You found a great pair of sneakers online. They’re everything that you’ve ever wanted in a shoe. That is until they arrive at your house.
They’re nothing like what you thought they would be. To add insult to injury, they don’t even fit on your feet! That’s a good 70 bucks that you’re never going to get back.
Buying sneakers online can be a bit tricky. It’s not like you can try them on before you commit to the purchase, and there’s a huge difference between looking at a picture of shoes on a website and holding the product in your hands.
We can help you not only find a pair of shoes that you love but get a good deal on them as well. Check out this shopping guide to learn more.
1. Shop on Sites With a Zoom Feature
The biggest struggle of shopping at an online sneaker store is it’s hard to judge the quality based on a picture. You want to go with a site that leaves nothing to the imagination.
They should display images of their stock from all angles. They should also offer a zoom-in feature that will allow you to get a good look at the stitching and finish.
2. Choose the Right Timing
Getting a good deal on the best sneakers is all about timing. Most retailers increase their prices during certain times of the year. Demand is higher during the evenings and weekends, so the cost is going to be higher.
During Cyber Monday, you may find some great deals on shoes. If you wait until right before Christmas, however, you may end up paying a lot more.
If you’re the type of person who goes after all the latest shoe designs, you’re going to need to stay in the know. Millions of other collectors are going to have their fingers on the buy button too. If you get the timing wrong, websites will sell out well before you can put in your credit card info.
3. Measure Your Feet
When you buy sneakers online, sizing can be a little difficult. It’s not like you can physically try on a pair before you confirm your purchase.
That means you’re going to need to measure your feet first. Place your feet on a white sheet of paper, and trace them. You’re going to then use a tape measure to get your sizing from heel to toe.
4. Look at the Sizing Charts
You can get your sizing right, but still, buy a pair of sneakers that are too small for you. This is because all brands fit a little differently.
That doesn’t mean that the numbers you got in the previous step are worthless. Most brands have conversion charts on their website. Compare your measurements to the numbers in the chart to get the correct size.
5. Subscribe to Newsletters
You enter the buyer’s site only to have your browsing interrupted by a pop-up asking you to sign up for a newsletter. Your first reflex is to push that X in the corner to get rid of it. You’re trying to shop here.
What you may not realize is that the pop-up can save you a few dollars. Most retailers offer discounts to those who sign up for their newsletters.
The best part is that you don’t have to stay subscribed. You can sign up, buy your shoes, take advantage of the savings, and unsub right after.
6. Know Where to Buy Sneakers
Part of getting the best deal is knowing where to shop. You can download shoe apps. You may not get great deals this way, but you can use them to stay on top of the latest releases.
Consignment shops offer a variety of brands at great prices. They may even have limited edition shoes that are out of cycle now. You can find out more here.
Resellers buy shoes at top dollar and then sell them at a reduced price. It’s a risky business for them because there’s no guarantee that their stock will go.
They may be willing to cut you a sweet deal because they’re desperate to get rid of the shoes. The only downside is that you have no way of knowing that they are legit.
7. Stick to the Tried and True
If there’s a brand that you buy from a lot, there’s no reason to change. Go with the tried and true. You know how the shoes are going to fit you, so there’s less of a chance of you buying the wrong size.
8. Go Incognito
Websites use cookies to track your activity. From there, they’ll send you personalized ads in the form of pop-ups. It’s annoying, but that’s not the only problem with tracking.
Websites will skew the prices on products that you’ve looked at before. The hope is that you’ll feel pressured into buying before the prices increase a second time.
You can avoid tracking by shopping in an incognito tab. Since the websites won’t know what products you’re looking at, they won’t bump up the prices.
Top Tips for Buying Sneakers Online
Buying sneakers online can be a bit tricky. You can’t try on the shoes before you buy them, and you can’t be sure of the quality until you’re holding the product in your hands. The last thing you want to do is overpay for something that’s not going to suit your needs. Follow the steps that we’ve talked about here today to get the best deal for all the latest designs. For more online shopping tips, visit the Lifestyle section of our blog.