Do not bother if you are outside the EU. There is no indication during the checkout process that customs fees will be charged (which were significant). You would only find this out by looking specific... See more
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The delivery with this company is such an issue if you are an international customer. 1st order 3rd May, needed to return for a different size and re order , the return took forever and they... See more
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Unfortunately, the shoes I bought were too big for me, so I had to return them even though I loved them. I had a couple of issues with the return process, but the team was very responsive and suppo... See more
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I've ordered 8 pairs of shoes over the past 2 years and I'm 100% happy with the products they make. The ones made of vegan leather are overall resilient, easy to wash (with laundry at 60°C, t... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
Groundies steht für Style & Komfort. Ohne Kompromisse. Unsere Schuhe mit TrueSense®-Sohlen sind flach, flexibel & folgen der natürlichen Bewegung deiner Füße. Die breite Zehenbox gibt Raum für echtes Wohlgefühl. Für alle, die ihren Weg gehen. Und ihn dabei spüren wollen.
Contact info
Freiburg, Germany
- +49 761 4589 2952
- sales@groundies.com
- groundies.com
3.3
Average
311 reviews
No recent history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative
Replied to 94% of negative reviews
Typically takes over 1 month to reply
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Abysmal customer service - avoid outside the EU
Do not bother if you are outside the EU. There is no indication during the checkout process that customs fees will be charged (which were significant). You would only find this out by looking specifically at the shipping information separately. My parcel was automatically returned to Groundies as I hadn't paid the customs charge in time. I didn't receive any contact from Groundies after my order was returned to them. They didn't respond to either of my two emails to customer services. Fortunately I used a credit card so managed to get my money back via the credit card provider. I can't rate the product itself as I have never seen it. I would not recommend Groundies to anyone, on the basis of a wilful lack of transparency about shipping costs and abysmal customer service.
4 March 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
We are sorry to hear that your experience with your order was disappointing.
Import duties are charged by the local customs authorities and are unfortunately outside of our control. We understand, however, that unexpected additional costs can be frustrating, especially when ordering internationally. We have taken your feedback regarding the visibility of this information into account.
We would also like to clarify that we did reply to your messages regarding the customs charge and the returned parcel. We are sorry if our response did not resolve the situation in the way you had hoped.
We regret that you never got the chance to receive and try your Groundies.
Best regards,
Your Groundies Team
Terrible international delivery and returns
The delivery with this company is such an issue if you are an international customer.
1st order 3rd May, needed to return for a different size and re order , the return took forever and they need to QA them before a credit is issued. I am still waiting today 5th June for the replacment pair. Meanwhile I have missed the birthday I ordered them for.
Additionally you have to pay to return them , also I have paid x2 shipping and taxes for the original and replacment. My 88 pound pair of shoes have therefore cost me in the region of 140 pounds and still no sign of them arriving. Unless you live in Germany I would go elsewhere.
I likely will need to return this pair as I missed the birthday but to get back the money I need to spend 16 quid again. So the whole process will cost me 60 pounds to have no item!
UPDATE Following reply below, it seems the second pair had an incorrect customs notice and were returned by parcel force. Groundies won't refund me till its back with them. I understand the logic, but even if it never gets back to them, that's on customs not me as I never handled the parcel.
2 May 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience – and we’re sorry for the frustration this has caused, especially with the delay and the timing around a special occasion.
We understand how disappointing longer delivery times and additional costs can be. For international orders outside the EU, customs duties and local taxes may apply, and return processes can also involve additional steps and costs.
We also want to be transparent that once a parcel is with the carrier, delivery times are outside of our direct control. According to the latest tracking update, your parcel is currently on its way.
We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve the experience for our international customers.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Beutiful shoes but bad return policy.
Beutiful shoes but bad return policy.
At first you have to pay 100 SKR to return it to Germany from Sweden, then you get tax fee afterwards. I had to pay 158 SKR, so totally 258 SKR to return shoes that was wrong size. About the shoes, be sure to get shoes that your feet fits in. I could not get a bigger size from them so I bought my right Groundie shoe Bay, from Sweden and Widetoes.
5 May 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for sharing your experience.
We understand that it is frustrating when a size doesn’t work out, especially when the larger size is no longer available and the return comes with additional costs.
We’re sorry we couldn’t provide the right size directly in this case. At the same time, we’re glad to hear that you were able to find the Bay in the right size through a retailer and that the model itself worked well for you.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback – it’s appreciated and helps us improve both availability and the overall experience.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Skip groundies. Buy from a company that cares about its customers.
I ordered shoes from Groundies ($130). They used FedEx to ship it, and FedEx left the package outside on the porch. They never made any attempt to contact me. The package was, obviously, stolen.
I contacted support and they replied
"Hello,
We are very sorry to hear this.
Unfortunately, in this case we are unable to issue a refund or send a replacement pair.
We sincerely apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience caused."
Extremely disappointed.
26 May 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thank you for sharing your experience.
We’re sorry to hear how frustrating this situation has been.
As soon as we were informed about the issue, we reviewed the shipment details and continued investigating the case together with the carrier. Since then, additional information has been provided and the matter is currently being processed accordingly.
We understand that situations involving deliveries can be particularly disappointing, and we take reports like this seriously. While we cannot comment on all case details publicly, please be assured that we have been actively working to clarify the situation.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Great product and support team
Unfortunately, the shoes I bought were too big for me, so I had to return them even though I loved them.
I had a couple of issues with the return process, but the team was very responsive and supportive, and helped me resolve them.
I recommend Groundies!
13 May 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks so much for your kind words. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
It’s great to hear that you liked the shoes, and we’re glad our team could support you through the return process and help resolve the issues along the way.
Even if the fit wasn’t quite right this time, it means a lot to know you would still recommend Groundies.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Fabulous company
Fabulous company! Great shoes and customer service. Will buy from them again.
28 April 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for your kind words.
We’re really glad to hear that you’re happy with both the shoes and your experience with our team. That’s exactly what we aim for.
We appreciate your trust and look forward to having you back.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Fully paid, nothing delivered.
I wish I’d read these reviews before placing an order from the UK. Promises 2-5 days delivery but it’s been 13 days and still no sign of the order. When I emailed I got a ‘no reply’ response which included the suggestion to email the ‘no reply’ email! Not at all happy.
10 April 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for sharing your experience – we understand how frustrating this situation is.
A delay of this length is clearly not what we aim for, especially when a much shorter delivery time was expected. We’re sorry for the confusion and the lack of clarity in the communication you received – that shouldn’t happen.
We also did reach out asking for a few more details so we could check your order properly and support you further, but we understand this may not have come across clearly or helped resolve things quickly.
Your feedback is taken seriously and has been shared with our team so we can improve both delivery communication and support handling.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
UPDATE:
Hello, and thank you for providing the additional information so we could identify your order.
We’ve just checked the tracking, and according to DHL, your order was delivered yesterday around midday.
We’re very sorry for the long delivery time and unfortunately cannot explain why this delay occurred in your case. We can assure you that this extended delivery time was an exception.
The issue with the “no reply” message is already being addressed, and we’re working on a fix. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Ordered two pairs of shoes from the UK…
Ordered two pairs of shoes from the UK and was charged significant customs fees £68! There was no clear indication on checkout that fees of this level would be applied. One pair of shoes split at the seam within minutes of wear. Contacted customer service but received no response. Based on others’ experiences and the difficulty of returns from the UK, I chose to repair locally. Disappointing quality and lack of support. Never again. Avoid, if you are ordering from uk.
24 March 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for taking the time to share this – we understand why this left a negative impression.
Unexpected customs fees are frustrating, especially when they’re not clear at checkout. Since the UK is outside the EU, import duties and VAT can be charged by local authorities on delivery, but we see that this wasn’t transparent enough in your case.
We’re also really sorry to hear about the issue with the seam. That shouldn’t happen, especially not after such a short time of wear. The fact that you didn’t receive a response from us makes this even more disappointing.
We did reach out to ask for a few more details so we could take a closer look at your case, but understand that this may not have been clear or helpful in the moment.
We understand your decision to handle the repair locally, even though that’s not how this should have gone. Your feedback on both product quality and communication has been shared internally so we can improve where it matters.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
UPDATE:
Thank you for further information about your case.
We’re very sorry, but we were unable to find any previous conversation with our customer support team.
The best next step would be to contact us again via our contact form. It’s possible that your message was sent to a no-reply address due to a technical issue – we have fixed till then. If you reach out through the contact form, our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
terrible customer service
terrible customer service. I had to pay 30% more in extra customs duty & VAT when they delivered to the UK although their website said "taxes included"at purchase. They then argued that it was only referring to EU taxes and that somewhere on the website (not when you buy items or go through checkout) it said that additional taxes could be paid in the UK. the customer service was incredibly square and non-emphatic.
19 March 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for sharing your experience.
We understand how frustrating it is to face unexpected customs charges at delivery. That’s never a good moment, especially when it’s not clear upfront how these costs apply.
Since the UK is outside the EU, additional import duties and VAT can be charged by local authorities upon arrival. We aim to communicate this as clearly as possible on our website, but we see that this wasn’t transparent enough in your case.
We’re also sorry to hear how the communication felt on your end. That’s not the experience we want to create, and your feedback has been taken seriously.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Returning wrong pair of shoes has taken months
I ordered a pair of women's Starlite 2.0 -sneakers in November. Initially everything was smooth, the order was promptly shipped and received. However, I received the wrong pair of shoes. Getting in touch with the Groundies team was not easy. Their FAQ regarding incorrect items instructs to fill out a contact form, but once I did that, the form was automatically processed and it did not reach the customer service. I messaged Groundies directly through Instagram, and thankfully they answered, so my form could be processed correctly. I have returned the shoes but have yet to receive a refund (or the correct pair of shoes, which is apparently no longer available in the color I ordered). This process has taken months. I can not comment on the quality of the shoes.
13 March 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for taking the time to share this – we understand how frustrating that experience must have been.
Receiving the wrong pair is already not a great start, and the delay that followed clearly made things worse. That’s on us. The issue with the contact form was caused by a technical error at the time, which has since been fixed, but it shouldn’t have affected your request in the first place.
We’re glad the refund has now reached you, even though the process took far too long and the original pair was no longer available in your preferred color.
Your feedback is important and has been shared internally to help us avoid situations like this going forward.
All the best – Stay grounded.
Your Groundies Team
No refund after more than 3 weeks
I bought two pairs of shoes and decided to return one because it didn't fit. It has been over 3 weeks and I have not yet received a refund (although they have received the shoes because they were tracked). I have emailed them twice and I have not received an answer.
On top of this, with the other pair of shoes that I decided to keep (egg styled boots with fleece inside) my feet get way too cold.
Overall, I am very disappointed with rhe quality of the shoes I kept and extremely disappointed and annoyed that they have not refunded me yet for the shoes that I sent back.
4 February 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thank you for your feedback.
We’re very sorry for the delay and the frustration this caused. Your refund has since been processed, and we apologize that it took longer than expected and that you didn’t receive a timely response to your emails. That is not the level of service we aim to provide.
We’re also sorry to hear that the pair you kept did not meet your expectations in terms of warmth. Comfort can vary depending on personal sensitivity to cold and the conditions in which the shoes are worn, but we understand how disappointing that experience must have been.
We truly regret that this order left you feeling let down.
All the best – Stay grounded.
Your Groundies Team
Super comfortable shoes and a very…
Super comfortable shoes and a very professional team. My experience has been extremely positive; I practically live in their shoes!
3 February 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thank you for your kind words – we’re really happy to hear that.
Great to know that you feel so comfortable in our shoes and that your experience with our team has been a positive one.
Enjoy wearing them every day ☺️
All the best
Your Groundies Team
Great barefoot shoes, & lovely company to deal with.
I really like Groundies shoes, and since buying my first pair in January 2022 they have become my favourite shoe brand. I only buy barefoot type shoes now, and if I need new footwear I go to Groundies first and hope that they have what I need. They fit me well, are nice quality, and I've found their Customer Care team to be responsive and friendly. My only wish? That they had shops in the UK!
3 February 2026
Unprompted review
It’s your problem if the shoes don’t fit
Way too pricey, especially for the poor customer service they offer. We bought shoes on sale and they were too small even though we selected the right size. In spite of this the company refused to cover return costs or replacing for the right sized shoes, so our only option is to spend 50eur or so more to get the right size.
For the record, we tried on a similar model from groundies that a friend had with the same size and they fit fine, so this is clearly a failure on their part.
21 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
We’re sorry to hear that this purchase did not meet your expectations.
We understand that it is frustrating when a shoe ordered in your usual size does not fit as expected. Foot shape, volume and proportions can vary from person to person, which means that the same size can feel different depending on the model and the individual foot.
We provide detailed sizing information to help with choosing the right fit, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee that every model will fit every foot perfectly. We regret that this experience has left you with a negative impression of Groundies and our service.
Best regards,
Your Groundies Team
Placed an order 10 days ago…
Placed an order 10 days ago and it still hasn't shipped. No communication from the company and they took my money.
7 January 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for your feedback, and apologies as well for the delayed response on our side.
We wanted to follow up on this case because it’s important to us that customer feedback is properly acknowledged and clearly resolved. In this instance, your review didn’t get the timely attention it should have, which we regret.
We can confirm that the order was delivered a few days after your review was posted. Our customer service team also shared the tracking information and delivery confirmation with you at the time.
We understand how frustrating the overall experience must have felt, especially when updates are missing along the way. In situations like this, things can unfortunately align in an unfortunate way, but we also see very clearly where we need to improve our communication and follow-up.
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience – it helps us strengthen our processes moving forward.
All the best
Your Groundies Team
No shoes received
I placed an order for shoes on 14/11/2025 and, to date, I have neither received the products nor any shipment updates. Despite contacting customer service twice, I have received no response whatsoever. This lack of communication is unacceptable. The order was paid in full by bank card, and I expect immediate clarification regarding the status of my purchase or a full refund.
14 November 2025
Unprompted review
Horrible and expensive return
Absolutely horrible return experience. Since I'm in Sweden, I have to manage the return myself. Find a delivery company that sends to Czech Republic(!) With an address so weird, I'd be surprised if the return even get there. And then pay 30eu for the return. DHL wanted a 100eu.
Luckily I only had to return 1/3 pair of shoes, or it would have cost me upwards of 100eu.
Never again
14 November 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for sharing your feedback. We understand that managing an international return on your own can feel complicated and expensive, especially when you’re comparing different carriers and their prices.
For customers outside Germany, returns currently have to be arranged independently – including choosing a carrier that delivers to our logistics partner in the Czech Republic. The address may look unusual, but deliveries arrive there reliably; it’s a certified logistics hub we work with every day.
We know this process isn’t ideal, and we’re actively working on better solutions for international returns. Your feedback helps us push this forward.
If you still need support with your return or want us to double-check anything, feel free to reach out via our contact form.
Best regards
Your Groundies Team
Still haven’t received the shoes that I…
Still haven’t received the shoes that I bought for my toddler. Is has been 3 weeks… e-mailed them but no reply. Last time I ordered something. Do not recommend.
12 November 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Thanks for sharing your experience and we’re genuinely sorry for how this went. Your order got stuck in our system, and we don’t get an automatic alert when that happens. On top of that, the communication that followed wasn’t good enough. That shouldn’t have happened.
In the meantime, the order has been cancelled and the full amount has already been refunded. Cases like this are very rare, but of course that doesn’t help when you’re the one affected.
We’d love the chance to show you that this isn’t our standard.
Stay grounded,
your Groundies Team
In 2023 I bought a pair of shoes
In 2023 I bought a pair of shoes. I decided to return them a week later, expecting a full refund. They declared bankruptcy and said that for legal reasons they could not refund me as the money was blocked. I managed to get the money back from Paypal but the customer service at Groundies was just terrible. Would not buy from them again. They basically just shrugged their shoulders at me when I asked for a refund. Thank goodness Paypal actually has good customer service!
2 November 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Hello,
thanks for sharing your experience. We want to clarify that at the time of your order in 2023, Groundies was under different ownership. The company handling those orders had to follow German insolvency law, which meant that refunds from that old stock were legally not possible – we were neither authorized nor obliged to issue refunds for those transactions.
We understand that this was frustrating, and we appreciate your patience back then. Since then, Groundies has been restructured, and all current orders are handled under our full responsibility.
Thank you for your understanding,
Your Groundies Team
is this a scam? - Not received my shoes, very unhelpful customer service
I bought my shoes over a week ago,
then suddenly my order page started showing “Item not shipped yet, will be back in stock soon” (they were of course in stock when I bought them); I suspect they messed up their stock count, can happen, so I emailed customer service and they reassured me it was a mistake in the system, my shoes were in the warehouse and I would get a notification of shipment the day after.
Few days have passed and they are still listed as “Back in stock soon”, and CS stopped responding to requests of clarification.
It can happen to have issues with stock listing on your website, but I would expect CS to be honest about this.
So far, very frustrating experience.
Quite sad because the shoes looked really nice :(
22 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from groundies.com
Hi,
thanks for reaching out! We completely get why you’re frustrated, and we want to assure you right away: this is definitely not a scam – your order is real.
At the moment, a technical hiccup is slowing down some orders. We’re on it and doing everything we can to figure out what’s going on.
If you’d rather not wait, just send us your order details (order number, name, etc.) and we’ll cancel your order and refund you immediately.
If you still want the shoes, we can check if they’re available in our warehouse. If they are, we’ll get your order moving right away – and if you later change your mind, you can return them easily through our normal returns process.
We’re really sorry for the hassle and appreciate your patience. We’ll do our best to get your Groundies to you as smoothly as possible!
Cheers,
Your Groundies Team
Edit: We’ve just been informed that your case is now successfully closed. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding.
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