If the shoe fits, wear it. If not, Zappos.com will gladly take it back at no cost to you. Zappos.com has become the #1 seller of shoes online (ahead of J.C. Penney) by stressing customer service. It stocks 3 million pairs of shoes, handbags, and apparel and accessories, specializing in some 1,000 brands that are difficult to find in mainstream shopping malls. Through its Web site (and 7,000 affiliate partners), Zappos.com distributes stylish and moderately-priced footwear to frustrated and shop-worn customers nationwide. The company was founded by its former chairman, Nick Swinmurn, following a botched mall-based shoe quest in 1999. A decade later, Zappos.com was acquired by online giant Amazon.