Ex-Nike worker shares how to get new pair of trainers for ‘free’

A woman shared a TikTok claiming there’s a hack customers can use to get a brand new pair of Nike trainers for free – one she learned from working in the store for five years

An ex-Nike employee has shared how customers can claim a new pair of trainers for “free ” using a simple hack. Hayley Darcangelis picked up on the nifty tip from five years spent working in a US Nike store. And it is sure to prove popular with fans – provided you meet the conditions.

The former retail worker claimed customers can swap any old trainers that are “defective” for a shiny new pair, if they are returned within a year of purchase. Explaining the process in a viral TikTok, she said: “You can return any pair of shoes up until a year under ‘defective’.

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“Now, defective is considered any normal wear and tear on shoes.”

Continuing the video while she holds up a warn pair of blue and white trainers, she explained: “So, it could be like this Nike sign – the Nike sign is starting to come off.

“Or it could be the front of the shoe, or let’s say the laces break, or the air bubble pops. Any of those are considered defective, and what they are going to do is return them for you under defective, give you a give card, and you’ll be able to buy a new pair.”

However, she did add: “I’m not for sure if this still part of the company’s policies and procedures, but I’m pretty sure it probably is.”

And the video proved incredibly popular, gaining 172,000 likes, and thousands of comments.

But some Nike fans feared the news was too good to be true, with many rushing to the comments to ask questions.

The answers were not clear though, as commenters shared different responses.

“I work at Nike this is false,” read one comment, while another said: “I used to work for Nike and this is true.”

Perhaps explaining the discrepancy, another worker wrote: “I work for Nike too, this is semi true but it all falls on manager discretion. Some people damage the shoes on purpose and take advantage.”

Promisingly, several commenters also claimed to have used the hack successfully.

One person said: “My friend did this and it actually works.”

And a second said: “I can confirm this works because I did it last year with my custom Nike soccer cleats.”

While it is not clear if the same policy applies to Nike’s UK stores, the returns policy displayed on its website does suggest the video is at least partly correct.

On the website’s FAQs section, the response to the question “How do I return defective or faulty items?” states: “If it’s been less than 30 days since your purchase, simply choose one of the return options above to return the item.

“After 30 days, defective or faulty items can be returned within two years of the delivery or store purchase date with a valid proof of purchase. Please contact us for further return instructions.

“Some Nike products have specific written guarantees or warranties—please check the label, hangtag or warranty card for details and return information.”

Have you used the tip successfully? Let us know in the comments below.