It seems Styling You readers love online shopping or – at the very least – browsing. And having grown up in a country town without easy access to a diverse range of stores, I certainly get why. I love that it doesn’t matter where you live, if you want to develop your style or find a piece that’s not the every day, then you’ll find it online. This is another in a regular Styling You series that profiles some of the incredible independent online stores that are just a click away.
Store
Who
Sarah Figgins
What do you sell in your store?
ShoeSales.com.au is the true shoe addict’s ultimate shopping destination. We are a contemporary fashion house presenting a new platform of shopping in a new digital era. We offer women the latest designer trends and celebrity styles straight from the catwalk to her feet. ShoeSales.com.au delivers an exclusive online collection of designer footwear, with a promise of superior quality at unbeatable prices, in line with the northern hemisphere seasons.
How did the idea for your store come about?
We identified a gap in the online market for a fashion footwear retailer. A need for unique, exclusive product for the savvy fashionista who wanted something different. We found that many websites were all housing the same local brands, styling or were purely pitching discounted brands. A boutique online retailer showcasing something different was difficult to find.
What is your career background?
I bring three generations, over 80 years of footwear experience to the floor – best known for ShooBiz, Scooter, Mollini, Midas and Evelyn Miles boutiques. Working with the same group of accomplished artisans for 20 years, I draw every sketch, selecs every fabric and finalise each construction detail that produces all ShoeSales.com.au shoes, appealing to conservative, eclectic and adventurous personalities and tastes. I entered a partnership with IT executive Steve Zed, with an extensive portfolio of fashion website master-minding – and together we created the online destination.
Who is your key customer?
Initially our key client was the fashion forward girl, who was internet savvy and looking for an exclusive, affordable shoe. However, internet trends have altered this initial dynamic. Whether it is a shopper looking to replace a shoe, or a special shoe for an occasion, an affordable shoe that meets a budget or whether someone just wants new shoes – shopping for shoes online offers many advantages. Due to space limitations, traditional retail stores cannot offer the wider selection of styles and colours that online stores can. This can also be applied to sizing, whereby online shoe stores often offer a deeper and wider size range. Searching for that elusive shoe is also made easier with online criteria and search engines, built within sites, making that ivory satin peep toe heel – easier to find. Looking for a women’s shoe, a men’s shoe, a dress shoe, work shoe, casual shoe, boot, fashion shoe, heeled shoe – the related category makes the shopper’s life easier, when buying shoes online. Our site has enabled an effortless approach and opened such a greater selection and variety of shoes to the shopper. You can shop for shoes anytime from the comfort of your home. Shopping shoes online takes the hassle right out of shoe shopping.
How do you make it easy for your online customers to buy from you?
Professional photography of product, showcasing all angles of product.
Extensive product information on all individual products.
How to wear information is provided on all styles.
Product is grouped in a manner that helps the customer to easily identify alternative styles.
Free delivery anywhere in Australia and NZ within two-5 working days.
Free returns policy, whereby we encourage clients to buy more and return any dislikes effortlessly. This enables us to overcome the usual hurdle with
online shopping and the inability for customers to touch and feel our products.
Extended SSL Certificate and Paypal Verification ensures customers enjoy peace of mind that their transaction will be safe and secure.
Do you sell in person or in a physical store as well?
No, we do not offer and physical bricks & mortar experience. However, we do sell from our warehouse in Melbourne, as word of mouth travels.
List your current most popular products?
The Boop platform heel; Jane, a navy platform; Sienna, a colourful platform sandal; Shimmer, a blinged flat; and Lili, an elegant Mary-Jane style, two-toned platform shoe.
What’s next for your online store?
Our strategic vision is to be Australia’s foremost, fashion-forward, footwear retailer. Presenting a cool, chic shopping environment, whilst offering exclusive labels and styling. Providing a user friendly site, armed with extensive product knowledge and a strong commitment to customer service.
Styling You’s Top 3 picks:
1. Miley platforms $89.95 | 2. Broome blinged flats $198 | 3. Bloom ballet flats $79.95
Have you found a great online store recently? Did it offer great products or service. Leave a comment below and let us all know about it.
*I was gifted a pair of shoes from shoesales.com.au in accordance with my Disclosure Policy.
Comments 5
These posts together with The Model & Me posts are seriously hurting my budget!
Author
Sorry, Jacki. You could just “browse” 😉
Funny you should say that, my latest blog post is on just that topic. And I’m featuring two finds that I’ve discovered from reading your blog 🙂
Love it! Love it! Love it!
Thanks Nikki 🙂
Author
Love that I’ve found a fellow shoe *admirer* !