The past few years have also seen an increasing number of people turning to Amazon for their fashion needs, enticed by the wide range of options available, as well as fast delivery times and exclusive deals that are simply too hard to pass up.
But the fact that Amazon has more shops to choose from than your traditional shopping mall or retail outlet makes finding well-made and high-quality clothes an overwhelming process.
This is made even more daunting when you’re shopping for garments that need to be a perfect fit, such as shoes. Without a doubt, these need to be the right size and the right shape for our feet – after all, wearing the wrong kind of footwear is extremely uncomfortable and has been linked to several medical conditions.
So, if you’re looking to purchase your next pair of shoes on Amazon, then here are 10 tips and tricks to make sure that you’re getting your money’s worth.
1. Take A Look At Their Curated Lists
Considering how there are millions of products on Amazon – with hundreds more being listed each day – it takes a ton of time and effort to find an appealing pair of shoes. More often than not, you’ll find yourself drowning in search results, mindlessly scrolling through page after page as you try to determine which one would look more striking on your feet.
If you’re in the market for new footwear but aren’t looking forward to the process of actually searching for the right pair, then be sure to check out Amazon’s Fashion Page before starting your shopping spree. Hundreds of curated lists can be found here, which is why you’re bound to find something that caters to your needs.
For instance, they have lists based around styles, including boho and casual, as well as those that are geared towards trends, including vintage and colorful denim. Other popular lists include Men’s Fashion Favorites and the footwear that were bought the most this week.
Keep in Mind: The fashion department behind Amazon does a great job of curating their clothing lists, so don’t be afraid to take your time scrolling through them. Doing so will help you discover footwear that is perfectly aligned with your wardrobe, lifestyle, and personal tastes.
2. Read Customer Reviews
The golden rule of online shopping is to read reviews thoroughly, regardless of whatever it is that you’re purchasing. Not only will these testimonials give insight into how the item actually looks like in real life, but you’ll also be able to see just how accommodating the brand’s customer service team is.
Reviews on Amazon may often be one-liners, but there are still a ton of them that actually go into the particulars of the product – its durability and the quality of the material, as well as the packaging that it came in, just to name a few of them. Some testimonials may even mention whether the item matches the design of the photo uploaded online.
Many Amazon veterans also recommend setting a personal rating standard. For instance, only shoes that have a minimum of 4.5 stars will be added to the cart. Or, items will need to have more than a hundred reviews before you can hit the checkout button.
Keep in Mind: Amazon allows customers to post photos of the products that they’ve received, so don’t forget to look through them too. These will give you a better idea of how the shoes will really look and feel like.
3. Double-Check Size Charts
If you haven’t purchased from a brand before, then studying their size chart is non-negotiable as doing this will ensure that you don’t accidentally end up with shoes meant for a toddler.
A sizing guide is usually available on the product page itself, but if there’s none to be seen, then click through the brand’s Amazon digital storefront or take a look at their website and social media pages online. If you still can’t find one, then reach out to a customer service representative to clarify their sizing.
This will undoubtedly take a ton of time and effort on your part; however, buying footwear online with no idea of the brand’s size chart will likely end in disaster.
Keep in Mind: Size charts aren’t uniform across the fashion industry, which means that a size 9 shoe from Brand X may be equal to a size 6 shoe from Brand Y. Additionally, units of measurement aren’t the same for all countries, so be sure to double-check which one the chart uses.
4. Know Your Measurements
In connection with the previous tip, knowing your measurements inside out is also a must if you’re shopping online. While it’s easy to keep track of the dimensions of your torso and arms, doing the same for your feet can prove to be a bit trickier.
Luckily, there are a lot of brick-and-mortar shoe shops that offer this service to patrons. In fact, there are even some stores where the staff is trained to take into account the shape of your feet, giving you recommendations on the kinds of footwear that would give you the most support while compromising neither comfort nor aesthetics.
Keep in Mind: If you won’t be able to drop by a physical store anytime soon, then there are a ton of tutorials available online that will teach you how to properly and accurately measure the size of your feet even if you don’t have the equipment to do so.
5. Make Use Of Prime Wardrobe
Launched in 2018, Prime Wardrobe is a nifty service that allows Amazon customers to pick up to eight pieces of clothing, shoes, and accessories that they’re interested in. These will all be then shipped to you, and you have a maximum of seven days to try them on. You’ll only be charged for the items that you decide to keep, so the rest can simply be sent back to the company’s warehouse using the return label that they’ve provided.
It’s safe to say that this is an incredible service that enables you to try on clothing without having to pay upfront. This is particularly helpful for those who are in the market for new shoes but aren’t comfortable with the idea of purchasing one without physically trying them on.
Keep in Mind: Prime Wardrobe also offers a personal shopper service, which provides customers with a curated box of items that they might be interested in. If you’re in the mood to see what fashion experts deem to be the perfect fit for you, then this is an offer that can’t be turned down.
6. Browse Through The “Customers Also Viewed” Tab
The algorithms and machine learning technology that run Amazon are undeniably top-notch, which is why the platform is capable of providing customers with lists of recommended products that are based on their personal preferences, search history, and recent activity.
Now, there’s a good chance that you’ve encountered the “Customers Also Viewed” tab, which can be seen whenever you’re on a particular product page. This is a great resource for cool finds that you could be interested in – for instance, if you’ve been looking for a pair of winter boots, then this tab will be filled with ones that customers have recently looked at.
Keep in Mind: Navigating Amazon to find the perfect footwear can oftentimes be tricky, so it helps to see which ones have caught the attention of those who are searching for the same kinds of shoes that you are.
7. Get Amazon Prime
Thanks to the ubiquity of this vast global marketplace, nearly everyone today enjoys the advantages of an Amazon Prime membership. But in the off-chance that you aren’t, then it’s time to hop on the bandwagon because the hype surrounding this service is well-deserved.
Not only does Amazon Prime enable you to receive your orders within two days, but it also entitles you to free returns, which means that you don’t have to pay exorbitant shipping fees to send back a pair of shoes that didn’t fit at all.
More importantly, an Amazon Prime membership often comes with early access to the platform’s exclusive deals, allowing you to get first dibs on limited edition footwear, hefty discounts, and more.
Keep in Mind: An Amazon Prime membership costs just $12 per month, but if you still aren’t sold on their benefits, then try out their 30-day free trial. It can be canceled anytime, so you don’t have to worry about any surprising and unwelcome charges in your credit card statement.
8. Utilize Filters To Narrow Down Your Search
Amazon may be a goldmine for incredible and well-designed footwear, but finding them is definitely hard work. A single search query can return hundreds of thousands of results, which you understandably have neither the time nor the energy for.
More than that, though, there’s nothing worse than finding the perfect pair of shoes only to discover that they aren’t available in your size.
Fortunately, it’s easy to narrow down your search, thanks to Amazon’s powerful filters that are located on the left sidebar. For instance, if you’re in the market for espadrilles in a size 10, then you simply have to check the boxes for these criteria and only the shoes that fit the bill are shown to you.
Keep in Mind: Don’t forget the mark the box labeled with the Amazon Prime logo to avail of extra-fast shipping, free returns, and other exclusive deals.
9. Wait For Price-Slashed Dates
Amazon is notorious for frequently holding sitewide sales, which usually see prices reduced up to half of the original cost. In fact, it’s well-known in the retail and fashion industry that no one offers discounts the way that Amazon does, which is why waiting for these price-slashed dates is highly recommended.
In addition to Black Friday, Amazon also hosts several sales exclusive to Amazon Prime members, as well as holiday-themed ones, such as the upcoming Valentine’s Day Sales. Besides mind-blowing deals and unbelievable discounts, cashback offers and other phenomenal deals up for grabs.
Keep in Mind: Prime Day Sale is infamous for having the most exclusive deals and the heftiest discounts, so make sure to check whether the pairs of shoes that you’re interested in will have their prices slashed. This year, Prime Day Sale will take place on July 16 and July 17, 2021.
10. Don’t Be Afraid To Return
Given how fickle of a product footwear is, it’s safe to say that shopping for them online is bound to turn up a few duds. There’s a chance that you’ll accidentally end up with the wrong size or the design that you liked in the photo might not be as appealing in real life.
If you purchased a pair of shoes that you honestly don’t see yourself wearing, then don’t be afraid to send them back to Amazon at once. The platform makes it extremely easy for customers to return products that they aren’t a hundred percent satisfied with, which is why you shouldn’t allow yourself to be stuck with shoes that will never see the outside of your closet.
Keep in Mind: Amazon gives customers a full refund without any shipping charges, as long as the product being returned is new and hasn’t been used once. However, make sure that an item is labeled with “free returns” before adding it to your cart, so that you won’t have to pay any additional fees, in the event that you want to return them.
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Those who are in the market for a new pair of shoes will find a wealth of options on Amazon, thanks to the platform’s millions of active sellers – with more being added each day. While it can be complicated and time-consuming to find the perfect footwear, following the tips that we’ve outlined above will help make the process much easier.
