adidas gives verified first responders 30% off, and it is the largest first responder discount of any major athletic brand. It works online, in store and at factory outlets, and it covers clothing as well as shoes.
adidas sells footwear, apparel and accessories across running, soccer, basketball, training and lifestyle, for adults and kids. For a first responder buying a school year’s worth of clothes and trainers, it is the single biggest saving available in the category.
How To Get The adidas First Responder Discount
Verification runs through ID.me. adidas names the eligible roles directly: “First Responder (active or retired): Police, firefighters, EMT, 911 dispatchers, and more.” Retired responders qualify, which is not true everywhere.
How you claim it depends on where you are shopping, and the three routes have different limits:
- Online. Add items to your bag, go to checkout, and under “Use a promo code” select “Verify with ID.me.” Log in and the discount applies to the bag automatically. Two discounts per month.
- In store. Verify with ID.me first, then use the unique code at the register. One discount per month.
- At a factory outlet. Same process as in store, with its own separate allowance. One discount per month.
The same program covers military, teachers, nurses, medical providers, hospital employees and seniors 65+, so if more than one applies to your household you only need to verify once per person.
Check the Exclusions Before You Fill the Cart
This is the part worth reading twice, because the exclusion list is unusual and almost nobody writing about this discount mentions it.
adidas excludes, in its own words: “Select Gazelle, Select Samba, Campus, SL 72, Select Spezial, 4D, Select Ultraboost, select Y-3, Pharrell x adidas, Disney, Human Made, limited edition Originals, Select NMD, Select Stan Smith, Select Superstar, Select adizero, Final Sale products, Gift Cards and purchases on the Confirmed App.”
Read that list again and notice what it is. Samba, Campus, Gazelle, Stan Smith, Superstar, Ultraboost, NMD. Those are the sneakers people actually queue for, and they are the ones a school-age kid is most likely to name.
The apparel is not on that list. Jackets, hoodies, joggers, tees, kids’ kit and most performance gear all take the full 30%. So the discount is worth considerably more on clothing than on the shoes it appears to be for, which is the opposite of what most people assume when they verify.
Two other conditions: the offer is not valid on prior purchases, and it is not for resale.
How adidas Compares
At 30% it is the largest of the athletic brands. Under Armour and PUMA both run 20%, New Balance is 15%, and Nike is 10% and online only.
There is one situation where a smaller discount wins. Skechers gives 10% that stacks on top of promotions, while the adidas discount cannot be combined with a sale price on excluded items. If you are shopping a deep sale, do the arithmetic before assuming the bigger percentage is the better deal.
More options in our clothing and gear discounts.
The full comparison is in our roundup of first responder back-to-school discounts.
Q&A
Q: How much is the adidas first responder discount?
A: 30% off, verified through ID.me.
Q: Does it work in adidas stores or only online?
A: Both, plus factory outlets. Each channel has its own monthly allowance.
Q: Do retired first responders qualify?
A: Yes. adidas states the discount covers first responders “active or retired”.
Q: Do 911 dispatchers and EMTs qualify?
A: Yes, both are named directly by adidas, along with police and firefighters.
Q: Why did my discount not apply to the shoes I wanted?
A: Almost certainly because they are on the exclusion list. Samba, Campus, Gazelle, Stan Smith, Superstar, Ultraboost, NMD and adizero styles are excluded. Try the same discount on apparel and it will apply.
Q: How often can I use it?
A: Twice a month online, once a month in store, and once a month at a factory outlet.
Q: Can I use it on a sale item?
A: Final sale products are excluded, and it will not stack on top of other promotions the way the Skechers discount does.
More Information:
Confirmed on adidas’ own discount programs page, which carries the 30% figure, the eligibility list and the full exclusions. Terms change, so check the current exclusion list before you verify.
