We’ve all been there. In a frenzy of excitement, what appeared to be the perfect shoes were found, added to our basket, and purchased in just the blink of an eye. Such is the great joy of online shopping: it is immediate, it is convenient, and it is oh so much fun. But despite all of the great benefits to this ultimate form of consumerism, there is an obvious downside which, especially in the case of clothing and shoes, can be highly problematic: you can’t try before you buy.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key points that you should keep in mind when purchasing shoes online to ensure that you’re never in the unhappy, disappointed position of having to send your new arrivals back to where they came from because they simply don’t fit.

Know Your Size

In the case of buying shoes, there is one simple—albeit somewhat time-consuming—step that you can take to ensure that whenever you do purchase shoes online, they are sure to be the perfect, Cinderella-like fit that you are looking for. That step is this: making sure that you are fully aware of all the relevant measurements which comprise your actual shoe size.

This may sound obvious—trivial, even—but you may be surprised by quite how many people are actually unaware of what their actual shoe size should be, and go through life buying ill-fitting shoes which, as well as being simply uncomfortable to wear compared with the shoe with the proper fit, can actually be responsible for damaging the muscles and structure of your feet.

Don’t Choose Style or Comfort – Choose Both

Considering it’s such a niche matter, there is a surprising amount of societal pressure associated with shoe size which may go some way to explaining quite why such a large portion of the population are so completely misinformed about their own.

For women, the stereotype is that they should be able to fit into small, slender footwear; for men, there is a slight sense of competition about shoe size in that ‘bigger is better’ sense. Of course, all of this is utter nonsense and actively contributes to the misinformation surrounding shoe sizes which can lead to problems in later life.

Measure at Home

One way to get an accurate sense of your shoe size is to go to a shoe store. The staff will typically have access to an electronic or manual system of foot measurement, and these can be highly accurate in determining just which size is needed for length and width; however, buying shoes online, from http://www.coltonfootwear.com for example, allows you considerably more choice and value.

If you prefer to shop online, it is perfectly possible to work out your measurements at home. All you’ll need it paper, a pencil, and a long ruler or tape measure. You then trace your feet onto the paper whilst sitting down, being careful to be as accurate in tracing them as possible, measure the longest and widest sections, and compare these to online charts which convert actual length to shoe size.

Follow these simple steps, and you’ll never be disappointed again. At least not by shoes.