7 Tips For Finding the Best Deals at Outlet Stores
Shopping at outlet stores is the secret to saving more money. The items are sold at a much cheaper price since you don’t have to go through intermediaries. You can save up to 20% by shopping at an outlet store as opposed to shopping directly from the factory.
Moreover, most outlet stores have offers, discounts, and promotions, which give you a chance to save more. But how do you get the best deals at your local retail store? This is how to be a smart shopper while browsing outlet stores.
1. Identify the Stores You Wish to Shop From
With hundreds of local outlet stores, selecting the shops you want can be overwhelming. One of the downsides of shopping at outlet stores is that you may end up spending more than what you planned. This is true, especially during the sales season.
You could easily be tempted to shop from all stores, to the extent of getting items that you don’t need. The goal is to save money, and you can do so by first identifying the things you need. You can then narrow down the stores based on what they sell beforehand.
Now that you know what you need, check if the stores have ongoing deals with Love2shop. You can then access the stores online or plan a day to go to the brick-and-mortar store.
2. Be a Smart Shopper by Taking Advantage of Holiday Sales
Retailers love giving back to society during holidays. They offer generous discounts for a given period, which could be a day or two.
You have mastered the trend by now, and you should not miss out on the amazing deals. You should start saving as early as now. When that time comes, you will have enough funds to get all the items on your bucket list.
Holiday sales attract large crowds. But you can get the best deals by rushing to the store before anyone or putting a reminder so you can hop to the site before all the nice things are taken.
Note that some brands have different outlet locations which have sales at varying times. Check out the various stores and head to the one with the best deals.
3. Price Comparison
You have already shortlisted the outlet stores based on what you intend to buy. The next step is to narrow down the shops as per the prices.
Retailers know you are there because you want to save. They are also a way of the stiff competition in the market, and most of them try as much to lower prices by offering discounts.
If you take your time to conduct a price comparison, you may realize that some shops have up to 60% discounts.
Do not rush to shop from the first store you come across. Check their websites for prices until you land with the highest discounted goods.
4. Check Out Clearance Sales
You cannot go wrong with clearance shopping. Most outlet stores offer clearance sales, where the prices of goods are sliced nearly to half.
In most cases, clearance sales are done during holidays or towards the end or start of the year. The goal of the retailers is to get rid of the old stock before bringing in new items.
It could also be that most of the staff have been lying at the store for months. For instance, in the case of cloth stores, they will do clearance sales on items that have been moving slowly. It could be due to the colors or quality of the material that buyers don’t like.
Therefore, when looking to find good deals during clearance shopping, you must be proactive to grab the best-looking items. Otherwise, you may end up with not-so-good-looking goods that you will never use.
5. Consider the Quality of the Products
In most cases, the discounted items are leftovers sent from the main store. They are of excellent quality but may have some easy-to-fix dents.
Nonetheless, there are cases where the items are specifically designed for the discounter. They are of lesser quality to make up for the reduced price.
If you are not cautious, you can easily be fooled into purchasing something that does not offer value. As much as you want to save a few coins, it would be such a waste if you get something that cannot serve its intended purpose.
Conduct background research to establish if the retailer deals with items specially made for the store or acquire products from the regular retail line. This way, you can make a sound purchase decision regarding the quality of the goods.
6. Capitalize on Credit Card Rewards
Did you know you can save money simply by shopping with your credit card? Some outlet stores offer points and credit card rewards every time you shop with your card.
However, it would help if you did not let the urge to save money misguide you to open more than one credit card. The idea will get you more points but will eventually hurt your credit score.
Instead, apply for a credit card at your favorite stores and only use it there. The best part is that you do not necessarily need to apply for the store’s specific card. You can still use your old credit or debit card to get the benefits. But you have to check with the store first.
7. Stay Up to Date With Coupons
Many outlet stores even offer coupons that you can use on top of any discounted products for additional savings. There are coupon websites such as Raise which you can use to find deals for online shopping or free delivery from your favorite stores. These third-party websites will either offer a code you can use at the checkout or redirect you to the outlet’s website with the coupon already applied.
You should also ensure that you are always updated by signing up for the stores’ mailing lists so you will always get notifications about ongoing deals via email. Besides coupons, you may get a shopping voucher and get notified about upcoming sale events.
Start Shopping Smart and Save More With Sales, Discounts, and Promotions
Every consumer hopes to save more during shopping. With the above guide on finding deals, you can get quality products at highly discounted prices.
Be a smart shopper and take advantage of weekends, holidays, and clearance sales. Also, ensure you are updated on coupons, discounts, and rewards.
Check out more beauty, fashion, and general lifestyle tips by scrolling through our other articles.
