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When you step into Academy Sports + Outdoors, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed. One of the nation’s largest providers of sporting goods and outdoor equipment, Academy’s nearly 275 locations are built like superstores, ranging from 35,000 to 50,000 square feet in size. You could spend a whole day rifling through boxes of shoes and racks of fitness apparel from brands like Champion, Nike and Reebok, browsing racks of kayaks and canoes, and exploring aisles of camping, fishing and hunting gear.
No matter what your fitness or outdoor recreation pursuit is — golf, boxing, yoga, weightlifting or tailgating — you can find what you’re looking for in the sprawling Academy stores (or, if not, online at Academy.com). Fitness trampolines? Check. Pizza ovens? Check. Officially licensed Houston Astros rain ponchos? Check.
The selection at Academy might be overwhelming, but their prices don’t have to be. With a bit of creativity and planning, you can land top-of-the-line equipment and apparel from your favorite brands and licensed by your favorite teams.
That’s where we come in. The team at RetailMeNot has created a guide to scoring sports gear, apparel and equipment from Academy, for less. With our tricks, hacks and insider tips, you can land deals on everything from outdoor furniture to traveler tumblers.
So without further ado, here’s how to save at Academy Sports + Outdoors every single time you shop.
1. Sign up for Emails to Get Academy Coupons + Promo Codes
When you sign up for the e-newsletter from the brand, you’ll unlock a special Academy promo code good for a 10% discount on your next online purchase. Throughout the year, you’ll continue to receive Academy coupons, personalized offers, updates on weekly sales, and early access to pre-order announcements.
How to Sign up for Academy Emails
To subscribe to Academy emails, scroll to the bottom of any page on Academy.com. Find the box that reads “Enter your email address or phone number,” type in your email and hit “sign up.” You should receive your 10% off e-coupon immediately, plus additional Academy online deals throughout the year.
2. Sign up for Texts to Get Even More Academy Coupons
If you prefer text messages to emails, you can sign up for Academy texts instead of (or in addition to!) emails. When you sign up for texts, you’ll receive Academy promo code offers and coupons, as well as handy information about sales, updates on your order and shipping alerts.
How to Sign up for Academy Texts
To sign up for text alerts from Academy, text “MVP” to 22369. Want to stop receiving texts? Simply text the word “STOP” to the same number.
3. Sign up for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Credit Card
If you are a frequent shopper at Academy, consider applying for an Academy credit card. As a cardholder, you’ll unlock the following benefits:
- $15 off your first purchase at Academy when you spend more than $15 on the day you’re approved.
- 5% off all Academy purchases online and in-store made with your card.
- Free standard shipping on all orders of $15 or more from Academy.com.
How to Apply up for an Academy Credit Card
The easiest way to open an Academy credit card is online, but you may also sign up in stores. To apply, you’re asked to supply basic information about yourself and your income.
4. Never Pay for Academy Shipping
There are a couple of ways to get free shipping at Academy: As we mentioned in the previous tip, you can sign up for an Academy credit card to get free standard shipping on all orders of $15 or more.
Another way to get free shipping is to create a customer account at Academy.com. As an account holder, you’ll get free shipping on orders over $25. If you don’t make the free shipping threshold, you can still skip shipping fees by opting to pick up your order in-store or curbside. Academy offers both in-store and curbside pickup services for free.
How to Place an Order for Curbside or In-Store Pickup at Academy
To place an order for curbside or in-store pickup at Academy, select the “free store pick up” option when adding an item to your cart and make sure your current store is selected. When you receive an email or text notification that your order is ready, you can head to your Academy store with a government-issued ID.
If you are picking up curbside, park in one of the designated pickup spots, and hit the link in your email or text notification to alert the staff you’ve arrived. A staff member will bring your order to you and load it into your vehicle.
5. Download the Academy App
The Academy app is a handy savings tool that hooks you up with exclusive offers, real-time updates about deals, and other perks. Using the app, you can:
- Shop the full Academy Sports + Outdoors collection.
- Get live updates about Academy’s online deals and in-store offers.
- Find nearby Academy locations.
- Scan bar codes in store to get pricing, details and reviews.
- Track your purchases with digital receipts.
6. Shop the Academy Clearance Section
In the clearance section at Academy, you’ll find discounts of up to 75% on current and last-season apparel, outdoor gear and more. Expect a slew of T-shirts, workout shorts, footwear and accessories for less than $10. The best part? Seasonal clearance sales run year-round, so there’s no need to wait until a sale or use an Academy promo code.
7. Shop the Academy Hot Deals Section
The Academy clearance section isn’t the only place to look for massive savings. There’s also the Hot Deals section, which includes even more savings on apparel and gear. “Hot deal” items often are limited-time offers on popular merchandise from top brands like Adidas, Yeti and Nike.
8. Take Advantage of All the Academy Discounts
Academy Sports + Outdoors offers several exclusive discounts to certain members of the community:
- Academy teacher discount: Academy runs biannual discounts for teachers and school staffers. You can find out whether Academy is currently running this discount by checking the teachers and school staff page.
- Academy military and first responder discount: Similarly, Academy runs seasonal military discounts for active service members, veterans, and first responders. You can find out whether Academy is currently running this discount by checking the military and first responders page.
9. Browse the Academy Weekly Sale Ad
Academy’s weekly ad circular is a treasure trove of weekly deals, including clearance offers, sales and special offers. Academy usually runs two different ads: an active ad for sports and workout gear and apparel, plus an outdoor ad for recreational equipment.
Where to Find the Academy Weekly Ad
You can find the Academy sale ad online or in stores.
10. Take Advantage of the Generous Academy Price “Beat” Policy
Like many major retailers, Academy will beat the price of a competitor. That’s right: Not match, but beat. Basically, this means that if you find a product sold at Academy for a lower price than a qualifying competitor, Academy will sell the product to you for 5% lower than the competitor’s price.
How to Get a Price Match from Academy
In order to qualify for a price match, you’ll have to provide a copy of the digital or print ad showing the competitor’s price. If you’re shopping in a store, you can show the ad to an Academy staff member. If you’re shopping online, you can send the ad to Academy via email or snail mail.
Who Does Academy Price Match?
In order to qualify for a price match from Academy, the item has to be from a qualified retailer. Qualified retailers include any local store and select online retailers. Some competitors that Academy will price match include Amazon (but not third-party sellers on Amazon Marketplace), Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, REI, Target and Walmart (but not third-party sellers on Walmart Marketplace).
11. Shop Academy Rebates
For the uninitiated, a rebate is a cash back offer on the purchase of a product. The mail-in rebate is one of the most common types of rebates and involves sending in some paperwork after purchasing a product to get a full or partial refund.
Academy offers a list of rebate offers online, good for things like cash back, freebies and more. It’s worth checking out to see if any of your purchases qualify for a rebate, and how to get said rebate.
12. Shop the Academy Black Friday Sale + Cyber Week
One of the most anticipated Academy sale events of the year, the Academy Black Friday sale includes discounts of up to 50% on hot products. Last year, the sale began on Nov. 20 and ran all week — featuring deals on everything from bikes to designer sunglasses to ride-on toys.
Plus, don’t forget to come back for more during Cyber Monday and Cyber Week. In 2022, Academy offered a 20% off sitewide sale that kicked off Cyber Monday.
Is Academy Open on Thanksgiving?
Academy is closed on Thanksgiving. However, you can still shop the Academy Black Friday sale online at Academy.com. Academy Sports + Outdoors usually opens stores extra early on Black Friday (at 5 a.m. for the past couple years).
13. Shop for Fitness Equipment in the New Year
If you want to save big on home gym equipment, wait until the first week of January. Academy Sports + Outdoors tends to offer its best fitness deals when shoppers are making New Year’s resolutions. Shoppers can expect deals on small things like dumbbells and mats, but some of the most rewarding deals will be on the big stuff: treadmills, rowers and exercise bikes.
If you miss the New Year sales, don’t despair. You’ll still find savings year-round on fitness gear and equipment.
The post How to Save at Academy Sports + Outdoors Every Time You Shop appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
