Tips for Buying Designer Shoes Online

Price. Like it or not, designer shoes are expensive. If a shoe that usually costs 400 dollars is being sold for 99 dollars, it is probably too good to be true. Lots of websites pass off counterfeit designer shoes at a discount of 30 to 70 percent off the price of authentic merchandise. A 70 percent off sale is also probably too good to be true. (Sorry to break your hearts, ladies!). That said, you can sometimes find relatively cheap second-hand designer shoes. But you should check second-hand designer shoes just as vigilantly as you would new shoes. Ask the vendor for the tags. If they don’t have the tags anymore, ask them to send the shoes in the original box. If the vendor no longer has the box or the tags, make sure the shoes have the correct designer label. The usual policy for second-hand designer labels on shoes is to draw a subtle black line through the label, but the label should still be there!

Feedback. Carefully examine a seller’s feedback. If there are accusations of fakes, stay away. It is not worth the risk. Be careful though! The best counterfeit sellers have excellent feedback because people are fooled even when they receive the fake shoes. Some counterfeit sellers also build up a positive feedback rating by selling a lot of little items before testing out the big scams. In conclusion: feedback is a good place to start, but it will not give you a definitive answer to whether or not you can trust the vendor.

Shipping Costs. A lot of counterfeit sellers come out of Asia where most of the world’s counterfeits are produced. Websites that sell merchandise coming from this part of the world may try to disguise this fact. (In general, you should be wary of designer shoes coming from Asian countries.) If a seller or website claims to be based in Europe or the US, but then wants to charge you 50 dollars for shipping, it may be a red flag that the shoe is actually coming from somewhere else.

Inconsistent Merchandise. Most websites or vendors that sell authentic designer shoes will focus on this niche market. It is a bad sign when you see a website offering shoes as well as perfume and kitchen appliances. Or if you see a seller whose merchandise ranges from $5.99 K-mart brand jellies to $500 Gucci pumps.

Labels. Designer shoes always have labels. Always. Do not be fooled by stories such as “this shoe came straight from the manufacturer” or “this is a sample shoe”. If there is not a label, do not buy it.

About the Author:
Jane Barron works for OddShoeFinder.com,a free online website that helps people find mismatched footwear.Get more information on club foot, club feet or corrective shoes.