Hoka review: Loyal customer of decade no more

A Disappointing Experience with HOKA: A Decade of Loyalty Ends

I purchased a pair of shoes from HOKA in May, having been a loyal customer for more than a decade. Unfortunately, HOKA sent me the wrong size due to an error on its end.

After purchasing the correct size, I contacted customer service to resolve the issue, only to be informed by a representative that I was not eligible to return the original shoes. I relied on that information, which ultimately led me to pursue the matter through PayPal. That dispute dragged on for months before PayPal declined my claim.

Recently, I contacted HOKA again and explained the entire situation, including the fact that I had been given incorrect information by one of its own representatives. I also emphasized my longstanding loyalty to the brand and the fact that this situation originated with HOKA's own fulfillment error.

What followed was yet another disappointing experience. Rather than take responsibility for the original mistake and the misinformation provided by its customer service team, HOKA continued to contest my request, both through PayPal and in my subsequent communications with the company. I was eventually told that a supervisor would contact me within 24 hours. That promised follow-up never happened, and I still have not received my refund.

It is difficult to overstate how disappointing this experience has been. After more than ten years of supporting this company, I have been met with an extraordinary lack of accountability, follow-through, and basic customer consideration. A company's reputation is built not only on the products it sells, but also on how it treats customers when something goes wrong. HOKA has failed on both counts in this experience.

I have also become increasingly disappointed in what I perceive as a decline in both product quality and customer service over the past several years.

I will no longer purchase HOKA products or support this company. I would strongly encourage prospective customers to consider the quality of its customer service and how difficult it may be to obtain a reasonable resolution when an issue arises. My experience has fundamentally changed my opinion of a brand I supported for over a decade.