How to Get Money Back if You Bought Reebok Toning Shoes

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We recently informed you that Reebok has to refund $25 million to customers for selling toning shoes that don’t really do what they promise. Some of you asked how to get your money back. We decided to write a guide to help you with the process, but we hope this doesn’t get misconstrued as a sign that we don’t like toning shoes! We’re a shoe appreciation community (the largest on the web!) so toning, non-toning, sneakers, non-sneakers — we appreciate ’em ALL.

Now that’s clear and out of the way, here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to get your money back if you bought a pair of Reebok toning shoes:

1. Check if you’re eligible.

You are eligible for a refund if:

— You bought any of the following Reebok shoe types: EasyTone, EasyTone Flip, RunTone, TrainTone, JumpTone, SimplyTone and SlimTone.

— You bought any of the following Reebok apparel (yes, apparel is included! Why it qualifies, we don’t understand!): EasyTone Capri, EasyTone Pants, EasyTone Shorts, EasyTone Long Bra Top, EasyTone Sleeveless Shirt, EasyTone Short Sleeve Top.

— You bought any of those eligible items on or after December 5, 2008.

2. Apply for a refund.

Go to FTC.gov/Reebok and click on the “apply for a refund” link. It’ll take you to the Request Refund Form. Fill it out with your “consumer information” which is basically your name, address, telephone number and email address.

The “COUNTRY” portion of the form lists down over 100 countries so that form allows eligible consumers from many parts of the globe to apply for a refund.

3. Prepare proof of purchase.

Now here’s the tricky part. The fine print in this Reebok settlement allows for a lot of loopholes. And we mean A LOT.

For one, it says that the amount of refund will “depend on many factors” including the products purchased, the number of claims, and the amounts being claimed.

Two, it says that the refund amount “could be more, the same or less” than $50 for each pair of eligible shoes, $40 for each EasyTone Capri and EasyTone Pants, and $25 for each EasyTone Sleeveless Shirt, EasyTone Long Bra Top and EasyTone Short Sleeve Top.

That “more, the same or less” line is iffy and for us, pretty much means that they can refund any amount they want.

Just to be safe, prepare your proof of purchase. Especially for those whose refund requests amount to over $200, they may be asked to provide that proof. And if the total amount requested by all eligible consumers exceeds $25 million? Then EVERYONE may be asked to present proof of purchase. If they ask you for it and you can’t present it, then they have grounds to reduce or deny your request which YOU CANNOT COMPLAIN ABOUT (it says it right there on the form).

Well, the FTC may be watching over consumers but they didn’t say that they’d make the refund easy.

Credit: Hotelruralelrio