(Outlet stores at Assembly Row; Photo provided)
Outlet stores are a great way to shop your favorite brands at a discount. However, reports have surfaced that shoppers should steer clear from outlet malls, as retailers have begun manufacturing lesser quality items specifically for factory stores. It’s true that if you’re looking for top quality and investment pieces, outlets aren’t the answer. But there’s still value in these factory stores, and you can make away with some awesome steals, as long as you know how to be savvy while shopping them.
Recently, Consumer Reports released a ranking of the best outlet stores, according to a survey of 15,000 readers that weighed each store’s value. Among the best? Bon Worth, L.L. Bean, Bose and Coach. As for the lowest-rated outlets, Nike, J.Crew, Old Navy and Gap all came in at the bottom of the list, meaning they had the least impressive discounts and product quality.
Generally, the hike that it takes to get to an outlet mall, most often located in the middle of nowhere where real estate is cheap, results in the urge to buy so as to not go home empty-handed, and waste the trip. But with the opening of the shops at Assembly Row, outlet stores like Loft, Banana Republic, Puma and more are all within easy access thanks to the T station, meaning we don’t have carve out a day trip to the Wrentham Mall to access the discounted goods.
So now that outlets are within easy reach (and with holiday shopping on the horizon), here are some tips to make sure you’re being the savviest outlet shopper you can be.
Be wary of the “full price”
Since items are now being produced specifically for outlet stores, a dress that bears a $98 dollar price tag but is on sale for $49 was likely never worth the full-price anyway. The best way to avoid getting duped? Stay clear of sales that seem just too good to be true, or just don’t feel right. A buy-one get-one sale is great at the grocery store, but if an Ann Taylor outlet is boasting a BOGO sale for jeans that are supposedly worth $50 on their own, they’re probably not going to be high quality.
Inspect each item thoroughly
Search for defects, try everything on before you buy, and carefully handle each product to get a feel of the material. It may not be the highest quality akin to the regular retail items, but if it seems good enough for the low price point, it’s not a bad buy. You just have to keep in mind that these items could be low quality, and use a hawk-eye level of inspection to determine what to buy and what to leave behind.
Do your research in advance
If you’re looking for a new pair of Nike shoes, work pants from Banana Republic and hiking gear from L.L. Bean, research the items ahead of time online or in the regular retail stores, then write down the full prices. That way, when you’re debating buying a discount item, you’ll be able to determine if the savings are worth sacrificing the best quality.
Grill your cashier
Ask about ongoing discounts, like student discounts or something to that nature, at the register that you might have missed. Also be sure to check the return policy – some retailers might not let you return outlet items to the regular stores, and if you’re on the fence, that might help you make your final decision.
