Reebok and the Federal Trade Commission reached a $25 million dollar agreement to refund consumers who bought RunTone or EasyTone shoes based on claims about the shoes that the company could not support. You can apply for a refund from the FTC.gov site.
According to the FTC press release, the complaint against Reebok is based on unsupported advertising claims that EasyTone footwear will give you 28% more strength and tone in the buttocks and 11% more in the hamstring muscles and calf muscles compared to regular walking shoes.
Under the settlement, Reebok is barred from making any claims that their footwear will achieve any specific amount of toning unless they can present the scientific evidence to support that claim. Nor can they make any health or fitness related claims for their toning shoes without showing the evidence.
While toning shoes have been very popular the past two years, I have remained skeptical that they do more than give motivation for some people to walk more. Walking more will indeed strengthen and tone your legs. But whether toning shoes actually have an effect beyond regular shoes is a claim that needs strong evidence, not just testimonials. For that reason, I added toning shoes to my list of walking products I don't recommend last year.
However, of the toning shoes I've tried, I thought the Reebok RunTones were the best design for proper ergonomic walking. If you are wearing them and enjoying them, there is no reason to stop. Just don't count on them to do more than regular shoes for your buttocks. On the other hand, a refund for shoes is a nice deal.
FTC: Reebok to Pay $25 Million in Customer Refunds To Settle FTC Charges of Deceptive Advertising of EasyTone and RunTone Shoes
Reader Reviews: Reebok RunTone and EasyTone Shoes
Web sites states that the deadline for submitting claims was April 10, 2012…
That sucks, what about the people who didn’t know about the refund? How am I suppose to get my due just. I paid over $100.00. I was looking for some results, and yet nothing and I do mean nothing.I guess a day late and $100.00 short……
Sorry you are late hearing about this, Kimmie. I posted this last year when it was announced to my blog, newsletter, Faceboook and Twitter.
I just found out about this, so now what ? so UNFAIR to me & others who never heard anything !!
I just found out about this i want my refund i paid $110.00 for these shoes and i dont wear them now. where can i get my money back??
I heard about the refund on the news this morning. This morning being August 8th. When I logged on to inquire about the refund the website said the deadline was April 10th. I just heard it on the news so how could the deadline be so long ago. Is there any other place I can go and request my refund? I would like to know
I heard about the refund on the news this morning. Channel 5 in Boston, MA. Today is August 8th and when I went on the website it said the deadline was April 10th. I don’t understand why I wouldn’t be able to apply for a refund now when it was just announced now. Is there anyway to get a refund in August even though the deadline was April? I find that really unfair
Sorry, but the stories that came out on 8/7/12 are that the checks are going out, but that the deadline to apply for the refund was back in April.
We announced the Reebok refunds here on Walking.about.com back in 2011.
I just found out about this from a friend my husband paid over 100.00 for my reebok retones and no i did not see any results. This is very unfair.
They may have stopped taking refund orders in April, but they had a 25 million dollar agreement to meet. Has that been met Reebok?
thanks to those toning shoes i had to have surgery i was just infomed about he recall they shouldbe liable
Realy angers me that I didn’t know about the problems with the Reebock Tonning Shoes … I bought some and did not use them right away I started using them in April of this year and 6 mo’s later I have sever pain on my SI Joint …. a friend told me to not use those shoes anymore because of the injuries that were linked to them … now I have an injury and I can’t even at least get a refund for the $100.00 I spent on those stupid shoes that probably caused my pain!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad I bought mine at TJMAXX for $20! Although, as with most Reebok products, I have been very happy with my Runtones. Didn’t expect miracles. Just comfort. And that’s what I got. They did take a while to get used to.
I am constantly amazed! There is no magic pill, food, or in this case shoe that can produce a toned body. In our hearts we know this, but we still buy into it. Sadly when it fails to do what we already knew it wouldn’t, we scream,”lawsuit, where is my share”! I own two pairs of these shoes, walk 4 miles a day on a treadmill and have had no problems.
I love these shoes! I still try to pick up pairs at outlets when possible, but sadly, my last trip netted none in my size! I never expected a miracle…I mean, come on! You have to do the work and eat right to get results…we all know this! I just found they were the most comfortable shoes right out of the box and wish they would bring them back without the false claims!
I did not know these shoes were false advertsment. This is the first I’m hearing about a law suit. I still have my easy tone reebok shoes and now I know why I hardly wore them. They hurt my feet more then they helped Them. I have plates and pins for my right ankle and these shoes did not help with Anything. What should I do?