Keep your retail stock updated and fresh by staying on top of women's shoes news and trends. Women's shoe styles change as quickly as any other fashion sector, so in order to stay competitive in a truly dynamic industry you must stay one step ahead and stock your shelves with up-and-coming styles.

When researching women's shoes news and trends, it is essential to remember the following:

1. Women's shoes styles include many subcategories that vary greatly according to demographic, including women's business shoes and casual shoes.

2. While women's footwear styles come and go, there are some brands that develop a dedicated following that stands the test of time, such as Birkenstock and Skechers.

3. There are some classic women's shoes styles that are often overlooked by industry publications, like pump high heels, that never dim in sales.

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Read about women's footwear news and trends in industry publications

Industry publications mostly target the hottest trends of the season and where to find them, but are still worth looking at even if you target a specific market like comfort women's wide shoes. You will gain insight into where the styles are headed, even if your target market won't take it to the extreme.

I recommend: Running With Heels features the hottest new designer shoes of the season as well as up-and-coming designers. Shoe-Design.com will keep you up-to-date on the latest trends and features what the celebrities are wearing in Sole Searching News.

Subscribe to fashion magazines to look at trendy women's shoes

Subscribe to the monthly top fashion magazines and see what a wide variety of designers have to offer for a very reasonable price. If your store targets business women and business shoes for women are important, fashion magazines allow you to see a wide range of trendy business styles represented in each issue.

I recommend: Get a free trial issue of In Style magazine to see the latest women's shoes news and trends. Visit Style.com to subscribe to Vogue magazine to see the latest fashions.

Look online at the leading sellers in women's shoes

Visit the leading footwear websites to see the tops sellers and new styles each season. This is a great way to gain insight into which shoes are top sellers in specialty markets such as women's wide dress shoes, and less trendy styles that still sell well.

I recommend: Visit Shoes.com and Zappos.com to search through hundreds of brands and styles.

Research industry reports forecasting the footwear industry, including women's footwear

Based on data from previous years, market research will give you an idea of how much sales might increase, and may give you insight into specialty markets that are growing, such as women's wide width shoes. Look to these reports for growth and increased sales opportunities.

I recommend: Register with MarketResearch.com to look at industry trends. Purchase industry reports at Research and Markets.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget to take into consideration your business's target market; carefully consider how new women's shoes trends and styles can translate into products that your customers will buy.

When it comes to shoes, women simply get to have more fun than men. It's just a fact. A great pair of shoes can perk up a rotten day, and if they're comfortable and cute, you can almost bank on them flying off your store shelves.

Shoe manufacturers are now incorporating new technology to combine fashion smarts with comfort. And the Internet makes it easier than ever for shoppers, with so many styles for hard-to-fit feet, including women's wide width shoes.

If you're a retailer looking to expand into women's shoes, think about the following:

1. You'll want to look into some of the hottest brands in women's shoes, including Sketchers, Cole Haan, Steve Madden, Kenneth Cole Reaction and Naturalizer.
2. Consider flats and high heels for women's business shoes.
3. Remember to include several different price points when stocking your shelves.

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Choose a variety of styles in women's business casual shoes

Women have so many choices available to them when it comes to fashion, and shoes are not exception. In business casual shoes, women have the choice of fun flat styles in fabric, suede, leather or mixed materials. Then there's wedge styles that combine the comfort of a flat with a lovely lift for the leg.

I recommend: Cole Haan gives a gift to women in the Amelia Air Sling, combining an open toe sling style with Nike Air cushioning on the sole. The Sherene Espadrille Wedge by Naturalizer is available in women's wide shoes from www.shoes.com.

Stock up on high heels for women who mean business

Look for peep-styles and slingbacks, as well as patent leather and platform heels in women's shoes. Pointy-toe styles are still in, but they can be especially cruel for women with wide feet. Make sure you have plenty of women's wide dress shoes and narrow styles on hand to accommodate all sorts of feet.

I recommend: Check out the huge selection of women's shoes and high heels at www.shoes.com. The Lifestride Anna 2-1/4 inch heel is a must-have selection for women's wide width shoes in black, brown, and metallic silver or gold.

Add some fun women's shoe styles to your shelves

And now for some fun. When the workday is over, women love to relax in shoes they can kick on and off quickly, but still look neat just in case they run into an important client. Give your customers shoes with high 'kickability' factor including clogs, slides and track-style sneakers.

I recommend: Ugg makes more than furry boots, they also have many casual styles in women's shoes. Try out the Kohala clog for a style that offers fashion, comfort and warmth with the fleece lining. The Skechers Bikers-Straightaway is available in women's wide shoes at www.skechers.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure to stock up more on common women's sizes from sizes 7-9 in average widths and women's wide width shoes.

The retail shoe industry is constantly growing, as shoes are being manufactured more inexpensively and a wider range of styles are available in all areas. Women's shoes controls nearly a quarter of the entire industry, with women's business shoes increasingly taking over the market as more and more women find power positions in the business world.

Whether you are starting up a shoe store specifically for women or expanding an existing business into the area of women's shoes, it is essential to understand the industry in order to successfully sell women's shoes. Use a women's shoes industry overview to:

1. Discover an unfulfilled niche, such as women's wide shoes.

2. See opportunities for growth of your current retail shoe business by offering a wider range of products or price ranges.

3. Think about how other factors affect your specific shoe business, such as weather and demographics.

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Join shoe trade associations to stay up-to-date on women's shoes

Joining a trade association will keep you up-to-date on new innovations and technology, new competition, trends and styles, new designers and manufacturers and events.

I recommend: Join large trade associations like American Apparel and Footwear Association and the National Shoe Retailers Association.

Build your business around specialty women's shoes

While there are large chain shoe stores in nearly every town, find an unfulfilled market in specialty shoes that are in demand in your geographic area. This may be specialty fit shoes like narrow or women's wide width shoes, women's wide dress shoes, high heels in large sizes (10 and up), or special comfort women's business shoes.

I recommend: Some major specialty shoe manufacturers include Clarks, who offer many styles of women's comfort and specialty-sized shoes, or narrow and wide-sized J Renee shoes.

Connect with the right distributors of business shoes for women at trade shows

Attend retail trade shows to search through many manufacturers and distributors that have unique products to offer. It is important to find shoes that are the right price range and style for your store.

I recommend: Attend the World Shoe Association Show or American Apparel the Fashion Footwear Association of New York trade shows.

Look to heavy hitters in the industry to see their top sellers in women's dress shoes

Pay attention to the large store chains to see what styles are selling the most. This will keep you up-to-date on styles and trends, as well as give you an idea of what products are hard to find and pricing strategies in order to stay competitive.

I recommend: Look at shoes for sale at Shoes.com, as well as national chains like Famous Footwear.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Pay close attention to fashion trends and what hits the runways, especially if your target market is young and trendy women.
• •  Nearly half of the entire shoe industry belongs to athletic shoes; use this information to your advantage whether your only local competition is athletic shoes, or you need to offer athletic products to bring customers in.
• •  In the shoe industry especially, customer service and unique store design and product display play important roles.

The world of women's shoes is endless. The styles, the materials, every aspect of a woman's shoe is strategically placed for maximum impact. Make sure you are current on the latest terms used in women's shoes. From slingbacks to platforms, help your customers find the shoes they want. And if they need a specialty shoe like a wide-width shoe, you'll know how to find the right fit.

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Slingbacks

Slingback shoes have a strap around the back of the heel. The front of a slingback shoe can be a variety of styles, as the term slingback only refers to the style of the back of the shoe.

I recommend: Designer Shoes explains the definition of a slingback, as well as outlining dressy versus casual shoes.

Peep-style

Peep-style refers to the front of a shoe. The tip of the shoe has an opening that only slightly reveals the big toe and possibly the second toe. It is not a full open-toed shoe.

I recommend: iVillage details the peep-style and provides an example.

Women's wide-width shoes

The width of a shoe is crucial to whether or not it will fit. Wide-width shoes accommodate women whose feet are wider than average. Oftentimes, these are considered specialty shoes.

I recommend: Leonard's Wide Shoes explains how important women's wide-width shoes are and how the company has addressed the issue.

Pump high heels

The term 'pump high heels' refers to the classic high-heeled woman's shoe. Made in a variety of materials, pumps are known for their versatility. With a simple front and back and an assortment of heights, the pump is the ultimate woman's shoe.

I recommend: Love to Know explores the draw of pump high-heeled shoes and how they can be worn.

Espadrilles

Espadrilles are wedge-type shoes that can either be flat or have a platform bottom. They are made of canvas or cotton on the top and either rope, or material made to look like rope, as the sole.

I recommend: Become gives a profile of the espadrille.

Platform shoes

Platform shoes are a style that began in the 1970s and consist of a 'heel' that elevates both the front and the back of the shoe. The shoe is lifted to create a chunky looking bottom and add significant height to the consumer.

I recommend: Geocities outlines the history of the platform shoe.