One of the largest specialty family footwear retailer from the Western Hemisphere, Payless ShoeSource has forayed in India with its franchisee Reliance Retail. The official announcement was made by Steve Gish, Executive Vice President, Payless ShoeSource and Gopalakrishnan Sankar, Reliance Retail’s CEO of Footwear Business at Phoenix Market City, Kurla, Mumbai in a footwear fashion show featuring leading models and tennis player Sania Mirza .
The first nine Payless ShoeSource stores in India have been launched in various key markets including Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Mangalore and Mysore.
The association between Reliance Retail and Payless leverages both Payless’ capabilities of creating a unique and delightful store experience through a trend-right product mix that appeals to the fashionable yet budget-conscious consumer and Reliance’s established competencies in the Indian retail sector of building strong retail networks and running store operations nationwide efficiently.
“A cornerstone of the Payless strategy is to expand into new markets and become the brand that resonates with consumers around the globe, and be the first choice for budget-conscious consumers who shop for shoes and accessories. Partnering with Reliance will further our vision of being the ‘go-to’ shoe store that shoppers anywhere in the world can count on to be there for them and for their families, helping them look good every step of the way,” said Steve Gish, Executive Vice President, Payless ShoeSource.
Commenting on the launch, Gopalakrishnan Sankar, Reliance Retail’s CEO of Footwear Business said, “Demand for branded women and children’s footwear is growing at a healthy rate and we believe this association has the potential to storm this market in India which has largely been unorganized and fragmented to date. We are very optimistic about this segment and as we gear up for a national presence.”
The footwear retailer offers shoes for every need – dress, casual and athletic styles for women, men and kids. It further offers handbags and socks intended to help everyone complete their looks.
Payless stores feature a well-known portfolio of brands including Disney, Airwalk, Dexter, Dexflex, Christian Siriano, Smartfit, Montego Bay Club, Lower East Side, Cross Trekkers, Fioni, Comfort Plus, BRASH, and Rugged Outback, among others.
