My Nike Shoes Fell Apart After Two Weeks. Nike Said 'Normal Wear and Tear.' I Disagreed.

I bought Nike running shoes for $140. After two weeks of normal use, the sole started separating from the upper. I contacted Nike customer service. They said this was normal wear and tear and was not covered under their warranty.

Nike's warranty covers manufacturing defects for two years. A sole separating after two weeks is not normal wear and tear. It is a manufacturing defect. I sent photos to Nike and asked for a supervisor.

The supervisor reviewed the photos and agreed that the damage was unusual. She offered a 50% discount on a new pair. I said I wanted a full refund. She said no. I escalated to Nike's customer relations team.

After a week of email exchanges, Nike agreed to a full refund. They also provided a prepaid return label.

Nike's frontline support says "no" to refunds quickly. But their quality guarantee is actually generous if you push past the first layer. The shoes should not fall apart after two weeks. Period.