now, i don't mind stuff going to outlet. after all, that's what outlets are there for. BUT, my problem (and i think the problem of almost everyone) is that there is literally, like, a WEEK in between full price boutique and outlet. THAT is crazy and where the problem lies.
Totally and utterly disappointed...
- Thread starter DzzyButterfly
- Start date
That is my EXACT problem. If I saw a Cotton Carly at the Outlets say... next summer. I'd shrug it off-- that is what the Outlet is there for. OLDER styles and Outlet only styles...
But to have the Spring/Early Summer Collection of '07 already?
This is exactly the problem, why would people be loyal and buy full price if they can turn around and can buy it in a few days at an outlet? And to me its even more crazy that things are still online and at the outlet, I understand returns but not shipments?
I am a true outlet shopper (for the past year and a half) and am fortunate to have an outlet 20 mins away from my home.
I am not used to seeing the new stuff in the outlets so soon...maybe last years items, but not last months items!
So sorry to those who paid full price. I love to brag about my savings, but I feel horrible now doing so after hearing that some of you are upset!
I am not used to seeing the new stuff in the outlets so soon...maybe last years items, but not last months items!
So sorry to those who paid full price. I love to brag about my savings, but I feel horrible now doing so after hearing that some of you are upset!
Don't be upset. I love hearing about all the bargains. Brag away girl! Nothing beats finding a deal.I am a true outlet shopper (for the past year and a half) and am fortunate to have an outlet 20 mins away from my home.
I am not used to seeing the new stuff in the outlets so soon...maybe last years items, but not last months items!
So sorry to those who paid full price. I love to brag about my savings, but I feel horrible now doing so after hearing that some of you are upset!
I am a true outlet shopper (for the past year and a half) and am fortunate to have an outlet 20 mins away from my home.
I am not used to seeing the new stuff in the outlets so soon...maybe last years items, but not last months items!
So sorry to those who paid full price. I love to brag about my savings, but I feel horrible now doing so after hearing that some of you are upset!
Please don't feel bad, I'm not upset with anyone who gets the deals, I'm jealous and would if I could! I'm just bitter that well there's not a boutique closer than 3 hrs to were I live (or even a dept store retailer) and outlets farther than that.
I think it's great when you girls get awesome deals at the outlets, but I agree with most girls on here. The nearest outlet to me is four hours away, in a different state. I don't want to drive eight hours for a hit-or-miss shopping trip. But that said, it drives me CRAZY to see that new bags are going for such smoking deals and there's no way for me to participate in that.
and then, of course, don't forget pce. okay, it's 4 times a year and they're pretty much letting anyone get the discount. so between pce and outlets- why would anyone pay retail?
I am an outlet shopper and I actually wish it took longer for the bags to go to the outlet. I feel that if it goes straight to the outlet it will probably still be in high demand because it is still new. I rather find that special bag later on down the road...that way if I can purchase it feels like it is a special find. When I see stuff at the outlet so quickly I feel if I can't buy right then and there I will miss out. Maybe I am crazy, but I love having slightly older bags.
I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion but... I love a deal as much as the next person. Those of us who paid full price or PCE'd it, felt that we were paying a fair price for those bags at that time. We were assured of getting the bag we wanted when it was new and popular. Why is it less of a fair price now that they've marked down their outdated merchandise?
I have paid full price for items that others are finding at the outlets. However, I love my bags. Coach told me the price they wanted to sell them at, and when I paid it, fully aware of the existence of outlets, I agreed that those prices were appropriate for those bags, for me, at that time.
Ergos are not the current line any more - the Chelsea stuff is. So from a business standpoint, it has become to Coach's advantage to make the Ergos available to another price point market.
There is a model of business my husband explained to me about which suggests that it's good business to make the same product available at different prices to different price markets. People who don't care to bargain hunt, will buy the bag they love because they can afford it, they like it, and it isn't worth it to them to put in the elbow grease and try their luck at an outlet. People who are more price-conscious will shop their price point - wait to see what hits the outlets.
I can empathize with the feeling of annoyance at having paid full price for things that have now been marked down significantly. But part of me wonders, do people feel that way when you buy today's bagels, when you see that yesterday's bagels are now fifty percent off? I think a certain measure of this happens with any business that has outlets, and a big rotation of new stock on a regular basis.
Also: has anyone noticed that the deals aren't really *that* good? Outlet prices on the Ergo line are probably approximately what their retail prices were several years ago. I wonder if Coach is employing some kind of strategy to get us ramped up to higher prices in the retail boutiques. suddenly we are considering a "good deal" on a bag to be what we might have paid, full price, in 2005 or something. I don't have numbers on this. I'm just saying. With a 40% production margin (Coach profits 40% on the sale of every bag) and stock rising steadily for at least the last 5 years, they have SOME kind of strategy figured out.
/marketwonk
I have paid full price for items that others are finding at the outlets. However, I love my bags. Coach told me the price they wanted to sell them at, and when I paid it, fully aware of the existence of outlets, I agreed that those prices were appropriate for those bags, for me, at that time.
Ergos are not the current line any more - the Chelsea stuff is. So from a business standpoint, it has become to Coach's advantage to make the Ergos available to another price point market.
There is a model of business my husband explained to me about which suggests that it's good business to make the same product available at different prices to different price markets. People who don't care to bargain hunt, will buy the bag they love because they can afford it, they like it, and it isn't worth it to them to put in the elbow grease and try their luck at an outlet. People who are more price-conscious will shop their price point - wait to see what hits the outlets.
I can empathize with the feeling of annoyance at having paid full price for things that have now been marked down significantly. But part of me wonders, do people feel that way when you buy today's bagels, when you see that yesterday's bagels are now fifty percent off? I think a certain measure of this happens with any business that has outlets, and a big rotation of new stock on a regular basis.
Also: has anyone noticed that the deals aren't really *that* good? Outlet prices on the Ergo line are probably approximately what their retail prices were several years ago. I wonder if Coach is employing some kind of strategy to get us ramped up to higher prices in the retail boutiques. suddenly we are considering a "good deal" on a bag to be what we might have paid, full price, in 2005 or something. I don't have numbers on this. I'm just saying. With a 40% production margin (Coach profits 40% on the sale of every bag) and stock rising steadily for at least the last 5 years, they have SOME kind of strategy figured out.
/marketwonk
I completely agree. A good bit of my stuff came from PCE purchases and some from eBay, so very little was actually full price. I don't mind paying for what I want and my nearest outlet is 3 hours away so even if something I bought went to the outlet a week later I would never know. But if I lived closer to one and saw something I had just bought at a full price store there for a significant discount I would be pissed.
I am not complaining about the items I have already purchases, your right I was willing to pay what I did for them but considering what they are doing now I will be less likely to pay it in the future. One of my biggest concerns with this is the fact they are offering the same product at the same time in both places with a significant price difference. To go with your anology it wouldn't be yesterday and todays bagels it would be 2 batches of yesterdays bagels one for todays price and the other reduced significantly.
True. I guess my point was, some people are still finding those bags in the stores and are willing to pay that price. (Not us lucky tPFers.
) So why would they sell the bags only in one place at one price point, why not cash in on the higher and lower price points.Again, I am not saying that the frustration isn't justified. I'm just saying... from a business standpoint it does make sense. Not every Coach shopper reads this forum, nor CARES about getting a deal. Some are happy to pay full price. Some people LIKE paying more for things. That's what their boutique/outlet model offers people.
We have better info as tPFers to wait on things until they may appear at the outlets. So even if we all swear off boutique shopping, their model will still work for them. That's all.