3 tips for online shoe shopping

1 | Try your shoes on at home

We’ve said it before: buying shoes remains a matter of feeling. Many webshops help you find the right size by offering size and conversion tables. While these can certainly be useful, they don’t say much about a shoe’s fit.

Shoes must be comfortable from the very first moment you put them on. Leather always stretches slightly, but never in the length of the shoe. So, make sure you choose the right size and that the shoes do not pinch or cause you pain. Lastly, we recommend trying on new shoes at the end of the afternoon. During the day, feet retain some moisture. But even then – if they are a bit swollen – your shoes should of course be comfortable.

It’s very common to buy shoes in different sizes, sometimes you need (half) a size larger or smaller, even if it’s from the same brand. The advantage of online shopping is that you often get the opportunity to try on the shoes at home, which brings us to point 2.

2 | Take the exchange and return options into account

Before buying something online, it is important to check what the return policy of a company is. Can you return something? Do you get a refund? How many days do you have to return your purchases, and do you get your money back or a gift voucher? Do you pay for the shipping costs? These are all questions you should take into consideration before ordering shoes online. It will spare you some time in the future! Find out more about how to return via Wolky. 

3 | Check whether the store also has physical points of sale

It can be a big advantage if a store also has physical points of sale. Are you really struggling online, or do you need extra advice from a specialist? A visit to the store can help you further. You often have the option to return the shoes you bought online in-store, which is very easy and could save you some money! Here’s a list of UK retailers that are worth a visit.