Has anyone else ever been told this by an SA before?

[p3b]

That is funny. As if Coach would take some of the items (for example all saddle color Swingers) that are at Macys, Nordstrom, etc and make them different than the same exact ones being sold at Coach itself. Our saddle Swinger is better than Macys saddle Swinger (with the same style number and everything)

The department store exclusives are usually just colors that Coach or other retailers aren't selling but the materials are the same. Of course MFF items are different but their style numbers are also different. I have never had an SA tried to say this to me but imagine it happens.

 

[focoach]

From what my SA told me most are the same as full price and some exclusive colors of full price styles are only bought by department stores but there are some styles at certain department stores (I think like Macy’s and Belk) that are made for wholesale only and are on par quality with the outlets like the Taylor tote and a pebbled dufflette bag they had a couple years back and also a pebbled dinky they had a few years ago that was very similar to one at the outlets. So I think if you see a style at some department stores that you have never seen at all at full price some of those might use the outlet type materials.

 

[elvisfan4life]

From what my SA told me most are the same as full price and some exclusive colors of full price styles are only bought by department stores but there are some styles at certain department stores (I think like Macy’s and Belk) that are made for wholesale only and are on par quality with the outlets like the Taylor tote and a pebbled dufflette bag they had a couple years back and also a pebbled dinky they had a few years ago that was very similar to one at the outlets. So I think if you see a style at some department stores that you have never seen at all at full price some of those might use the outlet type materials.

I agree like the Mickey Disney stuff there was the 1941 retail stuff from coach then inferior dept store styles and then outlet worse again

 

[LaVisioneer]

I think now if the model number is the same as on Coach website, then they are the same design. Whether the items are made at the same plant is unclear, but it does seem back in the 80s/90s there was variation from plant to plant.

It’s possibly there isome mechanism for sorting the slightly more “flawed” bags and funneling then to dept stores (but not “flawed” enough to go to the outlets) but that’s seems like it would cost more than it’s worth. Wasn’t there a letter at the end of the serial number to indicate dept store only?

But I think now whatever variation there is between Coach retail and a dept store is not enough to justify any price difference.

I did notice some Macy’s exclusive bag charms seemed to be more cheaply made, but I don’t discriminate. I’ve gotten brand new details bags at the outlets with no visible flaws. And I’ve also bought more cheaply made MFF bags (that I still like, I just would not pay as much for them).

I think when an item is old enough, Coach either sends them all to a dept store or somewhere like 6pm or the outlets, so in those cases perhaps
the items in the dept store are returns and not as nice as a brand new bag. But one can also find returned bags in a retail store.


So I agree - I think the SA was misinformed and for brand new items I would not expect there to be a difference. Even if there was I’m not sure it would justify a price difference for me.

Also lol at him not identifying where your bag was purchased from!

 

[winter_knight]

Interesting. I was confused when I saw low quality items selling for way too much in the dept. stores. If a customer is not well informed about the brand it would be easy for them to think less of the brand because the quality and price don't match up.

 

[germanshepard]

I guess the Coach SA was not being genuine. He could explain that sometimes departmental store will have their own promotion and hence, the price may vary. This often may not be the case. He could say he would check and come back to you. This way it will not be as embarassing.

 

[starbucksqueen]

I bought a bag from Nordstrom and it shipped UPS from JAX, the Coach retail warehouse.

I think that might be because in the current retail climate, retailers like Nordstrom's are not holding a lot of inventory. So then they'll get it directly from the vendor. I'll tell you what a Bloomingdales employee told me about Coach bags:, "Coach is not making them like they used to. They wear out in a few years.Buy them on sale."
I'll give you an example of the difference between boutique, department store, and outlet. The market tote. It's a gorgeous tote. Crafted from high quality leather and canvas. The original came with a pouch. The outlet version was the Dempsey tote: all canvas, with leather handles and trim. Its body is like a jacquard canvas, including the sides. Macy's and Dillard's version is also that same signature jacquard. It has leather handles, trim, but the sides and are also leather. Retail on that bag was $299, plus tax. Its boutique counterpart is priced a lot higher.