Should You Buy Shoes Online?

A common question for women (men too) regarding apparel purchases online is "Should I buy shoes online?"

A number of people hesitate to buy footwear online - and for good reason really. I'll speak from my own experience here -

When I go shopping for a pair of shoes in a store, I might love the way the shoes look on the shelf, but once they're on my feet it might be a whole different story. Visa versa is also true - I've tried shoes on that I thought wouldn't look good at all but loved them.

There is also a concern about shoe size. Of course this would be a concern, various shoe manufacturers have slightly different sizes - maybe they fit a bit larger than standard, perhaps a bit smaller. It's actually a comfort to be able to try them on.

These are definite arguments against buying shoes online.

But - there are definitely reasons why buying shoes online is a good idea too...

First and foremost, you can find what you are looking for. How many times have you gone shopping for a pair of shoes in various stores only to find that they didn't have the brand or look specific to what you wanted? If you're like me, that happens quite often and it's frustrating - either I end up without the shoes period, or I end up with a "second best" that I didn't have my heart set on.

Another good reason to purchase shoes online is - you can find much better deals. There are 4 or 5 online shoe resources that I generally use or refer other people to. Usually at least one of these has the shoes marked down - or they are being auctioned off for much less than I would pay in a store. Yes - you really can't beat the deals.

What about the sizing and if you don't like the shoes? Well, there are a few merchants that understand this problem well such as Zappos.com, Endless.com, Shoebuy.com and Heels.com. Each of these online shoe stores provides free shipping and a free return service in case the shoes don't work. They also give information up front to help you find exactly the right size - tips on finding the exact size of your foot, how the shoe you're looking at compares to "standard size", etc.

Bottom line - You can find shoes online and it is a better deal. with the current tools given you by various shoe merchants online, it's pretty easy to find out whether the shoes would fit right or not - and if they don't - you're not saddled with any shipping expense to return them or exchange them.

Should you buy shoes online? With the resources that are available these days, my answer is a resounding "Yeah!". It's easy, and you can save quite a bit of money in the process. =)

All for today -

The Fashion Fiend