Just because I’m a dude that would never pay $58 for a t-shirt, doesn’t mean I don’t get the appeal to shopping at lululemon Atheltica. If the quality is as great as people claim and the clothing is super-comfortable, then it might be worth the money. But in any case, you’re probably here because you need to use the Lululemon return policy for one reason or another and you have questions that need to be answered. So with that in mind, here is everything you need to know about their return policy so you can make your next return a moisture wicking breeze.

How Many Return Days Does Lululemon Offer?

30 days.

Lululemon gives you 30 days from date of purchase to return an item for a full refund.

For an online order you have 30 days from the actual delivery date.

Are ALL Returns Free?

Yes.

Whether making an in-store return, or returning an online purchase via the mail, they are both completely FREE of charge.

WILL LULU ACCEPT MY RETURN IF ITEM IS NOT IN-STOCK?

If you’re trying to return something in-store within 30 days, YES the store will take it back for a refund or store credit, it does NOT matter if they currently have the product in-stock or not.

Can Clothing Be Worn?

They ask that the item is unworn, unwashed, and has tags still attached.

From what I’ve heard, your mileage could vary on this a little bit if you removed the tags and wear the item and later discover a manufacturing defect.

In this case, you stand a good chance of getting your money back or an “even exchange” at the very least.

See Also: The Lululemon First Responder Discount Gets You an Extra 15% Off

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TRYING TO RETURN CLOTHING THAT’S BEEN WASHED?

Once you wash something, the only way you can return the item is if the color fades or it shrinks substantially. Then it will fall under the Lululemon “Quality Promise” in which case you can get either an exact replacement or store credit.

What If I Lost My Receipt?

If you misplace your receipt you should still be able to make a return…in most cases.

Specifically, if you gave them your phone number when checking out IN-STORE, they’ll be able to pull up your transaction history.

I asked a live chat rep from Lululemon what happens if you didn’t tell the employee your phone number…can you still make a return without a receipt?

I was told it will “be up to the store’s discretion if they would be willing to return for store credit. Any time you purchased something in store, they ask for your phone number. This would lead to your profile.”

So get in the habit of being “okay” with giving them your phone number as it’ll make the return process much easier.

For an online purchase, you can access your order history, and online invoice, within your online Lululemon account.

See Also: The Lululemon Employee Discount is AWESOME, But Has Caveats

How Do I Make a Lulu “LikeNew” Return?

When returning items bought through the Lululemon LikeNew website, things work a little differently.

In particular, you CANNOT return these items in-store, you need to visit the LikeNew Return Portal and start your return that way.

Be sure to have your Order Number handy in order to get your return authorization number as well as further instructions.

Are Any Clothing Items Excluded from the Policy?

Only Final Sale Items are excluded from their 30 day return policy.

The chat rep I spoke with said that all “marked down items” are considered final sale and non-returnable.

So…apparently if you’re buying something from Lululemon that isn’t sold at full-price you CANNOT return it.

That seems crazy! Is this correct? Does anyone know the real truth?

Before you ask…they WILL accept a return on swimwear as long as the hygienic liner is still in-place.

Also, it’s worth noting that gift cards as well as “we made too much” items are also considered final sale.

See Also: Lulu Military Discount: Very Easy Way to Save 15%

What’s the Policy on Defective Items?

From commenter Becky, when trying to return deflective items via the mail it’s a MAJOR headache.

They asked her for at least 3 pictures of the defective item and she still had to go back and forth with an “educator” to get them to approve the return.

Apparently the stitching was falling apart on $68 pair of shorts and it took her nearly a month to get her money back on a gift card.

Moral of the story: If at all possible, take defective items back to the store where you bought them and deal with the issue face-to-face as you’ll surely get better results.

What Is a “Fast Track” Return?

A Fast Track return is when you get credited within 2 hours of dropping off your return at a FedEx or USPS location.

Only returns that contain 3 items or less are eligible and you’ll be refunded via a Lululemon e-gift card to your email inbox.

The e-gift card is the ONLY return option available with Fast Track and it can be used in-store or online and they NEVER expire.

When you login to your Lululemon account, you’ll see the Fast Track Return option displayed if you’re eligible for this “quick money” return.

See Also: Zara Return Policy: Let’s Muddle Thru The Confusion

How Do I Return or Exchange a Gift?

You can either take the item back to a store (with your gift receipt) or hit up a live chat operator and they can help you out if you’re unable to get to an actual Lululemon Athletica location.

Can I Do an Exchange Online?

No.

You can only do an exchange in-store at a Lululemon location.

Can I Do an Exchange on Final Sale Items?

Yes, but you must be an Essential Member.

Join for free and you can exchange sale items as well as return them for store credit.

As long as the store has the item you want to exchange in-stock, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Item you’re bringing back must be new and still have the original tags on it.

This also applies to online purchases.

How Is a PayPal Return Processed?

Lululemon is currently unable to process a return via PayPal if you originally used the payment service to make a purchase.

They will however apply a credit on a PayPal return in the form of a gift card, Visa, American Express, or MasterCard.

Does Lululemon Have a Holiday Return Policy?

Yes.

Anything purchased between October 5th and December 24th can be returned all the way until January 22nd.

Ask the Reader: What’s been your experience with the Lululemon return policy? Too strict, confusing, or about right?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.

Kyle James( Owner/Founder )

I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)