{"id":909,"date":"2016-01-14T01:32:55","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T05:32:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/?page_id=909"},"modified":"2016-04-12T00:10:47","modified_gmt":"2016-04-12T04:10:47","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Why was the site created?<br \/>\nWhy are there so many people with mismatched feet?<br \/>\nDo any shoe manufacturers or dealers sell individually sized shoes?<br \/>\nWhat has been done in the past to help people who need shoes of different sizes?<br \/>\nHow does this website attempt to address the problem of mismatched feet?<br \/>\nHow do I use the website?<br \/>\nWhy\u00a0can&#8217;t I upload my photos?<br \/>\nHow do I determine a price for the shoes I post?<br \/>\nHow do I pay for or receive payment for shoes?<br \/>\nI\u00a0don&#8217;t live in the USA, can I\u00a0still use your site?<br \/>\nI have a dispute with the buyer\/seller. What shall I do?<br \/>\nHow\u00a0do you afford to run the site if\u00a0there are no fees?<br \/>\nI don&#8217;t seem to be receiving any emails from Odd Shoe Finder, what&#8217;s wrong?<br \/>\nMy question isn&#8217;t answered, what shall I\u00a0do?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why was the site created?<\/strong><br \/>\nA study in the 1980s found that approximately two thirds of American men and three fourths of American women have one foot longer than the other, with one third of Americans demonstrating a difference greater than half a shoe size.\u00a0 Foot widths show even greater discrepancies, with over three out of five men and almost one of three women having one full shoe width difference between feet.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/docs\/mismatchedfeet.pdf\" target=\"_top\">Click here to read the case study<\/a>\u00a0(<em>Used with permission from Seward S. Case of the Month. JAAPA; 2005:9 pg 71-72. \u00a9 Haymarket Media Inc. and the American Academy of Physician Assistants.<\/em>)While most people are either unaware of the difference in the size of their feet or the differences are small enough for a single shoe size to accommodate both feet, some people have feet so different in size that they must buy two pairs of shoes, leaving two shoes of different sizes unused.\u00a0 This site is intended to be a partial remedy to the problem of buying two pairs of shoes for one set of feet.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"whyfeet\" name=\"whyfeet\"><\/a>Why are there so many people with mismatched feet?<\/strong><br \/>\nThere is a lack of perfect symmetry of the body in everyone, although such asymmetry is usually minor.\u00a0 Many people are born with clubfoot, which can lead to severely mismatched feet.\u00a0 Although polio is rare today, millions of polio survivors still suffer from its effects, which often left one foot and leg much smaller than the other.\u00a0 Lymphedema and diabetes often result in swollen feet.\u00a0 Diabetes can also lead to injuries that result in one foot being larger than the other.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"shoemanuf\" name=\"shoemanuf\"><\/a>Do any shoe manufacturers or dealers sell individually sized shoes?<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.birkenstockusa.com\" target=\"_blank\">Birkenstock<\/a>\u00a0 offers mixed size pairs of shoes at less than the cost of buying two pairs of shoes. \u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/nordstrom.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">NORDSTROM<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/track.flexlinks.com\/i.ashx?foid=1060552.269039&amp;fot=9999&amp;foc=1\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" \/>\u00a0will sell mixed size pairs of shoes online as long as there are 1.5 or more sizes different.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"past\" name=\"past\"><\/a>What has been done in the past to help people who need shoes of different sizes?<\/strong><br \/>\nThere are several organizations that were formed to address the problem.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/oddshoe.org\" target=\"_blank\">The National Odd Shoe Exchange<\/a> was formed in 1943 to put people with similar tastes in shoes, but opposite foot sizes, in touch with each other.\u00a0 The mission of the organization expanded as amputees needing only one shoe returned from the war.\u00a0 The organization now ships new shoes to people across the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n<p>There have been number of different websites and Facebook groups that have spring up from time to time, though most of them have been short-lived, due to small inventories and\/or reliance on volunteers. We&#8217;ve been around since 2007 and we&#8217;re not going anywhere.<\/p>\n<p>While the National Odd Shoe Exchange provides a valuable service and deserves our support (They can use donations of both shoes and money.), the organization is staffed by volunteers.\u00a0 A request may take a considerable amount of time to fill due to a shortage of volunteers.\u00a0 In addition, despite the large warehouse full of shoes, it is unlikely that they will be able to locate two shoes of the same brand, style, and color in both of your sizes to meet your request.\u00a0 There are just too many different brands, styles, and colors of shoes out there.\u00a0 For example, online shoe store zappos.com lists well over 500 brands.\u00a0 When you consider that most brands have quite a few styles, with many \u2013 if not most \u2013 styles coming in several colors, you begin to understand the magnitude of the problem of matching shoes.<\/p>\n<p>Trying to match people with opposite shoe sizes faces a similar uphill battle.\u00a0 While there may be many people with opposite shoe sizes from you, what are the odds that you will find one who will have similar shoe-buying habits? \u00a0A 20 year-old construction worker who wears <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/search?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=Red%20Wing&amp;tag=oddshcom-20&amp;index=shoes&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325\" target=\"_blank\">Red Wing<\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=oddshcom-20&amp;l=ur2&amp;o=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/> work boots is unlikely to have much in common with a 60 year old stockbroker who wears Guccis to work, despite having complementary shoe sizes.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"attempt\" name=\"attempt\"><\/a>How does this website attempt to address the problem of mismatched feet?<\/strong><br \/>\nWith so many people buying two pairs of shoes, there are probably millions of odd shoes languishing in closets, eventually being thrown out.\u00a0 There are also millions of people who could use those shoes.\u00a0 This website is an effort to bring those people and shoes together.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"use\" name=\"use\"><\/a>How do I use the website?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To buy or sell shoes, you must first <a href=\"https:\/\/search.oddshoefinder.com\/register\" target=\"_blank\">register<\/a>. It&#8217;s completely free.<\/p>\n<p>You can use the website to search for the perfect pair or single shoe.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2016-01-14-15.32.43.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-910\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-910\" src=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2016-01-14-15.32.43.png\" alt=\"Screenshot 2016-01-14 15.32.43\" width=\"131\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2016-01-14-15.32.43.png 215w, https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2016-01-14-15.32.43-103x300.png 103w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 131px) 85vw, 131px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>What makes Odd Shoe Finder unique, is that users can search for shoes based on the individual shoe size.<\/p>\n<p>Simply click on the size shoe you&#8217;re looking for each foot.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re just after one shoe, you can search for single shoes only, or for those prepared to split a pair.<\/p>\n<p>You can also search for shoes based on brand, style, condition and any other information that a seller decides to enter as the keywords for the listing.<\/p>\n<p>If you find shoes you&#8217;d like to buy, simply click the &#8220;buy now&#8221; button. You will be put in communication with the seller to make arrangements.<\/p>\n<p>You can sell\u00a0shoes for any price from $0.01 or more. Simply follow the prompts after clicking the &#8220;sell&#8221; tab on the home page. Here&#8217;s some <a href=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/tips-for-selling-your-shoes\/\" target=\"_blank\">tips to help you sell your shoes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"whatif\" name=\"whatif\"><\/a>Why\u00a0can&#8217;t I upload my photos?<\/strong><br \/>\nThere is a file size limit of 450kb per photo, and a total file size limit of 1MB for free members (premium members get extra space), so you may need to reduce the size of each photograph.<\/p>\n<p>Please also note that\u00a0there are only certain file types we accept; .gif\u00a0 .jpg \u00a0.jpeg and .png.<\/p>\n<p>Read here for <a href=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/how-to-upload-your-photos\/\">help with\u00a0uploading your photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"howdetermine\" name=\"howdetermine\"><\/a><strong>How do I determine a price for the shoes I post?<\/strong><br \/>\nKeep in mind that other users are taking a risk buying shoes from you rather than from a retail site.\u00a0 They have no idea who is posting the shoe.\u00a0 They do not know whether you will actually ship the shoe(s) once they pay you, whether the description of the shoe(s) is accurate, etc.\u00a0 You are an anonymous seller, while sites such as zappos.com and shoes.com have a stake in maintaining their reputations.\u00a0 Therefore, there is no incentive for users to buy your shoes if they are not considerably below the retail price.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"pay\" name=\"pay\"><\/a>How do I pay for or receive payment for shoes?<\/strong><br \/>\nThose arrangements are to be determined by buyer and seller.\u00a0 As always, use caution in providing anyone with credit card information or in sending cash.\u00a0 We recommend using\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/paypal.com\" target=\"_blank\">PayPal<\/a> or any other reputable money transfer service.<br \/>\n<strong><a id=\"batchposting\" name=\"batchposting\"><\/a>I\u00a0don&#8217;t live in the USA, can I\u00a0still use your site?<\/strong><br \/>\nYes! Although most of our users are from the US, we also have many from the UK, Canada, Australia and all over Europe and South America.<\/p>\n<p>We currently support listings in 25 different currencies.\u00a0Sellers are encouraged to include &#8220;worldwide&#8221; on their shipping information.<\/p>\n<p>Please also note that shoe sizes are listed as US. International members should clearly state the shoe size system they are using when listing shoes.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"pay\" name=\"pay\"><\/a>I have a dispute with the buyer\/seller. What shall I do?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt is a condition of use on this site that you understand that arrangements between buyers and sellers are private arrangements and that Odd Shoe Finder has no formal role or power to resolve any disputes.<\/p>\n<p>Buyers and sellers are advised to take all due diligence. If we believe\u00a0that a user has behaved in an inappropriate, unethical, fraudulent or illegal manner we may suspend or delete their account.<\/p>\n<p>In eight years there have been next to no disputes between buyers and sellers on this site. We hope things remain that way into the future.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"cost\" name=\"cost\"><\/a>How much does it cost to use the website?<\/strong><br \/>\nFor most users, there is no charge to list, buy or sell your shoes.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to support our site financially, you may wish to consider taking out Premium Membership for a nominal $5 per year.\u00a0Premium Members receive a higher photo limit, and credit towards extra features to help sell their shoes faster. Some extra features can be purchased seperately.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"sort\" name=\"sort\"><\/a>How\u00a0do you afford to run the site if\u00a0most people don&#8217;t pay any<\/strong><b>\u00a0fees?<\/b><br \/>\nVery good question! There are many expenses involved in running this site\u00a0which is\u00a0why we need to\u00a0run banner advertisements and promote (relevant) products from time to time. \u00a0We also received a generous start-up donation from <a href=\"http:\/\/goldmedalhealth.com\/mitoosteo\" target=\"_blank\">Gold Medal Health<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Please support our sponsors who support our site. And please consider taking out &#8220;Premium Membership&#8221;for a very low $4.95 per year.<\/p>\n<p>All funds collected go to the further development of the site.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in advertising on this site, please <a href=\"mailto:support@oddshoefinder.com\" target=\"_blank\">contact us.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"batchposting\" name=\"batchposting\"><\/a>I don&#8217;t seem to be receiving any emails from Odd Shoe Finder, what&#8217;s wrong?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt&#8217;s possible that our emails are ending up in your spam folder, so you should always &#8220;white list&#8221; us. If we&#8217;re not whitelisted you will miss messages from other buyers and sellers.<\/p>\n<p>Some email programs (we&#8217;re looking at you, sbcglobal.net) block us completely. We don&#8217;t know why. There are always processes available to add our site to the safe list.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"batchposting\" name=\"batchposting\"><\/a>My question isn&#8217;t answered, what shall I\u00a0do?<\/strong><br \/>\nA good place to look for a quick answer is to visit the <a href=\"http:\/\/search.oddshoefinder.com\/forum\" target=\"_blank\">Forum<\/a>. (note : the forum is temporarily unavailable) If you can&#8217;t find the answer you&#8217;re looking for, you can post a question. It&#8217;s generally better than emailing, because it helps build our knowledge base for other users. Of course, you can still\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:support@oddshoefinder.com\" target=\"_blank\">contact us<\/a>\u00a0by email.<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/search.oddshoefinder.com\">SEARCH FOR ODD-SIZED SHOES NOW!<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why was the site created? Why are there so many people with mismatched feet? Do any shoe manufacturers or dealers sell individually sized shoes? What has been done in the past to help people who need shoes of different sizes? How does this website attempt to address the problem of mismatched feet? How do I &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/faq\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Frequently Asked Questions&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":961,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/909"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=909"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1065,"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/909\/revisions\/1065"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oddshoefinder.com\/oddshoesblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}