Is Lululemon legit or scam? Lululemon VIP reviews

Is the Lululemon VIP Program legit or not?

Lululemon is a hugely popular athletic apparel brand known for their high quality yoga pants and workout gear. In recent years, they have launched a VIP membership program promising exclusive perks and discounts to loyal customers. However, many have questioned whether the program truly provides value or is just a gimmick to get more money from customers. In this post, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Lululemon VIP program to determine if it’s worth the annual membership fee.

What Does the Lululemon VIP Program Include?

When you sign up for the Lululemon VIP program, you are promised the following benefits:

• Exclusive early access to new product drops – VIP members supposedly get first dibs on new clothing and accessories before they become available to regular customers.

• Increased earning on WMTM items – WMTM (We Made Too Much) is Lululemon’s section for excess and overproduction items marked down up to 50%. VIP members claim to earn double points on these already discounted items.

• $25 birthday reward – On your birthday each year, VIP members receive a $25 credit to spend online or in-store.

• Enhanced shipping benefits – Perks like free shipping on all orders and express shipping options.

• Annual membership rewards – Additional discounts, gifts, and rewards gifted to VIPs each year around their renewal date.

• Insider status and events – Special invites to workshops, classes, and events not open to regular customers.

The annual membership fee is $128. Does gaining these perks and discounts truly provide $128 in value each year? Let’s take a closer look.

Are the Benefits Really That Valuable?

While the benefits sound nice, in reality many VIP members have found them to be underwhelming:

• Early access drops are minor and stock often sells out quickly anyway. Regular customers can sometimes still score the items.

• Doubled points on WMTM is nice but you have to spend a lot to actually redeem rewards, so it may not offset the annual fee.

• The $25 birthday credit is a small perk each year compared to the membership cost.

• Free shipping is available to all customers on orders over $75. Express upgrades are minor value additions.

• Annual renewal rewards seem promotional rather than actually offsetting the membership fees.

• Insider events are seldom in many areas and member experiences vary greatly.

For customers who shop Lululemon regularly and maximize discounts, the program may provide slight value. But for most occasional buyers, the membership fee is hard to truly offset with the limited benefits provided. After a few years, members have essentially paid hundreds without getting real value returns.

Customer Experiences with the Lululemon VIP Program

To get real perspectives, I browsed online reviews from current and past Lululemon VIP members:

• Many said the early access drops were minor color launches that sold out fast anyway. Most were unable to grab the few in-demand styles.

• Doubled WMTM points were nice but you’d have to spend thousands to get anything worthwhile with reward points. It wasn’t a major discount in reality.

• The $25 birthday reward barely covered a basic item after taxes. It didn’t feel like a true perk relative to the membership cost.

• Annual renewal gifts were small promotional items rather than offsets of the annual fee itself. Nothing substantive to really appreciate.

• Insider events were hit or miss depending on one’s location. Big city customers fared better than suburban/rural members.

• Customer service was unhelpful when issues like damaged items occurred, showing lack of “VIP treatment.”

Overall reviews reflected frustration that the membership benefits were over-hyped marketing and didn’t actually provide $128 in savings for all but the highest spending customers. For many, it amounted to an expensive hobby rather than true value.

Is It Really Worth It for the Average Customer?

Unless you shop Lululemon hauls worth thousands per year and maximize stacked rewards, most experts agree the Lululemon VIP program struggles to practically deliver $128 in value for the average occasional buyer:

• Occasional 10-20% WMTM shoppers would be hard pressed to redeem enough points for anything substantive before rewards expire.

• Those who buy a few items here and there for yoga class are unlikely to view the annual fee as worthwhile.

• Customers living outside major cities have limited access to the supposed “insider” perks and events.

• Value shoppers can grab Black Friday deals and promotion codes online without needing the membership at all.

• The membership is non-refundable, so you’re essentially paying for a service you may terminate early without getting full use.

Unless you’re a devoted shopper spending probably $1000+ annually already at Lululemon, experts say the program feels designed more for the brand’s top revenue customers rather than average users. Given mixed member reviews, many casual buyers would do better without the commitment.

Should You Sign Up?

For devoted Lululemon fans who maximize stacked discounts on big hauls and are willing to treat it as a hobby, some experts argue the VIP program merits consideration. But the average occasional buyers would be better off skipping it:

• Only sign up if you shop Lululemon frequently, spend $1000+ per year already as a non-VIP customer.

• Consider your location – urban areas get better access to “insider” perks than suburbs/rural zones.

• Don’t expect to truly save $128 annually unless spending is already well into the thousands.

• Benefits like early access may be nominal or sell out fast anyway for most products.

• Shop Black Friday, sales, and promo codes instead of committing to the annual fee.

• Read reviews carefully – mixed experiences show mileage may vary greatly by location.

For casual buyers, experts argue the value isn’t clearly there compared to taking advantage of sales without the membership commitment. Consider your shopping habits carefully before signing up long-term.

Understanding the Business Model

To understand why the Lululemon VIP program benefits may seem underwhelming, it helps to examine the brand’s business model and priorities:

Membership Fees Are Very Profitable

With thousands of VIP members globally paying $128 annually for the program, this revenue stream is highly profitable for Lululemon. While costs exist to fund some perks and events, the fees likely far exceed related expenses. This cash flow incentivizes maintaining the program.

Loyalty and Engagement Beat Real Savings

Rather than focusing on real dollar discounts, the program aims to foster brand loyalty through perceived exclusivity and insider status. Even nominal perks keep members engaged with the company long-term through renewals.

High Spenders Are Prioritized Over Casual Buyers

While marketed to all, the real targets are top revenue customers spending thousands a year. Extracting $128 from casual buyers provides profit even if value isn’t fully realized. Slight benefits still encourage higher lifetime spend.

Program Evolution Is Gradually Scaling Back Initial Perks

Early adopters received better initial perks no longer consistently delivered, like gift cards just for joining. Benefits seem designed more for engagement than true cost savings or value over time.

In essence, the business model prioritizes ongoing membership fee profits over whether the average member clearly saves $128 annually. Subtle loyalty marketing retains more customers for life even without full value returns – adding to the brand’s profits in the long run.

Is There a Better Option for Casual Buyers?

Given the questionable value for average customers and profit-focused business model of the VIP program, alternatives exist that may serve occasional buyers better:

Shop Promos and Sales Instead

Deals during Black Friday, major promotions, and friend referral discounts provide savings without the membership commitment. Sales occur multiple times annually.

Take Advantage of Referral Perks

Referring others provides credits that some find a better value than the membership fees alone. There’s no long term commitment if you stop shopping heavily.

Stick to WMTM Items

Many find double points on these select items provide worthwhile discounts without ever needing the full VIP membership. This targets spend more carefully.

Consider Member Alternatives

Brands like Athleta offer membership programs with seemingly better balanced benefits for both casual and devote shoppers through inclusive community features.

Visit Outlet and Warehouse Locations

Outlet mall shops plus membership-free warehouse exhibition spaces provide deals on excess merchandise similar to WMTM perks but without mandatory fees.

Overall, occasional Lululemon buyers likely get better value shopping strategic sales, capitalizing on one-off referral credits, or supplements outlet warehouse bargains rather than committing long-term to the VIP program itself. For many customers, alternatives serve their needs better.

Conclusion and Takeaways

To summarize, while the Lululemon VIP program sounds enticing through promises of “insider perks” and discounts, the reality is that benefits seem underwhelming for most average buyers. Unless spending already well surpasses $1000 annually at Lululemon, experts argue that the value may not clearly offset the $128 membership fee for all but the top spending customers. Mixed reviews suggest mileage varies greatly depending on purchase habits and location.

Some key takeaways:

• Only sign up if already spending $1000+ per year as a non-VIP customer and willing to treat membership as a hobby.

• Consider shopping major sales instead of committing long-term for occasional purchases.

• Referral credits may offer better returns than the VIP program itself if sign-ups are infrequent.

• Outlet stores and warehouse exhibitions are membership-free alternatives for deals on excess inventory.

• Alternatives like Athleta’s membership program aim to provide balanced value to all customer levels.

• The business model priorities long-term profits from annual fees over whether average Joes truly save $128 each renewal.

Overall, casual Lululemon buyers seeking the best value would likely fare better maximizing strategic promotions, supplementing with outlet bargains, and avoiding the non-refundable membership commitment unless their spend clearly exceeds $1000 annually anyway as power users. For occasional customers, the cons of signing up may outweigh the nominal pros. discretion is advised.

FAQs About the Lululemon VIP Program

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Lululemon VIP program:

Is the membership refundable or transferable?

No, the VIP membership fee is non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another person. You must use the benefits yourself each year.

How long are VIP rewards and points valid for?

Any rewards or points earned through the VIP program must usually be redeemed within 12 months or they expire and are forfeited.

What is the return policy for VIP members?

Return policies are the same for VIP members as regular customers. Items can generally be returned within 30 days for a full refund excluding shipping costs.

Are international shipping fees reduced for VIPs?

No, international shipping fees to countries outside the US/Canada tend to be higher even for VIP members and are not reduced compared to regular customer rates.

Do VIP member discounts apply in-store as well?

No, any points or credits earned as a VIP member can only be redeemed through online purchases at this time. In-store discounts are not offered through membership status alone.

How do I cancel my Lululemon VIP membership?

Members can cancel their enrollment by contacting customer service via phone or email. Make sure to do so ahead of your annual renewal date to avoid being charged again for the following year.

I hope this detailed review of the Lululemon VIP membership program and my answers to FAQs help provide clarity on whether committing to it truly makes sense for your shopping habits and needs or if alternatives may better suit occasional buyers. Please let me know if any other questions come up.