Is Intersport worth buying from?

Intersport is a multi-sport retailer that leans hardest on running shoes, and it earns the shortlist when you want the mainstream performance models in one place — with a local store to try the fit.

Intersport is an Australian multi-sport chain, and its demand is dominated by running footwear: models like the Nike Pegasus and Vomero and the ASICS GT-2000 and Gel-Nimbus are among its most-searched and fastest-rising pages, alongside team sports, sportswear and a strong kids' range. It works as a one-stop shop for the everyday performance brands rather than a specialist boutique.

Running shoes are all about fit, so this is a category where the physical stores help. Intersport runs branches around the country, from Hobart to Mackay, which means you can often try a size in person and then buy the colour you want online — worth doing, because the right shoe for your gait and distance matters far more than the discount.

Because the big shoe brands are widely stocked, pricing is competitive but rarely unique, so treat a markdown as a starting point and compare the exact model against another Australian stockist. The genuine deals tend to be on the previous version of a shoe when a new model lands — a fine buy if you know it is last season's release.

As an Australian retailer with local stores, returns and exchanges are straightforward and your purchase carries Australian Consumer Law rights — keep the receipt, and check the size guide for each brand, since fit varies between labels.

• Try the fit in store

  Use a local branch to nail the shoe size, then buy the colour you want — fit beats the discount.

• Compare the exact model

  The big shoe brands are widely stocked; check the same model elsewhere before you trust the price.

• Watch the previous version

  When a new model lands, last season's shoe is often the real deal — fine if you know it is superseded.

• Use click-and-collect

  Collect at a local store to skip freight, or clear the free-shipping threshold online.