If you shop at Madewell regularly, you’ve probably noticed how quickly their prices can swing. One day an item is full price, and the very next it’s part of a flash sale or limited-time promo.
That kind of roller-coaster can be both exciting and frustrating. While a price drop is always welcome, it’s hard not to feel annoyed when it happens right after you’ve checked out. The upside is that you can get the difference back by requesting a price adjustment, as long as you act fast.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the Madewell price adjustment policy, including the time window for requesting a refund and the exact steps you need to follow. We’ll also show you how Settlemate automates the entire process so you never miss out on savings again.
What is a price adjustment?
A price adjustment (sometimes called price protection) is a retailer’s way of refunding you the difference between what you paid for an item and its new, lower price. In practice, it works like this:
- You buy an item at full price.
- The item goes on sale shortly after.
- You notice the price drop within the store’s eligibility window (usually 7–14 days).
- You request a refund by providing your receipt or order confirmation.
- The retailer refunds you the price difference.
An adjustment is a much simpler alternative to returning the item and buying it again at the discounted price. You keep the exact product you purchased, skip the hassle, and gain a little protection from sudden price changes.
These policies might sound surprisingly generous, but there’s a smart strategy behind them. Here are some of the reasons why retailers offer price adjustments:
Does Madewell have a price adjustment policy?
Madewell does offer price adjustments, and it will refund you the price difference as long as you meet its eligibility criteria. Here are the rules:
- Price adjustments are only possible for full-price items (anything bought on sale or with a promo code doesn’t qualify).
- You’ll need your original receipt or order confirmation.
- You have seven days from the date of your purchase (or from the shipping date for online orders) to request a price adjustment.
- The refund is issued to your original payment method.
What do customers say about Madewell's price adjustments?
Judging by online reviews, Madewell’s price adjustments process is generally smooth, and its customer service tends to be helpful, especially if the request falls within the 7-day window. Several shoppers also mention that getting approved for a refund is easier if the online order hasn’t shipped yet.
There are occasional surprises, too. One Reddit user shared how customer support approved their adjustment even though the item was originally bought on sale. This is definitely not the norm, but it shows that the outcome of your request can depend on the rep handling it. Still, most online reviews stress that Madewell declines the adjustment if the purchase involved a promo code or doesn’t meet other criteria.
How to get a price adjustment at Madewell: Step-by-step
Here are the steps you need to take if you want to request a price adjustment at Madewell:
- Catch a price drop on an item you recently bought.
- Find your original receipt or order confirmation number.
- Make sure you’re still within the 7-day price adjustment eligibility window.
- Contact Madewell customer service or visit a physical store if you bought the item in person.
- Provide your proof of purchase.
- Wait for Madewell’s customer support team to process your request and issue a refund.
You can reach customer support through Madewell’s online chat or by calling their service line.
Why are manual price adjustments tedious?
Requesting a price adjustment might look easy on paper, but the reality can be a bit messy. Here’s why many shoppers find the process more trouble than it’s worth:
- Time-consuming price tracking: Catching price drops involves constantly checking retailers’ websites, which can get overwhelming, especially if you bought multiple items from different retailers.
- Short time windows: Some retailers, Madewell included, give you only a few days to spot a price drop and request an adjustment. Miss the window, and the opportunity is gone.
- Inconsistent rules: Each store has its own policy, with specific deadlines and exclusions. Trying to stay on top of these rules can be a challenge and may result in denied requests, particularly if you’re a frequent online shopper at multiple stores.
- Slow customer service during busy periods: Price drops often happen during big sales events or holidays, which are peak times for customer service. As a result, you may face long wait times and delayed responses, turning a seemingly simple task into a headache.
There is an easier way, though. Settlemate is an app that automates the entire price adjustment process, so you can claim every dollar you’re owed without tracking prices, chasing refund windows, or dealing with customer support.
How Settlemate beats the refund window for you
Refund windows are short and strict. Settlemate Retail Savings Autopilot watches for drops and files before the clock runs out so that you recover what you’re owed instead of donating it back to the store.
How it works:
- You complete a once-off sync between your email and the Settlemate app for automatic receipt detection.
- We track eligible purchases against the relevant retailer’s refund window.
- We auto-submit requests through the approved channels for any items that have a price drop within the window.
- You see the confirmation and the credit back to your original payment method.
Sign up for Settlemate Retail Savings Autopilot to stop missing price-adjustment deadlines. Download the Settlemate app from the App Store or Google Play today.
Settlemate also offers a generous refund policy to make sure you earn more money than you invest. If the money you recover through price adjustment refunds within the first year of using the app doesn’t cover the subscription costs, you may be eligible for a full refund.
Frequently asked questions
What is Madewell's exchange policy?
Madewell lets you return or exchange unworn, undamaged, unwashed, or defective items within 30 days. You can only exchange an item for a different size, while the style number and color must be the same.
Does Madewell match competitor prices?
No, Madewell doesn’t offer price-matching. Its price adjustment only applies when the price drops on Madewell’s own website or in its physical stores.
Who owns Madewell?
Madewell is owned by J.Crew Group, the same company behind the J. Crew brand. It acquired the rights to Madewell back in 2004.
Do other major retailers offer price adjustments?
If you want to see how other major retailers handle price adjustments (or whether they allow them at all), take a look at the rest of our guides:
