Getting Lululemon (affectionately called Lulu) on sale, or at least saving or scoring freebies at the popular retailer, was once one of life’s mysteries. Since 1998, athletes, stay-at-home moms, personal trainers and fitness instructors, and eventually guys, too, have been willing to pay the higher prices for Lulu’s iconic logo.
All that might’ve been absolutely true during Lulu’s formative years, but now, well over two decades later, it’s not just possible to get discounts on the high-end workout apparel, but to cash in on freebies and workout perks.
Why Is Lululemon So Expensive?
Whatever your exercise of choice — Pilates, yoga, cycling, HIIT, CrossFit — there’s no doubt when movement and sweat are involved, comfort is key. A pair of Lululemon yoga pants can set you back $100 or more. So why’s it so expensive?
These are the main reasons Lululemon sets itself apart from other brands:
- Performance Fabrics: Using five high-quality and innovative fabrics — Luon, Nulu, Luxtreme, Everlux and Nulux — Lululemon puts extensive research and development into ensuring the materials are breathable and are highly durable to feel you’re wearing nothing at all.
- High Tech Design: Lululemon fabrics offer varying degrees of compression and thickness help you concentrate on your workout moves and perfect form without worrying about bunching, sagging or transparency.
- Craftsmanship: Lululemon never takes shortcuts with its products. Every detail, including how it wicks sweat from your skin and where they thoughtfully place the seams, requires relentless attention to ensure it fits and performs perfectly.
- Exceptional Customer Service: Because happy Lululemon-wearing customers create more Lululemon-wearing customers, the brand works exceptionally hard to ensure its customers are happy. Lululemon reviews speak as much to the fantastic customer service as they do the products.
How To Get Lululemon on Sale + Other Ways To Save Every Time You Shop
1. Shop Lululemon’s ‘We Made Too Much’
The Lululemon “We Made Too Much” section is where you’ll find a plethora of sales and discounts on leggings, jackets, tops and bags, to name a few, ranging from 15% to 60% off. Lulu adds new products to the page every week.
When Does Lululemon Restock Online?
Lululemon will usually restock their online inventory every Thursday morning, so add a reminder to your calendar if you’re looking for the newest merchandise.
2. Shop Lululemon’s ‘Like New’
Recently, we’ve seen retail brands embracing sustainable consumption in several ways. Lululemon’s approach was to launch its own online resale shop. And when you make a product as durable, well-designed and technically advanced as those by Lulu, you’ll feel confident in providing an outlet for reselling that product. The Lululemon ‘Like New’ section offers an opportunity to prolong the life of perfectly good athletic gear with prices you won’t find elsewhere on its site.
3. Shop Lululemon’s Outlet Stores
We consider outlet shopping a sport — not unlike hunting or fishing. Fortunately, Lululemon has almost 20 locations in the U.S., where hunting for the brand on sale isn’t a spectator sport. Like most outlets, the inventory is inconsistent (mostly last season), but you’ll find merchandise on sale for as much as 40% off.
4. Shop Lululemon’s Black Friday Sale
Historically, Lululemon isn’t known for its big Black Friday sale blowouts. But that was yesterday. In 2022, Lulu is a force to be reckoned with come Black Friday in November. So, bookmark the Lululemon Black Friday page for a quick and easy reference any time of the year.
5. Get a Lululemon Military Discount
The Lululemon Military Discount offers 15% off to members of the military and their spouses and dependents living in the same household, reservist military members and veterans. The discount applies to purchases both online and in-store for regular-priced merchandise, “We Made Too Much,” Lululemon Lab and self-care items, but not “Like New” items. You’ll also need to verify your identity with SheerID.
How To Use Your Military Discount Online
To apply your 15% military discount when you’re shopping online at Lululemon, just sign in to the account that verified you. Then at checkout, make sure the 15% off option is on and check out as you normally do.
6. Get a Lululemon First Responder Discount
Just like the military discount, Lululemon’s First Responder Discount offers 15% off all merchandise (except Lululemon’s “Like New” items) to active emergency first responders, including firefighters, law enforcement, and search and rescue, EMTs, medical doctors, and licensed nurses. You’ll need to verify your identity with SheerID.
7. Get a Lululemon Trainer Discount
Your Pilates instructor is likely wearing Lululemon because it’s arguably the best athletic wear available, and you probably won’t be shocked to find out that he or she likely didn’t pay full price thanks to the Lululemon Sweat Collective Program.
The professional discount program is available to anyone who teaches group fitness, including personal training, dance group leader, captain of a volleyball team and more, meaning you’ll get a 25% discount on all regular, sale, in-store, outlet and online Lululemon purchases. And that also includes 25% off on MIRROR.
8. Join Lululemon’s Team Program
With a purpose “to elevate the world by realizing the full potential within every one of us,” the Lululemon Team Program is a way of bringing athletic teams or sports groups together for a common goal of getting sweaty and growing through training and development.
The program gives team members access to an assortment of merchandise that’s specifically curated with Lulu’s core styles. Plus, teams get a discounted rate on merchandise purchases, usually around 25% off.
9. Shop Lululemon’s Cyber Monday Sale
Lululemon’s Cyber Monday is officially a thing. With a dedicated page for the best sale holiday after Black Friday, of course, to catch discounts on athleisure gifts for yourself, oh, and maby your loved ones, too.
10. Save on the MIRROR Home Gym
Since you’re saving on Lulu apparel, you’ll want to put it to work. And with the MIRROR Home Gym, you can save $450 on your sweat sesh at home, which includes $200 off and free shipping and installation. Plus, bundle other workout gear with your MIRROR and up the ante on the savings possibilities. You can try the MIRROR with unlimited live and on-demand workouts risk-free for 60 days (it’s usually 30 days). If you don’t positively love it, you can send it on its way for free.
11. Get a Reusable Lululemon Bag With Every Purchase
This one may seem silly, but if you’ve created a shopping bag that has resale value, you’ve created something special (only available if you purchased in-store). And that’s exactly what Lululemon did when it created its shopping bags. The cute bag, which comes in a couple of sizes, doubles as a gym bag, or as my daughter calls it, her sleepover bag.
12. Get Free Alterations at Lululemon
If your Lulu top or pants don’t fit exactly how you want them to, then you can get complimentary hemming. No tags or receipts are required. Your gear will be ready three to seven days later.
13. Get Free Shipping and Free Returns at Lululemon
When you order online, Lululemon offers free shipping and free returns with FedEx for standard shipping orders with no minimum purchase requirement. However, if you need your Lulu gear quicker, you’ll pay $20 for Express shipping (arrives in two to four business days) and $30 for Priority Mail (arrives in two to three business days).
How Long Does Lululemon Take to Ship?
After ordering online, Lululemon processes and ships your order within one to two business days and will typically arrive at your door within two to six business days.
14. Subscribe to Lululemon’s Email List
If you check your email more often than your Facebook and Instagram accounts, get on Lululemon’s email list to learn about can’t-miss product drops, collaborations, community events and more. We’ve heard some attendees at community events come away with some sweet swag, including discount coupons.
15. Follow Lululemon’s Social Media
If you’re a fan of, well, just about anything, it’s smart to follow the social media accounts of your affection. It can be expensive and tedious for brands to update their websites with sale information while sharing news on Facebook and Instagram happens daily — sometimes hourly. Lululemon sale info may show up on social media before appearing on the website.
16. Know the Lululemon Return and Exchange Policies
Except for “We Made Too Much,” Lululemon accepts returns in stores and by mail for free within 30 days of the purchase date. For returning shoes, you’ll get a full refund or exchange if it’s still within 30 days of your purchase, but they need to be unworn and in the box along with your proof of purchase. To get your refund quick, use Lululemon’s Fast Track Return to shop back less than three items and receive your refund as soon as you drop off your return at FedEx or USPS.
Note: You can return “Like New” products under certain conditions, but Lululemon’s process is a little different.
17. Understand the Lululemon Lifetime Warranty
Lulu understands when you pay more, you expect more. Their Quality Promise, well, promises that if at any point your Lululemon product rips, tears, a seam comes undone, or it is simply not performing the way you’d expect it to, the retailer will take it back. The only exceptions are “Like New” items or products that go beyond their “practical lifetime.”
18. Get Free Virtual Expert Advice
Did you know Lululemon offers a free personal shopping experience with a click of a button? The 15-minute time slot lets you get help with new and “Like New” Lululemon sizes, product recommendations, footwear and gifting ideas from the comfort of your couch. You have the option of a one-on-one video chat via FaceTime or Zoom, text message or phone call.
19. Book a Free In-store Shopping Appointment
When you want help with Lulu’s vast array of products in person, then schedule an appointment. Just choose the Lululemon store closest to you and select a 30-minute time slot for a personal shopping experience in-store, a MIRROR demo or a Lululemon “Like New” Trade-in.
20. Join Lululemon’s #thesweatlife Free Online Community
Join Lululemon’s #thesweatlife online community and stay active and mindful from anywhere. The #sweatlife offers videos for restorative and training classes, meditation, yoga, and more. Train with Lululemon ambassadors no matter how much time you have.
Be sure to join Lululemon’s #thesweatlife Facebook group, watch videos on Lululemon’s YouTube channel, and follow Lulu on Instagram along with #thesweatlife for inspo and connect with others who share your enthusiasm. And the UN Foundation x lululemon offers “evidence-based tools that are simple, accessible, and trauma-sensitive,” according to the site.
21. Become a Lululemon Collective Ambassador
Lululemon Collective is an affiliate and influencer program for those who want to help promote the retailer and its products. You’re your own boss for how often and what products you want to post. If accepted to the affiliate program, you’ll receive a commission on the products your followers purchase through your recommended social media posts. Plus, you’ll have access to Lulu’s Facebook resources along with a supportive team ready to help you when and/or if you need it.
22. Download the Lululemon App
Download the free Lululemon app for personalized recommendations, early access to monthly Throwback drops and check to see if your size is available in-store before you head out. The app is available for iPhone and Android users.
23. Get a Gift Card for ‘Like New’ Lululemon
Lululemon will buy back your used Lululemon merchandise, provided it’s still in really good condition, and give you an e-card for store credit to use at lululemon.com and your local retail store.
These items are eligible for trade-in credit at Lululemon:
- Tank Tops, Shirts, Shorts: $5.
- Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Sweaters: $10.
- Pants, Crops, Leggings, Dresses: $10.
- Bags, Backpacks: $10.
- Coats, Jackets: $25.
Note: Lululemon doesn’t accept all used items, so check the list of exclusions before heading out to a store to trade it in.
24. Shop Resale Stores for Used Lululemon Gear
I’ve purchased countless used Lulu products that had so much life left for a fraction of their original price. Retailers like Poshmark, thredUP and eBay are a treasure trove of Lululemon wear, and some even still have the tags. The point: Don’t discount used Lululemon apparel just because it’s used, but do make sure it’s in good shape.
25. Use Buy Now, Pay Later at Lululemon
OK, not a way to save, but this option lets you pay for your purchase in stages. The Afterpay or Klarna options are available for use both in Lululemon stores and online and give you the gift of time. They spread your payments out over six weeks without having to pay interest or any fees.
26. Use Lululemon Promo Codes
Yes! When you’re shopping online, the free RetailMeNot Deal Finder will check for the most current Lululemon promo codes and cash back offers to use.
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