How to order shoes online to avoid disappointment?

The devil is not that scary ...

Shoes are one of the products where online shopping tends to be a bit complicated. Many people appreciate being able to try on footwear personally and make sure it is comfortable. 

However, online shopping is a real time saver for busy people and nerves, for those who hate long lines and rude shop assistants. Moreover, you can also save money this way. If a pair of shoes has stolen your heart in a brick-and-mortar store, but its price effectively discourages you from buying, be sure to write down the model name and search for it online. Chances are, with a little effort, you'll find the same shoes at a lower price.

Fortunately, shopping for shoes online is not as complicated as it may seem. All you need to do is stick to a few rules and follow our tips, and you will certainly avoid disappointments.

Measure your foot carefully

Do you think you know your shoe size perfectly? Nothing could be more wrong! Sizes may vary depending on the manufacturer, and even if you constantly buy from the same one - the dimensions of your foot may change, e.g. due to pregnancy or weight loss.

If you want to minimize the risk of buying the wrong size shoes, make sure to measure your foot. This is the most important aspect that will probably help you avoid having to return the goods.

How to easily and precisely check the size of your shoes without trying them on?

When measuring your feet, pay special attention to their length. For measurements, you will need a piece of paper, a ruler and something to write on.

Put a piece of paper on the floor and carefully outline the shape of the foot. Use a ruler to mark parallel lines along the toes and heels. Starting from the line at the tip of your longest toe, ending with the tip of the heel, measure the length of your foot, then add half a cm to keep the necessary headroom and keep you comfortable while walking.

Don't forget to repeat these steps for the other foot. If the dimensions differ, base your selection on the larger of the dimensions.

Then make sure that the length of the insole you measure corresponds to the given size. In many stores, this information can be found in a separate size table or directly next to the shoe size.

Familiarize yourself with the specifics of a given model

If you already know which size to choose, make sure that the specificity of a given pair of shoes suits your needs. Consider aspects such as:

• sole material
• insole material
• outer material
• heel or platform height
• clasp

Look for opinions from other customers and compare prices on different portals

If you want your online shopping experience to be satisfying, read the opinions of other customers. Thanks to this, you will find out how their experiences with a given seller talked about, as well as - what quality a particular pair of shoes really is.

Remember that one pair of shoes may be sold at different prices in several stores. If you want to be sure that you buy it at the lowest possible, take some time to search for the same product on different portals. You will surely be shocked by how much the prices vary from store to store.

However, if the price seems suspiciously low to you, be careful. Check if the seller is trustworthy by referring to other people's opinions. Remember that there is no shortage of scammers - especially on the Internet.

Familiarize yourself with the policy of returns and complaints

Despite carefully measuring your foot and choosing the right size, there is always the possibility that you want to return the ordered shoes. For this reason, it is worth getting acquainted with the return policy of a given store before finalizing the purchase. Check who covers the cost of returning the package and how you will be refunded. Also make sure what the footwear complaint procedure looks like.

Remember to check that the shoes are comfortable and meet all your requirements after receiving the parcel with the new purchase. Without tearing off the labels, try them on at home and make sure that everything suits you. If you find your shoes chafing, you can walk around the house for a few days to stretch them a bit. When this process is unsuccessful, you can easily send the shoes back within the time limit set by the seller. However, be careful that the footwear does not show any visible signs of use. In this case, the return may be rejected.

Enjoy your new fitted shoes

After precisely measuring your foot and choosing the correct length of the insole, making sure that the bottoms of the pair of shoes meet your requirements and the store is reliable, you can successfully complete the purchase. 

This may seem like a somewhat time-consuming process for your first purchase, but it will be faster and faster each time you buy it. If you want to save yourself time, a great way is to buy shoes of the same brand that you have been using for years.