<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-09-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000278130</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PIER 1 IMPORTS INC/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PIR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001346077</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Carter Michael A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>100 PIER 1 PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FT. WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. Vice Pres./General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>628.2876</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.2775</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1997.989</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Stock Purchase Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>32663.8427</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On September 26, 2008, the Pier 1 Imports, Inc. Stock Purchase Plan, restated as amended June 20, 2008, purchased in a transacatiaon exempt under Rule 16b-3, 628.2876 shares of common stock for the reporting person's account.  Such shares were purchased at approximately $4.2775 per share, the average of the closing prices of the Issuer's common stock on the New York Stock Exchange for each Friday in the month of September 2008 during which contributions were credited to the reporting person's account for the purchase of common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael A. Carter</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
