Is Eastbay worth it?
Eastbay is a legitimate sports apparel, footwear, and equipment website. It is not dissimilar to other big branded sports websites like Nike and Reebok. However, it has low consumer ratings which can be very off-putting when looking for an online sports apparel retailer. But as it is well established, we are confident that it is safe to shop from.
Online retailers such as Eastbay offer a wide range of sports apparel, including branded items and newly released merchandise, and all from the comfort of your own home. But is there a catch and are their products and services completely legit. Well, we have done some digging to find out more about this company so that you can make your mind up.
Eastbay Company Information
| Official Website: | https://www.eastbay.com |
| Headquarters Location: | Wausau, Wisconsin, United States |
| Founded: | 1980 |
| Industry: | Athletic Apparel, Footwear, and Sports Equipment |
| Ownership: | Richard C Gering |
| Contact: | 1-800-826-2205, customercare@eastbay.com |
| Trust Score: | Low |
| Social Media: | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube |
What is Eastbay?
Eastbay is a well-established athletic footwear and apparel company that has been around since 1980. It is a subsidiary of Foot Locker and trades online and via direct mail. The company started by just selling running shoes, but over the years they have expanded their brand to other sportswear.
Sportswear apparel companies like Eastbay offer a range of branded sportswear, including huge names like Nike and hugely popular footwear brands like Yeezys and Jordans. So their wide range of items and the ease of ordering online makes them a popular choice, particularly among the younger demographic. They also release some of their hottest products early, giving consumers a chance to get their hands on this merchandise earlier than other competitors.
Is Eastbay legal and safe or a scam?
The site is legal to access, but upon trying to access it from the United Kingdom it is not fully available and instead redirects you to Footlocker and other locations. Eastbay also has a green tick verification next to it in the search engine results from McAfee Web Advisor to confirm its authenticity.
However, the official US website has a secure connection, a valid security certificate and it is safe to enter sensitive information such as credit card details and passwords. According to Scam Advisor, they only have a trust score of 60 out of 100. However, this low score can be linked to negative reviews, and Scam Advisor confirms the site is well established and therefore safe to use.
Eastbay has a detailed privacy policy that explains how they collect and store personal information. They also have an email address for anyone who has any questions about Eastbay’s privacy policy.
There appear to be no fake replicas of the Eastbay website but, as mentioned above, Footlocker is a subsidiary of Eastbay, and upon trying to access the site outside of the United States you will be redirected to the Footlocker website.
Is Eastbay reliable and trustworthy?
Overall, Eastbay has very low consumer ratings online. On Trustpilot it has a trust score of 1.5 out of 5 stars from nearly 600 reviews, rating it as bad. Sitejabber also paints a picture of customer dissatisfaction with only 2 out of 5 stars from just over 100 reviews.
Eastbay offers a free returns service as long as the items are in a new and unworn condition. Products such as football boots with cleats and spikes are also accepted within 30 days as long as they pass Eastbay’s Test Run Program, which gives more details on the condition returned items must be in to qualify for a refund.
Unfortunately, as the majority of Eastbay’s consumer reviews are negative, this means scam reports are quite high. There are numerous reviews on sites such as Complaints Board that report issues such as refunds not being processed and merchandise not being up to standard.
The customer support for Eastbay has overwhelmingly negative reviews. Among those are reports of being on hold to the Customer Service team for too long, and being refused refunds due to claims that the items sent back weren’t in new condition.
The pros and cons of Eastbay
Pros:
- Wide range of apparel
- Branded items
- Promotional codes and discounts
- Well established
- Free returns and exchanges
- Early notification of newly released products
- Accept all major payment methods and flexible options (Klarna)
Cons:
- Low consumer trust score
- Long response times
- Unreliable customer support
- Difficulty obtaining refunds
- Long delivery times
- Unreliable sizing
- Incorrect items being delivered
How does Eastbay make money?
According to Pipe Candy Eastbay made website sales of $250-500 Million within the last 12 months, a monthly order volume of 10-50,000 with unique monthly visitor traffic of 283,186.
Because Eastbay operates online and doesn’t have specific stand-alone stores, it saves money in not having to pay for the costs involved with running premises. They have also recently introduced a new athletic wear private clothing line, and collaborate with sports stars to promote their brand.
Over the years they have expanded from being a small retailer to have a huge collection of sportswear and branded merchandise and they are still branching out and introducing new collections.
Best Eastbay alternatives?
Although it can sometimes be a gamble buying branded apparel online, we can see why Eastbay is a good way to go due to how well established they are and their wide range of merchandise. But if you would like some alternatives, then we recommend you check out the following sites:
FAQ
Is Eastbay’s branded merchandise legitimate?
Eastbay’s branded apparel is legitimate. They have the same ownership as Footlocker, which is a well-known and respected sports apparel brand. They sell popular brands of sneakers such as Jordans and Yeezys.
Who is Eastbay owned by?
As of 1997, Eastbay has been a direct-to-mail division of the F.W Woolworth company, now known as Footlocker Inc – a very well-known universal brand.
How long does Eastbay take to deliver?
Once an order is received, Eastbay would expect to be able to ship within one business day. Although, if an order is put through over the weekend, it will be expected to take 2-3 days to arrive. Delays are expected during busier times, such as public holidays.
Does Eastbay have an app and is it any good?
Yes. Eastbay has an app for Android phones on Google Play which has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. They have an app for Apple phones on the App Store which has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Are Eastbay and Champs the same company?
Footlocker merged with Champs Sports and Eastbay in 2021. So although they still retain their respective brand names, they are part of the same company.
Does Eastbay still have physical catalogs available?
Yes, they do. You can request a free copy of the catalog on the Eastbay website by filling out a few personal details and they will ship the catalog to you.