I was taught that whenever you want to buy shoes, you should walk around in the store a bit before making a decision on which shoes feel the best. Now, I get that a lot of people prefer to have style over absolute comfort and go on the idea that "it'll get better when I break these in" (which is not the best way to choose shoes according to different studies, but whatever) but... if you do buy shoes online, do you ever think of returning them for reasons other than "wrong size"? Can you return them or just exchange it? And is it worth it to buy online but to know that, if you truly wanted to find the best fit, you'd need to order a few shoes to check? Or do you just already know what brand to look for in general? I've been considering these points because I wear size 11 (around 42/43 european, I think?) and many girly shoes just stop at size 10 in stores (and actually, online stores too). Was tempted to check out online stores of bigger sizes, but I feel doubt at shopping shoes online...
I usually buy shoes online twice a year from a company that I trust. But the only reason why I buy them online is because I can't get my favorite brand of shoes in the country where I live. Fortunately, I have never had any problems with the size or quality of my preferred NAOT shoes. But I know that even if there was some difficulty, they would replace the shoes quickly. I have total trust in them.
Yeah, online stores do provide a exchanges and returns... Good ones at least. You do have to take the time to ship them back, but that's life. I've never ordered shoes online, but that's just because I just grab a € 25 sneakers and run. Also, there's a lot of smart people working on sensors for this kind of stuff. Imagine shopping for shoes online, letting your tablet take your footprint to the vendor, and bam. Perfect size
Well that's pretty technological. I'm sort of impressed. Also impressed that it's needed-- I mean, measuring the length and width of a foot is not that hard, is it? I look forward to people stepping on their tablet and being like, "I'm shopping for shoes!" XD Would make a great skit.
I've never bought shoes online myself. Although there are some great deals to be had, I can't be certain that they would fit or be OK to walk in and I can't be othered with the hassle of returning them if they are not suitable (particularly if returns are not free!).
Yup, this exactly. In my case, I live in a small village and our doorbell is broken, so we have to get our stuff shipped to friends instead. This, and the trouble of going to the one post office to send it back and maybe fees. Urgh. Shoes in real stores might be more expensive, but they seem to be a more familiar hassle and thus, less annoying!
I feel your pain and sometimes the stores do not stop at 10, as they may only have one or two pairs of one shoe in a size 10. I went on a shoe buying binge at Nordstrom/Nordies Rack.com last year because I was too sick to go shoe shopping. Here's my review - I did okay with flats and sneakers but got caught out there with 2-3 pairs that I need to return but don't want to. The first are Steve Madden flip-flops with a 2 in platform heel. They fit but are heavy to walk in. I got some Birkenstock style mules with the same heel but the inside is uncomfortable. The others are gladiator wedges that don't feel the most secure but I have worn them outside yet. Yes, I can return them but because they are 10s and cute, I don't want to...go figure.
It depends on the brand, if it's one you know well and the price is a bargain then why not? I have bought designer shoes online and most have been great and I had free returns if I wanted. I don't see it as too different from buying in store. I hate buying in store because sometimes other people have tried on the shoes and I am always having to watch my bags or find a seat to sit on, so I find it more stressful than buying online. At home you have more time and you can try them with different outfits too.
I usually buy from Eastbay and Amazon, the user feedback on those sites are great in ensuring you get the right fit as users can leave info such as "Runs large", "Runs small", "Runs narrow" - Great addition to look out for when shopping for shoes!
