Winter is finally coming to a close and you know what that means: it’s time for you to refresh your spring wardrobe. Sure, you’ve got your springtime clothing out and ready to go, but what about your shoes? Do you have a pair to match all of your warm-weather outfits?
It’s time to go shopping.
Shopping for shoes is easier than ever with all of the online shoe stores, but there are a few online shoe purchasing errors that you should be careful to avoid. Let’s talk about them!
Read on to learn all about what not to do when you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes.
1. Not Looking for Gaps in Your Closet
Before you start looking at options for shoes at an online shoe, take a look at what you already have. It’s easy to get caught up in the overabundance of shoe options on the web and forget that you should be buying something that you don’t already have.
Take a look at what’s already in your closet. What outfits don’t have shoes to match? Start there.
Do you already have a pair of thigh-high boots? It’s unlikely that you need another one. If you already have running shoes in good condition, it might be best to wait before you buy another pair.
The one exception to this is if you’re a collector. A sneaker collector, for example, might want the Air Jordan Future even if they already have 20 pairs of shoes that look just like it. Someone who collects Pleaser Heels may want to add another pair to their collection that’s only a slightly different style.
If this is the case, you should still make sure that the new pair fits into your collection and that you’ll get some use out of it.
Knowing what’s in your closet ahead of time will stop you from spending money on shoes that are just going to take up space. If you want a new pair and there’s no purpose for it, consider donating a pair that the new pair can replace.
2. Not Reading Online Customer Reviews
When you’re shopping for any type of clothing or accessories online, you don’t have the benefit of being able to see it in person or hold it in your hands before you make your purchase. If you’re buying from a reseller, you don’t even know if the product is authentic!
Read online customer reviews to see what real people have to say about the shoes before you buy them. Look for reviews with photos for even more accuracy.
Reviews will tell you all about whether or not sizing is accurate, if the photos are true to life, shipping speeds, and more.
3. Not Reading Size Charts (And Measuring Your Feet)
Buying shoes online is tricky. Many people are between shoe sizes, so different styles and brands don’t all fit the same. You may be an 8 in sneakers and a 9 in dress shoes (especially if you have wider feet).
Most reputable online shoe stores have sizing charts to help offset this problem. Read them before assuming that you already know your size.
Even if you think that you already know your own measurements, measure again with a ruler or tape measure. Buying shoes online can be expensive and you don’t want to make such a simple mistake.
4. Not Shopping Around
There are seemingly infinite sites from which to buy your shoes. Don’t get stuck on one website, especially if you’re shopping for a specific brand.
Browse a variety of sites and start comparing shoe prices for specific brands and styles. You might miss out on a sale (or just a better deal) if you go with the first shop that you see.
We also recommend checking resellers for discontinued brands or older versions of the same style if you’re trying to save money. You’ll be shocked at what you can find if you browse the web enough!
5. Ignoring the Return Policy
As we mentioned before, finding the right sizes for shoes online is a challenge. Even if you get the right size, you might discover that the shoes aren’t comfortable enough for you, or that they don’t look like the photos.
Before you buy a pair of shoes, check the shop’s return policy. If the shop has a strict return policy, or if you have to pay a lot of money for returns, you need to be more careful when you’re shopping (or you need to pick a different online shoe store).
Ideally, you’ll never have to worry about the return policy. You still want to know that you’re able to return your shoes if you have to.
6. Not Considering Your Needs
Shoes aren’t all about aesthetics. Before making your purchase, make sure that you’re buying shoes that meet your needs, especially if you have issues with your feet.
Do you need special orthotic shoes? What about wide shoes or odd sizes?
There’s a time and place for a cute pair of uncomfortable shoes, but if you know that you need extra support, make sure that the shoes that you’re buying can provide that for you.
7. Buying Right Away
This is one of the biggest mistakes that people make with online shopping as a whole. Never buy a pair of shoes right away. Leave it in your cart and come back in a day or so.
Why? There are two primary reasons.
First, when you take a step back from your shopping spree, you can clear your mind. You may return to the cart later and realize that the shoes aren’t as good as you thought they were. You aren’t caught up in the hype anymore.
You may also get to save money if you leave the shoes in your shoe store website cart for a day. Many online clothing and accessory stores will send out emails with discount codes to people who leave items in their carts.
If you buy right away, you might be overspending!
Avoid These Common Online Shoe Purchasing Errors
These online shoe purchasing errors will cost you money and they may stand between you and your perfect pair of shoes. Keep this list in mind during your next online shoe shopping spree!
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