How to Shop Smartly and Save Money at Outlet Stores
If you shop smart and do your homework, outlets can be a great place to save money. But the charm of shopping malls can also make you overspend. Maximize your savings by knowing about the different types of outlets available and where to find the best deals and coupons.
There are different types of outlet stores
There are three main types of outlet stores. You can quickly determine the quality and value they provide by knowing what type of store you are entering. This is how it goes wrong.
- Actual point of sale : The true location of the point of sale offers the greatest potential for savings. They sell items that were originally stocked at regular retail stores. Items may be damaged or defective, or seasonal items may be discontinued and priced accordingly. REI, Lands’ End, JCPenney and Nordstrom Rack have “real” stores. Plus, if you’re comfortable with trading , real outlets offer the chance to hone your skills. Discounted items may already be discounted, but there is usually room for wiggle room in the price. This is especially true for furniture stores where space is limited and inventory needs to be moved quickly.
- Factory Stores: These locations sell merchandise made specifically for them, rather than merchandise originally stored elsewhere. Buyer, be careful: firmware and material quality are secondary and won’t last as long as in the original showroom. In other words, things are cheaper for a reason. Often the price tag or label will have “Factory” printed on it. If you’re unsure if you’re shopping at the factory store, just ask a partner and shop accordingly. A good rule of thumb is prices must be 30-40% lower than actual retail stores for the value proposition to work. Gap, J.Crew, Eddie Bauer, Under Armor and Express have popular brand stores.
- Hidden Retail Stores: Many retail outlets are just conventional retail stores located in malls to take advantage of heavy pedestrian traffic. Flashy deals are hard to find as products and prices tend to be identical to regular stores. If the shop sign does not indicate the factory or the location of the outlet, you are probably shopping at a regular retail store. Famous Footwear, Sunglass Hut, American Eagle Outfitters and Aeropostale open regular retail stores in malls.
Find Outlet Coupons on Facebook
Most outlets do not accept regular coupons. They usually need to be labeled as “weekend” coupons and are often hard to find. You can search Google until you turn blue and find none that are usable. Check out Facebook instead. Find the business page for the place you are going to visit. For example, ” Gap Outlet – Shasta Factory Outlet Mall “. Their page will keep you updated on specific merchant coupons, many of which will only be valid in that specific location.
Buy Nike Hash Wall & Trade
Nike branded stores are some of the most popular in the country. They combine the styles of the past season with items created specifically for the outlet. This confusion can make it difficult to determine where deals are located in a store. You will save the most money on the back wall, called the hash wall, in every Nike factory store. All the latest shoes from the inventory are stored here, as well as class B shoes. Level B means shoes that can be worn or that can be returned after they have been worn once. These shoes often come with a small discount, but you can get a better deal by contacting your sales representative and pointing out the drawback. Start by asking for an extra 20% off the asking price, and depending on the imperfection, you have a good chance of getting this or something close.
Save shopping for an outlet-friendly vacation
Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend are two of the best weekends of the year with clothing and footwear sales to be found. This is because both weekends correspond to the end of the fashion season. Because of this, outlets add items to the sales section in bulk and pass on the savings to you. It’s a great time to stock up on a cheap one for next year. The only best way to save money is to do a store-wide sale and combine it with a coupon found on the retailer’s Facebook page.
Know The Return Policy
Finally, remember the point-of-sale return policy . They can vary greatly. Some items are permanently sold, while others require you to return items only to the point of sale. Shopping malls are often off the beaten path, so depending on how far you’ve traveled, returning items to the actual outlet can be a headache.
Never assume that you will find theft just because you walk into a store. This may have been the case in the 80s and 90s, but some investigation is now required.