Do you think shopping at outlet stores really save you money? Back in the day, outlet stores were a chance to snag slightly defective items at a pretty hefty discount. Now, though, they have new items {made at a lower quality than the store’s originals} and a lot of times, they are still expensive.
Sure you can get the occasional off-season item or defective item at a discount, but wading through the racks to find them is sometimes just kind of exhausting. Since school shopping is right around the corner, I was kind of curious what you peeps thought–outlet shopping or no?
I still prefer online shopping, but if I do decide to try my luck at the Outlet Malls, here are couple of things I’ve learned:
- Not everything is a deal. In fact, very little of it is actually a deal. Sometimes, I will throw the item in a search on my smartphone and see what they are selling for at the actual store. A lot of times, the price is the same, but the quality is different. If it isn’t a great deal, pass on it.
- A lot of retailers have started making brand new products specifically for their outlet stores–so you might think you are scoring 50% off a pair of boots, but really, they are just a lower quality designed specifically for the outlet. So, check for quality–what is the item made of {i.e. synthetics vs. leather}, does the stitching seem good? It may turn out that the “knock-off” is totally worth it, just make sure to inspect it.
- Don’t fall for the price-tag trick. Outlet stores love, love, love to pretend that the clothes have their “original” price-tags and then they slash through them and write a new price on them. That is a marketing ploy–yes, a shirt might be 80% off retail, but if it still is $50, it might not be a good deal.
- Join email lists. A lot of times, outlet stores offer coupons through their email lists. The coupons, combined with lowered prices can actually result in a pretty decent deal.
- Don’t feel obligated to buy. Outlet malls are usually located right on the edge of the earth, so you feel like you have to pack a lunch just to get to them. With that commute, comes the feeling that you have to make your trip worth it by buying. Not true. Resist the urge to buy unless you find a fantastic deal–which may mean you leave empty handed.
So back to my original question: will you be hitting the outlet malls for back to school?
~Mavis
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Cecily says
I always shop Old Navy for my kids school clothes. Our old dryer ate holes in all of our clothes so this year I had to buy entire wardrobes for my three boys (ages 15, 12 and 9). Using my Old Navy credit card and discount card, I spent a total of $491.32 and saved $511.42. In addition to that, I received 6 super cash coupons which are good for $10 off for every $25 spent, up to a $30 savings. So I have the potential to save another $180 and pay only $270 for $450 worth of clothing. The only thing left to get now is shoes, which I get at Ross for around $25 a pair, and school supplies.
Jenn says
I agree that sometimes they deals aren’t that great, but I have on several occasions ran into some very good deals. Last year at the end of season at one of the Columbia outlet’s I found my hubby 2 short sleeve Columbia fishing shirts for $20 a piece. That is unheard of. I haven’t noticed that they are any different from the normal ones. I am also guilty of shopping at the Coach outlets for a new purse. I know, I know, but I really do love them. They are my one weakness. Normally the purses that they have at the outlets are the cast offs from last season, but that suits me just fine. I can buy a Coach purse for a fraction of the cost.
Maxine says
Yes, but only after a few mistakes. We used to buy the deals only to find we didn’t really like what we bought. We now go with specific items we want to buy in mind. We get the discount book from the help desk, $5 but we have the coupon so we get it for free and we hit the same stores we always hit, occasionally checking on a few new ones (kids outgrow Carter’s, then Childrens Place, then Justice and now its Aeropostale where we find nothing but long lines, maybe a couple things at American Eagle, skip JCrew, can’t find our size in Skechers, and Old Navy looks to be ransacked! Lol). I’m not one to buy online because I hate returns and s&h and its carbon footprint, and I want to make sure it fits, so outlets twice a year are my thing (and sometimes again for x-mas or after sales). This past weekend kicked off the states tax free week so no sales tax and some stores had deeper discounts for the first day to help kick it off. Since I don’t really shop the mall stores I can’t tell the difference in quality but if it won’t last a few years I won’t shop there again. We go early to avoid crowds and leave early too. Each time someone is a big winner and someone hardly finds anything. This year the kid struggled, Dad did OK and for the first time in a couple years, mom scored with many new work pieces.
Gwen says
I quit shopping at the various Outlets, unless we’re on our way to Las Vegas or Palm Springs and need an exercise break. Do a quick walk through, that’s it.
. After comparing prices, quality, condition of items, and transportation, it was not a bargain for our life style (in Southern California, family of 3.
. The best deals for us in the *long distant past* ended about 15 years ago. A toy outlet in the Temecula area, and a Corning Ware Outlet, in Los Angeles.
Clothes? No. It’s almost a joke trying to find anything other than underwear. and pantyhose. Shoes? Poor selection, and shopworn, lower quality, especially at the Las Vegas outlets. FWIW I’m a plus size woman and too many items were in bad shape, not worth trying on. . My husband and son are short, rarely found pants or anything else worth carting home.
I do much better with on-line shopping. Rarely have to return an item, due to reading the descriptions carefully.
Julie says
I guess I’m lucky and live in the town with an outlet mall and no real mall for another 40 miles. Still we only go a few times a year. We only shop for specific items. We’ll use a coupon if we have one. I think we’d rather sit on top of an ant hill before we would go on a tax free weekend.
Amanda says
Old Navy’s Outlets are usually worth looking at. JC Penney’s online outlet is nice too. I’ve picked up out-of-season kids’ clothes on clearance for as much as 90% off (baby snowsuit for $3!). My husband works at a Kay Jewelers Outlet store, so I get a huge discount when I shop there!