Athleta
# Reviews
The ability to purchase from not only Athleta but also its sister stores all in the same transaction, really makes the brand stand out. Especially during the holidays, consumers are looking to make their online shopping trips as simple as possible. With the ability to shop at Athleta, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Hill City all at the same time, customers can save on time and shipping costs. This encourages the customer to browse and make multiple purchases cross-brand for their friends and family, or for themselves! The diverse range of styles between the different sides encourages shopping at all of the different brands.
Shop NowHighlights
- The ability to purchase from not only Athleta but also its sister stores all in the same transaction, really makes the brand stand out. Especially during the holidays, consumers are looking to make their online shopping trips as simple as possible. With the ability to shop at Athleta, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Hill City all at the same time, customers can save on time and shipping costs. This encourages the customer to browse and make multiple purchases cross-brand for their friends and family, or for themselves! The diverse range of styles between the different sides encourages shopping at all of the different brands.
- Athleta’s product pages make it easy for the customer to envision themselves wearing the jacket. Their unique “Wear It With” section offers diverse styling options for each item with other products from Athleta. This feature that shows how the jackets can be worn could tip an undecided customer into purchasing the item. Additionally, this section is built in advertising for other items on the website, and makes it easy for customers to navigate to the item pages and add them to the cart.
- Athleta offers nearly-unbeatable shipping costs and times on its product range. They provide free 3-5 day shipping on any order over $50, and with the cost range on their website, that would require the customer to purchase only one jacket before reaching the minimum free shipping amount. Their “Give It A Workout Guarantee” allows customers to wear the item during a workout. If it doesn’t meet the customer’s needs, they have 60 days to return it. This is quite a standout policy since most retailers require items to be unwashed and in their original condition for returns or exchanges. Additionally, they offer free returns and exchanges on all items that qualify. They are also currently offering extended holiday returns, with items purchased between November 1st and December 24th eligible for returns by January 18th or 60 days after purchase, whichever is later.
- Athleta offers diverse options for contacting customer service. They have a built-in chat support system on their website, as well as toll-free calling options both in and outside of the United States. They even give customers the option to write a letter to corporate if they so desire. Their detailed help articles on the organized FAQ page make it easy for customers to find the answer and help they are looking for.
The cost of Athleta jackets ranges from around $80 for their most discounted zip-up jacket up to $350 for their highest priced parka. The majority of the lower-priced jackets in the $100 range are zip-up athletic style jackets. As the prices increase beyond that, there are more offerings in terms of weatherproof, hooded, puffer, and other more heavy-duty options. Jackets priced at $200 and above are the most suited for stronger weather, whereas the lower priced ones are thinner athletic material.
Compared to its competitors, Athleta offers jackets in mid-range prices. Their prices are very comparable to Paskho’s, with almost identical lowest and highest priced jackets. Athleta offers a smaller range than both Huckberry and Kuhl, with higher starting costs, but maxing out at lower numbers.
Pros:
Athleta offers extended sizing for petite and tall women in many jacket styles sold on their website. Female customers of all heights will be able to find jackets in the perfect length. Many retailers only offer standard sizing, and especially for outerwear to be used for athletics, correct sleeve and jacket length are important. The petite and tall sections offer a range of styles, from athletic zip-up jackets to heavy-duty parkas and windbreakers.
For each jacket, Athleta shows numerous detailed photographs from every angle on the item’s landing page, as well as close-ups on any special features the jacket offers. The item descriptions offer size guides, as well as detailing the fit, fabric, and care of each item. However, the stand-out section of every page is the “Wear It With” section, which provides styling and outfit suggestions with other Athleta products, easily linked so the customer can add them to their bag. This provides the customer with an easy way to see how the item can be styled – if a shopper is considering what they will wear the jacket with, this section shows the versatility of the item and may encourage more buyers to purchase.
Athleta offers many different shipping options for their jackets, as well as in-store and curbside pickup if the products the customer wishes to purchase are available locally. It is one of the lowest and fastest free shipping options; for purchases over $50 they offer free 3-5 day shipping Additionally, Athleta allows customers to have one shopping bag for both Athleta itself and its sister stores, Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic. This means that, particularly during the holiday season, shoppers can get all of their purchases made in one transaction and will only have to pay shipping once. This also entices customers to browse and purchase from the sister stores. Athleta’s flexibility with shipping options as well as the ability to shop at other stores at the same time is a major pro.
Athleta offers a Warmth Guide to go along with their jacket offerings, which is extremely beneficial when shopping online. Since customers cannot try on jackets in store, having a guide that categorizes the jackets as warm, warmer, and warmest can help the customer sift through the different products to find the right jacket for the climate they need it for.
Cons:
Athleta does not offer any men’s options, and only sells women’s jackets. While they do offer a variety of styles and colors for women, if a customer was looking to shop for athletic jackets for both women and men, they would have to look elsewhere. Athleta even offers their Athleta Girl children’s jackets, but they are all tailored to female children and have no options for boys. Although Athleta itself does not sell any menswear or boys’ clothing, the ability to shop at Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy in the same shopping cart does offer the customer slightly more flexibility.
Athleta offers limited plus-size options. While they have offerings for petite and tall women, their regular and tall ranges only offer sizes up to an extra-large, and their petite range only goes up to a size large. On the opposite end of the spectrum, while their regular range of jackets comes in sizes as small as a double extra small, the petite range’s smallest size is an extra small, and the tall range’s smallest size is small. This limited the type of body that can shop for jackets at Athleta. For example, if someone is very tall and thin, or if they are shorter and plus-sized, they would not find any jacket options for themselves at Athleta.
Both the price and style ranges are quite small in terms of Athleta jackets. They are an athleticwear brand, so it is expected that many of their jacket offerings will be styled as such. However, some customers may want athleticwear that looks more rugged and less sleek and modern, which Athleta does not provide. Additionally, the price range is very limited. For a thicker jacket that is not an athletic zip-up, customers must spend well above $150, on the low end.
Athleta does not offer international shipping. Since many families will be apart this holiday season, that can mean that many customers will not be able to see family overseas and will have to ship them their gifts. This may come as a disappointment to customers hoping to shop for jackets at Athleta for the holidays and will cause them to have to shop elsewhere. Additionally, if an international customer purchased an item in the United States and needed to exchange it internationally, they would be unable to complete their exchange.
IDEAL CUSTOMER
Athleta’s target customer is an active modern adult woman. Many of the jackets on their website are styled with leggings, athletic tops, and sneakers, with the female models often toting yoga mats or other athletic equipment. Their styles are sleek and refined, with the majority of jackets being offered in cool neutral tones. They offer a range of styles and warmth options for the active woman in any climate, from lightweight zip-up athletic jackets to heavy-duty long parkas for colder climates. They also offer options for athletic young girls, with similar, more colorful styles to the women’s options. Athleta does not offer men’s styles.
How long does the product last?
While Athleta does not mention a warranty for any of their products, they do offer a “Give It A Workout Guarantee,” which invites customers to work out in their new purchase. If the customer is unsatisfied, they can return the item within sixty days. Defective or damaged items can be returned or exchanged at any time.
Coupon/sales
Athleta advertises a separate sale section for their jackets, with products marked down anywhere from 20% to 70%. From time to time, they offer coded promotions for new and returning customers, as well as category promotions offered to anyone shopping in a certain category of an item or during a specific period. Currently, they are offering $15 off their next purchase of $75 or more if a customer makes a $75 or more Pick Up or Curbside order. They also offer 20% off of a customer’s first purchase when they open and use an AthletaCard, as well as 20% off for signing up for their email mailing list. If using Athleta or their sister brands’ credit cards (like GapCard, or GapVisa), customers receive a $10 reward card after every $200 spent at their stores or websites, or every $1000 spent elsewhere. Athleta offers a one-time price adjustment refunded back to the original payment method iif an item is marked down within 14 days of purchase. However, items purchased using a promotion code or other discount aren't eligible for a price adjustment unless the customer used only a free shipping discount. Final sale items are not eligible for any price adjustments.
GOOD FOR GIFTING?
Athleta jackets would make an excellent gift for the active woman. They offer a variety of athletic styles in high-quality materials. Additionally, their return and exchange policy as well as the “Give It A Workout Guarantee” offer flexibility to ensure the gift is just right. They also offer the option to return it for a gift card for the original price paid; these gift cards can be used at Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, Old Navy, and Hill City. Athleta offers both traditional and electronic gift cards for online purchases. For all online Athleta orders, customers receive the option to include a complimentary personalized gift message.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Athleta offers many different options for customer service. On their website, they have a detailed frequently asked questions page as well as real-time chat offered daily from 8 AM-10 PM EST. Additionally, they offer customer service via a toll-free number both in and out of the United States from 7 AM-1 AM EST daily. Then even give the option to write a letter to their corporate offices if the customer so chooses. Lastly, they do offer options for hearing impaired customers via phone, which is nice to see.
Visit Contact PagePackaging
Athleta ships their items in navy flexible plastic mailers, labeled with both Athleta and their sister brands, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic. These mailers are fairly standard but are sturdy and weather-proof. They come with an easy-open tab and a peel-off resealable strip, which makes returning or exchanging items by mail easy. The packaging does not come with a purchase slip inside, so customers must navigate to the website for return materials.
shipping
Athleta provides free 3-5 day shipping on all orders above $50. Any customer could buy one jacket and receive that shipping guarantee. They also offer free returns on all orders, except on final sale items. For purchases under $50, they charge a flat-rate fee of $7. Additionally, Athleta gives customers the option to check out with its sister brands Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy in one shopping bag, with free 5-7 day shipping on combined bags above $50. Expedited 2-3 day shipping is $17, and Priority 1-2 day shipping is $22; these two options are only available in the continental United States. Athleta does not currently support international shipping. Athleta also offers free in-store and curbside pickup if the purchased items are in stock at a nearby store, and will hold the items for five days. Customers can select certain items for pick up and have others shipped.