Coach Outlet Quality… not so good…

B

Bernardo Pérez

Member
Jul 6, 2016
22
80
#1
I couldn’t find any info here about Coach and their outlets product quality. So I wanted to give my experience… and that is mixed…

I bought (at least 3 years ago) a Bifold Wallet on one of their outlet and the services was fine, the wallet looked fine and I love using it… the price was already 30% discounted from a normal store and I got an additional 50%… so you know where this is going.

Today after 3 years of use this is how my wallet looks… still usable for those days that I don’t need anything fancy (I work in broadcast and sometimes I work near construction of studios and on field recordings) but it really looks terrible at least for my standards… what do you think about the quality of the products sold at Coach Outlets?

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#4
I no longer buy Coach, as I no longer live in a country that sells Coach. I have heard that like other brands, their quality is not what it once was. Having said that, I think getting three years of continuous use out of a wallet is pretty good going.
 
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#6
A1aGypsy said:
I think three years of day in day out use is pretty good for the price of this wallet. Coach outlet products were created to appease the fast fashion crew. If you want a wallet that lasts longer, I’d go to a Coach store and buy a full leather one.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with this, it seems the majority of Coach outlet stock is basically just a plethora of low quality, cheaply items with the Coach logo on them.
 
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#7
A1aGypsy said:
I think three years of day in day out use is pretty good for the price of this wallet. Coach outlet products were created to appease the fast fashion crew. If you want a wallet that lasts longer, I’d go to a Coach store and buy a full leather one.
Click to expand...
I think it is a mix. I don't buy outlet items often at all, but in having seen some of them--there are some that are equal to retail store quality, and there are some that are not. The wallet in the example above isn't an item I would have ever expected to stand the test of time in regard to many years of use, but there are a lot of wallets in the outlet that would--they do have the all leather varieties that would do a lot better.
 
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#8
For three years of continuous use on a product that was offered at a heavy discount, I think it was worth the money. I know that outlets also offer repair services for issues like edge stain coming apart on the top of the wallet as shown in your pictures for the first year after purchase. Considering you received a 65% discount on a wallet that I'm guessing retailed for somewhere around $200-ish dollars -- I would be satisfied with the use you were able to get out of it.
 
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#9
The wallet is coated canvas bonded to a thin leather sheet on top of a flexible "stay" of cardboard, is it not?
Disregard the brand name stamped on it; the material itself has a 2 or 3-year average usability typical of a bifold wallet used for 3 consecutive years.
Every time you fold the wallet, remove a card, or handle it, you are putting wear on it. This would be the same for Michael Kors, Coach or Louis Vuitton if materials are the same.

It is unfortunate, but it is why I try avoid canvas or PVC items that will be used daily. I agree with a poster above: you need a full leather wallet with thicker materials to get at least 5 years of use with a bifold.

Assuming you paid $30-50 USD, divide it by 3 years--it is not an unreasonable cost per wear.
 
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#10
For the cost I think you got a good deal. There are brands where wallets cost several times more and then have glazing and edging issues within weeks or months. My advice it to have 2-3 wallets in rotation and switch them out every week or two. I advocate the same thing for daily use bags, and advise never wearing the same shoes two days in a row. You'll get more mileage per item that way.
 
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#11
Compared to 10-20 years ago, I think the outlet quality has declined. I have heavily used signature jacquard items that have not declined to that degree. I think coated canvas and crossgrain do not stretch, so the edgecoating comes off.

My mom had a coated canvas purse where this happened after a few months of regular use and a metal keychain break from the outlets break apart.

I would expect a pebbled leather product from the outlets to last longer than this. You might keep an eye out for boutique "reserve" items that go to the outlets (this seems to happen with wallets often)

But, I think I treat my products gently, so my standards tend to be higher.
 
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#12
Mixed media bags and wallets don't hold up as well as leather ones. And I would say this for any brand. I have pouches and wallets from 15 years ago. I also have a Coach walletI purchased about 8 years ago that was all leather. I used it constantly until last year. It's still together the snap is there and there's some rubbing. I still use it if I need a tiny wallet. I remember having a wallet from LV and they had to fix the glazing after a year. So maybe it's not just Coach outlet items. I tend to think that they don't make things as well as they used to.
 
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#13
10 years ago I thought coach bags were nice until I started shopping at the outlet bags thinking I was getting a deal. They are producing for outlet bags like a walmart and they are not as nice as the retail bags. I have both retail and outlet and some of them have lasted years and some haven't lasted a month. Who cares
when they are so cheap now?
 
#14
Mixed bag at the outlets...I got an outlet wallet as a gift and was shocked by how shoddy it was. It just felt cheap. Vinyl, and not even thick vinyl, on the inside and thin coated leather on the outside. I received a mini Bennet handbag with it as a set and the leather was so flimsy on that too.
With that said, I have a simple pebbled leather tote and matching double zip wristlet I purchased at the outlet that had nice thick leather and a great solid feel. Quiet luxury. Love it.

I think a lot of the price point items and small goods are meant to be disposable and they are made that way. But I also think there are some great pieces there....you need to look. A lower price does not automatically mean a great deal. But if you are picky, there are some nice quality pieces for a good value there. Look, touch, examine. Buy in person.
 
#15
Also, forget the discount game...and it is a game. If you saw it in a store priced at what they are charging after the discount, would you buy it? Would you still think it is a good value? Or would you spend a little more to get much better quality?

Thry do not have to sell any bags at the suggested retail price to legally call it a discount. The bags at the outlet are for the most part reflective of full retail based on the actual cost of the bag. You pay less because you are getting less. It may still be a good deal for what it is, but it is not the same bag as the full price one.
 
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