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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LoFENMikpUOy+ju++v+R2vJZL2stZI85H5ItQcUnl3maE5jWjZGxAQWRiE+jBs+x
 J8upBASkq90N/DEnZf7i8g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001224121-03-000005.txt : 20030527
<SEC-HEADER>0001224121-03-000005.hdr.sgml : 20030526
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030527145150
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001224121-03-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030523
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030527

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PAVELKA DARREL J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001224121

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14770
		FILM NUMBER:		03719808

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3231 SE SIXTH AVENUE
		CITY:			TOPEKA
		STATE:			KS
		ZIP:			66607
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7852952087

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:		9132335171

	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>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-23</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001060232</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PAYLESS SHOESOURCE INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PSS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001224121</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PAVELKA DARREL J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16679</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value><
/natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.47</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-23</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmou
nts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes approximately 485 shares are held under the Payless ShoeSource, Inc. Stock Ownership Plan.  The reporting person holds 10,987 shares indirectly of which 2,188 shares are held in spouse's name  and approximately 8,799 are held under the Payless ShoeSource, Inc. 401(k)  Plan (the &amp;quot;Plan&amp;quot;) based on a statement provided by the Plan Administrator. Because the Payless Common Stock Fund under the Plan holds both cash and Payless Common Stock, the actual number of shares allocable to each participant's account varies from statement to statement.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Grant of an option to buy 6,500 shares of common stock under the Payless ShoeSource, Inc. 1996 Stock
 Incentive Plan which provides for tax withholding rights in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3.  The options vest in three equal installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the grant.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Darrel J. Pavelka</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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