As everyone knows, shoes have become a fashion trend. Many people love buying expensive and diverse styles to match their outfits. While this is one factor in purchasing shoes, we should pay more attention to the shoes' primary function: providing comfort for our feet.
With the rise of cross-border online shopping, many of us enjoy buying our favorite shoes online. However, the multitude of brands and stores can be overwhelming. Xiao O believes that the best shoe brand or shoe website should be one that helps your feet comfortably integrate into your lifestyle. When we say "best," we mean not only a wide selection of shoe types but also offering some of the lowest prices. Today, we'll share several top cross-border shopping destinations for buying shoes in 2023. From boots and heels to sneakers and casual shoes, everything can be found at these online shoe stores.
Many websites also offer VIP program rewards that can help you save money, and even get shoes and other deals tailored specifically for you.
1. Zappos.com - Best Overall Cross-Border Shoe Store
Official Website: https://www.zappos.com
Visit Zappos.com, and you'll discover the best online shopping experience. This means you can expect a huge variety of shoes, competitive prices, and excellent service.
From great photography to useful, detailed descriptions, the site offers an informative way to buy shoes. It's a very intuitive approach, providing a dropdown menu for each shoe with details on size, color options, other styles, and more. You can also see the shoes from almost every angle, just like observing them in person.
Customer feedback also includes "True Fit" and "True Width" options, letting you judge how the shoe should fit your foot.
One of the friendliest features is free returns. This means you can order and try on shoes before deciding if they're right for you, and easily send them back if they're not ideal. If you encounter any issues, there's also a "Customer Service" tab on the site, where you can contact them via live chat, phone, email, etc. All of this is backed by friendly and helpful support.
Knowing you have access to excellent customer service support is a benefit. Even if things don't go as hoped, you'll get help to get what you need. The site offers a year-round refund policy. Although refunds might take slightly longer than some sites, you will receive a refund or replacement shoes.
A wide variety of shoes can be found through the easy-to-use website, which provides easy access to the aforementioned 24/7 customer service. It also offers VIP services. If you want benefits like free expedited shipping, free pickup, and earning points on purchases, you can enjoy higher point earnings if you are an Amazon Prime member.
You can also enjoy numerous promotional selections on Zappos, meaning you can buy various types of shoes, including men's, women's, and children's shoes. The site also has a clothing section, allowing you to make your points go further and buy all your apparel in one place with a single delivery order.
2. DSW.COM - Best Professional Online Shoe Store
Official Website: https://www.dsw.com
DSW is an excellent cross-border shoe shopping website, also known as Designer Shoe Warehouse. It primarily offers a wide selection of shoes for men, women, and children. It also stocks various sizes of boots and sneakers, including extended sizes. But what this high-end site excels at most is promotions.
The clearance section of DSW Deals is outstanding. As its name suggests, it's well-organized, allowing you to search by price – for example, "Under $40" in the women's section. There are also categories like "Men's Clearance," "Kids Under $50," etc.
The site also has a rewards section where you earn points for every dollar spent. These points can then be redeemed for gift cards, making it a nice way to spend, or you can use them as gifts. There's also a VIP zone that grants you free shipping. The downside is the free returns section; you need to pay for return shipping, and returns must be made within 60 days.
Focusing on promotions doesn't mean missing out on the higher-end market, as DSW's selection is broad and upscale. This means you can find well-known brands like Nike, Steve Madden, and UGG, but at prices lower than many competitors.
The website layout is excellent, with large, clear images that let you see many angles immediately. There's also plenty of information displayed side-by-side, so you can get most of the shoe details you need instantly without further navigation.
3. 6pm.com - Best Discount Shoe Store
Official Website: https://www.6pm.com
6pm is an online shoe store specializing in deep discounts. This means you can get discounted shoes without actually leaving home or searching through endless aisles. It's part of Zappos, offering its outlet selection, meaning you can find many of the same brands. This also means you'll have a wide variety of choices, often at lower prices than Zappos.
Discounts, daily deals, and coupons can help you save even more. All of these are available once you find the shoes you want by browsing the site, which offers great images and a self-explanatory way to explore options. Flip through images, try different colors, and check multiple angles from the shoe's landing page.
Buying two or more pairs of shoes – priced at $50 or more – as part of a deal also gets you free shipping. The downside is that you cannot exchange shoes, and returns incur additional fees. So, while the options and prices on this site are great, it's important to know you're choosing the right size and the perfect shoe for you before making a purchase decision.
4. Overstock.com - Best Discount Shoe Retail Website
Official Website: https://www.overstock.com
Overstock.com is a large-scale discount retailer whose product range covers home goods, appliances, etc., but also includes shoes. The scale of the business means you can find some very well-known brands at reasonable prices, such as Nike, Adidas, and Birkenstock, as well as high-end brands like Jimmy Choo.
The site also offers a wide variety of styles, including sneakers, heels, boots, clogs, etc., at affordable prices. Shipping is also free. While the 30-day return policy is free, you must pay part of the return shipping – even if it's just for a size exchange.
The website is minimalist and therefore easy to use. However, this can also be interpreted as a downside, as product information is kept to a minimum, which might not be enough for some shoppers. There is still plenty of product information and images available, just not many customer reviews – though the Q&A section might also be helpful.
5. Shoes.com - Best Specialty Shoe Shopping Store
Official Website: https://www.shoes.com
If you're in the market for a specific pair of shoes that you might not find on other websites, visit Shoes.com. Not only is it likely to have what you want, but thanks to some ongoing big discounts, you should also be able to get it at a great price.
While the site offers a curated selection of unisex shoes, it also caters to those who need rarer options like narrow or wide shoes. But it also covers shoes for specific tasks, such as children's dance shoes.
All these shoes can be found under filtered search settings, so you can narrow down your search. Maybe you want to search by category, narrowing it down to loafers or boots. There are even filters for vegan shoes, moisture-wicking shoes, insulated shoes, etc. Or, if you just want to enter a specific search term, the search bar can precisely help you find the right shoes.
All shoes come with bright, clear photos available in multiple angles and colors, so you can assess if they are right for you. There's also plenty of information on the page along with embedded customer reviews.
Free shipping + no minimum purchase requirement. If you think they aren't right for you, you can get free returns and a full refund within 60 days. However, you must pay a $6.95 "restocking fee."
6. Amazon - Store Where You Can Try Before You Buy
Official Website: https://www.amazon.com
If you want to order several pairs of shoes to try on before deciding, the all-encompassing Amazon.com is an option. This is mainly because, if you're a Prime member, you get free shipping (often next day) and can also send shoes back for free with no charges.
Amazon not only has new shoes but also offers used shoe options through third-party sellers, giving you a wide range of pricing choices. As you might imagine, this site is enormous, offering all options, which can make navigation more difficult compared to specialized footwear sales sites.
If you are a Prime member, Prime Wardrobe is a helpful feature included here. You can select up to 8 items of clothing for delivery, with a minimum of 3 items and a maximum value of $1000. You have 7 days after they arrive to try them on and mark the items you don't want for return. So, you only pay for what you keep and return the rest using the prepaid packaging. Enjoy all the benefits of store shopping, but from the comfort of your home.
Not everything on the site is part of Prime Wardrobe, and you need to have a Prime membership to be eligible.
7. Foot Locker - Best Sneaker Store
Official Website: https://www.footlocker.com/
Foot Locker specializes in sneakers and other sports-specific footwear, making it a great choice if that's exactly what you need. The product range also focuses on outdoor footwear, which could be a good option for someone looking to buy new hiking boots, for example.
The site covers everything from track and field to general exercise. This site is very specific; you can search by categories like cheerleading or tennis for women's shoes as needed. There is also a section dedicated to children's shoes, going down to baby and toddler options.
The site has a discount area that allows you to shop using filters that help set limits on the maximum price you're willing to pay. Sign up for the newsletter, and you'll also receive discount information from time to time, which you can use when shopping on the site.
Free shipping has a minimum purchase amount requirement. If you're in a hurry and don't mind paying more, you can opt for expedited shipping. However, if it doesn't arrive on time, you can get your money back from the site.
If you need to return an item, there is a 30-day full refund option, which applies to returns to a store, or through a $6.99 return program (including postage for exchanges).
8. Famous Footwear - Best Shoe Store for Promotions
Official Website: https://www.famousfootwear.com/
If you want to save big after major events, Famous Footwear is your best bet. There is a specific sales tab on the site that lets you search for the various deals available at the time. There is always some kind of promotion that allows you to save money.
End-of-season sales are among the best promotions, where you can save up to 50% on items like shoes, sandals, and boots. You can also use the rewards program to save again when you spend, earning one point for every dollar spent. While these points can be used later, as part of the sign-up deal, you also get exclusive offers and free shipping. If you don't want to sign up for free reward points, you'll have to pay standard shipping, but it's still a good option compared to others.
For exchanges, there is a 60-day return policy. You won't be charged any fee – the rate charged will depend on the shipping company you choose.
9. Shoe Carnival - Best Website for Cross-Border Children's Shoes
Official Website: https://www.shoecarnival.com/
Shoe Carnival has this fun name for a reason: it's tailored for kids, offering shoes and costume clothing. This means it's a great place to buy outfits for specific events. Need something for Halloween or looking for a Marvel cosplay character? The site provides categories, search options, and a wide range of results to choose from.
While there are many fun shoe choices for kids, the site also offers a variety of functional shoes your child might actually need. Before you get the shoes, you'll see a series of photos with plenty of angles and color options, along with lots of information. You'll have a wide selection of shoe sizes available, but be prepared for upselling when you visit.
Shipping is free if you spend over $75, but since you're buying children's shoes, you might not reach that threshold unless buying for several kids, so you'll likely pay a $6.95 shipping fee. There is a 60-day return policy, meaning you can try to return items if needed, but it costs a