schuh vs JD Sports, Footasylum and Clarks: 365-day returns and the trade-offs

Shopping at Schuh? See all current Schuh discount codes and deals, checked regularly.

Buy a pair of trainers at most big footwear chains and you have about four weeks to change your mind. At schuh you have a year: unused items can be returned within 365 days. It's one of several reasons the footwear specialist, which opened its first shop in Edinburgh's North Bridge Arcade in 1981 and now has around 109 shops in the UK and Ireland, is worth a look before you head elsewhere.

We've compared schuh with three well-known places to buy trainers and shoes, JD Sports, Footasylum and Clarks, with a nod to Sports Direct, on the things that affect what you pay and how easy it is to shop: range, returns, delivery, collection and perks. Every detail comes from the retailers' own websites.

The big brands, plus schuh's own label

schuh sells branded trainers, shoes, boots and sandals for men, women and children from more than 80 brands. Its homepage currently features Nike, adidas, New Balance, ASICS, Converse, UGG, Dr. Martens, BIRKENSTOCK and Timberland, so the same shop that sells you a pair of running-inspired trainers can also sell you winter boots, a pair of clogs and slippers.

Alongside the brands sits the schuh Collection, its own label. This autumn's selection includes the schuh Damari Leather Pull On Boots at £99, the schuh Lapis Leather Ruched Loafer at £55 and the schuh Lusan Split Toe Leather Ballet Flats at £50, which are cheaper than many of the branded boots and shoes on the site. schuh also has dedicated kids' shops and a school shoe range.

The others lean in different directions. JD Sports and Footasylum are sports fashion retailers, so a good share of their range is clothing and streetwear as well as trainers. Clarks mostly sells its own shoes, boots and sandals, such as the Desert Boot and Wallabee. schuh sits in between: footwear first, with lots of brands to choose from.

A year to return unused shoes

The 365-day returns window is schuh's standout feature. It's useful if you buy shoes as a gift, pick up boots early in the season or want time to make sure a pair goes with your wardrobe before you wear it outside.

• schuh: 365 days for unused items, for a refund or exchange. Postal returns cost £3.99.
• JD Sports: 28 days, free and refunded instantly in a JD store, or by post.
• Footasylum: 28 days for unused items. Returns to a store are free, and courier returns start from £2.50.
• Clarks: 28 days for unworn items (14 days for sale items), free in a full-price Clarks shop or £2.95 by post.
• Sports Direct: 28 days, from £4.99, and online orders can't be returned to its stores.

The catch is the £3.99 postal charge. If there's a schuh shop near you, returning unused items there avoids it.

Delivery and collection

Standard delivery from schuh takes 2-3 working days and costs £3.99, or nothing on orders of £70 and over. Next-day delivery costs £4.99. Click & Collect to a schuh shop is free, and same-day pick-up is available.

Here's how that compares:

• JD Sports: standard delivery £3.99, free over £80. Next day £5.99, free over £120. Free Click & Collect, same day if you order by 2pm.
• Footasylum: standard delivery £3.99, free over £70. Next day £5.99. Delivery to a store is free.
• Clarks: standard delivery £4.95, free over £75. Next day from £6.95. Free Click & Collect to full-price shops, taking 4-5 days.
• Sports Direct: standard delivery £4.99, next day £9.99, and Click & Collect £4.99.

schuh's £70 free-delivery threshold matches Footasylum's and is lower than JD's and Clarks'. Its £4.99 next-day charge is also the lowest of the five when you're under the free threshold.

SCHUH CLUB and discounts

SCHUH CLUB is free to join. You earn 1 point for every £1 you spend, and every 100 points gets you £5 off. In effect, that's £5 back for every £100 you spend, so a £95 pair of trainers gets you almost all the way to your first reward.

There are discounts for some groups too. Students get 10% off full-price items and earn 2 points per £1 through SCHUH CLUB Students. Blue Light Card members get 10% off full-price products online and in UK shops.

Among the rivals, JD has its JD STATUS app, where members collect JD Cash, and Footasylum's free FA Rewards scheme gives a £5 birthday voucher, with points worth 5% only once you reach the higher levels from £180 a year. Clarks doesn't list a loyalty scheme, but it does offer £10 off a £50 spend when you sign up to its emails.

What schuh's customers say

schuh says 93% of 1,324,660 customers are happy with its overall service experience. That's its own figure rather than an independent survey, but the sample is large. You can also phone its customer service team seven days a week. schuh is owned by the American footwear group Genesco and describes itself as a carbon neutral organisation.

Where the others have the edge

schuh isn't the best choice for everyone:

• Bigger student discounts: JD Sports and Footasylum both give students 20% off, double schuh's 10%. JD also adds an extra 20% JD Cash for students verified in its app.
• Key worker savings: Footasylum offers key workers 20% off, against 10% with Blue Light Card at schuh.
• Cheaper postal returns: none of the rivals offers a year, but Footasylum's courier returns start from £2.50 and Clarks charges £2.95, both less than schuh's £3.99.
• Fitting: many Clarks shops measure feet in store and offer booked kids' fittings, which is handy for school shoes.
• Free next-day delivery: on big JD orders over £120, next-day delivery is free.
• Clothing: if you want a tracksuit or a jacket in the same basket, JD and Footasylum carry far more apparel.

Who schuh suits best

schuh makes most sense if you want lots of footwear brands in one place, plenty of time to change your mind and a loyalty scheme that pays out in straightforward £5 rewards. It's especially handy for gift buyers, anyone shopping early for winter boots or slippers, and people who live near a schuh shop and can use free Click & Collect and free in-shop returns.

Your questions answered

Can I really return shoes to schuh after a year?

Yes, as long as they're unused. Unused items can be returned within 365 days for a refund or exchange. Worn shoes aren't covered by this.

Does schuh have a student discount?

Yes. Students get 10% off full-price items and earn 2 SCHUH CLUB points per £1, double the usual rate, through SCHUH CLUB Students.

Can I collect a schuh order the same day?

Click & Collect to a schuh shop is free, and same-day pick-up is available, so you can often order in the morning and collect later the same day.

Ways to save at schuh

Join SCHUH CLUB before you buy, use your student or Blue Light Card discount on full-price items, and choose free Click & Collect if your basket is under £70. We've picked out schuh's six best autumn picks this week, and you'll find every current offer on our schuh voucher codes page.

Sources: schuh, schuh delivery, schuh returns, SCHUH CLUB, schuh student discount, schuh Blue Light discount, JD Sports delivery and returns, JD Sports student discount, Footasylum help, FA Rewards, Clarks delivery, Clarks returns, Sports Direct help

Ad: affiliate links. The codes and deals below link to the stores, and we may earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you. How we make money.