From MSN Money: "Are Outlet Malls for Suckers?"

[ShopGirl647]

I like going with friends but I usually come out empty handed. We make it an outing just to have fun. I still prefer to shop at regular malls and boutiques. Outlets doesn't mean you will get it cheaper, sometimes the sales at the regular stores seems more worthwhile than the ones at the outlet but again I shop everywhere so you never know what kind of deals you can get when you come across something you like. In terms of quality wise, 50/50 for me from previous experiences. I've seen a lot of very OLD OLD inventories. Just more browsing for me.

[harlem_cutie]

The Target I go to adopts a similar pricing strategy. They will mark something as clearance when it's only $2 or $3 off.

I think almost all apparel retailers manufacture clothes just for the outlet. I know for sure GAP, Banana Republic, JCrew and Ann Taylor do it. You can usually tell the difference because the tags are different. Coach does it too. I wonder if this is the case for the places that sell luggage cuz I always see Samsonite pieces at outlets I've never seen anywhere else.

[~Fabulousity~]

interesting and good to know. I never shop the outlets the only time i've ever been to one was when I was on vacation in Orlando.

[shanam]

Thanks for posting BPS. When outlets were first popular I believe they did have the real thing that was sold in regular stores. Now there are just too many outlet malls to be able to not have to sell merchandise made soley for them. The few times I have been to Saks off 5th or Neiman's Last call there were some very high priced things with good mark downs.
Personally, the only outlet I really love is Crate and Barrel. They have some of the best deals in exactly what is in their regular stores. I love their gadgets and fun stuff that I didn't know I needed till I saw it LOL

[caxe]

I am not a big shopper, outlet or otherwise, so this doesn't matter much to me. But I always thought this was common knowledge anyway.

[runner22]

I like going to the Nike factory outlet store because they carry my favorite kind of running shorts. They are usually $5-6 off per pair which adds up! I also shop at the Coach outlet store but only go for certain boutique transfers.

[renie]

Originally Posted by BigPurseSue

I think the same is true for stores like TJMaxx. I occasionally spot a Coach or Dooney bag which I've never seen in any dept. store, or in their catalog or on their Web site. In fact it's kind of fugly, low quality and terribly over-priced. Is this a fake? I always think. Or was it manufacturered specifically for an outlet store?

I've been buying coach for over a decade and a lot of those bags are from over 5 or 6 years ago and usually from the outlet.

I can't help but laugh sometimes at my less savvy friends who talk about a made for outlet bag that was originally $395 and they got it for $100. The good deals are the ones in the 'clearance' section from the boutiques.

[1NutMeg]

Originally Posted by shoe gal

I know for a fact that J.Crew does this. Some of their merchandise is leftover stock from the previous season/year, but a good chunk of it is manufactured specifically for the outlet. The prices are almost as high as the regular store, so I'm not sure how they remain successful. I inspect the quality of everything I buy from a J.Crew outlet, unless I recognize a piece from a previous season that was sold in the regular stores. I've gotten burned with a few items (most notably, their outlet version of their polos), but last time I was there I found a sweatshirt boyfriend blazer made just for the outlet that looks great and seems to be of really great quality - I don't think that the outlet version is necessary inferior, just different.

This article made me think of J.Crew too. I love my J.Crew factory store, however I've learned what to buy and what to pass on. I actually love the jeans and polos I've gotten from there, but not the cardigans. I just bought two pairs of corduroys from the factory store for less than half the price of regular retail and I'm interested to see how they hold up. I love J.Crew clothes, but the regular store prices are just a cut above what I want to pay on a regular basis, and I haven't had much luck with sales. Plus I hate that their shipping is so expensive! So I default to the factory store for basics. Okay, rant over.

[juneping]

interesting read.

the quality of the stuff at outlet is def different from the regular retail. it's a pair of sandals with the little bums all over at the sole of the shoes..they came off like the first time my bf wear them. so i just went ahead to buy from a regular retails. i bought a pair of Jimmy Choo from outlet mall...the sole was made tip towards inwards so it makes it very uncomfortable when i wear them. i hardly had any good experience at outlet mall.

[jayjay77]

Originally Posted by runner22

I like going to the Nike factory outlet store because they carry my favorite kind of running shorts. They are usually $5-6 off per pair which adds up! I also shop at the Coach outlet store but only go for certain boutique transfers.

I love the Nike outlet too! ... and the Adidias outlet ... cost for workout clothes really adds up I agree!

[queennadine]

That article was very interesting, thanks for posting it!

I live close (within an hour) driving distance to several outlet malls. I always go to the Off 5th outlet, Last Call, and Lacoste. I wonder if Lacoste makes different clothes for the outlets?

[esiders]

I'm 39, so I remember when outlet malls first started cropping up in the 1980s. Back then it was always understood that Outlet meant great deals on irregular/"seconds" merchandise.

My philosophy for outlet shopping has always been, if you can't afford to buy it at full price, you are not going to find many "deals" at outlets.

[LeeMiller]

Outlets aren't what they used to be. I think the deals I get are more often at the end of season sales at Saks/Neimans and in Filene's or Loheman's. I don't even walk into the Banana Republic, J.Crew, or Ann Taylor outlets anymore because I got tired of seeing racks upon racks of clothing produced for the outlets. I've also read that most of the time the customer who shops at an outlet doesn't shop at the retail store, so they are two totally different markets. I guess I'm an exception, lol.

[blackberrypatch]

I knew about the Coach line, when I went to the Coach outlets I bought exactly what I'd seen in a regular store for a great price =)

Going to the outlets are seems like fun and I get excited about it because on the way back I go to another mall that I really like but don't go to often because it's far too.

I don't think I've ever bought something at an outlet I hadn't seen + liked in-store though. Now that I've read this article it seems like that was lucky.

[lovingmybags]

Thanks for the confirmation; I have always suspected the outlets becoming more and more that way, with larger piles of junk and fewer, glittering real deals. I'm glad I never bought into the whole brand business; if I see something that is made of poor material, no matter what it is, I won't buy it. Also, I don't shop with relative prices in mind; I make it a rule to not buy anything, no matter what it is, if the prices go above what I'm looking for. As a general rule, I always shop the clearance sections in regular stores and boutiques, or shops like Filene's, Loehmann's, or Nordstrom Rack, and I'm glad I did!