• HotTopic

HotTopic

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Overview

HotTopic has a rating of 2.2 stars from 189 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about HotTopic most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and free shipping problems. HotTopic ranks 415th among General Apparel sites.

  • Service
    46
  • Value
    42
  • Shipping
    38
  • Returns
    30
  • Quality
    37
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 0%
Positive
0
Neutral
0
Negative
5
17
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How would you rate HotTopic?
Top Positive Review

“Would order again”

Lisa B.
4/6/16

Good products, customer service is alright, the shipping has been known to be unpredictable. Sometimes super fast, others a little slow. If buying Christmas presents from here, make sure to order months earlier.

Top Critical Review

“Terrible Customer Service + Nonsensical Cancellation Policy”

Emily W.
5/4/24

I ordered 2 items about an hour ago from HT's website. I get a notification about 30 minutes later saying one item isn't in stock, so I call customer service to tell them to cancel the other item; I just don't want the order. They absolutely REFUSE to cancel the order even though it hasn't shipped. They tell me the only way to get a refund is to wait for them to ship it, then waste my time and money returning it, wait for them to get the return, then finally I'd get a refund. It's absolutely asinine to have a policy like this. They've permanently lost me as a customer and I'm warning everyone else to please don't waste your time and money with this garbage store since they obviously don't care one bit about their customers' time and money.

Reviews (189)

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customer service (59)
Thumbnail of user jenniferb2063
Arizona
2 reviews
5 helpful votes
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December 19th, 2020

If you want horrible customer service Hot Topic is the store for you! An hour on hold only to be hung up on, twice! Order promised to be there before Christmas, because you ordered it on Dec 2nd, well within the "guaranteed before Christmas" time frame and then when it finally shipped they choose the slowest possible option. Blame put everywhere, but on them. If these are qualities you look for when shopping. This is your store!

Thumbnail of user teresam120
Australia
1 review
4 helpful votes
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December 29th, 2017

Overcharged. Paid $45 for shipping only for it to take 5 weeks for half my order to arrive, the other half never arrived and was lost. One of the shirts that did arrive came with a big hole in the seam. Will never shop here again

Thumbnail of user evelyn.greene6759
Canada
1 review
1 helpful vote
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April 16th, 2023

I have tried to buy clothes off their website a couple times, and I gave up and closed out both times. The first time, I was baited with free shipping and discounts that turned out to not work in my location. I accept that free shipping doesn't apply everywhere, but why even offer it then? Mind you but shipping was expensive too. I live in a major Canadian city with multiple hot topic stores yet shipping costs $30ish bucks?The second time I tried shopping online with them, they had a buy 2 get 1 free promo. Problem was that it didn't apply to all the clothes, and that some of the dresses that it did apply to were not available to me...because reasons? I'd click on something, they'd have it in my size, and somehow it was unavailable for both shipping and in store pick up. I gave up trying to find a third dress that could complete the buy 2 get 1 promo. Like why even put that on your website if it's not really an offer that actually works?

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Value
Shipping
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Quality
Thumbnail of user travish409
Washington
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 23rd, 2022

Ordered two items on Sept. 9th. I was only shipped one item with the packing list indicating my order had two items in it. Called to get it replaced and was surprised how fast the new order was created for me, only for them to take a week to even begin my 2nd shipment. Now from original order to delivery it will be a total of 20 days to get my whole order of 2 sweatshirts. Obviously not staffing there order fulfillment well enough to handle a basic order. And did nothing to rebuild trust with their consumers after they screw up the process in the first place.

Tip for consumers:
Don't use their site. Most of their best products are actually resales of other creators works. Just google the creators and buy from them directly

Service
Value
Shipping
Quality
Thumbnail of user tomn549
Washington
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 24th, 2021

Shopping at hot topic on Christmas Eve the cashier told me I had to get in line and she said the line was down the center store and to the right there was no line but one lady waiting behind me so I just put my items down and left then my son tried to buy something and they wouldn't ring it up for him because he didn't have a phone number and he's 12 years old so he put his items down and left. What a joke of a store we wont be back.

Thumbnail of user mikes314
New York
1 review
4 helpful votes
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September 8th, 2015

The store is great. Merch is great. My package got sent back from the place I sent it too - long story - and I can't get it resent. The customer service is HORRIBLE. The people tell you what you already know and don't help at all. I wasted 23 dollars here and am not buying anything online from them ever again.

Thumbnail of user megand34
Tennessee
1 review
1 helpful vote
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January 13th, 2017

Never purchase anything from them online. I recently purchased items online. AFTER the order they starting emailing me that things were out of stock. I called to cancel but they refused and LIED to me saying they eventually cancelled it. They never did. There is no manager or loyalty department to help you. NEVER AGAIN!

Tip for consumers:
Don't get too attached to the items you order. They could be out of stock. Then you won't be able too cancel your order.

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Thumbnail of user danak36
Wisconsin
1 review
1 helpful vote
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December 9th, 2017

I also had a bad Black Friday experience. I ordered three shirts, and when I checked the tracking, it had said "label created," for two weeks. I attempted to call the customer service number, and got cut off the first 7 times I tried. Finally, the 8th time, I got through and spent more time on hold while they "looked into it." By the end of the phone call, I was told my order would be shipped out overnight for no extra cost, and they apologized. Here I sit almost 3 days later, and it is still pending. Now I also received a new email saying one of my items is no longer available... (it was when I ordered it...) So needless to say, I am NEVER ordering from their website again, and I don't recommend it to anyone. It's a headache and a scam. I am extremely disappointed.

Thumbnail of user ajb56
North Carolina
1 review
2 helpful votes
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March 25th, 2021

Ordered a pair of shoes seven months ago, since they were on sale. Received a confirmation email and that's about it. Seven months and it hasn't even been shipped. They aren't responding to the emails so I can't get a refund. Ripped me off of $40. Don't waste your time.

Thumbnail of user darlaa39
Georgia
1 review
1 helpful vote
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August 14th, 2022

My daughter and I have spent thousands of dollars here over the years but its all changed. Management at corporate and store level is terrible. They don't care about customers anymore. You can't get help from ANYONE. The bank that has their credit card, COMENITY BANK, is the worst! I would rate them "0" but that isn't an option. I won't do business either again. They just lost 2 more customers. Whatever you do, don't go to he one at Town Center Kennesaw, GA. Save yourself a headache and rising blood pressure!

Tip for consumers:
Not sure

Products used:
All

Service
Value
Shipping
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Quality
Thumbnail of user ellend158
Illinois
1 review
3 helpful votes
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October 27th, 2020

Bought an item for Halloween. Shipment date was delayed a week. I received an email today that the package was delivered. There is nothing in my mailbox or mailroom. Customer service is unhelpful. Awful awful awful service. Do NOT purchase from this company.

Thumbnail of user shaym13
Mississippi
15 reviews
43 helpful votes
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November 30th, 2020

If a review calls them out for false advertising of a product which is common for them they will either remove the review or say it can't be posted. They will never respond to emails or complaints. This site is run by f***ing children.

Thumbnail of user samarad10
Canada
1 review
1 helpful vote
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December 9th, 2022

I'm Canadian and I was doing some online orders, and I kept running into one problem after another. First, all my items were highlighted in red stating that they couldn't be shipped, so I checked in with live chat who fixed my problem. So I started over again, same problem, and same problem even though two staff members stated that my items could be shipped. Fourth time I contact live chat they tell me that the items I've been after are no longer in stock and one item is "too big to ship." They gave me the run around, and the final excuse of being too big to ship? They literally sent me a big box… for one small square item so I don't believe their "too big to ship" excuse because these were boot slippers…

Service
Value
Shipping
Thumbnail of user pedros151
New York
1 review
1 helpful vote
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December 5th, 2020

I ordered a t shirt and a cap and they only sent the cap and they charge me for all the delivery and the cap is of a poor quality they sell you an image on the page and it really sucks I do not recommend this page $#*!.

Thumbnail of user isabellar252
California
1 review
2 helpful votes
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February 13th, 2023

I've been shopping at hot topic for a couple years now and every time I go to the pants area they never have plus size. I've only found pants that fit me once and it was the only plus size in the store. I think it's unfair that they don't have sizes for everyone and the only way you can get them is by buying them online, they should have them in store like everywhere else.

Thumbnail of user martad5
Spain
1 review
18 helpful votes
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April 20th, 2018

DO NOT BUY HERE!
These people are scammers. I ordered a package online. First they sent me the wrong order and when I asked to please send me the right one, they told me that some of the things I ordered were no longer on stock. They told me they would refund me the money but they never did. It is a shame that they have such a poor organization, so dissapointed. If you don't want to loose money please don't buy here.

Thumbnail of user richardp806
Florida
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 3rd, 2019

This company is a nightmare to do business with. I ordered a gift for my grand daughter and was charged 3 times on my Credit Card. I called customer service 4 times and each time I was on hold for over 1/2 hour and then connected with a person who could hardly speak english. I then called the Corp. Offices and was transferred back to CS and a non english speaking person.

Thumbnail of user sashal7
California
14 reviews
9 helpful votes
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July 8th, 2017

Love this store. Cute things. I'm a repeat customer. The only thing I wish they would change is how to use their "HotCash." There's always a discount on the site & you can never combine with the hotcash. Kohl's allows you too. When you want to use your hotcash the items are full price & way more expensive. So I always have to throw my hotcash away. Wish they would change that.

Thumbnail of user randeec1
Georgia
1 review
2 helpful votes
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June 15th, 2019

Staff in Alpharetta, Ga don't know their own return policy. Wouldn't let me exchange the same exact shirt for a different size two days after the 30 day mark. Permissible exchange based on receipts language. Manager called me a liar to my face and wouldn't help me out because it's "corporate policy." Obviously taking care of the customer doesn't matter to this $#*! hole. Never shopping here again and complained to their district manager.

Thumbnail of user adrienneh70
Canada
1 review
3 helpful votes
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December 16th, 2020

I placed an online order which was cancelled on their end and I was not provided a reason for cancellation. I emailed their "order status" email and they replied that they weren't sure why it was cancelled and that I should call. I called and waited on hold for 49 minutes, the agent told me it was cancelled due to a glitch in the system, she apologized and recreated my order. The next day I received another email stating that my order was once again cancelled, I'm still not provided with an explanation of why. And now its 9 days to Christmas in the midst of a pandemic where I can not enter a store to shop and I'm left trying to find something else and hoping it will reach me in time to be under the tree on Christmas morning, when our mail delivery is so backed up that it likely won't make it.
Incredibly disappointing.

Thumbnail of user kaitlyns23
New Jersey
1 review
3 helpful votes
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March 12th, 2019

I recently purchased a nose ring from here that wasn't even capable of going into a piercing. Totally flawed jewlery. I tried leaving a review to warn others about buying the product for an actual piercing (I even recommended purchasing if you just wanted a fake clip-on style ring) and they keep telling me my review has been moderated and doesn't meet their standards. Sounds to me like someone is just trying to cover their $#*!.

Thumbnail of user pollyg36
Georgia
1 review
3 helpful votes
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June 11th, 2022
Verified purchase

Do NOT purchase from this company. Save yourself the time and money. I ordered a pair of shoes from them. I ordered the size I normally wear since there is NO indication of them running a size bigger. When I received them, they were huge! I asked to swap them for a smaller size and was told that wasn't allowed even though the smaller size was in stock online. I then asked to return them and was told that's not allowed either. They offered no solution to the problem. Customer service seemed to not care at at all about the customer. I will never shop there again.

Tip for consumers:
Do not purchase from this company!

Products used:
I didn’t use anything. The shoes are way too big!

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user andrewl148
Arizona
1 review
1 helpful vote
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June 25th, 2017

I've been going to this store since I was a little kid! And I love it. Yesterday I went with 4 of my friends, and we were digging thoughout the pins and searching for ones. My friend is holding one she wants to purchase, and she was fidgeting with it, and all of the sudden the little sticker tag peels off. This worker there immediately gets mad at her and goes off and asks why she was peeling on it, she simply replies it was an accident. We leave because the guy scared us. But later on we decide to go back in hoping he is off shift. We go on and immediately he is following us everywhere (thinking we are trying to steal things) and I think he even told some of the workers. We WERE NOT trying to take anything. We know the consequences. But the fact he kept on following us everywhere, can we browse in peace? How rude and obnoxious. I've never felt so uncomfortable in my life. It's sad.

Thumbnail of user kr327
New York
1 review
1 helpful vote
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May 28th, 2020

I was going to order some clothes but thankfully i didint. I see so many terrible reviews. However, the website is very laggyand freezes every time i scroll down. Nothing is wrong with my internet or laptop.

Thumbnail of user akanem
South Dakota
1 review
2 helpful votes
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September 30th, 2016

I really love Hot Topic. After what I had experienced through their online service, I am disappointed. I am a big fan of the anime Sword Art Online, so I ordered a shirt off of there. It said it was in stock so I ordered it. I then got an email saying it was out of stock. I called them, and the guy had told me that their site does not update and it can sometimes say in stock when it's not or out of stock when it's not. The it took them 1-2 weeks for my refund but at least I got it. I also tried sending them Facebook messages and all they did was send me my tracking number or tell me to wait or to call them. Every single time after that has been okay.

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About the business

Hot Topic specializes in music and pop culture inspired fashion including body jewelry, accessories, Rock T-Shirts, Skinny Jeans, Band T-shirts, Music T-shirts, Novelty T-Shirts and more - Hot Topic

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