For shoppers out there, an outlet mall is definitely the cream of the crop. Everyone loves a good bargain, helping you maximize the purchasing power of your shopping money. This fact forms the reason why shoppers would definitely say a trip to the outlet is always worthwhile. They may not have the latest collections as the retail stores have, but when you shop wisely, no one will even notice that what you have are items from older seasons. If you have an outlet near you, then you should make it your first stop before hitting the retail mall!
While fashion outlets are already known positively for their reputation of having better deals and discounts than retail stores, this doesn’t mean there isn’t any more you can do to score even better deals. If you want to be up for more discounts when shopping at both physical and online fashion outlets, such as The DOM, continue reading this article.
Go Through The Outlet’s Website First
Many outlets today have their own websites or social media sites for shoppers to check out. They’re built for that purpose, so make use of them before shopping. Checking a particular outlet’s website will give you an inside scoop on what the latest deals are so you’ll know exactly what to get before you even step inside their establishment.
This strategy works especially if you’re not keen on shopping for a particular brand, but just the best deals in general. You can plan your visit to the outlet strategically such that you’ll browse those brands offering the highest discounts first, then the lowest last. By doing so, you can avoid that frustration of later on finding out you’ve exhausted your shopping money on brands that didn’t have the best deals.
2. Buy Clearance Items
The whole premise of outlet shopping is that you shouldn’t expect to have items from the latest seasons. Most of what they have are off-season and clearance items, usually from at least a season ago. This is why you’ll get to enjoy great discounts on most items.
You can give yourself an opportunity to enjoy even greater discounts by shopping from the clearance section. Like retail stores, outlet shops will also have a clearance aisle. Those are products whose prices they’re selling anywhere between 75% to 90% off. They usually do this in order to clear out the racks to make room for new ones.
When you buy clearance items, you get the lowest possible selling price for those pieces. You can surely buy more for the budget you have! Well, you may not be able to use those summer outfits you bought from the clearance rack this current season, but you can certainly save them for that beach trip you’ll be planning next summer.
3. Compare Prices Beforehand
Brands are aware of the fact that shoppers who visit outlet stores are there because they’re looking for the best deals. This means many shops might try to make the discounts bigger than they actually are. Imagine this: isn’t it that when you see something marked as 60% off at an outlet store, you’d immediately rush in and buy it?
Before falling into the marketing trap done by many brands, it’s wise to compare prices before finalizing your decision. If you have a Wi-Fi or data connection when shopping, a quick search on the Internet will give you the retailer’s price versus the outlet price you’re now looking at. Doing simple math can help you compute whether or not you’re truly enjoying a big discount on the item by buying it from the outlet than from the retail store.
4. Check Each Item You’re Looking To Buy
When shopping at an outlet store, the best way that you can determine you’re getting the best deal is when you can also balance quality with the price. The discount will never be worth it if what you have in exchange for the savings is an item of inferior quality. So, before getting all hyped up and ready to pay, give each item a good look.
Check every item you’re eyeing carefully so you can be certain it’s free from any defect. At their best, the goods you’ll be buying should look no different from those at the retail stores. They may be old stocks or out-of-season items, but they still shouldn’t look used or obviously inferior.
It’s never worth the discount when the item won’t last you long anyway. It’s only when you’re convinced of the quality that you can decide with full certainty that the item is, indeed, worth your hard-earned money.
Final Shopping Tips
For avid shoppers, there’s nothing like the thrill of browsing all those wonderful brands at outlet stores, all while scoring the best deals. Why pay full price for something you know you can get for more than half its original cost? If you’re headed to an outlet shopping trip very soon, the insights you’ve just learned will surely be put to good use.
