I remember as a child being taken to the local department store with my mother to buy shoes. I remember it so vividly because it was always such a production. The level of personal service by the sales staff was second to none with their careful measuring of length and width of both feet to ensure the correct size. Whilst I found it all so boring as a juvenile I'm sure these days we would all appreciate such service. However, nowadays with our busy lives many of us find it a chore to go shopping to brick and mortar stores and then there's the element of choice and discretion available at the touch of a keyboard.
Need a specific shoe only available at certain specialist physical stores means having to locate the physical store, plot your journey, find parking etc and then just hope they have your size and color choice in stock when you get there. Shopping from home you can locate the actual shoes online from a number of sources, comparison shop to get the best price including shipping and handling, have them delivered to your home so you can try them in the comfort of your own four walls.
In the early days many thought shoe retailing could never work online with the complexity of sizing, shipping charges etc. But the convenience of finding what you want from thousands of retailers online, more standardized sizing than in the past and discounted shipping has made shoes a booming business online which is all good news for the consumer.
You can find specialist shoe stores online serving just about every niche you could imagine. Persons with extra large/extra wide feet can now find specialist stores catering just to this need. Need red thigh length stripper's boot with a 6 inch stiletto heel – no problem; there are hundreds of fetish shoe stores to offer what you want. There are even women's shoes made in male shoe sizes – and not just sized in male sizes but manufactured on a male foot last so they are actually sized to specifically fit a male foot.This is where our business shines! We have many shoes specifically designed to fit any TG or crossdresser woman.
Sizing. Shoe sizing has become much more uniform over the years though of course you must be aware of the country of origin sizing being used. Shoes sold in Europe or Australia for example will have quite different size scales than U.S./Canada shoes. Make sure to refer to an International Shoes Size Chart such as the one listed at the end of the article to make sure you make the right choice. As a rule of thumb, to convert from male to female shoe sizes you add 1.5 to 2 shoes sizes. Therefore if you are a Size 10 Male shoe you will be an 11.5 to 12 in a women's shoe. You will also tend to be able to fit into a ½ size smaller open toe shoe/sandal than your closed-toe pump. If in doubt, measure the length and width (at its widest) of your largest foot and email the vendor to ask their opinion on fit of a particular style. Do pay attention to getting sizing correct as poor fitting shoes is one of the main causes of foot and even back pain. Specialist Shoes. Be sure that the shoes you are browsing online are sized in Female sizes – if specialist shoes they may be ladies shoes already sized in Male sizes so read the description/small print and save yourself on having to do returns.
Shipping. The added cost of shopping for ladies shoes online can be shipping and handling but it doesn't have to be. Do your research at the beginning of browsing for the shoes you want by finding out the actual shipping cost – good websites will have a link to their shipping cost table so that you know exactly you will be paying before loading your shopping cart with lots of shoes. Look for the sites that do Free Shipping specials. Be careful if shopping on an overseas website as the shipping cost racks up even for just a single pair of shoes.
Returns and Exchanges. Given that there are variations between brands of ladies shoes and some people will straddle 2 or even 3 shoe sizes depending on the brand you need to know your chosen shoe e-tailer has a fair and easy to understand returns policy where you can either exchange for a size change or simply get a refund. This is a very important factor when considering shopping online as it can impact the final price paid considerably. Make sure to read the small print – they may take returns on shoes but do they charge a re-stocking fee and what is it? At www.GlamourBoutique.com we don't charge re-stocking fees and we do exchanges and you'll find there are many similar sites that do the same. Remember to check the return policy before you place your order, don't just take it for granted or you could end up stuck with an expensive purchase you can't wear due to fit and the seller won't take returns on shoes!
Shipping Times. If you have a certain date in mind you must plan ahead when shopping online. Better still, email/call the retailer and ask them the transit time to your location from the time you order and also check availability to ensure your purchase will ship immediately. If you choose the cheapest or free shipping option make sure the shoes will still get there for when you need them – many free shipping offers mean a few days extra shipping than expedited so be prepared.
So, do a little homework to find your reputable source of ladies shoes, take note of the points outlined above and you will find that purchasing your ladies shoes online is a neat solution to saving you time and money.