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The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

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Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#101

Post by distantaidenn »

nathancahill wrote: post #37
jdavis703 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing the OP doesn't use their shoes for much more than walking around indoors. On the other hand when I skateboarded to work I'd go through a pair of shoes about every 3 months (that's what happens when your brake is your shoe). It was still cheaper than gas and faster than public transit though.

I had a pair of Converse that I used for this purpose. Completely torn to shreds and full of holes. Had an Asian lady stay at our Airbnb and she saw them, said people would go crazy for that "distressed" look in Asia (forget the specific country) so I gave them to her for her to take back.

Reminds me of a time when I was in Seoul. I had just bought a crisp pair of all white walking shoes.

I was on the train with my girlfriend (att) and she deliberately stamped on my foot. Of course, I was quite confused; however, she explained that my shoes looked too new and thus needed to be dirtied up a bit.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#102

Post by debatem1 »

icelancer wrote: post #86
icelancer wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pointing out that people are making mistakes is not a way to win them over. The facts are not really relevant when trying to win someone over. > predatory capitalist system They don't like hearing this, either. The concept of hard work getting them ahead is one of the few things blue collar workers hold on to. (It is also not necessarily true as you state.)

Not sure how this got three downvotes without explanation, so if anyone would be kind enough to do so, that'd be much appreciated. Hacker News is supposed to be about discussion, not blind voting.

Not a downvoter, but I can explain. Based on previous discussions I've had here, "don't say the true thing" is viewed more as an effort to manipulate than as a good faith attempt to improve the effectiveness of an outreach.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#103

Post by srj »

omegaworks wrote: post #99
mobilefriendly wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is by design of course. The United States is a confederation of states...geographical balancing against population density was the Great Compromise. That people are surprised or shocked by this reveals how poor our civics education has become. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/A_Great_...

>geographical balancing against population density was the Great Compromise That's flowery language to disguise what was essentially a pact between wealthy industrialists and slavers. It's long past time to dismantle that "compromise."

From what I recall being taught it was to get the smaller states on board. These weren't necessarily slave states (e.g. Rhode Island).

It's been effective. If presidential elections were just driven by popular vote candidates would only campaign in the top population centers. Entire regions of the country would be ignored.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#104

Post by hodr »

Spooky23 wrote: post #33

The missing factor is that when shoe production was completely sourced to a few companies in China (70% of US market), nearly all shoes turned to shit. So Payless wasn’t really differentiated itself from any other value brand. The end of Payless is just another private equity story, and poor kids will just get a smaller variety of shitty shoes from WalMart, TJMaxx, or Dollar General. The majority of us get screwed in…

Oddly enough, I order my running shoes directly from China. Usually spend $30-$40 a pair, but get arguably the most comfortable and highest quality running shoes I have owned. For comparison, I used to buy mostly New Balance or occasionally Nike.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#105

Post by odessacubbage »

omegaworks wrote: post #99
mobilefriendly wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is by design of course. The United States is a confederation of states...geographical balancing against population density was the Great Compromise. That people are surprised or shocked by this reveals how poor our civics education has become. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/A_Great_...

>geographical balancing against population density was the Great Compromise That's flowery language to disguise what was essentially a pact between wealthy industrialists and slavers. It's long past time to dismantle that "compromise."

if you think politics are bad now, just imagine what they'd be like if you only had to pander to the interests of a few coastal metros and maybe also chicago & dallas. the interests of rural voters would lose out every time. just look at france to see how this can play out. ime things like water rights and public land mean nothing to urbanites but they impact us immensely.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#106

Post by odessacubbage »

dunnevens wrote: post #47
bdcravens wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sums up well Trump's ascension: there are a lot of people who have real needs and real opinions, and whose votes count as much as someone's in California or New York. An environment where we insist on leaving those voices unheard is what enables someone to have extreme influence.

Those voices are far from unheard. If anything, they've been the dominant political voices for the past 40 years. Sure, California and NYC's cultural output is the loudest voice in the country. But, politically speaking, they're largely ignored. Obviously ignored by Republicans, but the timid national Democratic leadership will also ignore them in their relentless centrism. The political system makes it pretty easy t…

gay marriage and liberal sentiment don't put food on the table. arms manufacturing and resource extraction does. things like gun ownership also take on a completely different meaning in places where weapons have a greater association with hunting & family tradition than to crime. these people are not stupid, they simply have a different reality than you do and our country will only become more divided until people begin to acknowledge this.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#107

Post by axaxs »

hodr wrote: post #104
Spooky23 wrote: post #33

The missing factor is that when shoe production was completely sourced to a few companies in China (70% of US market), nearly all shoes turned to shit. So Payless wasn’t really differentiated itself from any other value brand. The end of Payless is just another private equity story, and poor kids will just get a smaller variety of shitty shoes from WalMart, TJMaxx, or Dollar General. The majority of us get screwed in…

Oddly enough, I order my running shoes directly from China. Usually spend $30-$40 a pair, but get arguably the most comfortable and highest quality running shoes I have owned. For comparison, I used to buy mostly New Balance or occasionally Nike.

Do you mind sharing a source?

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#108

Post by MivLives »

hodr wrote: post #104
Spooky23 wrote: post #33

The missing factor is that when shoe production was completely sourced to a few companies in China (70% of US market), nearly all shoes turned to shit. So Payless wasn’t really differentiated itself from any other value brand. The end of Payless is just another private equity story, and poor kids will just get a smaller variety of shitty shoes from WalMart, TJMaxx, or Dollar General. The majority of us get screwed in…

Oddly enough, I order my running shoes directly from China. Usually spend $30-$40 a pair, but get arguably the most comfortable and highest quality running shoes I have owned. For comparison, I used to buy mostly New Balance or occasionally Nike.

How do you make sure they fit right? Is it just consistency in ordering the same set after finding a fitting pair?

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#109

Post by AwesomeFaic »

flukus wrote: post #90
starik36 wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My were usually gone by 6 months to a year, which isn't great. But then they cost $20. I'd usually buy 2 pairs. I think they were worth their cost.

6 months to a year is what I generally get out of "high quality" name brands like asics and nike, the only difference seems to be which part of the shoe goes first, with budget brands it's the sole, more expensive ones it tends to get holes around the top of the toe area.

A lot of it comes down to which kinds of shoes you buy from which maker. I buy many leather Jordans and SB Dunks from Nike and have never had a pair fall apart before I donate them. Currently wearing Jordans I bought in 2017 and have worn ~500 times since then. Other than minor scuffs and outsole wear, they're in fantastic condition.

Re: The Looming End of Payless ShoeSource

#110

Post by prolikewhoa »

MivLives wrote: post #108
hodr wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oddly enough, I order my running shoes directly from China. Usually spend $30-$40 a pair, but get arguably the most comfortable and highest quality running shoes I have owned. For comparison, I used to buy mostly New Balance or occasionally Nike.

How do you make sure they fit right? Is it just consistency in ordering the same set after finding a fitting pair?

I find listed measurements on AliExpress to be accurate and true to size. I rarely have issues buying clothing from China after measuring my body and writing everything down. I buy a lot of cheap 'beater' pairs of daily use flats from China because I can't justify spending $60-$100 for that little of a shoe, and they fit better than most of the things I have sold by Nine West or CK.
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