People love shoes and they're practical, hence they make great gifts. But buying shoes for others can be a bit tricky. Enter shoe gift cards and certificates: the easy way to give the gift of shoes.
Below are a few of my favorite online retailers that offer shoe gift cards and certificates. From athletic shoes to designer and discount footwear, there's a type of shoe gift card for everyone.
To avoid any unexpected problems or gift delays, remember to check with each site or store for their policies, and limitations, before purchasing. While I tried to provide as much information as possible, there could be details I missed, or policies that may have changed in the time since this article was last updated.
Gift Cards from Zappos.com
Zappos.com is a huge online shoe store that offers free shipping and free returns. With the largest selection on the web, just about anyone can find a pair of shoes they'll like here. In fact, let's put it this way: Zappos.com would be one of the first places I'd want a gift certificate from. Another bonus is that Zappos gift certificates can be delivered via email, so they're perfect for last minute shoppers.
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DSW - Designer Shoe Warehouse
Designer Shoe Warehouse offers online shopping, and also has more than 200 stores across the U.S. With loads of brand name shoes for women and men, either option usually provides a good shopping experience. Gift cards can be purchased at any DSW store, or at the Designer Shoe Warehouse web site -- and for an added personal touch, you can design your own card, using a custom message or image. DSW e-Gift cards are also available to be sent via email, but they can take as long as 48 hours to arrive, so you don't want to leave it until too late.
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Shoe Gift Cards from Famous Footwear
In addition to having great prices and frequent sales, Famous Footwear offers the recipient the choice of shopping online, or at one of its many locations. Gift cards can be purchased on their web site or at a store, and no matter where they are purchased, they can be used at any location, or at FamousFootwear.com.
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Finish Line Gift Cards
With brands like Nike, Jordan, Under Armour, and Asics, Finish Line is a fantastic shopping spot for fans of athletic shoes and sports apparel. They offer gift cards that can be purchased and used at FinishLine.com or in stores, and some of the cards are pretty cool on their own. For example, there are gift cards with images of Converse Chuck Taylors, Puma or Nike shoes -- there's even one with the Jordan logo.
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Bargain Shop with Gift Cards from Payless Shoe Source
As the reigning king of affordable footwear, Payless is a great shopping spot for the budget-conscious. Gift cards are available in a wide variety of designs and dollar amounts; can be purchased online or in person; and are shipped for free, but can only be sent to US addresses. These cards can be used for shopping online at Payless.com, or at any one of their 4500 U.S. locations.
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ShoeBuy.com Gift Cards
ShoeBuy.com is another fine online shoe store that has lots of great sales, and is particularly useful when shopping for comfort brands. Offering free shipping and return shipping, gift certificates are sold in amounts up to $500, and delivered via email.
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