The Company: Fabletics has a few brick-and-mortar stores, but they mostly sell their workout clothes online. It was co-founded by Kate Hudson and features items from Demi Lovato's line that she created exclusively for them. They offer styles for both men and women, although their women's selection is much more extensive. Available are individual items, such as pants, sport bras, jackets, and shirts, or outfits, which are pre-selected items that come at a discounted price. There are a few ways to shop: without joining as a VIP member or by enrolling in a VIP membership.
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| My first outfit |
If you choose to sign up as a VIP member, you will be offered an incentive as our "introductory offer." I have seen two of these: 2 for $24 leggings and a $19 outfit. There may be more, but these are the ones I have come across (I joined using the 2/$24 deal). Either one of these are great bargains, as outfits start at $49.95 for VIP members (remember, prices are much higher for non-members) and leggings are about $50 or more a piece! Once you choose your introductory purchase, you may have the chance to buy items at a discounted price. If it's something you're interested in buying, I would grab it now because you will be saving a lot of money. You have to go through the steps to register and sign up. Once you are a member, you have the option to look at their styles in outfits or as separate items. You are definitely better off getting an outfit if you like both pieces. Outfits are typically around $60, whereas you could be spending that much on just one piece!
Now, here is how the membership works: you sign up as a VIP and get your initial order. After that, each month you need to log in between the 1st and 5th of each month. You will have new outfits waiting for you that come out on the 1st. You can either buy an outfit or skip your month. If you do either of these, you have no further obligation for that month, but you will need to keep signing in every month thereafter that you keep your membership active If you do not log in between the 1st and 5th and either make a purchase or skip the month, you will be automatically charged $49.95 on the card that is on file. This will remain as a credit on your account that you can use towards a purchase in the future. These credits never expire. Since it is a membership account, you will continue being charged $49.95 (if you don't skip your credits or buy an outfit) until you cancel your account. It is not difficult to go in and skip a month, but just be aware that if you don't do it, you have authorized them to take money from your account by signing up to be a VIP member.
I received a 10% coupon code for my birthday (not much, but if you're planning on buying anyway, every little bit helps!) and you can get a free gift by showing an email in the store. There are not many stores and the closest one to me is in Charlotte. I plan to go there in November, so when I do, I will bring the email and see if they will honor it!
If you wish to cancel your membership, there is an 800 number listed on their website under "My Account" and there is also an option to speak to someone online. I have not tried to cancel my account, so I don't know how simple (or difficult) this is, but if and when I do, I'll be sure to update here.
The Products: As I said, there is a variety of products available for purchase, both individually or as an outfit. So far I have purchased several outfits and I love them all. If you are unsure of the sizing, I would recommending ordering an outfit to start and then trying it out before ordering anything else. You can exchange items if they do not work for you or you can make a return, but I do believe you will have to pay for the return shipping yourself. Their clothes are great for a variety of activities, such as yoga, strength training, cardio, and lounging or running errands. I have found that their leggings and shirts are true to size, but I would recommend sizing down on their sport bras. I think there is something for everyone and some of the styles are super cute. They have unique features and designs that I haven't seen anywhere else. You can look at the outfits before you become a member to see if there is something there for you!
One feature on their website that I love is the description of each item. You can see what it is good for, the materials, and key features. You can also see customer reviews (more on that in a second) so you can see what other people think. On each item page, you can see other items that go with the outfit, what other members have purchased, and, if it's available, the outfit that the item is a part of. Then you can decide if you want to get just one item or the full outfit.
The Value: Do I think that joining Fabletics is a good deal? If you buy a lot of workout gear like I do, I would definitely say yes. Since you have the option to skip your month and not pay anything, you're really not out any money. You can cancel after your first purchase, so the obligation is minimal. As long as you remember to skip your month, you don't have to spend anything unless you want to buy something. For the quality of the items, I think the price is fair. Of course you can get leggings cheaper at other places, like Wal-Mart or Old Navy, but you can also find leggings for much more at places like Athleta, lululemon, and even Victoria's Secret Sport. If you are willing to pay a little bit more for your workout clothes, I think that Fabletics is a great deal. With that being said, I do think that it is wise to buy an outfit. They start at $49.95 (which is a month's credit, so if you forget to skip, you can use it towards an outfit the next month) and they offer free shipping for a purchase that amount or greater.
One thing that I really love about Fabletics is the opportunity to earn points. You earn these by every purchase you make (2 points per dollar as a VIP) and you can earn 20 points for each review that you write. It doesn't take more than 1 minute per item. You can then choose from a group of pre-selected items that you can get for free in different categories, starting at 700 points. You also get some points for joining initially, and you can get extra points during special offer periods or promotions (currently there is one for 100 points if you use a MasterCard). Also, each member has a link (I posted mine above) and if you have someone sign up under you, you get $20 to use towards a future purchase! Neat!
Final Thoughts: Overall, I think that Fabletics is a good deal, especially if you like to buy new workout wear frequently. If you are just looking to join for the initial deal, you can definitely do that and then cancel your membership. You don't have to spend money each month, as long as you make sure to either buy or skip. The outfits are cute and are reasonably priced, considering how much you would spend for quality workout gear elsewhere. I haven't had any personal experience with customer service where I contacted them, but there was an item in one of my orders that was damaged (I hadn't even received the items in the mail before they emailed me). They sent me an email saying that I could use an offer code to receive a free pair of leggings and keep the damaged pair. The "damaged" leggings had one tiny spot of color in the black part of the pants. That's it! I got a free pair of leggings (an $85 value) for something that I probably wouldn't have even noticed if they hadn't pointed it out for me. That, to me, is excellent customer service and shows that they take care of their customers.
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| The "damaged" pair of leggings |
I have gone online to see what other people said about the company. A lot of the negative reviews are from people who say that they had no idea that they were signing up for a membership account and that money was taken out of their account without notice. I believe I saw no fewer than 5 disclaimers on how the membership works and that I would be charged if I didn't skip my outfits before the 6th of each month. Also, keep an eye on your account that is linked to the membership and if you get charged once, cancel the membership and request your money back!
I definitely plan to keep ordering from Fabletics and continue my membership. I think they have a great value, excellent customer service (thus far), and cute, quality clothes for a variety of workouts. I think their VIP membership is a great choice!
