Where to buy shoes?

My older brother swears by Zappos. Allegedly they make it quite easy to return shoes if they don’t fit.

Also, I suspect REI will work well for that, assuming you can find what you’re looking for.

Do you have a good running store near you?   They are usually quite good at fitting shoes.

I’ve had good luck with Zappos.  I need size 15 and have had to return poorly fitting ones a time or two–was always easy/uneventful.

Not sure if you are looking for boots or trailrunners, but Zappos and Running Warehouse both make it easy to try on shoes. Free shipping, and free return shipping. You can usually find a coupon code for Running Warehouse as well.

I’ve used Zappos quite a bit in the past.  As I’ve become more comfortable in being able to pick out a shoe that will fit me, I’ve ordered from discount places like Joe’s New Balance Outlet and Sierra Trading Post.  It might cost a bit more if they don’t work out well for you but my failure rate is low enough that I save money if I don’t pay extra for a top of the line return policy.

The steps after this one:

Typically, if one manufacturer’s shoe fits you well, their other models will, too (Merrell in Size 11.5 for me).

If you find a shoe that works for you, stock up.  And if you’re trying to save money, look at MassDrop, SteepAndCheap and Sierra Trading Post for closeouts (often with a limited size or color selection) when the manufacturer changes to a slightly different model.

I’ve found Amazon has the best/easiest return (like Zappos and Running Warehouse) but not the best selection of shoes. I’ve ordered three different sizes of mountaineering boots that I couldn’t find in stores nearby and kept the one that fit the best.

Of course REI has the best return policy – one year no questions asked but you have to pay return shipping. Many other shoe stores will also let you try on shoes on the trail.

Zappos and running Warehouse have free 2 day shipping, and free return shipping.

You will pay a price premium for those benefits.

You can usually find a 10% off coupon online for running Warehouse.

Running Warehouse also accepts used shoes back if you are unsatisfied. However if you abuse this they may decline this.  This benefit is built into the full retail purchase price you usually pay.

These places usually have full selection also unlike Discounters that only have a few sizes.

If you know what shoes you want , buy them from the cheapest place possible.

When trying new shoes, I may order 6  pairs at a time in different sizes, almost always do this through running Warehouse or Zappos.

I wear a 15. I would like to find shoes available for sale, period. Like I’m sure the OP has figured out that anything larger than a 13 is a totally different shopping experience. Much more akin to scavenging.

Zappos is great. Usually they ship overnight to you and the return process is very painless and free. I will also order shoes of Amazon if they have free returns. With Zappos I order a bunch of pairs of shoes at once and then return everything that doesn’t fit. I’m pretty sure they encourage you to do this. And sometimes I end up keeping multiple pairs of shoes even though I only meant to get one so it helps their profit too I imagine.