How do we feel about Running Warehouse?

I once won a $30 gift card to my LRS at a race. There were so many restrictions on the card. I couldn’t use it for clearance items or on sale items. Or anything basically below MSRP. I ended up buying some Sauconys but spent $5-10 more than I would have spent on RW.

I worked next to the store so I didn’t spend any extra gas $$.

And this was a strore that had a decent reputation.

I buy all of my running stuff from my local running store, which happens to be Running Warehouse. I use their web site to research products and then go in to the store to try them on and buy them. They are good people, basically a great local shop with national reach.

With the number of LetsRun readers in town, I'm surprised that I'm the first person to post this.

I know our local running store owners and the people they employ. They employ good (but not great) local runners aged 18-28 that were local HS or college stars. I want to support them - because they also support the local community through forming 'group runs' and hosting a 5K and 10K once each year. They are "good people." However, even though I automatically get a 10% discount for being a local running club member, I know I'm overpaying for shoes and gear compared to RW. So, I choose to knowingly overpay a few times per year to "show support" to the locals. Indeed, I wish it could be listed as a charitable donation on my 1040 - because that is really what it is. The other 50+ % of my running purchases are mostly at RW.

SLO Resident wrote:

I buy all of my running stuff from my local running store, which happens to be Running Warehouse. I use their web site to research products and then go in to the store to try them on and buy them. They are good people, basically a great local shop with national reach.

With the number of LetsRun readers in town, I'm surprised that I'm the first person to post this.

I actually had no idea it was a brick and mortar retail store. I assumed it was purely a distribution center. Cool :-)

Glad most of you agree that RunningWarehouse is great. Joe Rubio's a running lifer and coach and they also employ guys like Scott Bauhs who makes sure Running Warehouse sponsors all the LetsRun.com prediction contests. And we get a commission on every sale through our links so we'll start putting them more front and center.

Use this link below and support LRC if you're interested in buying from Running Warehouse:

http://www.runningwarehouse.com?from=letsrun

theJeff wrote:

SLO Resident wrote:

I buy all of my running stuff from my local running store, which happens to be Running Warehouse. I use their web site to research products and then go in to the store to try them on and buy them. They are good people, basically a great local shop with national reach.

With the number of LetsRun readers in town, I'm surprised that I'm the first person to post this.

I actually had no idea it was a brick and mortar retail store. I assumed it was purely a distribution center. Cool :-)

RW is also my local running shop. I've lived quite a few places and they're the best local running store I've ever had. They are staffed with a bunch of knowledgable runners, some of whom are competing on a pretty high level, and they are a big contributor to the local running community. They kick in some kind of sponsorship to just about every local race and they put on monthly breakfast runs and summer pub runs where shoe company reps bring loaner shoes you can try during the run. The 5k they put on for the 4th of July is like the old-school races that are dying out: cheap entry (pay extra for shirt and food, all proceeds to a charity), accurately measured course, competitive field, and the traditional index-card stapled to the board results. Everybody who shows up to the race gets to pick a piece of overstock merchandise instead of medals, with age group winners going first.

The retail shop is a fairly small storefront, but it's at the front end of a giant warehouse (as the name implies), so you can get anything available on their site if you'll wait a few minutes for them to wander back to grab it for you.

not happy with them in regards to their requirements for overseas buyers using credit cards. Even if shipped to US address you have to scan your credit card, your license and the lot. Happy to go with Eastbay and they now have my business.

I have nothing against running warehouse but most of my running purchases are done via Amazon these days. I graduated from college 5 years ago and piled up so much gear in that timeframe that the only thing I regularly need to replace is my trainers which are currently 50% cheaper on Amazon than they are on Running Warehouse . Running apparel tends to hold up for a long time. Right now, I have on Under Armour leggings that are over 10 years old. They have a single hole because I closed my locker on them in high school but the hole has not gotten any bigger and they're sufficient to keep out the cold and wind.

I do feel bad that the local running store doesn't get that much business but I live in Manhattan now and haven't had particularly great customer service in any of the stores in the city. I still refer people to the running store in my hometown area all the time though.

I still like to try on shoes for fit, even if I've had a previous of the same model. I also like a bit of insurance against a bad shoe where the upper falls apart in a week or two. That is a common occurrence for some brands like Altra. So I tend to favor REI, where I have a local store, and they take things back for up to a year if you aren't satisfied. You can also get their online sale/clearance shoes shipped to you or the store for free. That return policy, better selection of trail shoes, and more frequent sales/20% off coupons puts them ahead of my local running store for me.

Running Warehouse loses points for shipping costs - it's not free and returns are not free to Alaska. I only order from them if it's a deep discount that would provide a savings with the shipping cost added, plus a margin so it's not more expensive if it turns out not to fit. I have to go with shoes that are more sure things in terms of fit, so the large selection doesn't help.

wejo wrote:

And we get a commission on every sale through our links so we'll start putting them more front and center.

Use this link below and support LRC if you're interested in buying from Running Warehouse:

http://www.runningwarehouse.com?from=letsrun

Absolutely will not use it.

When I shop for shoes, I just google the shoe I want and google tells me every place that has them and how much. At least half the time RW has the best price. Sometimes it's Amazon, sometimes another place (last pair I got was from Dick's).

I've made a number of attempts to give my business to the LRS, at least 5 different stores, but it hasn't turned out well. They don't carry my size 15 or 16 anyway and I know a whole lot more about what is available in what size than they do.

Most local running stores are terrible, and I can't feel too bad about them getting crushed by an awesome company like RW.

I think for running stores to make it, they need to do more to be the hub of the running community. That used to happen by default because that's where you had to get your gear. Hosting group runs and races is big. They need to make themselves into almost a lifestyle brand like Soulcycle. More like a running company that also owns a store. They also need to aggressively target everyone. Competitive athletes, high school kids, total novices, etc. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

When it comes to merchandise, I think running stores will increasingly work with boutique brands like On and Tracksmith, for a few reasons. They can trust that the brands won't undercut them by dumping old inventory every year at big box stores. Consumers also value the stores that introduces them to products they wouldn't otherwise be aware of.

That`s why it`s better to shop everything online! Personally, I always go through http://promocodius.com/ before I purchase anything online. It always helps me to save a few bucks.

No thanks. I prefer to not give AIDS to my computer.

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I really like Running Warehouse. Out of the blue, I received a box from them with a free hoodie and T-shirt back in January. The enclosed invoice thanked me for being a long-time customer and congratulated me for appearing in an article in the Wall Street Journal. I didn't even mention them in the article, although I did mention that I run in the Hoka Napali, which is a Running Warehouse exclusive.

They are an OK off shoot company.

Do they hurt local running shops? Yes and no.

My local running shops do not -- I repeat -- do not have a selection like Running Warehouse.

Especially in clothing, like "real" running shorts, tights, jackets, etc. I've walked into my local running shop, and they admire what I wear... asking me where I got it from. 95% of the time it's from RW.

However, it does draw some competition -- I bought some Brooks GTS19 from my local running store, and they wanted $15 more. I told them that I was just there to window shop, and I'm not paying $15 more plus tax when I can wait 2 days to get them from California. They dropped them down to less than what RW would have charged me by $5. They took a hit, but they know that I might come back. Might is the key word!

But again, they don't have anything in that store that I'm interested in. They don't even have any 1-3" running shorts ever in stock. Never any long or short guys tights (plenty of womens tights). Jackets are eh... but again, too high priced. Some have been sitting there for 3+ years, mostly because they are ugly styles that no one wants.

What people don't realize is Running Warehouse is not it's "own" business, it's a conglomerate of other "DBAs" like Tennis Warehouse, Ice Warehouse, Derby Warehouse, Riding Warehouse.... and a couple others.

So when people say Running Warehouse, it's really DBA Running Warehouse, which is actually owned by Sports Warehouse (parent company). They actually bought out Copelands Sports for $6 million back in 2008. The actual Sports Warehouse CEO and Co-owner is Mark Sczbecki. Their two main DBAs (most profitable) are Running Warehouse and Tennis Warehouse.

With giants like Amazon, for example, it can make the waters rough for Sports Warehouse. There are a lot of times when I'm comparing clothing and shoes, and find out that Amazon has the same thing for slightly cheaper with Prime shipping and free returns.

Though you do need to be careful that some items come directly from Amazon and not from a reseller. All in all, I've had a rather decent experience with Amazon.

I ordered a pair of shoes this week, and for the firs time - that I have noticed - it came in a Tennis Warehouse box.