Merrell - Chandler, Arizona

D CO

I have enjoyed probably 30 Merrell purchases. Even today the store was clean, well stocked, and staff friendly offering to help. One gal seemed like a Merrell expert.
Great specials, I often wait for and then stock up on an extra pair or two. Fun selection and many speciality shoes.
Their shoe inserts are amazing. You stand on a scanner device which recommends pads best for your foot!
Highly recommend

C Clark

Bought 3 pair of shoes here. I think it’s where merrell sends their defects as all 3 pairs fell apart almost immediately . Merrell wouldn’t warranty them, so you won’t save money buying here

Andrea Taglieri

We went to get my husband high top hikers appropriate for The Wave and he only wears Merrell's. We found perfect hikers for him and they had buy one get two half off so of course I had to get two pairs, lol. I love that they do have some wide width options. Really great deals and nice helpful staff.

Kelly Baratta

Great experience here. My husband and I have come to this location twice and will continue to recommend / shop here for our hiking footwear. Gene was amazing and really helped us find great choices for shoes and letting us know the promotions going on.

One thing I will say is it's really refreshing not to have pushy staff for sales / promotions or being constantly checked up on while browsing. This environment is very chill and feels more like a mom and pop place because of the vibe.

I've been recommending to my friends to come here to get set up with boots since our first visit, but with our 2nd visit - I just don't want to go anywhere else for boots :p.

Thanks Gene for everything!! I hope you're having an amazing week because you totally rock! Will see you next time.

Lucy S

TLDR; Store is organized and clean. I like the hiking boots I got from here so far. Some associates were kind and helpful, but in my latest visit, the main reason I am writing this review, I was asked a racially insensitive question and given no apology even though I was visibly uncomfortable, and will most likely not return unless there is improvement. I am suggesting more diversity training for the staff.

(Full Review)

I bought my first pair of Merrell hiking boots here my first visit in March, and they are very comfortable and sturdy. The younger lady (brown hair, usually tied back into a low bun) working here was very attentive and patient in helping me find the right shoes and made me feel comfortable in taking as much time as I needed. I’m normally very picky about my shoes and need something reliable for hiking.

However, my second visit tonight, 4/22/2024, has made me consider not re-visiting this location in the future. First and foremost, the fitting room was poorly-lit and doubled as a storage area, and half the mirror was blocked by stacked tables normally used for display. There were no hooks to hang the clothes I wanted to try on. Next, socks had no pricing on them and it felt tedious asking for an associate to scan each one. Clothing selection was very limited.

A middle-aged male associate with short light-brown hair (the supervisor?) helped me with an item return. I do want to note that I didn’t realize that the return policy for items on clearance was different at this store, and appreciated that he made it work by offering an exchange instead. However, when I had to provide my name (Lucy) for the return, he asked me “if that was my actual name”. I was taken aback, and he asked again if I used that name “because it was easier”. When I still didn’t understand, he elaborated saying that people from places like China and whatnot tend to use different names because “their names get butchered a lot here”. For reference, I am obviously and visibly an Asian-American woman, and I was born and raised in the States.

I do want to commend the associates’ attempts at connecting with customers that I noticed throughout my two visits, and that the customers at the Premium Outlets tend to be very diverse, so questions about their cultural background might be appropriate, depending on how they are asked. However, the question of “Is that your actual name?”, while maybe not intentionally malicious, is VERY insensitive to ask, especially in this day and age. It can insinuate questions of whether people (recipient of such questions) belong or fit in here. I have not been asked a targeted question like this in a long time, and I did not appreciate having my cultural background/heritage assumed in this way because of my perceived race. I can imagine that a Caucasian customer would not be asked the same question, nor made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in the store because of it. When the associate found out that it was, indeed, my real name, that I was born and raised here, and that I was visibly uncomfortable, there was no apology for the incorrect assumptions.

Including my first visit, it felt that the male associates, including a younger one that was also present tonight (brown hair and beard with glasses), were judgmental in their interactions with me, and did not foster a welcoming environment. While perhaps not intentional, again to give benefit of the doubt, those interactions almost made me want to leave the store without a purchase, if not for the help from the other female associate the first visit. Accordingly, the uncomfortable atmosphere I’ve had at the store don’t seem to be one-off to me.

My main suggestion to the store is perhaps better diversity training for the staff. I can’t imagine any scenario where the question of “Is that your actual name” is appropriate to ask, even in a joking manner like tonight or to people from out of the US or with non-English names. Merrell has been around for a long time (since 1981) and has great products, so I expected better. Please do better.

K M

They always have good deals in the store. I'm a merrell man and love their barefoot options

KVTV

Great experience Jean-Carlo is very knowledgeable and friendly. Attentive to my needs, quick check out and super good deals on 2nd and 3rd pair of shoes!!!
Got a pair of Hydro runners for 25 bucks!!!

Kimberly Kilgore

Great savings 20% off all shoes plus 50% off 2nd and 3rd pair. And I love their selection. Most comfy shoes ever. I use them for work shoes and I'm on my feet for 10 hours plus.