Payless Is BACK!

[JeffB]

That's right, folks, Payless has indeed returned, mainly as an online shopping resource, but I've heard rumors that brick and mortal stores could be returning as well. As for the website, the selection isn't quite as large as it was before the franchise went dark, but I would imagine it will grow in time. Check it out here:

https://www.payless.com/

[Mr. X]

I never shopped there much before so I am neutral either way.  I guerss it is good for those with large feet.

[Shyheels]

I see also that Long Tall Sally has been rescued at the last minute...

[JeffB]

5 hours ago, Shyheels said:

I see also that Long Tall Sally has been rescued at the last minute...

Yes, I heard that too.

[RonC]

Definitely a limited selection, most of which has been available through Amazon for some time now.  I do hope the stores return as it was nice to be able to try on shoes in the size I need.

[jeremy1986]

9 hours ago, RonC said:

Definitely a limited selection, most of which has been available through Amazon for some time now.  I do hope the stores return as it was nice to be able to try on shoes in the size I need.

Yup. Disappointingly very limited! Hopefully it will grow 

[Pumped]

I for one could care less about Payless. I bought a couple pairs of heels from them over the years and thought the were the worst fitting shoes. Once you buy real leather it is hard to accept cheap plastic shoes, although I admit I do have a few pair, but from better brands. Most of my heels come from DSW or Ebay. One of the last pair of pumps i bought were Micheal Kors. They were over $100 regular price, on the discount rack for something like 50% or 60% off, then they were having a 30% off sale. They were under $30. All leather and very comfortable.

If you have a DSW in your area it is worth it just to cruise the closeout racks. I find some real deals there.

[bluejay]

3 hours ago, Pumped said:

I for one could care less about Payless. I bought a couple pairs of heels from them over the years and thought the were the worst fitting shoes. Once you buy real leather it is hard to accept cheap plastic shoes, although I admit I do have a few pair, but from better brands. Most of my heels come from DSW or Ebay. One of the last pair of pumps i bought were Micheal Kors. They were over $100 regular price, on the discount rack for something like 50% or 60% off, then they were having a 30% off sale. They were under $30. All leather and very comfortable.

If you have a DSW in your area it is worth it just to cruise the closeout racks. I find some real deals there.

I couldn't agree more with you, Pumped. I've got some fantastic deals from DSW, since they reopened and added a 30% additional discount on clearance shoes. You can't beat that!

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

[Cali]

Never went to Payless. I'm very lucky to have size 10 (and in some shoes size 11) feet and can (and do) shop anywhere in heels.  Most of my heels are from DSW, Macy's,  and specialty stores like Steven Madden, etc. I also shop styles on the internet. I also visit other department stores like Nordstrom and outlets like Steve Madden Outlet, Nordstrom Rack, and Nine West (when they had them).  I also like small boutiques. 

[HappyinHeels]

Hey all,

A Payless reentry to the retail, albeit online, market may be an attempt to recoup debts still owed. I wrote previously how NineWest merchandise is still being sold via other retailers to recoup debt still banks and creditors. I would caution anyone against hoping for a return to brick and mortar stores especially after the wrath brought about by covid19. I stopped on on occasion and did buy from time to time. My memorable purchase was the "Cosmic" wedge pumps sold under the 'Brash" name which was actually Steve Madden for Payless budget selection. Liked so much I bought two as I figured I would wear out a pair which eventually happened. I think AZShoeGuy wrote extensively about this same pair. HinH

[RonC]

I don't think NineWest is gone, as they keep adding new styles to their website.  Maybe they were somehow rescued?

[mlroseplant]

18 hours ago, RonC said:

I don't think NineWest is gone, as they keep adding new styles to their website.  Maybe they were somehow rescued?

Nine West does indeed appear to still be around. As I mentioned elsewhere on this forum, they have introduced some new styles of pumps which bring the stiletto heel a little further forward on its way down to the ground, which is a step in the right direction, as far as I'm concerned. However, after doing a little research, Nine West is no longer really Nine West. After bankruptcy, they evidently sold the name, along with Bandolino, to some outfit called Authentic Brands Group, which is one of these giant companies that goes around buying famous names like that, and borrowing money to do it.

Given the current socio-economic situation, and perusing their product line nowadays, which is either the extremes of ho-hum or butt-ugly, I don't expect them to be around for years to come. They do go all the way from size 5 to size 12, though. They are positioned in a bad place. They're not discount, like Payless, but they're not nice shoes anymore, either. I noticed they have lowered their price point in recent years, but the quality has also suffered, from what I understand. My good friend the tailor has been less than thrilled with their offerings lately, and she was a Nine West Girl all the way. I still own and love a number of Nine West shoes, but they are all older models, 2013 or before. The new ones just don't look as nice, right out of the box. They're real leather, but frankly, they look kind of cheap. 90 bucks is not a price point you want to be at for shoes that look kind of cheap.

[RonC]

While I have no direct knowledge of their quality these days, I personally find the majority of their offerings attractive.  I like classic style pumps and stiletto heels, and they have an abundance of those, while so many other shoe lines are going full time clunky crap, so I have a hard time with ho-hum, but agree that there are some butt-ugly, but the same goes for most shoe companies.  There are probably 10-15 shoes in their line-up that I'd take in a second, but they won't be 5" heels either, as I don't want that to begin with.  So if ho-hum for you is heels in the 4" range, I guess then they are ho-hum!

 

[mlroseplant]

12 hours ago, RonC said:

While I have no direct knowledge of their quality these days, I personally find the majority of their offerings attractive.  I like classic style pumps and stiletto heels, and they have an abundance of those, while so many other shoe lines are going full time clunky crap, so I have a hard time with ho-hum, but agree that there are some butt-ugly, but the same goes for most shoe companies.  There are probably 10-15 shoes in their line-up that I'd take in a second, but they won't be 5" heels either, as I don't want that to begin with.  So if ho-hum for you is heels in the 4" range, I guess then they are ho-hum!

 

I like a classic pump as much as the next guy, I just don't really like them for myself. It looks to me like Nine West has got about 3 or 4 basic styles of classic pump in 3 different heel heights. At the other end of the spectrum, they've got these huge, funky sandals that I have no idea how they're going to sell. I'm no business or marketing guy, but I'm guessing Nine West made pretty good hay from selling classic pumps over the years, before they branched out into all this other crap toward the end. Back then, they sold shoes for 100-125 USD. Who bought these shoes? Office people and flight attendants. People who had to wear pumps every day, they had to be reasonable quality, but not too expensive. Guess who is no longer at the office? Office people. Guess who is probably not wearing pumps when they do have to go to the office? Office people. This is why I say it doesn't look good for Nine West from my point of view.

[Heelster]

5 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

I like a classic pump as much as the next guy, I just don't really like them for myself. It looks to me like Nine West has got about 3 or 4 basic styles of classic pump in 3 different heel heights. At the other end of the spectrum, they've got these huge, funky sandals that I have no idea how they're going to sell. I'm no business or marketing guy, but I'm guessing Nine West made pretty good hay from selling classic pumps over the years, before they branched out into all this other crap toward the end. Back then, they sold shoes for 100-125 USD. Who bought these shoes? Office people and flight attendants. People who had to wear pumps every day, they had to be reasonable quality, but not too expensive. Guess who is no longer at the office? Office people. Guess who is probably not wearing pumps when they do have to go to the office? Office people. This is why I say it doesn't look good for Nine West from my point of view.

I have some 9W boots and shoes - - The latest offerings I see are not interesting at all.

[RonC]

On 9/9/2020 at 5:32 AM, mlroseplant said:

Guess who is no longer at the office? Office people. Guess who is probably not wearing pumps when they do have to go to the office? Office people. This is why I say it doesn't look good for Nine West from my point of view.

Can't argue with that logic.  Women were pretty much ditching heels for work even before the lockout.  I sometimes wonder who buys the heels I still see in the stores, as I never see anyone wearing them!  (and I'm just making a wild guess that it isn't men buying those size 5-8 heels either...lol)

Edited September 10, 2020 by RonC

[bluejay]

16 hours ago, RonC said:

Can't argue with that logic.  Women were pretty much ditching heels for work even before the lockout.  I sometimes wonder who buys the heels I still see in the stores, as I never see anyone wearing them!  (and I'm just making a wild guess that it isn't men buying those size 5-8 heels either...lol)

You guys just aren't around the right places to see women in heels. I have been working near a plastic surgeon's office and have seen all kinds of heels in the last few days. From stilettos, pumps, wedges and lots of high heel sandals, too. Most all the women patients are coming in heels. Yes they are out there and they do generate sales of new heels.

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

[RonC]

In that case, I'm jealous!

[mlroseplant]

21 hours ago, bluejay said:

You guys just aren't around the right places to see women in heels. I have been working near a plastic surgeon's office and have seen all kinds of heels in the last few days. From stilettos, pumps, wedges and lots of high heel sandals, too. Most all the women patients are coming in heels. Yes they are out there and they do generate sales of new heels.

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

 

17 hours ago, RonC said:

In that case, I'm jealous!

I think that perhaps my area is somewhere in the middle. I do see women wearing heels regularly (though I'm still the only man I've ever seen), but I have noticed a downtick in the frequency, and that has everything directly to do with your Wells Fargo/ Principal Group type office workers, who would often stop by the grocery store on their way home from work. That's not happening anymore, because they're all working from home, and unless you're rare people like us, why would you ever put on heels to go to the grocery? Well, except for my friend the tailor, who probably would also, but maybe not these days. The other thought I had was that the women who were patients at the plastic surgeon are probably a small, self-selecting group, and I'll bet money that they aren't wearing Payless. Probably not even Nine West.

[RonC]

On 9/12/2020 at 6:13 AM, mlroseplant said:

The other thought I had was that the women who were patients at the plastic surgeon are probably a small, self-selecting group, and I'll bet money that they aren't wearing Payless. Probably not even Nine West.

Ya' think?  😂