In the constant push-and-pull between retailers and manufacturers, we thought it might be interesting for our next Talking With… to feature an executive from a company with both groups under the same umbrella. So we reached out to Matt Rubel, Chairman, CEO and President of Collective Brands, a company that includes both a retailer (Payless) and merchants (Stride Rite, Keds, Sperry Top-Sider and others). Matt shares his insights on how customers’ shopping habits have changed, the role of social media in retail, and what shoes he’s wearing right now.

Have you seen the shopping habits of customers change as a result of the recession?

We have seen changes in how customers are shopping. The footwear industry has seen a pullback due to economic uncertainty and unemployment. What is great for us is that kids continue to change size and our children’s business is doing well — even in a recession.

We’ve recently seen a lot of favorable macro-economic data (GDP and other leading indicators) that suggests that the recession may be ending soon, but this was a consumer-led recession and the high levels of unemployment currently at play could slow the recovery on Main Street and at retail. Employment growth is really a necessary factor for vibrant growth in the consumer sector.

As a lower-priced brand, one might argue that Payless is well-positioned when people are trading down, but that customers might disappear when the recession ends. How is the company trying to hook consumers to ensure they’ll stick around even when the economy bounces back?

We are well positioned. We’ve actually gained market share, driven in large part by our success in our children’s category. Cross-channel shopping is not as prevalent in all footwear categories, and the trade-down effect for us is somewhat mitigated by heavy discounting in the off-price channel.

Our strategy, regardless of the economic climate, is to remain focused on the consumer. And we are attracting new shoppers every day with our newest brands like the Zoe & Zac green brand, the Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose special occasion line and the Christian Siriano for Payless designer brand, among others. We can be successful if we understand our customers’ needs and desires, and then find innovative ways to deliver great product in a special and dynamic way and provide an outstanding, thoughtful experience in our stores. As well, our CRM capabilities have grown beyond our expectations in the last few years, and are providing us with meaningful new insights on how to reach and connect with our customers on a deeper level.

Just a few weeks ago, Collective Brands re-launched its website. Tell me about some of the new bells and whistles, as well as why you moved forward with a redesign during an economy like this one.

Since Collective Brands was formed, we have worked hard at developing our strategy, building our dynamic teams, positioning our brands and integrating our company to provide a powerful platform for our individual brands to leverage as they execute their unique strategies for their target customers. The core strength of Collective Brands is the world-class brands that are platformed by shared resources and infrastructure in the global marketplace. We have made tremendous progress, and we have a great story to tell about what a dynamic business Collective Brands has become. The new website is designed to provide our core audiences — potential associates , investors, media, business partners, and others — with a resource that fully illustrates the vision, strategy and story of CBI through a web experience that is engaging, informative and compelling. Many people have an incomplete understanding of Collective Brands, and this new site provides a singular place that communicates the breadth of the businesses and brands, the character of the company. While CBI is only two years old, we have a rich heritage and diversity of brands, products and people.

I see that people can become a fan of Payless on Facebook or follow it on Twitter. What are your thoughts on the role that social media is playing in retail right now?

Social media is clearly an innovative new way to reach customers, and like any consumer engagement tool, we want to be thoughtful in our approach to make the experience meaningful. We want to utilize the forum to listen and engage and interact.

One of the programs that Payless is involved with is Shoes4Kids, which will donate more than 77,000 pairs of shoes to children this holiday season. Tell me a little about the program.

Payless Gives is a program that I’m very proud of. It really started last year with an idea…a “what if?” What if we were to give away $1 million worth of free new shoes to kids in need during the holidays? Could we do it, and if so, how? I posed this question to our leadership team, who really stepped up and rallied around this important holiday giving idea. In just weeks, we organized a massive grassroots campaign, secured nearly 3,000 applicants, selected more than 630 charity partners, sent them the coupons and the kids started shopping! It was a groundbreaking campaign.

There is a massive need for children’s shoes and we are in a strong position to help out. But the need is 10 times what we did last year…and it’s international. So this year, we expanded beyond just the U.S. to Canada, Puerto Rico and in 10 Latin American countries where our stores are located. We expect to give away more than 77,000 pairs of free new shoes valued at more than $1.2 million through a network of hundreds of localized charities. Oct. 30 is the application deadline for charities, and we are wanting as many charity partners as possible to apply to help us create an extensive and wide-reaching network to get the shoes into the hands of children that need them the most. The grassroots approach is important because it ensures widespread and diverse coverage in urban and rural areas. And it helps support the localized nonprofits — the smaller charities — which are seeing less funding support as well, due to the economic crisis.

Information on how non-profit organizations can apply and the selection criteria can be found on our site, www.paylessgives.com.

I recently read about a new line of Stride Rite shoes, which helps children just learning to walk. Tell me about the new shoes.

Collective Brands is committed to product innovation, and this is a strong example of how our Stride Rite team is using innovation and technology to create products that really make a difference to our customers. Stride Rite partnered with the prestigious Leon Root, M.D. Motion Analysis Laboratory at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York to better understand the effects of footwear at the important learning-to-walk stage of a child’s development. The research enabled the Stride Rite team to create a new collection of footwear for toddlers featuring a patent-pending innovation called Sensory Response Technology that helps guide young children to walk in the healthiest way possible. This groundbreaking line of footwear was launched this fall, and is gaining market share and validating Stride Rite’s premium brand position as the premier brand to promote healthy feet for children.

I hear you make regular visits to your stores. What do you learn from those experiences and why do you think interacting with customers is so important?

Getting to the stores is critical. It is where our customers come and our people interact with them. When I visit stores, my approach is to listen, observe and ask questions — to get first-hand insights. Besides, it’s the place where people are having the most fun so I truly enjoy it.

You’ve had some incredible experiences at well-known retailers like J. Crew, Cole Haan, Revlon and Tommy Hilfiger. What did those different positions teach you?

We learn from all of our experiences. The commonality I’ve found in all my career experiences has been to know, respect and entice the customer with great product that is well presented and valued. Make sure you have a thoughtful feedback loop and keep your head up as you look forward, while also understanding the road your brand and business has traveled. Make sure you know what makes each brand and retail destination special and unique in the market. Amplify that uniqueness and keep it focused on its core. The business of retail and brands is fun and challenging work that is immensely invigorating and fulfilling.

What would you say to anyone considering a career in retail?

Stay focused on the customer. They hold the key to any retailer or brand success. Be ready for dynamic action, pace and change. It’s a great place to be creative, work with teams and build. It’s also great because if you make a mistake you can mark it down, learn from it and move on.

Which leaders do you look to for inspiration and what traits do they possess that you try to emulate?

People who are focused on the consumer, who master the fundamentals, respect the teams they work with and drive to the win.

What shoes are you wearing right now?

Sperry Top-Sider dress loafers. I am in here in the our global headquarters offices today, but when I am in my Sperry’s I can take a moment to think of a great day on the water.