Payless Sells Shoes For 1800 Percent More In Luxury Boutique

Payless Shoesource is known for its affordable shoe brands that may turn the noses of some more discriminating shoppers that is until the company opened its own luxury boutique – Palessi.

Payless opened the fake luxury boutique at an upscale mall in Los Angeles, California, turning the heads of some high-end shoe shoppers in an effort to increase the perception of its brand, according to CBS News. The boutique carried its budget-friendly shoes with high-end markups that were as much as 1,800 percent more than the regular price, the news outlet reported.

A total of 60 fashion social media influencers showed up to the Palessi boutique, where these starlets were told they’d be given $100 and $250 for a market research event, the news outlet reported. The pop-up shop, complete with gold mannequins and a statue, had one influencer cashing in on $645 worth of shoes that typically retails at Payless stores for $19.99 to $39.99 each, CBS News said.

During the market research event which was headed by marketing group DCX Growth Accelerator, the social media celebrities were asked their opinion on the shoes, with some telling the company that there, “stunning, elegant, sophisticated” when looking at a pair of stiletto heels. Another man said, “I can tell it was made with high-quality material” when speaking about the sneakers he had just picked out.

When the fashion icons were told that the shoes came from Payless, their reactions were just what the company was looking for. “Shut up! Are you serious?!” CBS News reported that one shopper said at the discovery. Another was recorded as saying, “You have got to be kidding me!” at the surprise.

While Payless eventually gave the influencers their money back, the point was proven, and their surprised reactions will appear in a series of Payless ads to commemorate the moment, according to CBS News. The shoppers, however, were also able to keep the shoes that they loved so much.