How to start selling footwear online in India

Footwear has one of the highest return rates of any online category, almost entirely because of sizing mismatches, so before you think about design or branding, you need a size chart you actually trust and a returns process that doesn't bleed your margin dry.

Decide what you're selling first

Pick a specific footwear type to start with — sandals, casual sneakers, ethnic juttis, or flip-flops — rather than trying to cover formal, casual, and ethnic footwear at once, since each has different sourcing, sizing conventions, and buyer expectations. Choose a narrow size range to launch with, based on the most commonly ordered sizes for your target buyer, rather than stocking every size across the board immediately.

Sourcing or making it

If you're sourcing from a manufacturer, order a full size run as samples and physically try each one on multiple people with different foot shapes, since a shoe that fits true to size on one foot shape can run tight or loose on another, and Indian footwear sizing is notoriously inconsistent across brands. Check sole flexibility, stitching or gluing quality at the sole-upper join, and how the material breathes, since these three factors determine both comfort and how quickly a pair wears out. If you're introducing a design that hasn't been manufactured before, wear-test a sample pair yourself for at least a week of normal use before committing to a production run.

Photos and descriptions

Photograph footwear from multiple angles — top, side, sole, and back — since buyers specifically check sole tread and heel height before purchasing shoes online. Include a photo showing the shoe worn, since fit and how it sits on a real foot is something a flat product shot can't convey. In the description, give your own size chart in centimetres (foot length) alongside the standard Indian size, and honestly note if a style runs small, large, or true to size based on your own testing, since this single detail reduces size-related returns more than anything else you can do.

Pricing, packaging and shipping

Price to cover material and sole quality, and factor in a realistic return rate for sizing issues into your margin from the start, since footwear returns are a normal cost of doing business in this category, not a sign something's wrong. Package shoes in their own box inside a sturdy outer shipping box, since a squashed shoe box looks cheap even if the shoes inside are undamaged, and many buyers care about the unboxing condition of footwear specifically. Stuff shoes with tissue paper to help them hold shape during transit, and secure both shoes together so they don't shift and scuff against each other.

Getting your first ten orders

Offer a few friends or acquaintances with different foot sizes a pair to wear-test for a week, and use their honest feedback on fit and comfort to refine your size chart before you publish it. Post short videos showing the sole flex, the stitching detail, and the shoe being worn while walking, since footwear buyers care a lot about how a shoe moves and holds up, not just how it looks standing still. Make your exchange process for wrong sizes simple and clearly explained upfront, since a smooth exchange experience turns a sizing mistake into a returning customer rather than a lost one.

Once your sizing and quality checks are solid, a store of your own with UPI and Cash on Delivery through Varchas Stores gives your footwear brand a proper storefront without building a website yourself.

Your next step: order a full size run as samples, wear-test each size on a few different people, and build your own centimetre-based size chart before you list a single pair.

Get early access to set up your store.