Why shoes are harder to size online than clothing
A jumper that is slightly the wrong size is still wearable. A shoe that is even half a size out often is not, which makes footwear one of the categories where getting the size right before paying matters most, discount or no discount. A voucher code applied at checkout reduces the price, not the risk of a shoe that pinches after twenty minutes of walking, so it is worth spending a moment on sizing before spending a moment looking for a code.
A general size conversion
Shoe sizing follows three separate national number systems, and none converts to another with a single fixed formula, because heel-to-toe length is measured slightly differently between them. The table below gives a common, approximate equivalent for adult sizes.
Men's shoes, approximate equivalents:
- UK 7 corresponds to EU 41 and US 8
- UK 8 corresponds to EU 42 and US 9
- UK 9 corresponds to EU 43 and US 10
- UK 10 corresponds to EU 44 and US 11
- UK 11 corresponds to EU 46 and US 12
Women's shoes, approximate equivalents:
- UK 4 corresponds to EU 37 and US 6.5
- UK 5 corresponds to EU 38 and US 7.5
- UK 6 corresponds to EU 39 and US 8.5
- UK 7 corresponds to EU 40 and US 9.5
- UK 8 corresponds to EU 41 and US 10.5
Treat these as a starting point rather than a guarantee, since individual brands, and even individual shoe styles within the same brand, can run half a size or more away from this general scale. Where a retailer publishes its own size chart, usually with a foot length in centimetres next to each size, that chart is a better reference than any general conversion table, this one included.
Measuring foot length directly
The most reliable way to choose a size from an unfamiliar retailer is to measure the length of your foot in centimetres, standing rather than sitting, at the end of the day when feet tend to be at their largest, and compare that number against the shop's own chart rather than a converted size from a shoe you already own. This single step avoids most sizing mistakes with online footwear, because it sidesteps the inconsistency between brands entirely.
Width matters as much as length
Two shoes in the same labelled size can differ noticeably in width, and width is far less standardised between markets than length is. Some retailers offer a separate width fitting, often shown as a letter, narrow to wide, alongside the standard size; many do not offer this at all, and a shoe simply comes in one width per size. Where a width option exists, using it based on a previous well-fitting pair, rather than guessing, reduces the chance of a shoe that is the right length but pinches across the foot or feels loose from side to side.
Style changes the fit within one size label
A trainer, a dress shoe and a sandal in the same nominal size rarely fit identically, because the last, the internal shape a shoe is built around, differs by style even within one brand. Reading the product description for notes such as "runs small" or "true to size", where a retailer includes them, and checking recent buyer comments on fit specifically, adds useful information that a size chart alone does not capture.
Returns when a shoe does not fit
In the EU and the UK, distance selling rules generally give a right to return an online order within a set period without needing a reason, provided the shoes are unworn beyond trying them on indoors, similar to trying on in a shop, and kept in resellable condition. In the US, there is no general federal right of this kind for a correctly supplied item; whether a wrong-size shoe can be returned, and who pays for return shipping, depends entirely on the individual retailer's stated policy. Trying shoes on indoors, on carpet, rather than testing them outside, keeps a pair eligible for return everywhere returns are offered, since worn soles are the most common reason a return gets refused.
Exchanges versus refunds
Many footwear retailers offer a straight exchange for a different size at no extra shipping cost, separate from their standard refund policy, since it costs them less than processing a full refund and a fresh order. Checking whether an exchange option exists before choosing a refund can save time when the fit is wrong but the shoe itself is otherwise right.
Checking for a code once the size is settled
Footwear promotions change often, and a coupon code found after confirming the correct size, rather than before, avoids the temptation to size up or down just to use a code on an item that is not actually a good fit. We check codes across 527 shops in 22 countries several times a day, and current footwear and fashion listings can be browsed under Fashion & Shoes, or under the matching US category for a US-based retailer.
Frequently asked questions
Why do two brands using the same size number fit differently?
Each brand builds its shoes around its own last, the internal shape the shoe is constructed on, and sizing conventions are not enforced by a single global standard the way some other measurements are. This is why a shop's own size chart is more reliable than a converted number from a different brand.
Should I order two sizes and return the one that does not fit?
Some shoppers do this deliberately where free returns are available, but it depends on the retailer's return policy actually supporting it without cost, and it is worth checking that policy first rather than assuming every retailer covers return shipping for this kind of order.
Is EU sizing more precise than UK or US sizing?
EU sizing is based more directly on foot length in a standard unit, which makes it track slightly more consistently between brands, but it is still not identical across every EU retailer, so checking the specific shop's chart remains the safer step.
Does trying shoes on indoors affect my right to return them?
Generally no, in the EU and the UK, as long as the shoes are tried on the way you would in a shop, without wearing them outside or marking the soles. A shop can refuse a return if the shoes show clear signs of outdoor wear, since they are then no longer in resellable condition.
