"In other words, if a ruler announced that henceforth the Pacific Ocean would be named after her mother, we would not add that placemark unless and until the name came into common usage."
I used to be the same way untill I tried out Zappos (US). Their filtering really lets you narrow down the exact type of shoe that will fit you. Plus they had a super long return window. Way better long term purchases than any store I've been to.
Best chance for success is to actually measure your foot to determine the length, width, and arch support you need. Then strictly don't order anything outside of that criteria.
The motivation is still about money. It's a corporation.