In 2008, I purchased a pair of shoes on-line. I had been coveting a pair for a couple years, as the style was very elegant, and I could definitely use them in my “wardrobe.”

When the shoes arrived, I realize that the sizing was off. I ordered the same size I always wore, but for this particular shoe, it just wasn’t working. I took the shoes to the local “bricks and mortar” store and they measured my foot. They recommended a half size smaller. Nope that didn’t work either. In the end, I just returned the shoes.

A friend of mine manages a men’s clothing store and they stock the same style of shoe. While the earlier experience didn’t work so well, I still admired the styling. He pointed out that the shoe maker used different lasts to make their shoes. Simply put, a last is a model of a foot used to build a shoe. Lasts can be wide or narrow, short or long. So, for this company’s shoes, one style might be narrow and another might be wide. One style might fit you as a 10 D (standard width), whereas another might work best as a 9 ½ E (wide).

So, he did a proper measurement of my foot with details in mind. For this style, I needed an 8 ½ E. I eventually found a perfect pair on eBay and they are now exceptionally comfy. The right fit is very important.

That’s true for many things in life, including Internet Service Providers. Because UTOPIA is open access, you can choose the ISP that fits your needs, and your budget. It’s also good to know that these are local companies, with local customer support agents, who can give you the service you want and need, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.

Sounds comfy to me.