Now, buy shoes via SMS!

Too hot to go out to buy a pair of shoes? No sweat. Just send an SMS and you can get your favourite Florsheim, Lotto, Adidas or the Red Tape delivered at your doorstep.

As mobile commerce begins to touch various aspects of life of Indians, usage of SMS is going beyond booking movie tickets or ordering cooking gas.

Internet retail footwear portal, bigshoebazaar.com has started a new SMS shopping service under which customers can now order footwear just by sending a text message.

"Now bigshoebazaar is all set to take shopping to the next generation with a service to shop through one's mobile.

Mobile is the one and only communication device which is now almost omniscient in India," bigshoebazaar.com director Rajul Jain said.

The footwear retail portal has developed a new SMS catalogue that will enable customers to order products featured in any newspaper or magazine by means of SMS.

"The orders are placed instantly and the delivery is done through couriers with delivery to customer in 3-4 working days," the company said.

Jain said the new service is part of the company's efforts to take footwear retailing to the next level after its online shopping order system. For a general customer to order a pair of footwear, he or she will need to SMS the product code, the size and the address. Payment can be either through credit cards or cash, with no delivery charges.

Started in 2007, bigshoebazaar.com began as an online portal for business-to-customer footwear retailing and has over 70 clients, including Woodland, Lee Cooper, Reebok and Puma, with a portfolio of 10,000 designs.

The portal currently provides its integrated customer service, logistics and brand integration by operating online exclusive branded outlets (EBOs) for four brands -- Florsheim, Lotto, Adidas and Red Tape.