Cotswold Outdoor Reviews 

I went into store today to get myself a new pair of walking shoes to walk my dog.

There was a customer assistant helping 3 people at the same time.

I walked straight out as i knew the level of service that would be provided would be below sub standard. Not for lack of the assistant trying but because their focus would be split between 4 people.

That is not a premium service.

Needless to say i went to thier competitors and low and behold a member of staff for each individual customer.

None of this 1 staff member trying to serve 4 people nonsense.

Cotswold outdoor you are letting your long standing customers do exactly that, stand for a long time waiting.

You have just lost a customer.

Such a shame what has happened to them going off of all the comments on this site.

Bought a chair from there earlier today. Customer lift does not go to the top floor, but they did offer to bring things down for me. The three members of staff I encountered were all helpful and friendly.

Shame about the price. The chair I bought was £109. Having looked when I got back, literally everywhere else it was only £70 - £80. Not sure how they justify it being £30 -£40 more?!?

Absolutely shocking Customer Ssrvices. I have been chasing the after sales team for a month and a half about a refund they said they would action. No one is replying. I must’ve called a handful of times with no progress.

I ordered a parcel and the package was missing 1 item that I ordered. Contacted them and the courier the same day and I m still waiting for a reply 10 days after, no refund or resolution has been proposed, just radio silence. Is sad as I got it with a gift voucher and that seems to be just gone. Will never buy online again with them.

Absolutely mistake! My advice is to avoid this place. I don’t know what happened there but it’s bad. I’m waiting 2 weeks for my order, went ask to store they showed me my order but can’t give my my order ( paid ) because I haven’t received an email with confirmation that I can pick up my order. No response from customer service! They are just amazing money collectors not a store.

An amazing member of staff, Sarah, who helped my disabled partner, who has odd sized feet, find the right trainers and sandals and buy the right waterproof coat. She brough several boxes of different trainers, explaining the sizing and width differs between brands. Nothing was too much trouble. She clearly knew the products and was able to offer clear advice.

I struggled to return some Salomon shoes online but was able to take them into a branch where the service was great and I ended up with the size I needed.
The Salomons are great and the staff were very helpful.

I assume that they must be heading into administration. I ordered an item two weeks ago and have sent approx 6 emails chasing up where the item is, I haven’t had a single proper response barring an automated acknowledgement. I ordered from Cotswold as wanted to support a proper outdoors brand but will stick to Amazon in future as far more reliable

What a shambles and a far cry from the well respected company that Cotswold outdoors used to be.
The product I bought is faulty and totally within the warranty period. I supplied all the photos and information requested by customer services about the order, the fault and my account on 22May2026. After no response by 5th June, I reached out on Facebook and Instagram, only to be fobbed off with ‘customer support is unusually busy’.
Today I had another demand to supply all the information and photos again.
Zendesk is not efficient as a customer support tool. There is no continuity of care (1 person assigned per customer problem) or a conversation trail.

Lily was forthcoming, keen to help, well trained and hence knowledgeable about the product ( men’s hiking boots) and I had no hesitation in buying the shoes which clearly were the right fit for my odd left foot.

They charge for next day delivery but it doesn't turn up till three days late. Numerous emails sent without reply and they don't answer phone calls.Disgraceful way to go on.

They are crooks, do not buy from them, I was told I could get a refund but they gave me store credit, they then told me it could be extended and then they refused to honour it, I am now out by £100.....

I order items yesterday but inputted the wrong address. I've tried to phone customer services today to amend my address however no answer despite 20 phone calls. I've requested call backs which were never received. Absolutely useless and do not recommend. Customer services department is an absolute waste of time.

Unsure what Hiking boot to get, the 3d foot scan was brilliant in narrowing down the boot, Jake at the reading branch guided us through the options, very informative and knowledgeable, there was no rush no pressure. All done in our own time, we left with a new set of boots and complete confidence. Thank you.

My son and I visited Cotswold Outdoor in St Albans on Saturday 6th June 2026 to purchase a backpack for his upcoming travels, and we were fortunate to be helped by Grace.

Grace was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. She was friendly, knowledgeable, patient, and took the time to understand exactly what my son needed for his four-month trip around South-East Asia. She carefully explained the different backpack options, ensured the fit was correct, and shared lots of useful travel advice and tips that we hadn't even considered.

Nothing felt rushed, and Grace went above and beyond to make sure my son was comfortable and confident with his choice. Her excellent customer service turned what could have been a simple shopping trip into a really enjoyable experience for both of us.

Thank you, Grace, for all your help. You are a credit to the St Albans store, and we truly appreciated the time and care you gave us.

Visited the store in Reading. Great customer service. Super friendly and helpful without being too pushy. Had a choice of products I was interested in, at a range of prices. Also some good reductions in the sale where I got an impulse buy too!! All really good brands. Totally recommend this store.

I went into the Merry Hill store today to get some shoes for an upcoming holiday. Unfortunately, there was only 2 members of staff working and 1 of them had been booked for a shoe consultation. The remaining staff member wouldn't leave the front of shop. When I asked for some shoe sizes to try on, I was informed that they couldn't help until the consultantation was complete. When I asked how long it would take, I was told "it takes as long as it takes". In essence, they weren't selling shoes today due to poor resource allocation. What a complete joke!!

Make it very hard to return things when purchased online. Ended up buying from John Lewis. First purchase with Cotswold Outdoor and the last. Customer lost.

Customer service or the procedures are appalling. I’ve created an order for 7 items value over£500 on 30/04. Order was split into 2 deliveries, received 1 item but the rest of items returned to seller. Requested a refund and over a month later I have not received it.

One of the worst companies I've ever dealt with. Ordered shoes May 16th should have been delivered May 18th. Fast forward to June 5th, still no delivery. No fewer than six employees have told me that my delivery is in hand and will be shipped shortly. Social media team told me they can't help, have since requester 3 call backs as you can't ever reach anyone, and they are yet to reply.