Factory Outlets Advice and Ratings
Factory outlet stores can help consumers and business owners save money on quality goods
Factory outlet malls are often found near highways and are generally in suburban areas or in slightly more remote locations along the Interstate system. The factory outlet business model is to offer designer goods from prior seasons at significant discounts. The fashion outlet business includes designers like Liz Claiborne and Ann Taylor and brands like Nieman Marcus and Sax Fifth Avenue.Factory outlet shopping is almost a sport for some people, and visiting a premium outlet mall is like making the playoffs. Use factory outlets advice and ratings to enhance the shopping experience for the designer outlet store veteran and factory outlet stores rookies.
1. Learn where outlet shopping malls are in your area and which stores are at your local factory outlet malls.
2. Read reviews and tips for the designer outlet store and direct factory outlet shopping experience.
3. Review the differences between what is in traditional retail malls versus factory outlet malls.
Obtain lists of factory outlet shopping malls and see what's available in your local area
Factory outlet shopping is a great alternative to online outlet stores. When you visit an outlet mall you can try on clothes, inspect dishes, sit on furniture, thumb through books and experience the excitement of discovering even bigger discounts exclusive to in-store shoppers.
Try: A great one-stop website to find out where outlet malls are in the U.S. is Outletbound. This site offers maps, directions, discount coupons and some tips, advice and ratings. If your interest is strictly high-end fashion, the Prime Outlets site provides locations and descriptions for designer outlet stores throughout the country.
Check factory outlets advice and ratings on different outlet malls and the factory outlet business
As with most things, different factory outlet malls and premium outlet malls and shopping centers offer varying experiences. By looking over some objective (i.e., number of stores, parking and food opportunities) and subjective (fun, experience, current fashions) reviews you can match the factory mall or outlet center you select to your needs and expectations.
Try: A comprehensive list with ratings of factory outlet malls and many of the stores within them can be found at Hotfrog.com. The Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University provides an article on how the outlet mall business works and will provide the savvy shopper insight regarding what to expect.
Compare an outlet mall to a traditional mall to see if visiting factory outlet malls is worthwhile
Traditional malls are closer to urban centers and often have more fashion-forward clothing choices, more traditional chain restaurant options, and often a greater variety of retail outlets. Factory outlet malls are often further from urban centers and offer discounts based on goods that are not necessarily on the cutting edge. The food options are fewer, and often less familiar.
Try: The business section of Sciencedirect.com offers an abstract of a longer article on how retail malls and outlet malls differ and helps prepare shoppers for those differences before they make a trip to either. The International Council on Shopping Centers offers definitions of every type of mall shopping experience in the United States. It helps shoppers understand what to expect at different types of shopping centers including outlet malls, factory outlet centers and traditional closed and open-air malls.
- Use factory outlets information to be a more informed shopper. For instance, if you are interested in purchasing large quantities of products for your business, you may want to use factory outlets advice and ratings to find out which fashion outlet provides bulk merchandise and how consumers or other business owners rate the stores.
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