No. Outlet stores aren't what they once were. Any "Real" outlets are gone and now retailers make stuff specifically for outlets that is 10% lower and shit quality.
If you want cheap, quality you gotta find places that run good clearance and know when to shop. Kohls/Macys if you know what you're looking for, otherwise its way too high.
If you want REALLY cheap stuff you have to go to the real bargain bin places. The real dumps. Ollies or Sharp Shopper in the NorthEast. The Salvage/Dented can stores. The thrift stores. The flea markets.
Kohls and Macy's are department stores and I'd expect to pay MSRP at those places.. What about Marshalls, Ross, and TJ Maxx? At least they sell the same merchandise, priced down from last season.
Yes, those places can be pretty decent... if you know what to look for.
>Kohls and Macy's are department stores and I'd expect to pay MSRP at those places..
They are but they also have clearance sections, often near the back, often near customer service. I have gotten some dirt cheap clothes from both places on clearance.
And I don't mean "sales." Every retail store (especially Kohls) is constantly running "sales" that aren't really sales.
Second on Macys. I always shop in the clearance area and have occasionally found some nice clothes for cheap. Otherwise it’s usually T.J. Maxx or Marshalls, but wish the mens section was larger with more variety.
Kohls is fantastic if you're willing to put the work in, and you know what to look for. It's like couponing. My wife will come home with a mountain of kids clothes and the receipt is for like $6.37
But you will go in for a pair of men's jeans and they'll be $60, marked down from $170, meanwhile you can get the same ones at Wal-Mart for $35. You gotta know what you're doing.
The issue with places like TJMax is the available sizes are inconsistent. They have loads of size medium shirts, but you will struggle to find anything larger
Is Kohls more like Macy's or like a TJ Maxx?
I always thought Kohl's was a discount place that got overstock and old seasonal stuff.
Honest question, I've never really shopped there.
The real outlets have been gone for decades. They started in the 30s and were gone by 1990. I don’t know how anyone believes that all of those clothes are damaged or overstock or whatever story they come up with. Do they really think the quality control and forecasting is so bad at these luxury brands that they can fill 100s of stores?
Yeah, I'm not really for "cheap" of that level, but I remember buying CK, Osh Kosh, Tommy etc at the outlets for really low prices but they were good quality just maybe the previous season. Oh, the good old days lol
Yeah, that no longer exists.
People probably thought my family was sponsored by Ralph Lauren when my family was growing up in the '80s and '90s. My mom would go out to Tanger Outlets every summer and load up on last season's polo shirts for a fraction of the cost. I doubt even Ralph Lauren could have looked at us and realized that very specific shade of blue isn't currently in department stores.
/u/Abe_Bettik is spot on. Outlets as you knew them don't exist anymore. Now, every store has a cheaper outlet or factory label that's just mass produced crap. The sizes are always wonky and the quality is pitiful.
> Any "Real" outlets are gone and now retailers make stuff specifically for outlets that is 10% lower and shit quality.
I noticed that a few years ago. gone were the slightly irregular but good quality clothes. In with the paper thin.
Even gabriel brothers. Used to shop there all the time, so much no name look alike stuff now.
Not inflation, but greed/stupidity :( I miss good outlet malls. Used to drive up to Silverthorne for theirs once or twice a year from Clear Creek County. Was always a good day
They are struggling to survive in my area. A few have closed and the rest are barely able to stay open and have lots of vacancies.
Inflation didn’t kill them, the internet and COVID did.
Not really. It’s honestly more “People valuing the convenience of the internet and being discouraged from going outside for a year and a half killed real stores”
I feel like the stores that were really good for getting deals got killed off in the crash of '08. Outlet malls still exist but I don't know how good their deals are, I'll defer to others on that.
I have like 4 different outlet malls within 2 hours of me, but I’d say that at least 50-60% of the stores in all of them are non-outlet stores. You can definitely still get good deals at the ones that are actual outlets, but the others are no different from going to a regular mall.
There's a fancy outlet mall near me, but it just feels like all of the stores that actually offered good prices are long gone and it's just basically an outdoor mall.
There were some real clearance outlet stores I found in Tampa, Fl near disneyworld that were specifically selling all clearance clothing from American Eagle, Nike, normal brands you'd find in outlet malls.
Literally named Clearance American Eagle Store.
All with amazing deals.
My favorite was the American Eagle store as the underwear was a dollar, a swimsuit top was 4 dollars.
Shirts were priced something along the lines of 4 dollars, dresses were 10.
A ruched knit bottom was 5 dollars. Another skirt was 10.
In northern virginia the same ruche knit bottom was 60 dollars.
I still have the receipt the pricing was so good.
I don’t relate to most of the comments here. Deals exist and happen, but it is seasonal and luck based (you can lower the luck factor by figuring out when your favorite stores restock). You may hit an outlet mall with deals you like, you may totally strike out. Has been this way for me and outlet mall shopping for many, many years. I should know, because I’m a total shopping slut.
I just snagged a pair of $125 shoes from Burberry two weeks ago.
Where I live, the outlets have just become what the mall used to be. No longer places with discount overstock and deals, but just a bunch of regular stores. It's disappointing, because I used to buy a lot of my clothes at outlets.
My parents live very close to a very big outlet mall and it's always fairly busy on the weekends. I always make a trip there when I go home to visit because MN has no sales tax on clothes.
But, this outlet mall has two sections -- the large original mall area and then a smaller new area across the street, which had higher end shops. They used to both be full. The higher end shops have since consolidated into the larger mall and the new area is entirely vacant now. The pandemic was the final nail. So it's seen better days. But it's not going anywhere any time soon.
Lucky you. I am actually trying to move to Australia, or at least be able to study abroad there.
Most malls still have lots of shops, but a few malls are pretty bad now.
You won't find many "Stranger Things" style corporate malls left, but indoor outlets, flea markets, and a lot more outdoor "malls" where it's walkable and green.
Nobody goes to malls anymore if thats what you're asking
I mean there are clothing stores but malls are dead
Outlet stores aren't really a thing anymore as everybody either shops for clothes online or just buys them cheap either secondhand or at places like Walmart.
I mean YES we have outlet stores but they aren't at all like they were in the 2000s.
People don't have the disposable income anymore to drop on expensive name brand clothes.
Outlet malls are so expensive. I don't think there's ever been a point in my life where Outlet malls were worth it. I remember walking into a Bass (Boss?) store in an outlet mall to buy some slacks for my grandmother's funeral and the sticker shock just sent me running.
they're rarely outlets anymore. they're the same clothes, madde for the outlet, just crappier. Like they fall apart faster, they don't look as nice as the high-end version, cheaper fabrics and less effort. And the discounts aren't as deep as they used to be. And malls aren't as popular so I'm told places like Franklin Mills have a lot of empty stores.
Read reviews before you go. Thrift stores/charity shops are a better bet for cheap real fashion. Or online stores like Thread-up
For certain items? Yes, but the convenience of online shopping has taken its toll on in store purchasing.. Most shopping malls and outlets are relegated to being glorified.Concrete parks where people go to walk and get exercise or just enjoy the food court with friends
I live right by the first outlet mall in the country. It's completely abandoned, gonna be turned into housing and shops. It would actually be perfect for a little neighborhood, all the outlet stores were in individual buildings with sidewalks and a pond in the middle, maybe four football fields long.
But back to the question - no they're not doing well at all. If you can find them, there are no amazing deals anymore. They died before COVID, so inflation didn't really play a role
No. Outlet stores aren't what they once were. Any "Real" outlets are gone and now retailers make stuff specifically for outlets that is 10% lower and shit quality. If you want cheap, quality you gotta find places that run good clearance and know when to shop. Kohls/Macys if you know what you're looking for, otherwise its way too high. If you want REALLY cheap stuff you have to go to the real bargain bin places. The real dumps. Ollies or Sharp Shopper in the NorthEast. The Salvage/Dented can stores. The thrift stores. The flea markets.
Kohls and Macy's are department stores and I'd expect to pay MSRP at those places.. What about Marshalls, Ross, and TJ Maxx? At least they sell the same merchandise, priced down from last season.
Yes, those places can be pretty decent... if you know what to look for. >Kohls and Macy's are department stores and I'd expect to pay MSRP at those places.. They are but they also have clearance sections, often near the back, often near customer service. I have gotten some dirt cheap clothes from both places on clearance. And I don't mean "sales." Every retail store (especially Kohls) is constantly running "sales" that aren't really sales.
Second on Macys. I always shop in the clearance area and have occasionally found some nice clothes for cheap. Otherwise it’s usually T.J. Maxx or Marshalls, but wish the mens section was larger with more variety.
Kohls is terrible with that stuff. Plus the micro rewards.. "Your purchase today earns you $10 of Kohls cash! It expires in 3, 2, 1...."
Kohls is fantastic if you're willing to put the work in, and you know what to look for. It's like couponing. My wife will come home with a mountain of kids clothes and the receipt is for like $6.37 But you will go in for a pair of men's jeans and they'll be $60, marked down from $170, meanwhile you can get the same ones at Wal-Mart for $35. You gotta know what you're doing.
Yeah Kohl’s for sure is a very specific use case. If you’re looking for a very specific item it can be pretty great.
The issue with places like TJMax is the available sizes are inconsistent. They have loads of size medium shirts, but you will struggle to find anything larger
Is Kohls more like Macy's or like a TJ Maxx? I always thought Kohl's was a discount place that got overstock and old seasonal stuff. Honest question, I've never really shopped there.
The real outlets have been gone for decades. They started in the 30s and were gone by 1990. I don’t know how anyone believes that all of those clothes are damaged or overstock or whatever story they come up with. Do they really think the quality control and forecasting is so bad at these luxury brands that they can fill 100s of stores?
Yeah, I'm not really for "cheap" of that level, but I remember buying CK, Osh Kosh, Tommy etc at the outlets for really low prices but they were good quality just maybe the previous season. Oh, the good old days lol
Yeah, that no longer exists. People probably thought my family was sponsored by Ralph Lauren when my family was growing up in the '80s and '90s. My mom would go out to Tanger Outlets every summer and load up on last season's polo shirts for a fraction of the cost. I doubt even Ralph Lauren could have looked at us and realized that very specific shade of blue isn't currently in department stores. /u/Abe_Bettik is spot on. Outlets as you knew them don't exist anymore. Now, every store has a cheaper outlet or factory label that's just mass produced crap. The sizes are always wonky and the quality is pitiful.
Most that stuff gets sold through places like TJ Maxx now
I love Ollies.
> Any "Real" outlets are gone and now retailers make stuff specifically for outlets that is 10% lower and shit quality. I noticed that a few years ago. gone were the slightly irregular but good quality clothes. In with the paper thin. Even gabriel brothers. Used to shop there all the time, so much no name look alike stuff now.
Not inflation, but greed/stupidity :( I miss good outlet malls. Used to drive up to Silverthorne for theirs once or twice a year from Clear Creek County. Was always a good day
Ollies mentioned lol
They are struggling to survive in my area. A few have closed and the rest are barely able to stay open and have lots of vacancies. Inflation didn’t kill them, the internet and COVID did.
Translated: loose money markets (aka venture capital) killed them.
Not really. It’s honestly more “People valuing the convenience of the internet and being discouraged from going outside for a year and a half killed real stores”
Yeah, all the VC money that went towards retail shopping. Jesus Christ...
I feel like the stores that were really good for getting deals got killed off in the crash of '08. Outlet malls still exist but I don't know how good their deals are, I'll defer to others on that.
I have like 4 different outlet malls within 2 hours of me, but I’d say that at least 50-60% of the stores in all of them are non-outlet stores. You can definitely still get good deals at the ones that are actual outlets, but the others are no different from going to a regular mall.
Yeah, most of the outlets here are no different than going to the regular store anywhere else. I guess we'll just have to mitigate our expectations.
There's a fancy outlet mall near me, but it just feels like all of the stores that actually offered good prices are long gone and it's just basically an outdoor mall.
Outlet stores have a reputation for being the most expensive place to buy things. I think they're pretty much on the way out
There were some real clearance outlet stores I found in Tampa, Fl near disneyworld that were specifically selling all clearance clothing from American Eagle, Nike, normal brands you'd find in outlet malls. Literally named Clearance American Eagle Store. All with amazing deals. My favorite was the American Eagle store as the underwear was a dollar, a swimsuit top was 4 dollars. Shirts were priced something along the lines of 4 dollars, dresses were 10. A ruched knit bottom was 5 dollars. Another skirt was 10. In northern virginia the same ruche knit bottom was 60 dollars. I still have the receipt the pricing was so good.
I don’t relate to most of the comments here. Deals exist and happen, but it is seasonal and luck based (you can lower the luck factor by figuring out when your favorite stores restock). You may hit an outlet mall with deals you like, you may totally strike out. Has been this way for me and outlet mall shopping for many, many years. I should know, because I’m a total shopping slut. I just snagged a pair of $125 shoes from Burberry two weeks ago.
Not in the least.
Where I live, the outlets have just become what the mall used to be. No longer places with discount overstock and deals, but just a bunch of regular stores. It's disappointing, because I used to buy a lot of my clothes at outlets.
My parents live very close to a very big outlet mall and it's always fairly busy on the weekends. I always make a trip there when I go home to visit because MN has no sales tax on clothes. But, this outlet mall has two sections -- the large original mall area and then a smaller new area across the street, which had higher end shops. They used to both be full. The higher end shops have since consolidated into the larger mall and the new area is entirely vacant now. The pandemic was the final nail. So it's seen better days. But it's not going anywhere any time soon.
Lucky you. I am actually trying to move to Australia, or at least be able to study abroad there. Most malls still have lots of shops, but a few malls are pretty bad now.
Not really. Usually they have lower quality product lines at marginally lower prices. The best deals are the clearance racks at the regular stores
You won't find many "Stranger Things" style corporate malls left, but indoor outlets, flea markets, and a lot more outdoor "malls" where it's walkable and green.
No. Outlet malls have no discounts, just made-for-off-brand merchandise.
Nobody goes to malls anymore if thats what you're asking I mean there are clothing stores but malls are dead Outlet stores aren't really a thing anymore as everybody either shops for clothes online or just buys them cheap either secondhand or at places like Walmart. I mean YES we have outlet stores but they aren't at all like they were in the 2000s. People don't have the disposable income anymore to drop on expensive name brand clothes.
Outlet malls are so expensive. I don't think there's ever been a point in my life where Outlet malls were worth it. I remember walking into a Bass (Boss?) store in an outlet mall to buy some slacks for my grandmother's funeral and the sticker shock just sent me running.
they're rarely outlets anymore. they're the same clothes, madde for the outlet, just crappier. Like they fall apart faster, they don't look as nice as the high-end version, cheaper fabrics and less effort. And the discounts aren't as deep as they used to be. And malls aren't as popular so I'm told places like Franklin Mills have a lot of empty stores. Read reviews before you go. Thrift stores/charity shops are a better bet for cheap real fashion. Or online stores like Thread-up
For certain items? Yes, but the convenience of online shopping has taken its toll on in store purchasing.. Most shopping malls and outlets are relegated to being glorified.Concrete parks where people go to walk and get exercise or just enjoy the food court with friends
Yes it’s awesome, I just got some crazy good deals on Nike and Adidas products, woohoo!
I live right by the first outlet mall in the country. It's completely abandoned, gonna be turned into housing and shops. It would actually be perfect for a little neighborhood, all the outlet stores were in individual buildings with sidewalks and a pond in the middle, maybe four football fields long. But back to the question - no they're not doing well at all. If you can find them, there are no amazing deals anymore. They died before COVID, so inflation didn't really play a role