The Decline of Payless...What Happened?

Payless ShoeSource is the largest store of its kind in the United States but has recently had some tough times. Within the past few years Moody’s has lowered their credit rating multiple times, they’ve closed 800 stores, and filed for bankruptcy. This video takes a look at their rise and fall and attempts to provide explanations for all of it.

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Other Company Declines:
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[Kolazola]

I remember my mom taking my siblings and I to walmart or payless for shoes and I would be really excited to get new shoes and being able to pick them out. I could remember the smile it brought my mom when she saw how happy we were to get these bargin brand shoes. We weren't the wealthiest but my mom provided what she could and I'm glad we weren't hard on her

[DebsFan]

One thing that made me stop shopping at Payless was that the prices are not as reasonable as they used to be. Back in the day, shoes there cost anywhere from $5-20. Not anymore. Last time I was in there, I saw a very basic pair of ballet flats being sold for $24.99. Might as well go to Target, Kohls, or Marshalls. Payless still sells cheap shoes, but without those cheap prices.

[laetitiadavion]

Simple: Prices went up and quality remained the same. Who wants to pay 50 bucks for a pair of shoes with glue and threading showing and pulling apart?

[batmanrwrify]

Let's be honest, what killed Payless was that they thought they were a regular shoe store, not a discount retailer and started charging up to $75 for off brand, lessor quality shoes.

[thecatlady]

The fact that I can buy clearance Nike sneakers at Ross or Marshall’s for the same price I’d get Payless shoes says it all. The stores looked cheap and their shoes rarely caught my attention.

[lisajohnson]

It came to a point when it wasn’t “ less”. They had prices comparable with DSW who sells name brand shoes.

[QuietlyCurious]

I feel bad for today's parents. Payless helped my mom stay within her budget while we were growing up.

[jjbeatz]

“What are thooseee” was their downfall

[rockandrolljasllybeth]

Remeber getting champion shoes from Payless.... Damn those were the days

[makeupunlimited]

they priced themselves out of the market. There's no need to pay 34.99, 49.99 for shoes that have the quality they do. You can go to Ross, tj maxx, marshalls and get named shoes, and leather for same cost or even lower. They didn't watch their competition and adapt. It's too bad.

[MissDarlaDeville]

I thought I was so cool with my new “adidas” from Payless until I went to school and realized everyone else’s shoes had 3 stripes not 4. 😭

[beaviswealth]

I used to hate it when my parents brought me here to buy shoes LOL

[princessd]

R.I.P Payless. Thank you for my ballet shoes, tap shoes, school & church shoes!! You always show up when I needed you!

[kellynn]

This was my first job, started 2007. Even then I could see everything they did wrong. The biggest, in my opinion, was how we pretty much had to take back any return that a customer brought in. I swear, these people had no shame! They would return stinky, dirty shoes that were clearly well-worn ("Ohh, they didn't fit!") and the policy was just to take it back as long as they had a receipt. How do you expect to make a profit when you allow your customers to treat it like a rental service?!?

[hotstockgirl]

In middle school, you were mocked if you did not have branded shoes like Nike and they would otherwise comment that you got your shoes at payless! It was a crime to get your shoes there as a kid...

[courtneysarver]

Coming from someone who was a manager of payless... they messed with time cards and got sued a ton!! If they would have followed the rules they would have saved millions in lawyer fees...

[azaleacoqui]

The main reason is that their prices went way up.

[THEKLEVER]

Let’s be honest the nail is the coffin was the rise of stores like Ross and DDs that offered name brand shoes at a fraction of the cost.. rip Payless you held it down for us 80 and 90s kids with the light up sonic shoes, but you didn’t evolve 🙏

[estegueydijo....]

Payless was big when adults and kids were innocent/naive, when we didn't care what brand or quality the others used to wear.

[FrncM]

I actually have good memories of Payless and I feel thankful to them because growing up poor, it meant it was the only place I could get shoes as kid. It was wonderful to me when my Mom used to take me there... Like a small Christmas! I usually got to choose the shoes I wanted and sometimes she used to buy me *2 pairs!* I felt so great when that happened. Quality wise they were always great to me, and I used to walk a lot because, well, I was poor. The only ones that surpassed them were a couple of Vans and some Pumas I got lucky to own.
Also I was a big guy from a bad neighborhood, so no one ever dared to make fun of my beloved Payless shoes LOL