Men’s vs Women’s Shoe Sizes: A Comprehensive Comparison

The Indian retail and wholesale industry is a large and growing market, with a significant shoe demand. The ever-evolving fashion trends keep the shoe industry growing. However, one critical challenge that most retailers and wholesalers face is the lack of understanding regarding the differences between male vs women’s shoe sizes. This lack of knowledge leads to lost sales and increased expenditure for business owners. Also, many even lack the knowledge that international shoe sizes and Indian shoe sizes are different. In India, shoe sizes are measured in centimetres, while in other countries, shoe sizes are measured in inches. This can lead to confusion when trying to convert between Indian and international shoe sizes when an international customer wants to buy from you.

 

Therefore ShopTribe being a leading shoe retailer, we have created a comprehensive guide for shoe retailers and suppliers to provide a detailed understanding and knowledge between men’s vs women’s shoe sizes to overcome challenges.

 

A] Understanding the Basics of Shoe Sizing

Did you know? India doesn’t have its own footwear sizing system. In earlier times, the britishers introduced the footwear sizes during independence which are still followed. The footwears are being manufactured according to English System Charts, mentioning the equivalent European and American Sizes. Because of this many Indian consumers are not finding an appropriate footwear since the foot anatomy, demography and other factors of India are different from other countries. Therefore, India is now in the process of creating its own mens vs womens shoe size chart and will soon join the size charts along with other selected nations.

 

Below we have compared mens and womens shoe sizes with the help of a chart:

Here are the Shoes Size Chart for Women:

 

Centimetres

Inches

UK/Indian Sizes

US Sizes

 

20.8	8.1875”	2	4
21.3	8.375”	2.5	4.5
21.6	8.5”	3	5
22.2	8.75”	3.5	5.5
22.5	8.875”	4	6
23	9.0625”	4.5	6.5
23.5	9.25”	5	7
23.8	9.375”	5.5	7.5
24.1	9.5”	6	8
24.6	9.6875”	6.5	8.5
25.1	9.875”	7	9
25.4	10”	7.5	9.5
25.9	10.1875”	8	10
26.2	10.3125”	8.5	10.5
26.7	10.5”	9	11
27.1	10.6875”	9.5	11.5
27.6	10.875”	10	12

 

Here are the Shoes Size Chart for Men:

 

Centimetres

Inches

UK/Indian Sizes

US Sizes

 

23.5	9.25”	5.5	6
24.1	9.5”	6	6.5
24.4	9.625”	6.5	7
24.8	9.75”	7	7.5
25.4	9.9375”	7.5	8
25.7	10.125”	8	8.5
26	10.25”	8.5	9
26.7	10.4375”	9	9.5
27	10.5625”	9.5	10
27.3	10.75”	10	10.5
27.9	10.9375”	10.5	11
28.3	11.125”	11	11.5
28.6	11.25”	11.5	12
29.4	11.5625”	12.5	13
30.2	11.875”	13.5	14
31	12.1785”	14.5	15
31.8	12.5”	15.5	16

 

B] Shoe Size Ranges (Length and Width)

When it comes to shoes, men’s shoe size compared to women’s is different. And the range can vary depending on the sizing system used, specific brand or manufacturer. Therefore it’s important to consider both length and width of footwear to ensure a proper fit.

 

1. Men’s Shoes:

Length: In India, men typically wear shoes ranging from 6(UK) to size 12(UK). However, sizes below 6 (UK) and above 12 (UK) may also be available, especially for specialty shoes or international brands.

Width: In the Indian mens shoe market, the standard width of shoes include regular or also known as medium width (D), whereas few brands also offer wide or extra wide (EE) shoe options.

At ShopTribe, we have become India’s leading Ganaador Men Shoes Manufacturer through our expertise in the art of shoemaking.

 

2. Women’s Shoes:

Length:Typically, women’s shoe sizes range from 4 (UK) to 9 (UK), or even higher. Just like men’s shoes, specific shoes sizes, type or brand may be available in below 4(UK) and 9 (UK).

Width: For women’s shoes, the regular or medium width (B) size is commonly preferred, but several brands also offer options for wider widths.

Whether you are looking for elegant heels or comfortable flats, ShopTribe is now a Vwalk Ladies Shoes Distributor in Mumbai having a vast selection to cater to your unique preferences.

 

C] Understanding Foot Shapes and Type

• Narrow Feet: Some individuals with narrow feet experience a slimmer width across both the ball of the foot and the heel, resulting in a more slender appearance. Therefore individuals with this foot shape require shoes with narrow width for a snug fit.

• Regular/Medium Width Feet: This footshape is most common amongst individuals. This foot shape size is characterised with an average or medium width, and many shoe sizes are designed to fit this footshape.

• Wide Feet: As compared, wide feet have a wider width than the average foot. Wide width shoes are designed to accommodate wider feet, and they are typically wider in the forefoot and have greater depth to provide ample room for the toes.

• High Arches: Individuals with high arches have an elevated middle part of the foot, which can lead to pain, corns, calluses, arch stiffness, and tight-calf muscles.Therefore, individuals with high arches requires shoes which provides support to all areas of arches with a good cushioning a good arch support  to provide proper stability and shock absorption.

• Flat Feet: Flat feets have no arches either on one foot or both the feets or arches that are very low, causing the entire feet to touch the ground. Individuals with flats can wear arch supports as these insoles can redistribute pressure in your feet. Shoes that provide low arch support with a cushioned insole are the best.

•  Different Toe Shapes: Just like foot width, the shape and length of toes can also vary among individuals especially between male vs female shoe size. Some individuals have longer toes, while others have shorter toes. Therefore, when you’re choosing the shoes, consider space in toe box space to ensure toes have adequate room.

D] Tips for Retailers and Wholesalers

If you are just starting out the shoe business, we have created a detailed guide on Best Shoes Brands for Indian Retail Shoppers to help you out.
 

• Invest in Accurate Foot Measurement Tools: Start investing in foot measurement tools to accurately measure the feet. This ensures that the shoes fit properly to customers, reducing returns and customer dissatisfaction.

• Train Staff on Proper Foot Measurement Techniques: Train your staff to use the foot measurement tools with proper techniques. Conduct workshops and training sessions, if possible give an hands-on-experience and cover basic foot anatomy and shapes session. Educate them about difference between mens shoes vs womens shoe sizes.

• Consider Regional and Cultural Variations: Adapt your inventory and sizing strategies as per the regional and cultural demands of your shop location. In certain locations of India, the foot’s length and width is large so keep inventory of shoes of that size.

• Provide Size Conversion Charts: Teach your employees about different men’s shoe size vs women’s shoe size and how to convert them from US, UK, EU to Indian shoe size. You can also print one conversion chart and stick to a location where a customer and even staff could easily see, this can help them to figure out the right size.

• Offer Fitting Assistance and Guidance: Provide knowledge and training to your staff about shoe fitting and identifying different foot types. This will allow them to offer personalised fitting guidance and differ your brand from others.

• Implement a Return and Exchange Policy: Develop a detailed return policy by mentioning terms and conditions such as returning within a reasonable timeframe, condition of product etc.

• Collaborate with Shoe Manufacturers and Distributors: Collaborate with potential shoe manufacturers and distributors by developing a relation and clear communication channels to gain updates on availability of shoes and share customer feedback.

ShopTribe, the leading shoe exporter in India, is now the ultimate destination of retailers and wholesalers looking for a reliable supplier.
 

F] Addressing Online Shopping Challenges

1. Lack of Physical Try-On:

One solution to overcome this challenge is by implementing virtual-try-on technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) or 3D modelling which allows customers to see and visualise how the shoes will look and fit on their feet.

2. Size Inconsistencies Across Brands:

By providing detailed size charts with specific shoe measurements of each size of the product will help customers to make informed decisions and reduce the return rates leading to cost saving. Retailers can also include the brand-specific information or review of customers mentioning the sizing and fit of the shoes to help customers make better decisions.

3. Limited Size Availability:

To overcome this, consider expanding your offerings by adding more sizes, colours, and designs of products to your inventory. Specifically, include options for smaller and larger sizes to cater to customers with specific sizing needs, who may have difficulty finding well-fitting products in physical stores. At ShopTribe India, we make sure to have all sizes of shoes available to cater our customer requirements.

4. Difficulty in Visualizing Fit:

Provide detailed information about the products in the description, such as narrow or wide fits (with measurements), information about arch support, and include customer reviews. This will help customers instantly resolve any queries or doubts they have in mind and enable them to make better-informed decisions about whether the shoe will fit them.

5. Uncertainty about Correct Sizing:

By providing detailed guidelines and instructions on how to measure feet, retailers can overcome the uncertainty of correct sizing and return products while enhancing customer experience. You can start implementing size recommendation tools or algorithms that analyse customer data, which includes previous purchases, returns, and feedback to suggest the most suitable shoe size.
 

Conclusion

The competition in the shoe retail and wholesale industry is increasing day by day. Therefore if you want to make your brand stand out from others you need to provide customers with a good shopping experience so that they stay loyal to you. This can be enabled by providing customers with a good shopping experience catering to their needs of design, colour, and especially the shoe size.

In addition to the size difference, there are also other factors that can affect shoe size, such as the width of the foot and the type of shoe. It is important for retailers and wholesalers to be aware of these factors so that they can accurately size their customers. By providing personalised tips and guidelines, you can make sure the customer doesn’t return the product and are satisfied with their purchase. Being the leading shoes manufacturer in India, at ShopTribe we always strive to provide utmost satisfaction to our customers.