When I buy online I have a couple of rules. If it’s within my budget I shop at amazon.com and look for shoes that I’m interested in. If the price is too high, I search the web for deals, although I usually have to wait longer to receive my package.
Buying shoes online can be a good experience if you set up clear expectations. You can establish guidelines that work for you to have a successful shoe-buying experience. Simple planning will make your experience worry-free.
When I bought shoes on amazon.com they came quickly and I was able to read reviews that helped me find what should work best. When I bought shoes from jcpenney.com I received a great deal on my shoes but had to wait a while. Another time an order was canceled. Let’s explore ways to have a good experience with shoe buying.
Here’s a list of tips for buying shoes online. Drag it to your desktop for future reference.
Establish Clear Guidelines Before Buying
You can expect to get the shoe you want, at a good deal, and have it fit the first time, most of the time if you decide beforehand to put in the effort. Your willingness to expect the best from your online shopping experience may depend greatly on flexibility and patience.
If you expect to get everything you want in a shop by shopping online remember to follow these guidelines.
16 Tips for Online Shoe Shopping
01 – Know What You Want
Probably the most important of all the things you can do when you shop online is to know what you want. So before you buy, take the time to explore and be sure.
02 – Take a Break
Know exactly what you want to buy. If you can’t figure out the best choice, take a break and let yourself have time to mull it over in your mind. Then you’ll be more sure about what you want.
03 – Know Your True Size
Make sure you know true your shoe size. If purchasing for children, measure their feet and shoes. See if their toes have plenty of wiggle room and the shoes are snug.
04 – Read Reviews
Makes sure to read reviews about whether the shoes run larger or smaller than what people expected.
05 – Look at Clear Detailed Pictures
Make sure the website has larger or zoomable pictures of all the different angles of the shoe.
06 – Stick to a Budget
Make sure you know what you’re willing to ($) pay and stick to that budget. If your budget doesn’t allow you to get your shoes, take a break to reassess and make another decision.
07 – UnderstandReturn Policy
Make sure you can return your shoes. Make sure you understand if there is a restocking fee.
08 – Be Specific about Your Goals
Ask yourself if the shoes you’re thinking of getting are really accomplishing the goals that you have in mind.
09 – Comfort Level
Ask yourself about what level of comfort you’re willing to accept and read reviews about others’ experiences.
10 – Color Preferences and Needs
Ask yourself about what colors you’re willing to accept and if they fit well with the clothing you have.
11 – Compare at Least Two Different Shoes
Be willing to compare shoes and get a better understanding of exactly what makes them similar or different. This can help you recognize things you hadn’t realized before and make your decision easier.
12 – Set a Time Limit
Decide how much time you will take to shop, so you don’t feel frustrated or impulsive., but take as much time as you need to make a smart choice.
13 – Ask a Friend
Talk to a friend if you’re unsure about what you want or need.
14 – Wear Often or Not
Decide how many days a month you’ll be wearing your shoes. This can give you insight into whether comfort is a necessity or not.
15 – Look Elsewhere
Decide if you’re willing to look outside of the category of shoes you were originally searching for because it may fit all of your wants and needs better.
16 – Why are You Buying Them
Decide if you’re shopping online for a lift me up, a want, or to fulfill a need. Lift me ups and wants are usually short-term, but shoes that fulfill your needs will give you better long-term joy.
When I can take a step back and give myself a bit more time to research and consider my choices, I end up with shoes that I really like and use regularly.
Like my Nike running shoes that have extra cushioning. I was willing to buy them even though at first I was about to buy another pair. I decide to do a bit more research and wait a bit more time for shipping, and it paid off.
Am I Getting A Good Deal?
Some online stores may not give you all the details that tell you about the shoe you want. This is when exploring other sites for additional insight will help.
My regular routine with online shopping is to go to amazon.com and shop for the item I am looking for. I place a lot of value on quick shipping. But I also like to get deals on higher-priced items, so I will search on other sites to help me find a good deal knowing they might not ship as quickly.
16 Steps for Getting a Good Deal
01 – Establish a Baseline
Searching on amazon.com or RunRepeat.com is a good way to establish a baseline and gather information about the shoe you’re looking for.
02 – Search Google
Next, you’ll want to do a Google search for the exact brand and model you are looking for.
03 – Broaden Your Search
If you find little information try a broader search term. For example, when searching for “VenusCelia flat loafer” and you don’t see what you want, try a wider search “VenusCelia.”-
04 – Click on Shopping
After using your search term, click on the word “Shopping” under the Google search bar.
05 – Compare Google and Amazon Prices
Now you’ll see products that should likely match your search term. Compare the prices to those on amazon.com.
06 – Try Amazon
If amazon.com or is cheaper and you have limited time and you have already made a decision to buy your shoes, then buying on amazon.com is right for you.
07 – Try Google Shopping
If the better price is on the Google “Shopping” tab, click on the one that is a good deal.
08 – Compare Google Prices
Now you can see the store(s) that the shoes come from or click “Compare prices from… stores” and see all the stores.
09 – Trustworthy Store
Check out the prices and decide which store you can trust. You’ll often see a chart with “Seller Rating” at the top.
10 – Visit Store Website
Click the Visit site button to visit the store that has the best deal, and the one you trust.
11 – Look at the Details
Check to see if it is exactly what you are looking for and in stock. Check for shipping time and prices with tax, and if the price has changed. Then purchase or look for better deals.
12 – Continue to Search Google
If you’re looking for a better deal try clicking on “All” under the Google search bar for the shoe you’re looking at. You may be surprised by a great deal. Not all prices are listed on Google shopping. In-store prices can also be a good deal.
13 – Discounts
Online stores also have discounts during holidays and closeout sales events that may not be seen when searching on Google. Check brand name stores that sell shoes. Be aware of shipping prices that may not be listed.
14 – Choose Carefully
If you find a good deal, be careful of stores that you don’t know. You’ll need to expect slower shipping times, and misinformation that might result in buying the wrong shoe.
15 – Type “________ Review”
If you still want to buy from an unknown store, try a Google search with the name of the store internet name with the word review after it. For example “jcpenny.com review.” Check a couple of the websites for information..
16 – Type “________ BBB”
Last, you can try the store name with BBB after it for the Better Business Bureau. For example “jcpenny.com BBB.”
Easy Planning Tips For Shoe Buying Online
Plan to spend 5 minutes to 2 hours shopping online for shoes. It all depends on what your plan is.
1. Buying a shoe is an investment in time and money. Making your investment pay off for you depends on planning for research of product quality, cost, benefits, usefulness, and style.
2. Plan to spend 5-10 minutes of time shopping, if shopping for shoes is not a priority. You may have already purchased them previously and know all you want to know about your shoes. You cut time and worry by deciding to most any shoes will do.
3. Plan to spend 20-30 minutes shopping if you’re unsure about your shoes but don’t have much time. You can spend 10 minutes a day over 2-3 days. Do research first and come back another day to buy.
4. Plan to spend 1-2 hours of shopping time if buying shoes that are important to you. Decide on what are the most important factors when buying your shoes, such as price, quality, longevity, and use.
- Get your money’s worth researching about the shoes and spending some time getting a good deal.
- The more time you research, the better your shoes can accommodate your needs, such as your shoes lasting for years or comfort on that 50-mile hike.
- Spending the right amount of time will likely be worth taking and increase your likelihood of happiness with your purchase.
Decide before you go online not to browse for shoes. Make a choice and stick with it if you’re looking to get the right shoe for you. If you’re researching, that’s not browsing and you’ll have much more success.
Indecision and shopping for fun might leave you wondering why you bought shoes you didn’t need or want.
Finding My Shoe Size for Online Shopping
You might want to measure your foot size first before any type of shopping.
Likely you’ll foot will fit into the shoe size you’ve worn for years, but getting accurate measurements will help with moments of indecision. You can decide that a larger or smaller shoe might be better.
Sometimes feet do change over time, so you might surprise yourself when measuring your foot length and width.
If you are measuring at home, try tracing around your foot with a pencil. Use a ruler to measure the width and length of the drawing. Make sure to measure the full length from heel to longest toe, and widest area on the foot.
Here is my article about foot width based on foot length. You can use the charts to check what size shoe to get based on foot length and width.
After Your Online Shoe Purchase
Once you’ve received your shoe, try them on. If they seem tight, consider that leather will stretch a little bit, but other materials may not.
Are they comfortable and supportive? Can your toes wiggle? Is there any rubbing anywhere?
After a trial period of 1-2 days make a decision to commit to them or return.
Returns will take time and effort in order to buy new shoes, but it will be much better than having shoes that are uncomfortable and don’t function the way you want.
Thanks for visiting Helpshoe.com
Related Questions
→What are the Best Online Shoe Stores?
The best online shoe stores are usually the ones that sell shoes as their main business or a large part of their business. Try online stores such as Amazon.com, Zappos.com, Shoes.com, Footlocker.com, DSW.com, Payless.com, and any major shoe brand or department store.
→What Online Shoe Store Rank the Best?
According to Consumeraffairs.com, these are the three best-rated online shoe stores, based on customer reviews. The top three are Zappos.com, Shiekhshoes.com, and Justfab.com. To find out more click the following link. (Consumeraffairs.com)