the subscription without even getting notified.
- Besides, cancellation of their VIP membership is also a hassle. Even if canceled after trying hard, they would often charge your credit card anyway.
However, you’ll notice the online surveys are over-flooded with negative reviews about the customer-unfriendly policies and membership offers. Some customers even referred to Road Runner’s VIP membership as a rip-off or scam in their reviews.
So, before subscribing to their VIP membership, get a clear knowledge of the subscription policy.
Road Runner Sports Class Action Lawsuit
In many online surveys along with the Better Business Bureau and Yelp, you’ll find tons of customer complaints against Road Runner Sports.
Customers got so upset with the company’s unethical practices that they expressed their frustration by taking legal action.
However, on May 26, 2020, a class action lawsuit was filed against the company alleging that they had been misleading customers about their VIP membership program. The lawsuit claimed that Road Runner Sports had been automatically enrolling customers in their VIP membership program without their consent and charging them for it.
What they offer with the VIP membership program is discounts on purchases, free shipping, and other perks in exchange for an annual fee of $39.99 and more.
But, as alleged by the lawsuit, Road Runner Sports had been enrolling customers in this program without their knowledge or consent and then charging them for it without their permission.
While in court, the plaintiffs argued that this practice violated various state and federal consumer protection laws, including the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and the California Automatic Renewal Law.
Also, the lawsuit sought to represent a class of all customers who had been enrolled in the VIP membership program without their consent and charged for it.
And no wonder, Road Runner denied all the allegations while questioning the plaintiff’s credibility. They argued the plaintiff must have known about the auto-renewal charging policy of their VIP membership.
However, this case actually serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in business practices, and the need for consumers to be vigilant about their purchases.
Alternatives Of Road Runner Sports Shoes
Now that you know all about the deceptive programs of Road Runner Sports, you may wanna look for a reliable and trustworthy platform to find your perfect pair.
To help you with this, here are some alternatives for Road Runner Sport to consider:
1. Fleet Feet
Fleet Feet is a chain of running stores with locations across the United States. They offer a wide range of running shoes, apparel, and accessories, and their staff is trained to help you find the perfect fit.
Aside from giving generous discounts on sales, you can get free shipping on orders over $99.
They also offer a 60-day return policy. Unlike Road Runner, it’s pretty easy to return your shoes to Fleet Feet if you don’t like the shoes after purchasing them.
Go through our epic guide about are Hoka Shoes good for Flat Feet?
2. REI
REI is a popular outdoor retailer that also carries a selection of running gear. Here you’ll find a range of shoes, apparel, and accessories from brands like Brooks, Salomon, and Nike.
REI also offers added benefits like free shipping for products over $50 and a free return facility for 1 year (with some conditions).
One thing that sets REI apart from Road Runner’s website is its commitment to transparency. You can trust the brand as all of REI’s policies are written clearly and are easily accessible on their website, making it easier for you to shop and know exactly what you’re getting.
3. Dick’s Sporting Goods
While being a large retailer, Dick’s Sporting Goods carries a variety of sports gear, including running shoes and apparel. They offer products from a range of brands at competitive prices.
Dick’s Sporting Goods has been a trustworthy brand when it comes to running gear, yet they are quite liberal with offers like free shipping, free one-hour pickups, and discount prices.
Overall, these three alternatives to Road Runner Sports are great options for runners who want to shop with peace of mind and avoid the risk of getting scammed. With their reputation for quality products and excellent customer service, you can trust that you’re getting gear that will help you perform your best, no matter where your next run takes you.
Final Words
Well, having the right shoes can make all the difference in a runner’s performance and comfort.
And when it comes to purchasing them, it’s important to find a legit shop with knowledgeable staff and a commitment to customer service.
However, about the legitimacy of Road Runner Sport’s shoes, hopefully, this article will clear up all your confusion and help you to choose a trustworthy website.
Happy shopping!
