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The Pros And Cons Of Shopping For Shoes Online

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I Like ShoesThe web has made it easier than ever to shop for whatever you want from wherever you want, whenever you want to buy it. Of course, this does have its advantages, but it also has its downfalls, especially depending on what you’re shopping for.

Shoe shopping can be an area that’s a bit tricky to navigate when it comes to online shopping. So before you jump on your favorite online shoe retailer, take a minute to read these pros and cons of purchasing your new kicks from the web.

Pro: Convenient

Obviously, the biggest benefit to shopping online is that it’s convenient! You can literally shop in your pajamas just by jumping onto your computer. Browse through hundreds of stores if you’d like all within just a few short minutes to find exactly what you’re looking for in your next pair of perfect shoes.

Con: Sizing

The only problem with browsing through thousands of pairs of shoes online and purchasing with a click of a button is that you don’t have a chance to try them on before you buy them. Unless you’re particularly familiar with a given brand, it can be difficult to pinpoint an exact size that will fit your foot. Widths, lengths and even heights can vary from what the online description says, and you never know which shoes will end up killing your feet and which will be really comfortable.

Make sure that if you buy shoes online, the site offers a return policy. You should at least be able to exchange a product that you find is not in the right size or isn’t quite the style you were looking for.

Pro: Price Comparison

With the Internet, it’s simple to compare prices on any given product. Say you find a pair of shoes that you love – all you have to do is perform a Google search on the brand name and the particular shoe you’re looking for, and hundreds of results will come up for stores that all sell the same product at different prices.

You can click around until you find a price that’s low enough for you, then order from that site.

Con: Hard to Find Reputable Sites

The issue with price comparison when shopping online is that you might find what you think is a brand-name product at an incredibly low price, but if it’s not on a reputable site, you may order the product, send your money and never receive your shipment. This happens far too often in online retail.

Many not-so-reputable websites can be spotted in a single glance – make sure the English and grammar are correct and check for any sort of secure payment logo (like PayPal) that verifies your payment is secure. In general, be on the lookout – if a price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

And be wary when sending online payments in general – it’s better to use a credit card than a debit card, make sure you’re saving receipts and never, ever hand out your bank account information on the web.

Pro: More Options

If you go online shopping for one shoe in particular, it’s very likely that you’ll end up finding about 10 alternate choices that could end up being better for you in the long run. Did you log on to search for a particular brand of running shoes, only to find a better one? It happens more than we know.

The truth is, the web opens up so many more options than shopping in a store. Chances are, you’re also more likely to find items that aren’t in stock in storefronts ready to ship from web retailers. It’s just how online shopping seems to work.

Con: Easy to Overspend

With more options available comes more temptation to buy, of course! With the slew of choices you have in shoes online, you may go into your online shopping experience with the intent of buying one, and only one, pair, and end up with 10 that you don’t actually need.

Shop online with a purpose, have a general idea of what you’re looking for and promise to limit yourself to buying just one or two pairs and you’ll be golden.

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Ashley Dean is a freelance writer who frequently shops for online footwear in her spare time. She’s experienced every pitfall and every piece of excitement associated with shoe shopping online and just wanted to share her knowledge and experiences!





10 Fun (and Cheap) Gifts For Your Boss

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Default iPhone charger vs. humongous brazilian chargerIs there a special occasion coming up and you need to give your boss a gift? Before you go crazy or spend a lot of money, consider buying your boss something a little more thoughtful. Something that is meaningful, but doesn’t come off as a bribe. Here are ten fun and rather inexpensive gifts for the head of your office:

Personalized Flask

While the thought of drinking at the office is rather unacceptable, your boss is human too! And on the weekends, I’m sure he or she likes to let loose. Therefore, you can’t go wrong with a personalized flask.

Stress Ball

Being in charge comes with a certain level of added pressure. And no one enjoys being stressed out. Keep your boss calm by giving him or her a stress ball. Attach a crafty “woosah” note for an additional laugh!

Mini Speakers

Music soothes the soul, right? Well, a little speaker set will allow your boss to enjoy his or her favorite tunes all day long. Throw in an iTunes gift card and you’re sure to get two thumbs up from your supervisor.

Chocolate

Nothing brightens a day (or mood) like chocolate. Mix and match milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate for the perfect pick-me-up. Packed with plenty of antioxidants, this sweet surprise is sure to put a smile on your boss’s face!

Portable iPhone Charger

For the boss who’s always on the go, this nifty little gadget will be a real lifesaver! A portable iPhone charger can hold him or her over until they can reach a real outlet (up to three hours to be exact!). Talk about a real power trip.

DIY Gift Basket

Nothing says appreciation like a gift basket! With one white and one red wine, your boss will be well on his or her way to a great evening. Include some maple or hickory smoked cheese, crackers or dessert cookies for a delicious snack.

Home Baked Goods

Another way to say ‘thank you’ without going over-the-top is to bake your boss’s favorite home goods. Gourmet chocolate chip cookies or double fudge brownies are definitely the way to go. Attach a thank you note for a special touch.

Beverage Warmer

Is your boss a caffeine junkie? A beverage warmer is the perfect gift for those who rarely have an opportunity to finish their afternoon cup of Joe. Now, your boss can have a warm beverage any time of the day.

Luggage Tags

For the boss that is constantly on the road, luggage tags are a thoughtful gift. Engrave their initials for a more personal touch. This way his or her luggage will always be identifiable, saving both time and money.

Business Card Holder

A business card holder is a fantastic thing to have. You can customize it with a monogram or your boss’s initials. This gift will make a professional statement for both you and your boss.

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Amy Richards is a freelance writer and gift giver extraordinaire. As the managing director of her department, her most recent gift giving experience was corporate gift baskets for all of her subordinates. She loves seeing the smiles on their faces.

Last Christmas You Gave Me Your Heart…This Year I Want Gadgets!

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Christmas time is rapidly approaching, and that means more than just mistletoe and wine. It means gadgets. Because Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without at least one new hi-tech toy, right? So, if you’re looking for present ideas, or just to reward yourself for getting through another year, then hopefully this list will provide some inspiration.

Nintendo Wii U – The successor to the game-changing Nintendo Wii, the Wii U will bring HD visuals, DS-inspired dual-screen gaming and touchscreen controls to the table. With two options, the 8GB Basic pack and 32GB Premium pack (£250 and £300 respectively) the Wii U isn’t the cheapest of gifts, but given Nintendo’s track-record for enthralling family entertainment a Wii U could make the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas holiday.

Polaroid Z2300 – Think instant cameras are a thing of the past? Polaroid beg to differ. This 10-megapixel camera may cost £150 but let’s you print out the image you just snapped in under a minute, while also saving it directly to the camera or an SD card. Perfect for capturing all the fun of the festive season and sharing with family members of all generations.

Kindle Paperwhite – Want to escape the Christmas chaos by diving into a good book? Do it in style with the new Kindle Paperwhite. With 62% more pixels and 25% better contrast the new Kindle has crisper text than ever before. It also comes with built-in lighting so you can read it in the dark without disturbing anyone.

Sennheiser IE80 Ear Canal Phones – £212 might seem like an insane amount to spend on headphones, but when the traditional Christmas family argument gets going, you might be glad you splashed out. Offering outstanding sound-quality, these rugged yet stylish Sennheisers come with a variety of interchangeable ear buds to give you the perfect fit. Vital for drowning out unwanted background noise.

Nike+ FuelBand – This is one for when the festive season is over and you realise how many inches all that turkey and stuffing has added to your waistline. The FuelBand uses a 3-axis accelerometer to judge how active you are, instantly calculating your activity level in ‘NikeFuel’. You set yourself daily NikeFuel targets, then the FuelBand keeps you constantly updated with how you’re doing. At £120 it’s not the cheapest fitness gadget, but for simple, ever-present motivation boosters the FuelBand is hard to beat.

2012 has been a bumper year for new technology, so here’s hoping you get at least one exciting new bit of kit in your stocking this December 25th. Even if it is from yourself.

Ed Prior is a third year student, writer, very amateur Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner , gamer and part-time vegetarian. He is here writing for Synergy ICT, retailers of business focused software.

5 Gifts that Inspire the Hard-to-Shop-For

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The delightful tear of wrapping paper, the high-pitched giggles that ensue, the never-ending sound of laughter and fun with a brand new toy – ahh, holiday shopping for kids is so easy to do and even easier to enjoy after the gift has been given. But not everyone on your holiday shopping list is going to be this easy to shop for, and in fact, you might need a little inspiration to get you going on the shopping train.

It might not even be inspiration that you need to possess – it might actually be inspiration that you need to give. It could be inspiration to work harder at a job or keep striving to reach that dream. Whatever it is that may end up being the perfect gift for those on your list that are hard to shop for, everyone needs a little inspiration, and here are just 6 ideas for those tough-to-buy-for folks that need it most.

The Grumpy Coworker


The grumpy coworker is the one who just can’t seem to get into the holiday spirit. Instead of bouncing around the office in holiday cheer like so many other folks around this time of year, this person will sit quietly at their desk with headphones on (NOT playing Christmas music), not participate in company holiday parties and completely tune out the joy of the season.

So what do you buy for this friend and coworker of yours that just doesn’t seem to like the holidays? You’re best off going with something simple for this person, like a plain ceramic mug that they can use to sip on coffee, or better yet, hot chocolate, if you wish to instill some holiday cheer in them. Find a mug that has a great quote on it, something either encouraging or funny, and stuff it with some hot cocoa mix, a candy cane and a peppermint spoon all tied up in red and green ribbons.

It’s a simple way to say “Happy Holidays” without being over-the-top for someone that you rarely see outside of work and who doesn’t particularly enjoy the holidays, anyway.

The Awesome Boss

Sticking to the office gifts for now, what do you get for the boss who you just love to come in and see every day (hopefully, we’re all so lucky!)? You want something that isn’t too personal, but is still thoughtful enough to say that you enjoy working for them and you’re thankful for your position in their company.

Here’s just one idea: take your company’s logo, or a photo of the whole team out at a company outing, and have it made into a holiday ornament. An ornament is thoughtful and will be put out year after year in your boss’ home, and nothing is more inspiring to a boss than knowing that their employees think this highly of them to give such a wonderful gift. It’s simple, it’s affordable and it’s definitely memorable.

The Mother-in-Law

Your in-laws can be some of the hardest people to shop for during the holidays, most specifically your mother-in-law, mainly because no matter how long you’ve known them, chances are you’ll still never know them like you know your own parents. Choosing a gift for them, then, can prove to be a major challenge.

For your mother-in-law this year, why not purchase some inspirational jewelry, like a necklace or a pair of earrings, that have a positive, uplifting, loving quote inscribed on the jewelry itself? Often times you can find these items at a relatively low cost (usually online), and it’ll be a simple, constant reminder to your MIL that you love her and you want her to be happy and stay positive always.

The Brother

Men are tough to find gifts for as it is, and your brother makes it even tougher sometimes because, well, he’s your brother, and that’s his goal in life – to make your life more difficult.

If he is of age, consider purchasing a Beer of the Month Club membership on his behalf. These things are everywhere, so it’s not like they’re hard to find, and they really are a gift that keeps on giving. He’ll receive a certain number of craft beers from across the world every single month for as long as you choose to purchase his membership for (careful – the longer you’re a member, the more money you pay – if you have to stay on a budget, choose a short membership, like 3 or 4 months). Plus, they send along info about where the beer was brewed and the history and stories behind each brewery.

It’s a perfect way to say “I love you” and “I’m thinking about you all year long, not just during the holidays” and even “I care about your interests, too.” The next logical step is an across-the-country beer tour with your big or little bro, but save that for a time when you have a ton of vacation days left and nothing better to do, of course!

The Spouse

Ahh, the spouse. The one person on your list that is either the absolute easiest person for you to shop for, or possibly the complete most difficult one. If you’ve been together for many, many years, you might even be running out of ideas, but you know that you have to get something extra special for the one you love during the holidays.

Depending on the kind of person that your spouse is, a different gift might inspire him or her to do one thing or another versus someone else who is entirely different. That said, one great gift that will convey love and thoughtfulness perfectly is a custom homemade blanket with a hand embroidered love quote in one corner. It sounds harder than it is.

All you really have to do is hit the fabric store, choose 2 prints of fleece that your spouse may like, cut strips all the way around both pieces and tie the strips to each other to make a double-sided blanket with little fringe knots on the edges. The embroidery is easy, too – just pick a color of thread that goes with the blanket and is visible, draw your quote out on the fabric first, then stitch over it. You can remove the marker outline with a simple fabric cleaner.

Everyone loves to be all warm and cozy in the wintertime, and who knows, this custom, loving blanket may even inspire your spouse to snuggle up with you more than ever!

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Maya Richards is a freelance writer who loves the holiday season. She volunteers in a small shop in her hometown every year that mainly sells holiday employee gifts, so she gets tons of great ideas for everyone in her life from the shop!

Shopping Therapy at Your Fingertips: The Future of Online Sales

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According to a recent study conducted by Forrester Research Inc., 192 million consumers in the U.S. alone will shop online in 2016 – a number that’s up a whopping 15 percent from 167 million in 2012. However, an even more interesting statistic shows each of those shoppers will spend more on average, adding up to $1,738 online, a rise of 44 percent from $1,207 in 2012. This article explores why this is happening and what’s in store for future online shoppers. We’ll also talk about what the brick and mortar retailers plan to do in the face of this Internet spending spree.

The rise of online shopping

A decade ago, you online shoppers could be characterized somewhat narrowly – young, well-educated, tech-savvy, and with relatively high incomes. Now, a wide range of consumers shop online. One reason is that people are becoming more tech-savvy – the Internet is a part of their everyday lives, so making purchases online isn’t daunting. Not only that, but it has plenty of perks: inexpensive prices and easy price comparison, broad selection, convenience, and product reviews on demand to ensure you get a quality product.

What’s the future of online shopping?

With more customers using smartphones and tablets, the future of shopping is likely to be mobile, too. 2012 has been a hot year for the tablet, even during a slow economy, with the technology research firm Gartner predicting that nearly 120 million of these devices will be sold globally by the year’s end, almost double the number sold in 2011. By 2014, some estimate a full 40% of Americans will use a tablet.

Companies will have to respond to this trend, ensuring customers have positive mobile shopping experiences. These figures also mean shopping will likely become even more flexible – rather than being restricted to a brick and mortar store or a computer, consumers will be able to shop from virtually anywhere through highly-portable technology.

How are brick and mortar retailers responding to the ecommerce trend?

Those at the helm of major retailers realize that online shopping is a trend that won’t go away. One option is to fight it, an approach that most executives consider futile. Instead, many are embracing the reality of online shopping and changing business practices to reflect consumer demand.

For example, many major retailers now offer quick and easy in-store web pick-up and return, giving customers the opportunity to buy online for cheap, but still get their product in the same day. Some even give customers the option to pay for items selected online in cash at the store, a perk that online-only companies don’t offer.

But brick and mortar stores need to be more than convenient to compete with online shopping websites; they need to be inexpensive, too. After all, cost-effectiveness is one of the main reasons customers buy online. In response, many stores with an offline and online presence offer their online shoppers free shipping. They’re also starting to slash in-store prices; in late 2012, one major retail store specializing in technology plans to reduce prices in-store to match internet rates.

While the details of online shopping’s development remains to be seen, the fact remains: it’s here to stay. Those on the digital side will have to adapt for changing technologies, especially mobile and tablet devices, and brick and mortar stores will have to continue changing how they run to meet customers’ Internet-shaped expectations.

Kelly Rustin contributed this guest post for CheapSally.com. Kelly considers herself a shopping extraordinaire as she loves hunting down the best deals. She is also a freelance writer. Find out more about ZooStores.com deals.

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