The truth about outlet and discount clothing

rachylou

Oh yes, this has been true a long time. Not only that, but high end brands will burn what they don’t sell; they’ll never send to an outlet. In the old days, department stores had their bargain basements, but those days are long gone.

On the other hand, in the outlet malls you get the Corningware and Revereware and other such stores, which I personally always enjoy

5 years ago

Becky

Active Member

Thank you for sharing. I knew about outlet store not selling same quality product. I did not know that some brands make products specifically for Marshalls! No wonder the Cynthia Rowley clothes I see there often look cheap.

5 years ago

kkards

Veteran

yes....the outlet piece has been true for a long time....i worked for an outlet division of a major retailer 25 years ago and that was the truth then...but honestly the outlets are generally very open about this, with different labels in the clothing made for them, and the racks with actual "mother brand" clothing is typically signed and called out...so i'm always suprised that people are suprised....as for the marshalls/tjmaxx/ross's of the world, since there are now more of them then there are department stores, simple math will tell you that most of what they are selling is being made to be sold in these stores...that may or may not imply different quality, but implies that you should think about the "savings" differently. and if you have seen any of the marshall's ads recently they no long call out the savings, they now just call out great prices....

5 years ago

Anonymous

Thank you for sharing. Articles like this are always interesting and informative. I don't have time to shop outlet stores, but many of friends practically live there. I won't share this article with them because they are so pleased when they find their treasures. I don't want to be the one to burst their bubble. They will probably catch on in their time.

5 years ago

molly221

Active Member

What about Nordstrom rack?
I shop in the store and not online? Any inside information

5 years ago

Christina F.

Veteran

molly221 - no inside info, but I have observed items from regular Nordstrom eventually ending up at the Rack. That doesn't mean they don't also have stuff made specifically for the Rack, though.

5 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Exactly what Rachy and Christina said.

5 years ago

Julie

Active Member

yes to all of this- and just to second what Christina said, I found a few Boden dresses at my local Nordstrom Rack, and they were definitely the real deal!

5 years ago

Sal

Veteran

The whole shopping/price/discount aspect is so interesting isn't it. What you pay compared to the discount, where you buy it, what the label says on it.

I think we all know the feeling of snagging a bargain..... and that thrill.

I do sales shop but rarely outlet shop......just not my thing even though there is a mall close (15 min drive) by I haven't been inside in about 6-7 years.

I can fall victim to the discount in the supermarket though, and what the RRP is even though they probably never charge it...

5 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

Thank you for sharing this. Outlet malls seem to be the thing these days. They are everywhere. I don`t go to them very often but I have noticed the labels are different.

5 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Yes, I knew most of this, but I didn't know about some "designer" lines being created specifically for Marshalls and the like. Tricky.

Regarding the Rack, I believe that some of the items come from the regular Nordstrom store, and some are made specifically for the Rack. So you need to look at the label. You can definitely find some good deals at the Rack.

I read in an article once that the reason outlet stores have their own lines is because as manufacturing techniques got better, there was less and less damaged or defective merchandise and therefore not as much to fill the outlet stores. The companies running the stores also realized what a big source of revenue the outlets were. So they eventually started manufacturing specially made outlet clothing to keep up with the demand of shoppers. Of course, the shoppers weren't told this...

I visited my local Fossil outlet store a couple of years ago and asked which items came from the retail store. The SA showed me a very small selection of items on the wall. There were maybe ten purses total.

I did a writeup on the forum some time ago when I was shopping for my Fossil purse. I compared the outlet version with the retail version: https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....ndbag-long

5 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I wish they'd just be honest in labeling. Calling them "outlets" when they have different merchandise is intentionally misleading. I'm glad to see this "the marshall's ads recently they no long call out the savings, they now just call out great prices...."

Gigi, I don't know how I missed it a year ago--I had posted about considering a Fossil bag not long before then--but thanks for mentioning your old post!

The Rack is usually pretty straightforward about what's what. Some things, like Max Studio, are made exclusively for the Rack, some things are returns from the main store, and there are some things that are what we expect outlets to be--stuff that didn't sell at the big store that they're moving over to the lower-priced outlet. In my experience, that info isn't as clearly presented at outlet malls.

A related thing has to be the way designers produce different lines for different stores. Macy's, for example, seems to have down-market versions from many labels, with lesser fabrics. You can't just see that it's Nicole Miller, or whatever, and assume you know the quality level.

5 years ago

kkards

Veteran

FashIntern....FYI Marshall's didn't change how they talk about their pricing volunterally, they were sued by the state attroney general of CA, as was Ross....

https://topclassactions.com/la.....rshalls-ho

https://www.retaildive.com/new.....gs/538768/

5 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks kkards! Disappointing as it is, that makes sense. Not like they’re going to decide to make that change out of their big, benevolent hearts. Darn it.

5 years ago

Anonymous

Gigi -- I forgot about your post. It was a GREAT post. I found it very informative. Thanks for sharing it with me again.

5 years ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well in NZ we don’t have many “outlet malls”. I go to at least 2 outlet stores at the actual factory ( Sabatini) or the head office of the brand/importer (Scope Clothing). So I guess I am lucky. One of our outlet malls Dressmart does have familiar NZ brands which look to me like they have the usual stuff from a season or two earlier at cheaper prices, but I may be deceived. We are a small market. About a hundred to a thousand times smaller than the US market I suppose. Just under 5 million people in the whole country.

5 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

A lot of brands have licensed their names to the off price retailers. TJMaxx even has it's own proprietary house lines. Even a lot of the stuff at Nordstrom Rack and Saks off 5th is made just for those stores and never offered at the brand's own site

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5 years ago

Irina

Veteran

Well, for WIW, I have my strategy when shopping at Winners/Marshall’s:
I buy only the brands I know and respect. After I made a purchase, I search for a stock pictures to see if it was a regular item during the previous seasons. My hope is to buy a “dead stock”, items that the not sold at the time and may be a couple years old. I actually recently saw a jacket from Massimo Dutti that I bought two years ago at their store. Not all the brands produce discounted lines. I buy Eileen Fisher from Nordstrom Rack, I haven’t heard about any EF “outlets”. I don’t know a lot of brands, this is why I limit myself to what I do know and can research.

5 years ago

Aliona

Active Member

Irina, there are a few Eileen Fisher « company » stores across the US and they are legit deals if you live close by, but (based on the one near me) are not worth a long-distance field trip as they are feast or famine depending on when shipments arrive.

Otherwise I only shop Rack for discount because I can track items on their journey from full price at Nordstrom to the minimum price I’m willing to pay. I have a system I follow that takes time and there’s zero room for FOMO, but it works for me.

5 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Sterling, you're welcome .

5 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Irina, so does Winners/Marshall’s not have designers make lower quality lines to sell in their stores? I have bought EF at the Rack and it does seem high quality to me.

5 years ago

Irina

Veteran

Fashintern, They probably do have but I don’t buy it. I bought EF items at Winners and I know they a “real deal”. As it was said here before, in Toronto we have a couple of Winner that sell a selection of higher end brands. Twice a year or so they even have an event “Red Carpet” or something like this. I was there a few days ago and saw Celine and MaxMara coats. Armani jackets, Marni dresses and such. At other times I saw Balenciaga and LV bags, Jimmy Choo and Manolo shoes. Prices are too high for me even from Winners for these designers. And I don’t believe they would have a special discount lines.
I assume, this is unsold stock from department stores.
EF, R&R, Theory, Vince and some designer jeans are often sold at Winners.
My point is - know the brands you buy and their practices.

5 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

Here’s an interesting example of very similar Pendleton jackets at Nordstrom and the Rack. Visually, the Nordstrom jacket has a zipper placket, patch pockets, and is a little longer.

https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/p.....r%20stripe

https://www.nordstromrack.com/.....or=GLACIER

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Nordstrom

Glacier Sunset Water Resistant Fleece Coat

View Info

Top Pick

11

5 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Oh now that’s interesting, JAileen (!)

5 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I'm so uncertain of Pendleton fashion as it is! I grew up with the blankets. They are wonderful. But looking at the clothing fabrics and location sites, I am not at all convinced that they are the same quality, that buying them has positive economic effects, or that I want then, as nice as they can look on the website. But I think I do want a new blanket from them.

5 years ago

Anonymous

Jaileen -- that was a fascinating comparison. Without looking at them side-by-side, I would have assumed they were the same exact jacket.

5 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

Sterling, I thought they were the same jacket, too!

FashIntern, I think Pendleton wool clothes are very high quality. I ordered this jacket (in charcoal) during NAS, and although I ended up returning it, I thought both the fabric and construction were excellent. The fleece jacket seemed expensive for a fleece jacket. I have several Patagonia and North Face fleece jackets that are high quality and cost a lot less. Plus, they are washable. Anyway, that’s why I didn’t order this Pendleton fleece jacket. I was interested, though, because I worked three summers in Glacier NP.

Nordstrom

Kit Wool Blend Shirt Jacket

View Info

Top Pick

4

5 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

I would be concerned about fakes if lv (etc) bags at tk/tj/winners. Unless you know the source (and even then) of these bags, it’s a risk.

Clothing, I am less suspicious.

5 years ago

Irina

Veteran

Well, bj1111, I would think that selling fakes is a prosecutable offense and none of the regular retailers would dare to do it. As we all know some high end brands destroy their unsold merch and other sell it to department stores, who in turn sell it to discount retailers. As fashion industry became “fast fashion”, more and more merchandise is being made . Discount stores are having its moment as many higher end brands need to dispose their old stock. LV bags I saw were not a popular design and priced above $2500 Can. Max Mara coats were about $700. Not exactly Winners prices. I only know two Winners in Toronto that receive these kinds of brands a couple times a year. But unless “fashion machine” will slow down, we can expect to see it more often.

5 years ago

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