Patless October Comps Climb 6.1%

Payless ShoeSource, Inc. reported that same-store sales increased 6.1 percent during the October reporting period, the four weeks ended October 30, 2004.

Company sales totaled $219.1 million, a 5.6 percent increase from $207.5 million during fiscal October of last year.

Total sales for the first nine months of fiscal 2004 were $2.14 billion, compared with $2.14 billion during the similar period in fiscal 2003. Same-store sales decreased 0.4 percent during the first nine months of the fiscal year.

Sales were as follows (unaudited):

                       OCTOBER SALES (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)
             Fiscal      Fiscal      Percent      Same-Store Sales**
             2004*       2003        Increase/    Percent
                                     (Decrease)   Increase/(Decrease)

             $219.1      $207.5      5.6%         6.1%


                     3RD QUARTER SALES (DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)
             Fiscal      Fiscal      Percent      Same-Store Sales**
             2004*       2003        Increase/    Percent
                                     (Decrease)   Increase/(Decrease)

             $687.5      $709.7      (3.1)%       (3.1)%


                     YEAR-TO-DATE SALES (DOLLARS IN BILLIONS)
             Fiscal      Fiscal      Percent      Same-Store Sales**
             2004*       2003        Increase/    Percent
                                     (Decrease)   Increase/(Decrease)

             $2.14       $2.14       (0.1)%       (0.4)%