-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 L9PvZH614h04DvUroeuTK8ApMIdUJnhGEF1dPIKR87d3qO/7cildm6pDl/J7/RZ5
 cLzyKIohXCtB35eoLUMMiQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001175748-07-000003.txt : 20070402
<SEC-HEADER>0001175748-07-000003.hdr.sgml : 20070402
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20070402145111
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001175748-07-000003
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20070329
FILED AS OF DATE:		20070402
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20070402

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PORZIG ULLRICH E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001175748

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14770
		FILM NUMBER:		07738019

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7852952087

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3231 S E SIXTH AVENUE
		CITY:			TOPEKA
		STATE:			KS
		ZIP:			66607

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PAYLESS SHOESOURCE INC /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001060232
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-SHOE STORES [5661]
		IRS NUMBER:				431813160
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0130

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3231 SOUTH EAST SIXTH STREET
		CITY:			TOPEKA
		STATE:			KS
		ZIP:			66607-2207
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7852335171

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3231 S E 6TH ST
		CITY:			TOPEKA
		STATE:			KS
		ZIP:			66607-2207

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PAYLESS SHOESOURCE HOLDINGS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980421
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-03-29</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001060232</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PAYLESS SHOESOURCE INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PSS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001175748</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PORZIG ULLRICH E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3231 S.E. SIXTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TOPEKA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>66607</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>94872</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trust and 401(k)</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-03-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2175</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12765</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Appreciation Right</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.115</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-03-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-03-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10400</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reporting person holds 86,852 shares indirectly in a trust account and approximately 8,020 indirectly under the Payless ShoeSource, Inc. 401(k)  Plan (the &quot;Plan&quot;) based on a statement provided by the Plan Administrator.  Because the Common Stock Fund under the Plan holds both cash and Payless Common Stock, the actual number of shares allocable to each participant's accounts varies from statement to statement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This grant of restricted stock is subject to the following vesting conditions (i) one half of the shares will begin to vest in equal increments on May 31, 2008,  May 31, 2009 and May 31, 2010 if the Company's actual store-for-store sales for fiscal 2007 is greater than 0.0 percent and (ii) the remainder of the shares will vest in equal installments over the same period set forth in (i) in an amount equal to the remainder of shares multiplied by the ratio of fiscal 2007  positive store-for-store sales divided by 3.0.  For example, if the Company's actual store-for-store for fiscal 2007 is 1.5 percent, 75 percent of the shares will vest over the three year period.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The stock appreciation right granted under the Payless ShoeSource, Inc. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan which provides for tax withholding rights in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3.  The stock appreciation right vests in three equal installments over a three-year period on May 31st of each year following the date of the grant.  The stock appreciation right is required to be settled in stock. Grants vest in equal increments on May 31 of 2008, 2009 and 2010 and expire 7 years from grant date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ullrich E. Porzig</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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