BUY SHOE ON INTERNET
How to Buy Shoes on the Internet
It used to be that if you wanted a new pair of shoes, you trudged off to a department or shoe store; tried on several pairs; settled on one (or a dozen), and took your purchases home with you that day.
Lately, more and more people are breaking with tradition, and buying shoes online. In part, I believe this is because we've become more busy, but mostly I think that it's because we now have access to brands, designers, styles and sizes that we were not able to find in our local shoe stores.
If you feel the need for a women's size 14, extra-narrow, red pump with a 3 inch heel, chances are, you can find it at one of the many online shoe stores.
But all online shoe stores are not created equal. Here is some advice for buying shoes online.
There are many advantages in buying shoes on the internet these days. Once you have discovered your correct shoe size, you have a huge choice of brands and styles online
With today's boom in online shopping there are a number of popular online stores dedicated to fashion and accessories; not to mention the global success of eBay, which allows its members to buy new and used goods, often at a fraction of the price found in high-street stores. However, whilst many have bought items over the internet, be it books from Amazon or a vintage purse from eBay, buying shoes online can be a minefield in terms of sizing.
Advantages of Shoe Shopping on the Internet
One of the biggest advantages of shopping online is that the world is your oyster in terms of product choices. No longer restricted by the stock in a particular store, just type your item description into a search engine, and hey presto, you can find anything from a pair of sexy red soled-Louboutin heels to a budget-priced jelly shoe!
For those whose feet don't fit the majority of commercial store sizes, large and small-sized shoes can be tracked down at specialist online stores. e.g. Designer Shoes.com specializes in large sizes and wide fittings for women with bigger feet. Zappos.com offers a huge range of sizes in both wide and narrow fittings. Search by your exact shoe size, which will list your product choices in a matter of moments, thus saving you time.
The Problems of Buying Shoes Online
The biggest issue is sizing, as there are more variants with shoe sizes than with clothing. There are US shoe sizes, UK shoe sizes, Australian shoe sizes, Chinese sizes, Japanese - to name but a few. Depending on the place of manufacturer, and the location of the stockist, sizes may vary considerably.
Secondly, the cost of shipping and returns may daunt a potential shopper. As there is a greater issue with finding the right fit, there is more chance that the footwear needs to be returned.
How To Find Your Exact Shoe Size
The golden rule for shoe shopping online is to know your exact size before you buy. This means taking into account quirks like your feet are fatter in the afternoon, (after they have been walked on for a while) and the fact that your shoe size can fluctuate along with your weight. During pregnancy feet are particularly susceptible to swelling.
The best option is to get your feet measured professionally in a shoe store, but it is possible to do it yourself by measuring the length and width of your foot, and then using a correct shoe-size conversion chart. Place your bare feet on a sheet of plain paper, and mark where your toe begins and the heel ends. You can then ascertain the length of your foot. When measuring the width choose the widest part of your feet and make a mark either side of the foot, then measure the difference between them. Don't forget to measure both feet, as one foot may be slightly bigger than the other; in which case, choose a size that fits the larger of the two.
You can find your own preferred chart by doing an internet search or clicking on this useful link.
Know Your Footwear Brands
You will gradually get to know the brands and footwear styles which best fit your feet. Once you have a preference for a particular brand, it is easy to search for online stockists. Certain shoe styles will suit your feet more than others. Whereas a D'Orsay pump might not fit your instep well, a court shoe may be the perfect fit.
Returns Policies and Shipping Costs
If the cost of returning shoes is a big consideration, then major footwear shopping sites like Heels, Shoes and Zappos.com, offer a more than generous returns policy. Footwear can be returned within a 365 day period, providing they are in the same condition as they were bought and in the original packaging.
Look for sites which offer reasonable shipping costs. Obviously if you are ordering outside of your home country then international shipping rates will apply.
Some sites, like Zappos, offer free shipping both ways, if you are making a domestic purchase, although certain conditions often apply. There is definately an incentive to buy from online stores which offer such benefits, as buying footwear over the internet then proves no more costly than buying shoes from a local store. Plus, you have a much wider selection, to boot!
Shipping Charges: The Added Cost of Buying Shoes Online
If possible, try to find out shipping charges before spending a lot of time adding items to your cart. You may think you're getting a great deal on all those shoes, but if shipping is too high, you might ending paying a lot more than you anticipated. This is especially true if you are ordering from a country other than the one you reside in.
Many online shoe stores offer free shipping, which is great. But do a few price comparisons before you buy. Occasionally, you'll find a better price at an online shoe store that charges a reasonable rate for shipping, and still come out ahead.
Returns/Exchanges - Know the Policies in Advance
Another hugely important element to buying shoes online is having the ability to return or exchange them if have a defect, don't fit, or just don't look the way you thought they would.
While most online shoe stores will offer some kind of return policy, don't take it for granted. Know before checking out that you'll be able to return the "new condition" shoes for any reason.
Of course, if you're willing to take a chance on a deeply discounted pair of shoes, you might decide to buy without a return policy. But you still need to know what your return and exchange options are before buying.
Also, find out in advance whether or not you'll have to pay the return shipping fees if you do need to make a return or exchange.
Need Your Shoes in a Hurry? Check Shipping Times
If you absolutely, most certainly, must have a particular pair of shoes by a certain date, I strongly recommend buying them in person, or ordering them far enough in advance that you have other options if your shoes don't ship in time.
This is not some hidden code implying that online shoe stores don't ship in a timely fashion. In fact, most of the shoes purchases I've made online have arrived in record time, but why take any chances?
Again, know the shipping policies of the online shoe store you're dealing with, and check to see if the item you're ordering is actually in stock. If it is backordered, this could add weeks to your delivery time.
As long as you deal with reputable online shoe stores and pay attention to the details mentioned above, buying shoes online is a great way to save time and money; and to give yourself the most options when shopping for footwear.
