I am sitting at my desk on this sunny fall day with a pair of warmly lined rain boots.  We are going for a test drive today and I think I’m in love with them.  When it comes to shoes, I’m easy.  I’ve been wearing shoes for quite a while now.  I know what I like. I know what fits, and most often I can figure out which shoes will be a problem when it comes to blisters or aches and pains.  My children on the other hand are tricky.  We are past the easy Stride Rite stage where we go in, get the foot measured and walk out with the right size shoe.

Now, when we go shoe shopping, more often than not I go online.  I know, I know, online for shoes?!  What about trying them on, getting fitted, and all that jazz?  That’s what I used to think to.  I still do take the kids to a few of our favorite spots for kids shoes (Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Michaelson’s, The Shoe Barn, and Marshall’s).  The problem is we get the “I need to leave the store with a pair.” syndrome which means the kids will often settle for a pair that don’t actually fit as well as they claim they do, or they don’t actually love as much as they feign they do.

I’ve found that online, I can order a couple of sizes, and the selection for styles and brands is so much larger than any one shoe store, so now even after trying to shop all around town we come home empty handed.  If you think you’re ready to shop  online for shoes, here are a few of my favorite places to shop online for shoes because of the free shipping and returns, the huge selection, and you can usually pick up some hats and gloves because you know last year’s pairs are somewhere in the long gone lost and found.

Zappos.com: You can become a VIP Zappos member for free overnight shipping.  We have used this for shoes in a pinch (yes sometimes you need shoes in a pinch – who knew?!)  They also have free shipping and returns and fabulous customer service.

6pm.com: I love the 6p.m. clearance section.  They always have a lot of choices not just shoes that are “out of season”.  They have a lot of great clothing too.  They do not have free shipping on returns, which is a slight drawback unless you know exactly what you are ordering.

Shoebuy.com : Free shipping and returns.  Shoebuy is  based here in Boston.  Shoebuy also carries some unique brands.