Buying shoes and sneakers from America

Shoes are the single most requested thing we handle, and there is a reason: the Egyptian market carries a fraction of what exists, sizes run out early, and the colourway you want is usually the one nobody imported.

Here is how to do it well.

What a pair actually costs

A $120 pair of running shoes lands at about EGP 17,540, from our calculator on 7 September 2026. That is roughly 2.9× the dollar price — mid-table. Not as good as electronics, considerably better than anything bulky and cheap.

The reason it is not better is the box. A shoebox is a large object holding two light things, and space is charged as though it were weight — the full explanation is here. A pair of boots in a big box does worse than a pair of low trainers in a small one.

Ordering two pairs together saves a little, not a lot. On a $120 pair it is worth about 2% against two separate orders — real, but not a reason to buy shoes you did not want. The saving is much bigger on small cheap items, where the fixed costs dominate; on shoes the product price is already doing most of the work.

Size is the thing that goes wrong

Price problems are annoying. Size problems are expensive, because a pair that does not fit has cost you the whole landed price and cannot practically go back.

US sizing is not EU sizing, and neither is consistent between brands. A US 10 in one brand is not a US 10 in another.

Look up the brand's own conversion chart, not a generic one. Most product pages have one.

If you own a pair from the same brand, use that number. It is the only reliable data you have.

When you are between sizes, the brand's own guidance on that model is usually right — many running shoes are advised half a size up, many leather shoes true to size.

Tell us the exact variant. "Size 10, black" — not "the black ones". One product page can hold thirty combinations and the default is not your choice.

If you are guessing, say so when you send the link. Sometimes we can tell you what other customers took in that model.

Which shops are worth it

We buy from the American stores directly rather than from resellers, so what is on their site is what you get. The full list is here — for shoes, the useful ones are the brands' own shops and the large American shoe retailers, which between them carry most of what is missing here.

Things worth knowing:

Brand sites have the full size run and the exclusive colourways, and they are where a release actually lives.

The large retailers have deeper discounting and much better returns policies, which matter to us at the buying stage even though you will not be returning anything.

Resale platforms are a different proposition. Prices are set by scarcity, authentication varies, and a hyped release can cost several times retail. We will buy from them if you ask, but you should know you are paying a resale premium on top of the landed cost.

When not to bother

A basic pair you can buy in Egypt for a similar figure. Check locally first. For mainstream models the gap has narrowed.

A hyped release at resale prices. Retail plus a 2.9× multiple is one thing; three times retail plus a multiple is another, and people regret those.

Boots, if you are size-uncertain. They are the bulkiest and the least forgiving.

One cheap pair on its own. Wait until you want two.

How it works here

Find the pair, choose the exact size and colour, and send us the link. A person comes back with one fixed price in Egyptian pounds — product, shipping, Egyptian customs and our work, all inside — usually within hours. You pay 20% to start, the rest before delivery, and nothing at your door.

Plenty of shoes are already priced on the Shop if you would rather see real numbers before you ask.