07 February 2012

WHAT OUTLETS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW!






As an avid shopper, it is hard to resist outlet malls. Finding deals on designer products is my kind of shopping. However, I recently read an article about some sneaky ways that outlets try to trick us into thinking we are getting a better deal than we really are.

Low-quality merchandise abounds. We usually think that outlet stores sold only overstocked, discontinued or damaged merchandise, but things have changed. Nowadays, the majority of outlet stores use merchandise that was specially created for the outlet store. This means the merchandise is made with lower-quality fabrics and cheaper construction.

Savings deals are exaggerated. If you look at the tags at outlet stores it usually reads, "Suggested Retail Price" and "Our Price." This tag is misleading sometimes because the store puts the "Suggested Retail Price" at whatever they want it to be and there is no guarantee that the item is worth that price. This is called "reference pricing" and is used to make us believe we are getting a GREAT deal.

The store's location is so inconvenient that you feel obligated to shop more to justify the journey there. Have you ever released that most outlet malls are located in "out-of-the-way" locations or off deserted highways? By driving so far to get to the outlets, customers believe that they must not leave without something so they haven't wasted so much time and energy. That way, customers feel like they haven't made a bad investment and can rationalize their purchases.
I used to wonder why the prices at stores like Marshall's and Outlet stores when in reality companies like Jessica Simpson and Steve Madden are making items strictly for outlets and dept. stores. So it's no longer like getting a pair of shoes from Macy's for 80% off. The item are pre made and made poorly at that which sucks. I think that's why I love thrift store so much because you get some real quality items at a fraction of the price and they just may outlast any item from a department or "outlet" mall.
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4 comments

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  2. If you have ever shopped with the real dept store then pay attention to the tags. For example, Kenneth Cole has grey tags at the dept store. If you go to a discount store, sometimes the original tag is grey(good quality), or blue(low quality), trust me I have been down this road!

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  3. So, I bought a pair of ABBBIE shoes that look exactly like the ANNNIE...until you look very closely. The wedge heels show a ripple and its obvious its an inferior shoe. The Steve Madden Outlet Store in Orlando FL had a price of $149.00 marked down to $49.99 Special. I bought them as a "final sale".
    Lesson learned. Stay Away from Steve Madden Outlet stores.

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