While skipping around on the net today I came across an article that talked about Payless Shoes. Yes, I said Payless Shoes. The are launching a campaign called,”The Good Shoe Project”.It works like this, if you buy a new pair of Airwalk Hope shoes for 19.99 a pair is donated to a needy family in Central America. Well you know what I think about this already. Central America?
I know it doesn’t seem like there is still a recession, because people are still wasting money on buying name brands that no-one cares about but them,but there is. With the way kids are growing, thanks to the HGH in our foods and useless medications that we seem to give to kids for everything from the common cold to a headache, it makes it hard to keep on the shoes they have to wear.
To get through elementary school alone you will have purchased almost every style of the same pair of shoe and that is just for one child. Central America?
Maybe instead of getting me to take a survey that gives you great feedback about your company and me nothing but telemarketer calls, you should have a survey that not only records my name and state have a monthly income input. Keep track of all that info and at the end of the month corporate should look at those numbers and maybe think to themselves, “gee look how many people in this area are below the poverty level, but they somehow come to our establishment and buy our shoes”.
Here is a few suggestions for payless:
1. A in-store card that is free to the customer that gives you the benefit of getting a free pair of shoes after buying 20. Maybe a buy scale, something like:
buy 5 pairs of shoes at regular price and get 1/2 a pair of socks.
buy 15 pairs of shoes at regular price and get 1/2 off your next regular priced pair
buy 20 pairs within the year and receive a free pair
Now I know that probably won’t work because handing out a card and taking a hole punch is just way too hard.
2. A back to school promo that says when you buy 2 or more pair of children’s shoes at regular price get a free pair and a backpack.
ok I know the backpack was pushing it but at least a choice of a backpack or a child's pair of sale shoes.
I know that probably won’t work because people will take the time to fill out a lottery ticket but they won’t take the time to fill out a little card with your child’s school year and age.
3. ok this is the last one and it is a big one. Install a little section on the card reader that ask you for your name, zip code and household income information and have it print a code on the receipt and have that code be your discount card. They will have to put it in every time they come to the store to spend their last dime on shoes it could potentially give you a percentage off. the percentage will range depending on if the shoes are on sale and the price of the shoes.
Payless could eliminate all that by just giving a pair of free shoes to a family in need right here in the US.
North America.
So what do you give to a country that has everything? A free pair of shoes for someone who has nothing.
Think about it.
~Enjoy
