Online Shoe Shopping: Tips to Buy the Right Pairs.
Buying things online is becoming increasingly prevalent and now, there is practically nothing one cannot get online; and when I say, “online”, I mean social media vendors and e-commerce stores. However, we can all agree that buying shoes online can be a bit tricky because you can never be sure if what is being displayed on your screen will actually fit when you buy them. Even knowing your size is not enough because sizes come in different variations, from brand to brand and even shoe to shoe of the same brand. So, for instance, if you wear size 40 usually, it might be a 39 or a smaller 41 in another brand or another pair of shoes.
So, what do you do? Do you just completely stop online shoe shopping and stick to physical shoe shopping? Well, no; find below a guide to online shoe shopping that outlines the tips to buying the right pairs of shoes online.
Know What You Want
If you go to an e-commerce website or browse through the collection of a social media vendor, it is most likely because you need shoes. However, shoes come in different sizes, shapes and designs and they are used for different purposes. So, before you shop, you should determine what you need the shoe for; fashion or function. And you have to also determine if aesthetics is more important to you than comfort or vice versa. Once you’ve determined that, you can properly do your online shoe shopping and choose the right shoes for you.
Shop from Reputable Stores
This is recommended for any kind of online shopping anyway. Many stores are coming up online these days and some are not there for legitimate business. You can ask in online forums about them and browse online for possible reviews before you buy from stores that look suspicious. You should, especially, look out for stores that provide too good a deal; it might actually be too good to be true. Don’t let your desire for good deals make you fall victim to online scams.
Buy from Familiar Brands
This is not so much because you don’t think other brands are reputable but because if you are familiar with them, you would know their shoe size variation. Like I said earlier, size 40 of one brand might be size 39 of another. However, if you have bought size 40 of that particular brand, then you are more likely to get the right pair if you buy from the same brand.
Buy a Cheaper Pair from an Unfamiliar Brand
And with an unfamiliar brand, you should probably try one of their cheaper pairs first. This is because, since you are not shopping physically and will not have the opportunity to try them on, you need to consider them a test order. That way, if they don’t fit, you might not feel the impact as much and if they fit, then, great; you can get something more expensive next time.
Measure Your Feet
Many of us feel like once we know our shoe size, that’s good enough. Well, since we already established that shoe sizes come in different variations, measuring your feet is essential. You can measure your feet by placing each foot on a piece of paper (you can do it one after the other for convenience). Outline your foot with a pencil from your big toe to the heel and the width from the small toe to the big toe, then measure what you have. Many stores now include sizing charts, so you can check for the right size using the chart.
Check for Return Policy
Make sure to read and understand their return policy. This is necessary because even after doing all the necessary checks, it is still possible to wind up with the wrong shoes. And you don’t want to find out after buying them that you cannot make a return.
I would like to conclude that you should read reviews before making a purchase. Of course, some people are too hard to please and some are very easy to please. So, the idea is to go with the average review. Did you find this article helpful? Let us know what you think in the comment section.
