How To Buy Shoes Online Hassle-Free

Online shopping has reached the wonderfully advanced point where there’s hardly a product or service anymore that isn’t on sale in the comfort of a living room, office, car, or wherever a consumer happens to find a handy Wi-Fi signal. That doesn’t necessarily mean that just anything can be bought online easily.

Shoes, for example, are ever-so-slightly tricky. Never mind the recommendation of actually seeing a pair of shoes in its “natural habitat” alongside the outfit with which it will probably be frequently paired. Like purchasing a suit, dress or even jeans and slacks, everyone has a certain preferred way that the individual nuances of their feet dictate their shoes should fit. A size that fits like it was tailor-sewn for you in one brand may feel just a bit tight or overly roomy from another. There’s just nothing so sure as walking a few feet and feeling the fit out.

Still, no crowded brick-and-mortar boutique offers a shopping experience quite like the convenience and boundless selection of browsing online. There’s definitely a way to take advantage of some incredible shoe bargains on the web without ending up with new shoes that make you feel like Andre the Giant trying to wear baby-booties.

Fitting

There’s perhaps nothing more sure than having a professional shoe-fitter precisely measure your feet. Unfortunately, it’s an increasingly rare service that not even all specialty shoe retailers or boutiques still employ. Luckily, there’s an accurate means of nailing down your own size without leaving your home.

You’ll just need a ruler, two pieces of paper, and a writing utensil. Having a friend nearby to assist helps, but isn’t necessary.

After a full day of typical walking has slightly increased the size of your feet, you’ll be measuring while wearing whatever socks or stockings you’ll be wearing with the shoes you want. If you won’t be wearing your shoes with bare feet, then don’t measure your feet barefoot. Also, be detail-oriented; shoe sizes may differ from one to the next by as little as ? of an inch. Rounding up or down won’t do your fit (or feet) any favors.

Place your foot flat on a piece of paper to trace its outline. Tracing your toes is where having a friend around comes in handy.

Next, measure your foot’s length from the longest toe to the back of your heel and write the measurement down. Measure the width at the widest part of the foot, usually across the ball, and write that down as well.

Finally, conduct a Google search for a reliable shoe length and width chart. Your width measurement will have a corresponding letter attached to pair with the length’s number.

Know Your Tastes

Obvious statement? Maybe. But hear us out.

Online shopping is wonderfully convenient, but the infinite inventory at your fingertips can be a rabbit hole. With so many websites offering instant suggestions based on what you’re currently browsing, it takes seconds at most to get distracted and fall off-course from the shoes you were looking to buy in the first place. Not unlike any other general shopping expedition to a brick-and-mortar retailer, it pays to have a list to keep you focused and stare you down when you start to feel an impulse buy coming on.

Size Up The Shipping

Here’s a big difference between online shopping for shoes and visiting a nearby retailer: the listed price is often adjusted to account for not only sales taxes, but shipping fees. Admittedly, it does sometimes put shoppers off to wait for shipping, as well - sometimes, we need things when we need them. Look at the cart before you check out and compare the cost to what you might pay locally - assuming you aren’t picking up an extremely rare pair that you won’t find anywhere near you - and be especially careful if shopping an online store based in another country.

Remember that shipping generally provides a window when the shoes can be expected, unless you’ve chosen a next-day or same-day option.

Reputation

Since you can’t actually visit the store, be careful where you buy shoes online. You won’t have the luxury of being right there on the sales floor with helpful staff to assist you with finding the right fit, comfort and quality at the best price. Stick to online retailers that already have well-established positive reputations among frequent buyers. This is also a good time to go over the return policy carefully to learn the protocol for returning a pair or exchange it for a size that’s more your fit.
 
 
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Once you’ve made your purchase, keep all paperwork on-hand until you’re sure of your satisfaction. If something doesn’t fit quite right or just isn’t what you expected, make arrangements as soon as you can to set up a return. A few weeks is usually a “fitting” timetable for keeping the receipt.