We saw the discussion on today.com about outlet store shopping. The article by Ben Popken raised some interesting points.
Are the prices really different in the outlet malls? Is the merchandise the same as the merchandise that is presented in regular stores? As the holiday season approaches, this was a very informative piece for us to discuss with our customers. After all as a company that offers packing and shipping services, we are shipping gifts to friends and relatives of our customers all over the world. Outlet store sales are projected to be up about 75% over last year’s sales. Do the promised savings really make a difference?
The answer is that we think so. The outlet malls carry goods that are manufactured specifically for them under brand names that are easily recognizable. In the past most out let stores stocked goods from prior years that did not sell, or seconds or damaged goods. From what we have seen by our customer’s purchases, this is not the case anymore.
Take Coach for example. The purses that they sell at their outlets are of high quality and carry the Coach name. The purses are not the same purses that are carried at their retail stores, but they also do not carry the same price tag. Maybe the color is a little different, or the style is a little different, but the customer is still purchasing quality merchandise. Foreign visitors often purchase multiple Coach purses for friends and relatives to take back overseas after a visit to Houston. They find the prices at the Coach outlet substantially less expensive than they would spend overseas. We have had customers who shipped purses back to family members in every color that Coach offered. A nice sale for Coach and beautiful gifts as well.
One of the most enticing things that we have found about outlet malls in the Houston area is that contrary to other cities, they are no longer located on the fringes of the city. With Houston’s highway system, most out let malls are no further than forty five minutes away.
According to Ben Popken, “Consumer Reports sent secret shoppers around the country to test various outlet stores and see who came out tops. Armed with an eye for value, the agents ranked the stores they visited based on price, product availability and quality, customer service and overall satisfaction.
Among the best:
• Bon Worth
• L.L. Bean
• Haggar
• Carter’s
• OshKosh B’Gosh
• Jockey
• Bose
• Coach/Coach Men’s
• Bath & Body Works
• Vitamin World
• Corningware Corelle”
As you can see from this list, our observation about the merchandise at the Coach outlet is right in line with the study performed by Consumer Reports.
So if you are ready to shop for your gifts at an outlet mall, we suggest comfortable walking shoes. We also recommend that after a few purchases you take your gifts to the car and place them in the trunk. Do not leave packages on the car seat. Once the gifts are in the trunk, why not exit the parking lot, re enter and then park in a new location. Take with snacks and water, or take a break and go to the outlet mall cafeteria so that you can continue your shopping in a leisurely manner.
And oh yeah, have fun while you shop. Remember to pack and send your gifts early.
We pick up & deliver worldwide, as well as in our backyard.