Where is the best place to get sporting goods? Sports is one of those fields (pun intended) where the right equipment can make or break your sporting experience. Whether you're a first-time player, joining a school team, a longtime pro, or just picking up a new-to-you sport for fun, the proper sporting goods are key to having a good time. Sporting goods retailers are popping up all over the place, too, making it easier than ever to find the equipment you need to make your sport a winning experience.
Best Option
Scheels is a big-name retailer for sporting goods and fashion brands that offers both an in-person and online experience. Scheels got its start in 1902 when the owner, Frederick A. Scheele, placed a down payment on a small general store. The company didn't start focusing on sports, specifically, until 1984. The company offers a range of items including hunting gear, items for sports fans, and kids' back-to-school must-haves.
20+ brands and 1,700+ items in some sports
There are tons of brands offered by Scheels, and you'll find a mix of sporting goods and fashion brands at this retailer. You'll see options like Carhartt, First Lite, Garmin, HOKA, KUHL, New Balance, Nike, ON, Sitka, Stanley, The North Face, UGG, YETI, and Columbia. If you're looking for team sports gear in particular, you'll see brands like Franklin, Wilson, Shock Doctor, Adidas, and Jordan, too. As for sports, you can find football, baseball, softball, basketball, hockey, wrestling, soccer, golf, lacrosse, tennis, and swimming. As a reference point, Scheels offers 806 items for football gear, 1,749 items for baseball, and 691 options for softball in its inventory.
Easy to find what you need
Browsing sporting goods at Scheels is a breeze. You can find what you need using the dropdown menus or the search bar. The sports section is particularly helpful with images you can click on for team sports gear that will guide you to the right section. The filters include sport-specific filters as well as general ones like gender, brand, sales, cost, and more. The listings themselves include different color options when you mouse over them, details on the cost (and sales), and star ratings for individual items on Scheels.
Prices from $7.99 to $1,500 for researched items
To compare the costs at Scheels with other sporting goods retailers, we looked at the same three price ranges as we did at its competitors. This includes the price range for a popular brand like Nike, the prices for Easton bats (softball and baseball), and the prices for football helmets. Here's what we found:
90-day returns and free shipping on $50+
Scheels offers a lower-than-average threshold for free shipping for its sporting goods, which is fantastic if you want to keep costs down. If you have a minimum of $50 in your cart, you'll qualify for free shipping here, with delivery within 4-7 days. As for returns, you have a generous 90-day window to get your return handled. You should package your items back in the original box, and while it says the refund value may vary based on condition, there is no hard limit on the condition of your return.
Great ratings, but sometimes slow shipping
Scheels has an impressive "A-" rating on the Better Business Bureau. It also earns a fairly competitive rating on other third-party review sites. For example, Scheels holds a 3.8-star average out of 5 on Sitejabber and a more impressive 4.7-star average on Google Reviews. In general, customers are happy with the product quality and customer service, but there are a few concerns about shipping times and some issues with items suddenly being out of stock. Basically, if the sporting goods are on hand, customers say you'll get them quickly. But if Scheels needs to get it from a warehouse, your shipment could take much longer than the stated 4- to 7-day shipping time.
Top pick: ultimate one-stop shop
Scheels is the one-stop shop for sporting goods. While the longer shipping times may not be ideal for everyone, this site has pretty much everything. From fashion brands to football helmets to fan paraphernalia, you won't have to shop anywhere else to get your sporting goods (no matter what level sports player you or your child might be). For this reason, along with the low free shipping threshold and competitive return policy, Scheels takes the top spot in our review with a full 5 stars.
Great
While Walmart may not be the first site you think of when you imagine sporting goods, it's one of those stores that has everything. And yes, that includes sports pads, helmets, and all the must-have gear for a successful sports season. Walmart is known to most as a neighborhood grocery store, but you can get anything at Walmart, from home furniture to an oil change. Sporting goods are no exception. Plus, with Walmart's prices and options for membership deals, you can save plenty if you buy your sporting goods here.
50+ brands and over 1,000 items in every category
You can find many of the top name brands for sporting gear like TYR, Easton, Wilson, Spalding, Callaway, Franklin, TaylorMade, ESPN, Shock Doctor, Athletic Works, and more. There are over 50 sporting brands to choose from. As for sports themselves, you'll find sporting goods for hockey, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, football, gymnastics, tennis, pickleball, golf, softball, swimming, water sports, and cheer. Plus, you'll find over 1,000 items in most sporting categories. For example, Walmart had 1,000+ items in football, baseball, and softball.
Simple interface with easy browsing
Walmart has a fantastic browsing experience; you can select your items by sport or use the top search bar to get what you need. While there are some limitations to the filters (you won't see as many "sport-specific" filters like you might at other sporting goods stores), you can narrow by what is available at your local Walmart, price, brand, fulfillment speed, and which items are discounted if you have a Walmart+ subscription. The listings are easy to browse and include a "like" button if you want to save some of the sporting goods for later. The listings also show the cost, rating, and whether or not the item is eligible for savings with Walmart+.
Prices from $14.87 to $1,081 for researched items
Our cost comparison for sporting goods always includes three price ranges to get an idea of what you might pay for different shopping trips. At Walmart (like our other retailers), we looked at the price range for a popular brand like Nike, the prices for Easton bats, and the prices for football helmets. If you want proof that Walmart has plenty of sporting gear to go around, it had a decent selection of all of these. Here's what we found:
Free shipping on $35+ or totally free with Walmart+
For most orders, there will be a $7.95 to $9.95 delivery fee for Walmart purchases. However, if you purchase a minimum of $35, you won't be charged for shipping. If you are a Walmart+ member, you will get free shipping on all orders without a minimum. You'll also get further discounts on sporting goods by joining Walmart+, which costs $12.95 per month or $98 per year. You can make returns to Walmart in-store and online within 90 days. Some items like electronics may have a 30-day window instead. Walmart will send you a prepaid shipping label if you return online, and you won't have those fees deducted from your refund when you send the item back.
Top marks from the BBB
Walmart has a fantastic "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, which is highly impressive for such a large company. While reviews are more mixed on third-party review sites (like a 1. 6-star rating on Trustpilot), many of the poor reviews are for the in-store shopping experience at local Walmarts. So, if you're shopping online, you should be safe from the poor customer service claims and difficulties finding what you need. However, it may be worth it to look up your local Walmart before you visit if you're worried. There are also some complaints about issues getting in contact with a "real person" during customer service calls, so keep that in mind if a personal touch from your sporting goods store is important to you.
Best pick for affordability
At the end of the day, despite some growing pains with customer service and some local concerns, Walmart has some of the best deals and the widest selection of sporting goods in our review. With an "A+" rating from the BBB, a full range of sporting products (from fashion to protective gear), you can get fully outfitted in one order from Walmart's easy-to-shop online store. And if you're already a Walmart+ member, the deals are even better. For these reasons, Walmart earns an excellent review as the most affordable sporting goods store out there today.
Great
Paragon Sports is a sporting goods store that's been around since 1908. This historic retailer got its start in New York City as a specialty store just for sports. Focusing on high-quality sporting goods and clothing, Paragon Sports promises the best with a family-owned touch. Whether you want workout clothes, outdoorwear, or specialty gear for sports, Paragon Sports has a competitive selection, though it is more curated than some of the other sites in our review.
10+ brands and over 500 items for some sports
There are plenty of brands to choose from at Paragon Sports, from fashion brands to serious sports gear. The popular names you'll see include Nike, New Era, Bauer Hockey, Adidas, Rawlings, CCM, Wilson, Under Armour, Evoshield, and Easton. As for the sports themselves, Paragon Sports offers sporting goods for skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis, golf, racquetball, and more. In terms of the inventory, though, the numbers are a bit smaller than at other sporting goods stores on our list. For example, there were just 156 results in the football section. However, other sports have more options, like 523 items in stock for baseball. As for softball, Paragon Sports had 303 options in stock.
Helpful sport-specific filters
The website for Paragon Sports is impressively clean and easy to browse. When you get to the sport or sporting goods that you're looking for through the top tabs or the search bar, there are plenty of helpful filters to narrow the options. For example, in baseball, you can select categories like gloves, bats, cleats, helmets, or glove services to get more specific. You can also filter by brand, gear type, color, and size. There are also specific filters depending on what sport you're looking at. In the softball category, you'll find filters like "bat type," "position" (for what position you play on the field), and "frame type" that are related to just softball as a sport. The listings aren't very detailed beyond the brand name, photo, and price, so you may need to click around to get all the information you want while browsing.
Prices from $15.99 to $499.99 for researched items
Our sporting goods cost comparison at Paragon Sports includes the price range for a popular brand like Nike, the prices for Easton bats (softball and baseball), and the prices for football helmets. However, Paragon Sports didn't offer football helmets, only helmets for other types of sports. Its football-related gear was mostly fashion-based, so we weren't able to include that part in our price comparison. Here's what we found:
Free shipping on $100+
Paragon Sports offers free shipping on all orders over $100, so if you are buying a few things for your sport, you won't have to worry about additional costs. If you don't meet that threshold, Paragon Sports's shipping fee is a flat rate of $9.99 across the US for 2-7-day delivery. If you'd like to return your sporting goods, Paragon Sports offers a 30-day return policy. You will need to return items in their original packaging (still sealed) to get a full refund. You will be in charge of the shipping costs to send the items back, though.
Gets praise for selection and customer service
Currently, Paragon Sports holds a "C+" rating on the Better Business Bureau. However, it's harder to find reviews for Paragon Sports on third-party review sites. There aren't any reviews for this sporting goods retailer on Trustpilot or Sitejabber. Instead, this local spot is mostly reviewed on Yelp. It has a fairly solid 3.8-star average out of 5 on that platform, with high praise from customers who shop in person and online. Paragon Sports is complimented for having well-informed employees and "real" customer service. Customers also loved the specialty gear and ease of finding rarer items for sports that aren't as commonly served.
Friendly service and solid inventory
If you're looking for top-quality customer service and uncommon sporting goods, Paragon Sports is going to be a great site to check out. It has a small-town feel, but with loads of sports to pick from and impressive reviews on Yelp, it's a solid contender for your next sporting goods stop. The only drawback is that returns will cost you some shipping fees, even if you scored free shipping on your original order. However, with the other benefits, Paragon Sports remains a fun site to grab your sporting goods, so it earns a competitive score overall.
Very Good
Online Sports is a site that started out in 1995. Unfortunately, its website seems to have been left behind in that era. It's a little clunky and old-fashioned, but don't let the retro vibe put you off: there are tons of high points for this sporting goods store that you don't want to miss out on. Promising over 150,000 individual sports products, you'll find plenty of items in inventory to keep you busy at Online Sports. It is a little different than some sporting goods stores, though, as it generally resells used items rather than fully new ones.
Hundreds of brands and collector's items
If you're looking for popular sports brands, Online Sports has got them. You'll see all sorts of favorites like Adidas, Cramer, Rawlings, Champion, Riddell, Franklin, Reebok, Spalding, and beyond. You can also expect to see Easton, DeMarini, Ebbets Field, Everlast, Kettler, Louisville Slugger, Mizuno, and hundreds more. As for sports, you can find the primary sporting pastimes like baseball, basketball, football, softball, track and field, volleyball, as well as unique options like billiards, general fitness, badminton, and BMX biking. When it comes to items in the inventory, we found 3,058 items for football, 2,940 items for baseball, and 400 items for softball. Notably, the inventory at Online Sports includes not just items you can play sports with, but items that have been used by pros. Things like signed baseballs or used helmets pop up in the listings, making it an interesting browsing experience, especially if you're a collector.
Might need patience for long loading times
Despite the older feel of the site, Online Sports is alright for the most part. However, we noticed some pretty slow loading times for this site. It happened on almost every link we clicked, which was frustrating as we tried to navigate around to find the best deals. Further, this was a problem on multiple web browsers, so you might need to have some patience with Online Sports. Beyond that, the easiest way to find what you need is to use the store search. You can use filters like category, whether or not an item has free shipping, what league you're playing in, and brand. The listings themselves are pretty simple, offering the photo, the price, and a sale price where applicable.
Prices from $25.23 to $226.43
Comparing costs at Online Sports was a little more interesting than other sites, as the inventory includes collector's items. As such, you have to do a little sifting to find gear you don't just want to hang on your wall. We used the same comparison process as with our other sporting goods stores, though. We looked at the price range for all Nike items (as it includes both fashion and sports items), the prices for Easton bats (softball and baseball), and finally, we looked at the prices for all football helmets. However, Online Sports did not have any Nike or Easton items, so we left those sections out of our price comparison for this retailer. Here's what we found:
Some items ship free, but there's a fee for returns
Some items at Online Sports offer free shipping as part of an ongoing sale, which will be listed on the individual listing page for the item. For other items, the shipping will be calculated at checkout and may change depending on the size of the item and your location. As for returns, you have 30 days to return items that are unused or in their original packaging. You will also pay a 15% restocking fee for any return that you make to Online Sports.
Top-notch BBB score
Online Sports has a top-notch "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau, but on third-party review sites, this was about all we could find. Our research didn't turn up reviews on either of our other trusted review sites (Trustpilot and Sitejabber). Online Sports also didn't have any reviews on Google or Yelp. We found one review on Reseller Ratings that was frustrated with the communication at Online Sports. While shipping and overall costs are solid, the customer was frustrated that she couldn't track the package better. However, to get a better read on Online Sports in the future, we'd like to see more third-party verified reviews.
Best pick if you love collectibles
Online Sports is a unique way to shop for sporting goods. Instead of buying brand new, it functions like the eBay of sports, where you can buy used items to get what you need at much lower costs than we've seen at other retailers. It holds a solid BBB rating, but almost no verified third-party reviews. Still, if you're looking for potentially collectible items and pro-level gear at lower-than-average costs, Online Sports is worth a look. Just be prepared that the pages may take minutes to load, so we highly recommend multitasking.
Good
Anthem Sports is a site that promises to help you "build champions." The company has been around since 2002, and was started by Mark Ferrara, who played football for the Boston University Terriers while he was a student there. This is a family-owned and run establishment. Anthem Sports stands out from the pack by offering sporting goods across different types, including items for schools or team owners (like bleachers) as well as some gear for players.
24+ brands and thousands of items in stock
There are tons of brands available at Anthem Sports. Some of the popular names at Anthem Sports include 3N2, Aer-Flo, All Star, Baden, Bison, Catalyst, Champion Sports, Crossnet, Dalco, Diamond, Dudley, Easton, Evoshield, ForceField, Franklin, Gladiator Lacrosse, Igloo, Matguard, Mueller, Osaka, Pro Nine, Rawlings, and many more. As for sports, you can find America's favorite national pastimes as well as some unique offerings in the sporting goods inventory. You'll see baseball, basketball, football, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, pickleball, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and more. You'll even find sports medicine, training and fitness gear, water sports, and wrestling. Like the other sporting goods stores on our list, we looked at the inventory options for three popular sports: baseball (1,975 items in stock), football (909 items in stock), and softball (1,639 items in stock). However, many of these items were for training purposes rather than buying gear for yourself.
The filters could be more robust
The browsing at Anthem Sports could be a little more streamlined, but if you know what you're looking for, the process is pretty user-friendly. First, you'll pick your sport from the list, and then pick a specific category. This can be a little annoying if you need to buy two different football gear items, but if you only need one thing, it can be helpful to narrow down items right away. Once you've got the category for sporting goods narrowed down, you can use filters like brand and price to get further options. However, there were fewer total filtering options at Anthem Sports when compared to competitors. The listings themselves were fairly simplistic, offering the name, price, and a photo of the item (usually in use).
Prices from $19.95 to $449.99 on researched items
To do our cost comparison at each sporting goods store, we looked at three different price ranges. First, we checked out the price range for all Nike items, but Anthem Sports did not offer anything in that brand, so we had to leave that out of our comparison. Second, we looked at Easton bats to see the prices for softball and baseball. Finally, we checked on the price range for football helmets as a popular product across multiple brands. However, there was only one actual helmet for sale, and the rest were helmet racks and other equipment-based items. Here's what we found at Anthem Sports:
No free shipping and 30-day limited returns
Currently, online sporting goods orders for Anthem Sports only ship to the 48 contiguous states. Items don't generally ship for free at Anthem Sports unless there is a special promotion for particular items. As for returns, new and unused items can be returned for a refund. However, you will be responsible for both the original shipping charges and the return shipping. You'll have 30 days to send back the item. The return policy does not apply to baseball and softball bats, which must still be wrapped in plastic and entirely unused to qualify for a return. Despite saying there is a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Anthem Sports' limitations on returns undercut that promise a bit.
High praise for problem resolution
Anthem Sports currently holds an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, it holds a phenomenal 4.8-star average rating on Trustpilot. Over 85% of all ratings on Trustpilot are a full 5 stars for this sporting goods store. Recent reviews note that when there were issues (like a damaged item), Anthem Sports replaced the item right away, free of charge. Customers love the fast shipping, and say that most items come in 2-5 days. Anthem Sports also received lots of compliments for its customer service, with one shopper praising the company's reps and their ability to answer questions about the items to locate the best option for her needs.
Best if you're a sports coach
Anthem Sports is a favorite among shoppers. However, some severe limitations in its inventory (focusing more on teaching and team gear rather than individual sporting goods) mean it doesn't rank quite as highly as it could. It's a fantastic resource if you're a coach or a school looking to buy gear, but if you're an individual player, you might find Anthem Sports less helpful than other stores. On the other hand, it does still have a competitive selection of some sporting goods, so it's worth a look either way.
Average
DICK'S Sporting Goods is one of the older sporting goods stores in our review, getting its start in 1948 when Dick Stack worked at an army surplus store. He saw the need for additional merchandise and started DICK'S Sporting Goods as a fishing and tackle business. It switched over to the sporting goods one-stop shop you're familiar with around the 1970s. Currently, DICK'S Sporting Goods has 850+ brick-and-mortar locations around the US, and focuses on golf and youth sports. With a mix of serious sporting gear and apparel, DICK'S Sporting Goods stands out as a competitive one-stop shop.
15+ brands and thousands of sporting goods
There are plenty of brands to pick from at DICK'S Sporting Goods. You'll see fan favorites for sports as well as activewear like Adidas, Birkenstock, Calia, Carhartt, Chubbies, Crocs, DSG, Faherty, Hoka, Jordan, New Balance, Nike, The North Face, Under Armour, Easton, and more. As for sports, you can find sporting goods for baseball, basketball, football, golf, hockey, lacrosse, pickleball, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, cycling, boxing, cheer, cricket, fishing, gymnastics, running, snow sports, swimming, track and field, and water sports. For sport-specific inventory, we found 1,277 items for football, 3,420 items for baseball, and 1,425 items for softball in the inventory, showing a highly competitive selection.
Listings make for easier browsing
We had some difficulties with the browsing experience on DICK'S Sporting Goods. While the overall shopping wasn't too bad, the pages took a while to load when you use the top search bar. We ran into the same lengthy load times on multiple browsers, so it's possible there was a problem on DICK'S Sporting Goods' server end at the time of our review. However, outside of this issue, the site was extremely easy to shop on. The listings, in particular, were extremely helpful. The images were clear, and you can scroll through different color options without leaving the browsing page. The listings will also show which items are available for shipping and which can be picked up at your local DICK'S Sporting Goods for free.
Prices from $6.97 to $890.99 for researched items
For our cost comparison across different sporting goods stores, we looked at the price ranges in three categories. First, we checked out the price range for a popular brand that includes apparel and sports gear (Nike). Second, we looked at a specific brand's popular item: Easton bats (softball and baseball). Third, we looked at an item that's popular and priced out all brands for that item (football helmets). Here's what we found at DICK'S Sporting Goods:
Free returns within 90 days for most items
At the time of our review, DICK'S Sporting Goods offered standard shipping only to the lower 48 states. You can only ship to Alaska and Hawaii if you pay for "expedited" shipping. For orders $65 or more, you can score free standard shipping within the 48 contiguous states. As for the return policy, you have 90 days to return most products. If you bought something from the DICK'S Sporting Goods Warehouse or sale section, you may only have a 30-day return period. All returns with a valid proof of purchase will receive a refund. You can also return your items using an ID that matches the name of the original buyer. DICK'S Sporting Goods will handle the shipping for you, so there is no cost to return.
Customers struggle to find high-quality items
The feedback for DICK'S Sporting Goods is a bit mixed. The sporting goods store holds an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau for 24 recent complaints and 46 complaints that haven't received responses. This is reflected with a similar rating on Trustpilot, where DICK'S Sporting Goods has a 1.8-star average rating out of 5. However, on Google Reviews, DICK'S Sporting Goods has a 4.7-star average rating and is considered a top-quality store. According to the negative feedback, though, customers have had trouble with items being damaged when shipped to their homes. Plus, there are regular complaints about long wait times for a customer service resolution. On the other hand, on Google, customers were extremely impressed with fast delivery and variety. Despite this, there are consistent issues (even in positive reviews) with marks or defects on items.
Competitive only if you want to pick up in-person
While there are plenty of high points to consider (the range of items in the inventory, for example), the lack of customer service at DICK'S Sporting Goods has created some problems for customers in recent years. However, most of the complaints are related to shipping. For this reason, it might be more worth your time to order online for pickup at your preferred DICK'S Sporting Goods (just check the reviews for your local store first). For these reasons, DICK'S Sporting Goods earns a more balanced rating despite the low reviews on Trustpilot. Google reviews even out the reputation a bit, and if you like the convenience of shopping online and getting your items in person, DICK'S Sporting Goods remains a competitive choice.
Fair
Dunham's Sports is a sporting goods store that's based in the Midwest, getting its start back in 1937 in Michigan. Now, Dunham's Sports has chain locations across 25 states. You can visit over 250 locations if trying on your sporting goods is a must-do. Dunham's Sports stands out by offering "big names at low prices." You'll find a mix of athletic apparel, serious sporting goods, hunting and outdoor gear, and more.
Hundreds of brands and over 1,000 items for baseball
There are hundreds of brands available through Dunham's Sports. These include a mix of popular apparel brands and serious sporting goods. You'll see favorites like Accubat, ACL, Adidas, Aero, Aguila, Air Venturi, Apex, Bauer, Bladerunner, Bogey Bros, Browning, Carhartt, Champion, Cobra, Columbia, Easton, Eno, Fat Cat, Garmin, Land Shark, Nerf, Nike, Rawlings, Titleist, Volvik, and hundreds more. As for sports, Dunham's Sports has plenty of those, too. You'll see baseball, basketball, cycling, bowling, boxing, disc golf, fishing, football, golf, hockey, hunting/shooting sports, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wrestling, and beyond. We looked at the inventory for several popular sports and found 203 items for football, 1,258 items for baseball, and 477 items for softball.
UI designed for sport-specific filters
Dunham's Sports has a helpful browsing experience where you can look at all items in a single category or just a specific sub-category if you choose. Plus, if you're looking for something specific, you can easily use the top menu for the search. The filters offered by Dunham's Sports for narrowing down your sporting goods include hiding out of stock items, price filters, as well as those for color, size, gender, and type. You'll also find some sport-specific filters like "bat weight" or "bat drop weight," which are helpful for serious sports players (and a feature we haven't seen at many of Dunham's Sports' competitors). The listings include photos of the items, details on the sales (including how much you can save), and whether the item is available in-store at a location near you.
Prices from $7.97 to $499.99 for researched items
To compare costs at different sporting goods stores, we looked at the price ranges in three categories: the price range for a popular brand (with both fashion and sports items) like Nike, the prices for Easton bats (softball and baseball) to see a single item from a single brand, and the prices for multiple brands across one product (football helmets). However, Dunham's Sports didn't offer football helmets, only other football-related gear, so we left that price comparison off in this review. Here's what we found at Dunham's Sports:
On top of regular sales, Dunham's Sports offers a Best Price Guarantee that states if one of their competitors has the same item at a lower price, Dunham's Sports will refund you the difference.
Returns within 60 days, except for specific items
There isn't a blanket offer for free shipping at Dunham's Sports like we've seen at a few other sites. Instead, your sporting goods shipping costs will depend on your location and how much you're ordering. As for exchanges and returns, you have 60 days to get your items back to Dunham's Sports. You are required to have a receipt that shows a date that's within 60 days to qualify for a return. However, there are some non-refundable items to keep an eye out for. For example, you can't return firearms, ammo, swimsuits, bats (for baseball or softball), or boats and motors. There is no mention of fees or shipping costs being subtracted from your refund at Dunham's Sports.
Mid-tier ratings overall
Dunham's Sports has a more balanced reputation than some, but it still could use a little work. The sporting goods store currently holds a "D-" rating on the Better Business Bureau, but this is due to just 3 ignored complaints rather than the higher number we've seen from Dunham's Sports' competitors. On Trustpilot, Dunham's Sports holds a 2.9-star average out of 5. Most of the recent reviews, as of a month before our review, were a full 5 stars. Customers praised how helpful Dunham's Sports' customer service members were, and they loved the sale prices. However, there were some complaints about issues with getting gift cards to work or rude managers. Many of the poor reviews were location-specific, so you may be safe if you choose to shop online (or research the reputation of your local branch before visiting).
Decent one-stop shop for most sports
Dunham's Sports is a great site if you want a mix of useful items, ranging from sports apparel to sporting gear and training items - though if you're a football player looking for a full gear upgrade, you might be disappointed by the inventory. However, for other sports, this is a solid one-stop shop. With a competitive return policy and a price-match guarantee, Dunham's Sports has plenty of things to help it stand out from the pack. On the other hand, with lower-than-average ratings on the BBB and mid-tier scores on Trustpilot, it could do a little work on its reputation before it ranks higher. Overall, it earns a lower-than-average score in our review, with a note that you may want to research your local branch before visiting in person (or skip all that and just order online).
Subpar
Big 5 Sporting Goods' site says they're a top retailer for brand-name sporting goods in the US. They offer plenty of ways to shop (online and in-store) with 424 brick-and-mortar locations across 11 states in the western US. The sporting goods store was originally founded in 1955 when it started by selling military surplus. It switched over to sporting goods in 1963. As of 2024, they've partnered with Worldwide Golf and Capitol Hill Group, meaning Big 5 is now a privately-owned sporting goods store with specialization in golf. But don't worry: there's plenty in stock besides golf, too.
Hundreds of brands, but only around 200 items per sport
When Big 5 Sporting Goods says that it's known for brands, it means it. You'll find all of your favorites, including Adidas, Bearpaw, Coleman, Columbia, Everlast, New Balance, ‘47 Brand, Skechers, Under Armour, All-Star, Bullet Golf, Callaway, Carhartt, Champion, Easton, Eddie Bauer, FILA, Goodyear, Nerf, Nike, Oakley, and hundreds more. As for sports, you can find all the popular options at Big 5 Sporting Goods. You'll see baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, football, racquet sports, wrestling, volleyball, lacrosse, roller hockey, and ice hockey. Now, per sport, the inventory is a bit lower than you might expect. For example, baseball and softball are combined and include just 549 items. As for football, one of the other sports that's usually quite popular, there were only 244 items in stock. Many of the items offered by Big 5 Sporting Goods include more casualwear items in brand names, which make up a decent amount of its inventory.
Solid browsing experience with detailed filters
On the bright side, shopping at Big 5 Sporting Goods is simple. You can browse your favorite items by category, brand, and choose either to see everything in that category or narrow it further with filters. You can organize your results by sales, price, brand, color, size, features, fit, gender, and more. As for the listings themselves, these are a bit more simplistic. You see a photo of the item, the price (and how much it is on sale for, when applicable), and the number of stars the item has across in-house reviews. Items that have color options allow you to click through the colors without needing to navigate to the listing page, which helps for quick browsing.
Prices from $6.99 to $119.99 on researched items
To do our price comparison, we looked at three different price ranges for every sporting goods store: the range for a popular brand (Nike), the price range for Easton bats, and the price range for football helmets as a popular product across multiple brands. However, there weren't any football helmets offered at Big 5 Sporting Goods, so we left that out of our price comparison. Here's what we found:
90-day returns with shipping deductions
Free shipping is not included at Big 5 Sporting Goods as a standard feature. Instead, you'll have to look for promotional rates or filter through items that are offered with free shipping. Otherwise, shipping is listed during checkout and may differ depending on your location and how close you are to a brick-and-mortar store. As for Big 5 Sporting Goods' return policy, you can send back your sporting goods within 90 days, but the shipping charges will not be included in your refund. If you make your return in-store, you won't have to pay for return shipping. If you ship back your items, the return shipping will be deducted from your total refund.
Terrible customer service
Big 5 Sporting Goods holds a somewhat concerning "C-" rating on the Better Business Bureau. This is due to the failure of the company to respond to complaints that were filed against the business. Our research turned up a similar ranking on Trustpilot, where Big 5 Sporting Goods holds just 2.6 stars out of 5. The major complaints for Big 5 Sporting Goods often mention "terrible customer service." There were so many different variations of the feedback "bad customer service," it surprised us at all the ways people have found to complain about the reps at Big 5 Sporting Goods. The complaints include both in-store and online experiences, showing that across the board, you can expect poor customer service from this sporting goods retailer.
Best for casual sports interests
If you're looking for brand names and more casual sports-themed gear, Big 5 Sporting Goods might be worth a look. But, if you're expecting (or even hoping for) help from customer service reps at this company, you'll likely be disappointed. Plus, with missing items in categories like football helmets, you may not find all of the sporting goods you need. This isn't a true one-stop shop despite the hundreds of brands offered in its inventory. It's worth checking out if you know you don't need to make a return or want more casual branded items, but if you're looking for serious sporting gear, it shouldn't be your first choice.
Weak
Academy Sports is a sporting and outdoor website that's known as one of the largest online stores of its kind. On top of having a fully built-out online presence, Academy Sports also offers in-person shopping at 301 locations throughout 21 states in the US. Academy Sports is headquartered in Texas and offers both sporting goods as well as outdoor and camping gear to cover all your "active lifestyle" bases. Whether you need post-exercise recovery tools like foam rollers, workout gear, or sport-specific must-haves, Academy Sports offers a competitive inventory.
9 popular brands and thousands of options
Speaking of inventory, you'll find plenty of top sporting goods brands at Academy Sports, including Nike, Jordan, Rawlings, Easton, Wilson, Under Armour, EvoShield, Battle, and Riddell. As for sports, you can find gear for baseball, basketball, football, softball, soccer, golf, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, track and field, gymnastics, and wrestling. As a comparison, we looked at the inventory listings for three popular sports: baseball, football, and softball. For baseball, Academy Sports offered 2,548 items. For football, we found 3,370 items in stock, and for softball, there were 1,023 items total. We also looked at less popular sports like gymnastics and found 138 items available at Academy Sports.
Helpful filters and at-a-glance listings
Browsing sporting goods at Academy Sports is simple. You can either search using the top bar to find gear right away or use the helpful filters to narrow down your options. Academy Sports will automatically sync to your nearest brick-and-mortar location for shipping or pick-up options. You can limit your searches by brand, product type, style, color, and whether or not the item is available through same-day delivery. All of the listings have the prices (and discounts for those that are eligible) and color options that you can mouse through without clicking into the listing page. It makes browsing quite simple and fast if you're looking through tons of items at once.
Prices from $6.97 to $599.99 on researched items
To do our price comparison at Academy Sports, we looked at pricing in three ways: first, we looked at the total price range for the popular brand Nike (all Nike items). Second, we looked at sport-specific items: Easton bats (baseball and softball included), and the price range for football helmets. This is the same comparison we do at every sporting goods store to see the price ranges side-by-side. Here's what we found:
Free shipping and 60-day returns
Most of the sporting goods offered at Academy Sports include free shipping with your order. You'll be able to see if an item qualifies by looking at the listing. All sporting goods that include free shipping have a "Free Shipping" label along the bottom with a check mark. If you'd like faster shipping, you can score free 2-day shipping on orders $150+ if you have a myAcademy account. As for returns, you can ship back your items from Academy Sports within 60 days of your purchase. The site accepts returns with or without a receipt, though if you don't have a receipt, you must have your original form of payment ready for the refund to process. If you want to make your return online, you can grab a packing slip from Academy Sports' website.
Missing shipments and poor customer service
Regrettably, Academy Sports is not rated by the Better Business Bureau, and it doesn't have particularly good scores on third-party review sites like Trustpilot and Sitejabber. At the time of our latest visit, Academy Sports held a dismal 1.5 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot and an equally concerning 1.3 stars out of 5 on Sitejabber. Recent reviews included those within a few hours of our evaluation. One comment complained that despite Academy Sports advertising a tax holiday for its sporting goods, the customer was charged tax. Further, there are repeated reviews about issues with ordering online. For example, one woman's order never came after ordering online, and Academy Sports said that she couldn't secure a refund until the order actually arrived (?!). Academy Sports also has negative reviews for the quality of the customer service and a lack of helpful representatives when things go wrong.
Not worth the worry that you'll never receive what you buy
While the large inventory and helpful filters are a huge selling point for Academy Sports, the concerns about shipments and customer service keep this site from being as competitive as it should be. Academy Sports has a great inventory, but if your items never arrive and you can't get your money back, there isn't much point to the massive inventory. With concerningly low reviews on third-party review sites and no rating to speak of from the Better Business Bureau, it falls near the bottom of our list.
Poor
Champs Sports is a site that's owned by the popular store Foot Locker Inc. This store's inventory includes a mix of apparel, sporting goods, and shoes. There are over 500 retail locations for Champs Sports, as well as full functionality for shopping online. Champs Sports was originally founded in 1984, and it is currently headquartered in Florida.
12+ brands, but mostly apparel in stock
There are plenty of brands to choose from at Champs Sports, including some popular favorites like Puma, Timberland, CSG, Saucony, New Balance, Adidas, Birkenstock, Brooks, Jordan, Nike, Oakley, Under Armour, and more. But, the site is set up more to help you find apparel than it is for sporting goods. The items are organized by gender or "back to school" rather than by sport. For example, one ad on the site said "The Look of Soccer," which is more fashion-focused than actually getting you soccer gear. When we researched the sports specifically, we found 250 items in stock for football (including some gear like cleats), 1,357 items for baseball, and 270 items for softball; however, some of these were items like "men's football jersey," so not all the items fit the category properly.
Helpful listings and clean UI
Champs Sports has a solid browsing experience. However, we would love a specific tab for individual sports rather than searching by gender or brand only. Using the top search bar can be a fast way to find particular sporting goods quickly. Once you get to the listings, they're extremely detailed. You can see all the color options and examples prior to clicking on the listing page. The listings will also show you the price and the sales (plus the percentage off) at a glance. As for filters, you can narrow items by product type, brand, gender, color, age range, and more. The best part is that browsing is fast and clean, and you can browse the inventory very quickly.
Prices from $10 to $289 for researched items
To do our price comparison, we looked at three different price ranges at every sporting goods store. At Champs Sports, we checked out the price range for a popular brand (Nike), we looked at Easton bats, and we checked on the price range for football helmets. However, during our research, we found that Champs Sports did not have any bats (or Easton products at all). So, this item was left out of our review. We ran into the same problem with football helmets, which were not included for the same reason. Here's what we found:
45-day return window with $6.99 in fees
Free shipping is not a guarantee with Champs Sports. Your shipping costs may vary depending on your location. Most orders will ship within 3-5 business days. As for returns, you have 45 days to complete your return if you want a refund of your order. You can return or exchange sporting goods, but they do need to be in new or unworn condition. Champs Sports will deduct a $6.99 SmartLabel fee from your refund rather than charging separately for return shipping. This charge will not be included if you are returning an item due to a defect.
Consistent problems with customer service
Regrettably, Champs Sports currently holds a "D-" rating from the Better Business Bureau. This is due to the company failing to respond to 34 complaints filed against it recently. On other third-party review sites, the feedback is about the same. On Trustpilot, Champs Sports has a 1.7-star average rating out of 5. On Sitejabber, the company has an even lower 1.2-star average. Recent feedback notes that Champs Sports has terrible customer service, and multiple reviewers got disconnected or put on extended holds. Some shoppers didn't receive the items they ordered, and more than a few people complained that they had broken or damaged items in their orders. With situations like this, it was difficult (or impossible) to get a resolution or a refund from Champs Sports. Yikes.
Difficult refunds + poor service = lowest ranking
Champs Sports doesn't hit the mark in almost any department. This is more of an apparel store than a true sporting goods store. You'll find a handful of sporting items like cleats, but no big-ticket sports gear like bats or helmets. With rampant issues regarding customer service, Champs Sports falls behind in that area, too. Given thefees for returns and customers regularly reporting issues getting refunds or recourse for damaged items, it might be safer to choose a more reliable sporting goods store instead.
Continued from above...
Sports is one of those fields (pun intended) where the right equipment can make or break your sporting experience. Whether you're a first-time player, joining a school team, a longtime pro, or just picking up a new-to-you sport for fun, the proper sporting goods are key to having a good time. Sporting goods retailers are popping up all over the place, too, making it easier than ever to find the equipment you need to make your sport a winning experience.
Choosing an online sporting goods store is a great idea if you're looking for a place where you can buy it all. Sports don't just require the big stuff like baseball bats or hockey masks. You'll also need to buy the basics: socks, pants, golf balls, warm-up gear, and more. The best sporting goods stores will be a one-stop shop with everything you need in one place.
Have kids who play different sports? No problem. Need extras like water bottles or workout gear on top of your sport-specific goods? They've got it. Some sporting goods stores have more specialized inventory (which would be great if you're a pro in that particular sport), but for most customers, having a wide variety is going to help you across all your various sports requirements.
The best part? Most sporting goods stores offer impressive deals. Since the sites are mostly online (though there are still a few brick-and-mortar stores if you're someone who likes to try things on), you won't run into overhead costs all the time. Plus, you can browse through clearance and seasonal promotions you won't find elsewhere when you shop at a sporting goods store online. Plus, the top competitors will have solid policies for both shipping and returns, resulting in high customer satisfaction and also great for keeping the total price in your cart down.
Whether you're buying varsity football gear for your student athlete, grabbing some new leotards for a new gymnast, or ordering some new shoes to try out running for the first time (good luck), there's a sporting goods store out there to meet your needs. No matter your budget, you'll be able to find a sporting goods store that ticks all the boxes.
But, with so many options, it can be hard to decide which sporting goods store deserves your business. There are so many things to consider, so we made it simple with a quick list of factors that can help you decide:
You don't need to worry about finding the best sporting goods stores out there: with our detailed research and rankings, Top Consumer Reviews has identified the top sporting goods stores online today. This way, you can get your head in the game and enjoy your sport (or cheer on a loved one who's playing). Let's play ball!
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