With Payless shoe stores now shuttered, I’ve been on the hunt for new places to shop for affordable footwear. Luckily there are lots of excellent cheap shoe stores like Payless that offer big discounts on name brands.
In this post, I’ll highlight the top 12 budget-friendly retailers that are great alternatives for finding deals on shoes for the whole family.
Whether you’re looking for stores with frequent sales or sites that offer free shipping and returns, I’ve got you covered. I’ll share details on what makes each Payless competitor stand out, their most popular shoes, and their key benefits. There are still plenty of places like Payless to score quality kicks on the cheap if you know where to shop.
12 Best Cheap Stores Similar To Payless
1. Shoe Carnival
Shoe Carnival is one of the largest shoe stores like Payless in the nation. This discount footwear retailer is known for its huge in-store selections of name brand shoes for the whole family at affordable prices.
They offer free economy shipping on all orders over $25. They also provide faster delivery options for an additional fee. The store frequently has sales throughout the year where you can get shoes for up to 40% off.
Some of Shoe Carnival’s most popular shoe brands include Nike, Skechers, Adidas, Converse, Vans, and more. Their shoes are popular among men, women and kids looking for athletic, casual, and dress styles.
The store appeals to bargain shoppers thanks to the hundreds of name brands offered at discount prices. Their low prices and wide selections make this Payless alternative a great option.
Key Perks:
- Huge selection of brand name shoes
- Frequent sales up to 40% off
- Affordable prices on shoes for all
2. Aldo
Aldo is an international shoe and accessory chain that carries stylish footwear and handbags. This popular retailer provides affordable, on-trend shoes and accessories.
They offers free standard shipping on all orders. Expedited and express shipping options are also available for an extra cost. The brand frequently promotes sitewide sales where you can get 20% off or more.
Some of their most popular products include fashionable women’s boots, heels, flats and sandals. However, they also offer trendy shoes and accessories for men and kids. The store products appeal to fashion-forward shoppers on a budget.
Key Advantages:
- Trendy, stylish shoes and accessories
- Frequent sitewide sales up to 20% off
- Fast free shipping on all orders
3. Foot Locker
Foot Locker is one of the top stores similar to Payless for athletic footwear and apparel. This nationwide shoe retailer carries all the biggest brand names in sport shoes and athletic gear.
They provides free economy shipping on orders over $75. For faster delivery, 2-day and next day shipping options are available for an additional cost. They frequently promote sales both online and in stores to help you save.
Some of their most popular shoe styles include Nike Air Jordans, Adidas Ultraboost, Nike Air Force 1’s and Converse Chuck Taylors. They even appeals to athletes, sports fans and sneakerheads looking for the latest shoe releases.
Why Shop Here:
- Massive selection of sport shoes from top brands
- Frequent discounts and sales
- Fast delivery options
4. Zappos
Zappos is one of my favorite one-stop online shops like Payless for shoes. They carry over 1,000 brands, so I always find plenty of Payless dupes here.
Check out their outlet section for shoes up to 50% off. Filter by your favorite brands or budget to discover the best deals.
The store runs sales throughout the year on select styles. Subscribe to their emails to stay on top of current promotions. I often see sandals for only $20, sneakers for $30-40, and more.
They also feature a variety of eco-friendly, vegan, and wide width shoes. Overall, the company makes it simple to find cute shoes at any budget point comfortably.
With free shipping and returns on all orders, it’s easy and affordable to try out multiple styles. Zappos quickly became my go-to for replacing my Payless staples at discounted prices.
What Makes Them Popular:
- Free shipping and returns on every order
- Massive selection of shoes for men, women and kids
- Huge savings during sales up to 50% off
5. Famous Footwear
True to their name, Famous Footwear carries all the most popular athletic and casual brands at affordable rates. They offer a similar variety and bargains as Payless.
Browse their sale racks in-store or shop their clearance section online to find formerly pricey name brands now marked down cheap. I often see sandals for $15, heels for $20, and kids’ styles under $30 regularly.
During special promos, they offer discounts like buy one get one 50% off. Sign up for their Famously You Rewards to earn $10 off coupons and free shipping.
No matter your shoe needs, this brand makes it easy to get top brands on a budget. If you miss the irresistible deals at Payless, this is the next best affordable shoe store.
Key Benefits:
- Name brand shoes at discounted prices
- Free shipping for Rewards members
- Frequent sales up to 60% off
6. Ross
Ross is among the popular discount stores like Payless that offer savings of 20-60% off department store prices on clothing, shoes and home goods. Their stores are a great place to find cheap shoes for the whole family.
At Ross, you can find free shipping on orders over $25 when you use your free online account. They also occasionally offer free shipping sitewide during sale events. In-store, you’ll find new markdowns every week.
Some of the shoe brands you can find discounted at Ross include Adidas, Skechers, vans, Converse, Nike and more. Their wide selections and low prices appeal to bargain shopper looking to save.
What Makes Them Popular:
- Shoes discounted 20-60% below retail
- Low prices on brand name footwear
- New markdowns every week in stores
7. Shoebacca
Shoebacca is an online shoe retailer that offers deep discounts on top shoe styles for men, women and kids. They are a Payless alternative known for deals on brand name shoes.
At Shoebacca, you’ll find free 3-5 day economy shipping on all orders over $75. Faster shipping options are available for an additional fee. The site also runs frequent sales where you can save up to 75% off select shoes.
Some of their hottest selling shoes include sandals, sneakers, heels, boots, dress shoes and more from brands like Adidas, Puma, Steve Madden, Tommy Hilfiger and others. It makes a great option for replacing favorite Payless styles cheap.
Key Perks:
- Deep discounts on brand name shoes
- Free shipping on $75+ orders
- Frequent sales up to 75% off
8. DSW
DSW is a major footwear and accessories retailer with hundreds of store locations across the US. They also have a popular online shoe store. They are known for carrying brand name shoes at discounted prices.
At DSW, you’ll find free shipping on all orders over $35. For faster delivery, 2-day and next-day upgrades are available. They run sales throughout the year where you can save up to 50-60% off regular prices.
The company also offers daily coupon codes and extra percentage off entire purchase promos. Sign up for their rewards program to earn points towards free shoes.
With over 500 brands and new markdowns weekly, DSW makes it easy to find designer shoes on a Payless budget. Check here anytime you need a quick designer heel or boot fix.
Why Shop Here:
- Brand name shoes discounted up to 50-60% off
- Free shipping on orders $35+
- Hundreds of store locations nationwide
9. Zulily
Zulily is a popular online stores similar to Payles known for flash sales on clothing, shoes, home goods and more for women, men and kids. They offer daily sales events on brand name items at steep discounts.
The brand provides free standard shipping on orders over $35. You can also select expedited delivery options for an extra fee. They run limited-time sales events where you can score shoes for 50-75% off retail prices.
Some of their most popular shoe deals include sandals, sneakers, boots and casuals for women, men and kids from brands like Bearpaw, Steve Madden, Adidas and Skechers. The huge savings and daily deals appeal to bargain shoppers.
Key Advantages:
- Brand name shoes 50-75% off retail
- Free shipping on $35+ orders
- Daily flash sales and limited-time deals
10. Marshalls
Marshalls is a popular off-price retail chain where you can find shoes discounted 20-60% below department store prices. They offer a frequently changing selection of brand name footwear at low prices.
Marshalls provides free shipping on orders over $50 when you use your online account. In-store, you’ll discover new arrivals every day with savings on all the latest styles.
Few of their shoe brands stocked include Nike, Adidas, Converse, Steve Madden and more. Top selling shoe styles are athletic sneakers, sandals, boots, heels and casuals. Marshall’s low prices appeal to smart shoppers looking for deals.
Key Benefits:
- Shoes discounted 20-60% less than retail
- Brand name footwear from top brands
- New arrivals and markdowns daily in stores
11. TJ Maxx
Marshalls is another excellent discount retailer to find affordable shoes across styles and brands. Shop their clearance racks in store or filter their online shoe deals.
It’s easy to spot sandals under $15, heels under $20, sneakers under $30, and kids’ styles under $25 here.
They also provides coupons, promo codes, and surprise sales to save even more. Download their app to get notifications when new deals drop.
With new shipments arriving daily, a trip to browse Marshalls‘ shoe aisle always proves fruitful. You never know what brand or style you’ll find marked down super cheap here.
What Makes Them Popular:
- Designer shoes at 20-60% less than retail
- New arrivals and markdowns weekly in stores
- Free shipping for online shoppers
12. 6pm
6PM is a discount online shoe store that offers deep discounts on top brands for up to 75% off retail prices. This Payless alternative is great for finding incredible deals on quality shoes.
The clothing company offers free shipping and returns on all orders. They also provide faster 2-day and overnight shipping options for an additional cost. Huge sales run frequently where you can save big on your favorite brands.
Their hottest deals are on sandals, sneakers, boots, heels, dress shoes and more from brands like Steve Madden, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, and others. Their low prices appeal to savvy bargain hunters.
Key Advantages:
- Savings up to 75% off retail on brands
- Free shipping and returns on all orders
- Huge sales with deep discounts
Conclusion
I hope this list of the top 12 stores like Payless gives you plenty of affordable shoe shopping options. With the major retailers listed above, finding discounted name brands is still possible even with Payless gone.
The next time you need new sneakers, sandals, boots or dress shoes on a budget, be sure to check out these Payless alternatives. Their low prices, frequent sales, and free shipping perks make saving on quality footwear easy. And with such huge selections, you can shop shoes for the whole family.
So don’t be discouraged by the loss of Payless. These cheap shoe stores offer the same great deals so you can still find affordable styles for work, school, play and every occasion in between. Happy bargain shoe shopping!
FAQs
Where are Payless shoes made?
Payless shoes were mostly produced in countries like China, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of Asia to keep costs low. Only some shoe styles were made in the USA.
Did Payless go out of business?
Yes, Payless ShoeSource filed for bankruptcy in February 2019 and closed all remaining 2,500 stores in North America by the end of May 2019 after 60+ years in business.
Why did Payless Shoes close?
Payless ultimately closed due to falling sales and revenues as more consumers shifted to shopping for shoes online and at other big box stores where they could buy name brands at lower prices.
When did Payless close all their stores?
Payless announced they would be closing all stores in February 2019. All remaining 2,500 stores finished going out of business sales and closed by the end of May 2019.
Does Payless still exist?
Payless no longer exists as a brick-and-mortar retail store chain in North America after closing all locations in 2019. But Payless does still operate online and has some international store locations.
Is Payless coming back?
Payless emerged from bankruptcy in early 2022 and is starting to open some new concept stores. So the brand is making a limited comeback with plans to reopen stores in the US in 2023.
Where can I buy Payless shoes now?
You can still buy Payless brand shoes online through sites like Payless.com, Amazon, eBay and others. But the chain no longer has physical retail stores.
