How To Save at Cotton On Every Time You Shop

Although Cotton On was introduced to the U.S. market relatively recently, the clothing store has been big in Australia since the early aughts. The Aussie retailer was founded in 1988 in the “boot” (the Australian word for “trunk”) of a Ford Bronco in a small Australian town called Geelong.

Fast-forward to today, and Cotton On is nothing short of a global retail titan, with eight brands and 1,500 stores across 22 countries. Only around 140 of those stores are in the United States, but Cotton On is catching on in the Land of the Free —and fast. 

For evidence of Cotton On’s rise in the U.S., look no further than TikTok, where the hashtag #cottonon has garnered 200-plus million views. American TikTokers are flooding TikTok feeds with enthusiastic video tributes to Cotton On’s chic styles, versatile selection and very accessible prices. 

Having only recently discovered Cotton On myself, I get it: The tees, activewear, underwear, and wardrobe basics are adorable, and the prices are pretty irresistible. I can attest from personal experience: When shopping online at CottonOn.com, it’s way too easy to get a little too excited, overload your cart and not realize how high your total has skyrocketed until checkout. 

Unwilling to part with my shopping cart full of two-for-$30 crop tops, I took it upon myself to investigate every savings hack and insider deal at Cotton On. (It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.) After much trial and error and chats with customer service agents, I humbly present to you my guide to saving at Cotton On. 

Here’s how you can load up on fashion essentials from Cotton On for less: 

1. Join Cotton On Perks

Before shopping at Cotton On, the first thing I did – and the first thing you should do too – was to join their rewards program, Cotton On & Co Perks. When you first sign up, you get a Cotton On coupon good for 20% off your first online order, but that’s not all.

Here’s a complete list of all the benefits of Cotton On Perks: 

• A 20% off Cotton On coupon for your first online order (full-price items only). 
• One point for every $1 you spend on qualifying purchases at Cotton On and Cotton On & Co brands, including Cotton Body, Cotton Kids and Typo. 
• A $5 for every 50 points earned. 
• Birthday rewards.
• Early access to sales and member exclusives. 

How To Join Cotton On Perks

It’s easy! Simply scroll to the bottom of any page on CottonOn.com and find the black banner for Cotton On & Co Perks. Click the “Join and save” button, then sign up online by supplying your name, email address and birthday. 

2. Download the Cotton On App

The Cotton On app, available for iOS and Android devices, has several nifty features. Using the app, you can:

• Shop the full Cotton On online selection from your mobile device. 
• Track and manage your Cotton On Perks rewards. 
• Scan items in-store to check for additional sizes and colors online or in nearby locations. 
• Get updated on sales, promos and new arrivals. 

3. Get Free Shipping at Cotton

Cotton On offers free standard shipping on orders of $60 or more. That means, all you have to do to get Cotton On free shipping is spend a minimum of $60, no coupon code is required. 

Standard shipping takes between two to seven business days, depending on your state. Standard shipping arrives in the following time frames:

• Two to three business days to destinations in Arizona, Utah or California.
• Two to four business days to destinations in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
• Four to seven business days to all other U.S. states (except Alaska and Hawaii).

Is standard shipping not fast enough for you? You can still get a deal on express shipping from Cotton On if you spend $60 or more. Express shipping costs a flat $5 on orders of $60+. Express orders placed before 2 p.m. PST are shipped the same day, and arrive in the following time frames: 

• One to two business days to destinations in Arizona, Utah or California
• One to three business days to destinations in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming
• Three to six business days to all other U.S. states (except Alaska and Hawaii)

In addition, you can skip shipping fees by opting to “Pick Up In Store.” Cotton offers free pickup in-store on orders over $30. (Orders under $30 are charged a $2 fee). 

4. Get a Cotton On Student Discount

This tip sadly no longer applies to me, but if you’re a current college or university student, you’re in luck! Cotton On offers a 15% discount to students who verify their student status online through UNiDAYS. 

How To Get the Cotton On Student Discount 

To apply for the Cotton On student discount, all you have to do is register and verify your student status with UNiDAYS. The process is completely online and super easy — simply fill out an online form with basic info about you and your student status. Once approved, you’ll get instant access to the discount. 

If you’re shopping online at CottonOn.com, you should receive a unique code that you can use at checkout. If you’re shopping in a Cotton On store, download the UNiDAYS app and show your UNiDAYS ID to the cashier. 

5. Shop Cotton On Sales Events

Like all major retailers, Cotton On runs sales to celebrate major holidays — American holidays, no less, which I wouldn’t have expected from an Aussie brand. In the past, Cotton On has run sales on Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Labor Day Cinco de Mayo, and, of course, Black Friday. During these sale events, the retailer offers anywhere between 30% and 50% off sitewide. 

How To Find Out About Cotton On Sales Events

There are a few different ways you can find out about Cotton On sales, including:

• Joining the Cotton On Perks Loyalty Club: Cotton On keeps Perks members updated with the latest sales and offers. Just keep an eye out for Cotton On updates in your inbox. 
• Download the Cotton On App: The app has a number of handy features, and one of them is updates on sales and promos.  
• Check the Cotton On Page on RetailMeNot: Check the Cotton On coupons page on RetailMeNot, where we keep a regularly updated, curated selection of Cotton On promo codes, special offers and sales. 

6. Shop the Cotton On Sale Section

That said, you don’t have to wait for Memorial Day, Black Friday or any other holiday to save at Cotton On. You can save year-round in the Cotton On sale section. There, you’ll find discounts of up to 70%, as well as hundreds of items for less than $20. 

7. Get Free Returns Forever With the Uber Generous Cotton On Return Policy

As far as fashion return policies go, the Cotton On return policy is virtually unparalleled. Cotton On accepts returns any time, whether one day after delivery or 300 days, for free. 

Note that returns must be in its original sale condition, with the original tags and labels attached. Original shipping costs are nonrefundable. 

How To Make a Cotton On Return

You can return an online purchase from Cotton On in stores or via mail. However, in-store purchases must be returned in stores.

• To make an in-store return, bring your item, receipt and original card of payment (if applicable) to your local store. If approved, you’ll receive a refund immediately. 

• To return an online order via mail, create a UPS label. Print the label, and pack and drop your return off at the nearest UPS location. If approved, you’ll receive a refund within 10 days. 

8. Buy Now, Pay Later at Cotton On

Cotton On is one of the many modern online retailers jumping on the e-layaway train. The Aussie company has partnered with AfterPay, Klarna and Zip to let you pay for your purchases in four interest-free installments. That means you can order your Cotton On tanks, trousers and tote bags now, but pay for them in four equal installments every two weeks, with the first payment due at checkout. So, if your purchase costs $100, you’d pay $25 when you first checkout. It’s an interest-free, credit check-free alternative to paying via credit card.

How To Buy Now, Pay Later at Cotton On

To take advantage of this option, add items to your cart as normal. At checkout, choose AfterPay, Zip or Klarna as your option and follow the prompts. If approved, you’ll make your first purchase immediately and have your remaining payments automatically withdrawn from your account over the next six weeks.

Find out more about how online layaway services work.

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