When it comes to buying shoes, some people are willing to splurge on designer brands, while others prefer to stick to more affordable options. Discount shoe brand Payless decided to conduct a social experiment to see how people would react to their shoes if they were marketed as luxury items.
The company created a fake luxury store called “Palessi” in Los Angeles and invited fashion experts and VIPs to the grand opening. The shoes on display were the same ones sold at Payless stores, but with a fake Palessi sticker covering the original logo. The prices were also inflated, with some shoes marked up as much as 1,800 percent.
To the surprise of Payless, many of the guests were impressed by the quality of the shoes and were willing to pay the high prices. Some even offered to pay as much as $500 for a pair of sneakers. However, when Payless revealed that it was all a hoax, the reactions were priceless.
One person exclaimed, “Shut up! Are you serious?” Another commenter on YouTube noted, “Luxury brands are basically doing this ‘prank’ since forever.” The experiment was part of a series of Payless commercials, and the reactions of the guests were caught on camera.
The fake store made $3,000 in sales before Payless came clean. Those who had paid were refunded, and they received the shoes they had bought for free. The experiment proved that it’s all about perception when it comes to luxury brands. People are willing to pay high prices for shoes if they think they are designer, even if they are actually from a discount brand.
