davenjess
grow Spot grow!
Member since 6/07 10872 total posts
Wedding Date:
12/31/2007 4:00 PM
Wed. Location:
The Fox Hollow
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GREAT ONLINE SHOE SHOPPING ARTICLE!!!
This article comes from a new favorite magazine of mine.
The magazine is called Shop Smart. It's put out by Consumer Reports & contains NO ADS whatsoever & has really great tips/ideas, etc.
One shoe = decent selection
Two shoes = very good selection
Three shoes = tons of choices!
Baggage = free shipping for purchases & returns
Website: jildorshoes.com – two shoes
With sizes starting at 4, this site has shoes that will fit just about anyone. It carries name brands and current styles as well as classics. Many are on the pricey side (up to $100), but you can still find plenty of options in the under $100 range.
Shipping Fee: standard shipping is $8.
Return Policy: One year. You must pay out of pocket to ship the shoes back and you won’t get credit for the original shipping costs.
Website: ninewest.com – one shoe
You can search by heel size, price or editorial coverage in various fashion magazines. Of course, the site carries only one brand, so the selection is limited. But since Nine West has so many stores, it’s easy to visit one to determine your sieze. And sizing is pretty consistent across styles.
Shipping Fee: Standard shipping is $7, which is comparable to fees at other store-ased sites like Aldo($9) AND Aerosoles ($6.99).
Return Policy: 30 days. You can return your purchase at a local store or pay to ship shoes back. Exchanges are free.
Website: Onlineshoes.com – two shoes
You can find shoes for everyone at this website. It’s easy to navigate and the search categories are helpful. For example, you can search by occasion in the kids’ section, which breaks shoes into categories like playground, school & celebrations. You’ll even find an eco-friendly shoe category with footwear made from renewable resources like hemp. The site guarantees its prices are the lowest & promises 110% of your money back if you find the same shoe for less within 10 days of purchase.
Shipping fee: none
Return Policy: 90 days. You must pay to ship returned shoes back. But if you want to do a simple exchange, you can call customer service & you won’t have to pay any shipping fees.
Website: piperlime.com – two shoes & baggage
This site has a good selection of over 100 of the most fashionable shoe brands, including JLo, Hype, Kenneth Cole, BCBG & Tracy Reese. The price range is VERY weide & in a few specific shoes Piperlime came out on top. Another bonus – the selection is nicely edited to just the styles most relevant now, such as skimmers, peep-toes & wedges. Smart search options save you time. For example, you can search by ‘fantastic finds under $100’, ‘at the office’, ‘hot trends’, ‘designer favorites’, and ‘what shoe to wear with dresses’.
Shipping fee: none
Return Policy: 60 days. Free shipping of returns.
Website: Smartbargains.com – one shoe
Plenty of sites sell ‘designer’ shoes at discount prices, but this one is a standout because it carries the brands you’d actually want to buy, like Kate Spade & Michael Kors. The stock may not include all of the absolutely latest styles, but unless you’re really into fashion, you probably won’t notice because everything looks current. On a recent visit, we found a pair of Kors Michael Kors sandals for $59.99 that our reporter purchased last year at a boutique for about $135! The site didn’t have the same color & sizes were limited, but the 50% savings made up for the slim pickings. Just be warned, shipping isn’t cheap.
Shipping fee: Standard shipping is $9.95.
Return Policy: 30 days. And don’t be tricked into thinking that the prepaid return label means returns are free; a discounted shipping rate of $8.95 will be deducted from your credit.
Website: Solestruck.com – two shoes & baggage
Whether you need fancy shoes for a wedding, there is even a good selection of dyeable shoes, or pumps for your new suit, this is the place to go. There’s a wide ranges of sizes from 5-12. And if your size isn’t available, you can enter your email address & the site will notify you when it’s in stock. The selection is well edited, so you won’t have to spend a lot of time searching for the good stuff.
Shipping fee: none
Return Policy: one year. Free shipping of returns.
Website: Zappos.com – three shoes & baggage
A recent search in size 7 turned up almost 5,000 pairs of shoes at this well stocked site. In addition to the hundreds of brands, like Nine West, that it offers, Zappos has a separate Couture collection with designer labels like Marc by Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade. The free-shipping offer includes overnight delivery of most styles. The site allows you to search by brand, size, style or sales. There’s also a cool feature that shows the shoe from every angle. The one downside; it can be overwhelming. There’s really no editing done for you, so you can spend a lot of time rummaging through styles and brands you don’t like to find the right shoes.
Shipping fee: none
Return Policy: one year – free shipping of returns.
SAD SITE: Shoemall.com
By the name – you’d think that you’ll find all the same shoes for the whole family, as you would at the local mall. But brand selection was limited and the shoes seemed out of date. When we visited, there were no kids’ shoes and most of the women’s shoes were casual. Shipping is free for purchases, but costs $6.95 for returns.
SAVE: We shopped for the same style of shoe from four brands – BCBG, Bronx, Kenneth Cole and Steve Madden at four sites, Onlineshoes, Piperlime, Solestruck & Zappos to see which had the lowest prices. In 3 out of the 4 searches, Piperlime beat out the rest. In the other case, Solestruck came out on top. The lesson: shop around for the best bargains. No single site always has the best price!
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