Discounts available at somewhere like Bicester Village?
Discussion
I have recently bought a sale briefcase from a top-end leather goods company. When it arrived I suspected it was ex-display, not new stock. There was no protective wrapping on it and the shoulder strap had marks where it had been adjusted.
I contacted them and they fessed up immediately to it being an ex-display one from their Bond St shop.
I originally got 40% off and they're offering a further 15% as compensation if I keep the item (I presume they mean off the original full price). So that would be 55% off.
I have never visited designer outlet shops, but I have it in mind that ex-display stuff would be discounted by 60-70%. Can anyone confirm this?
Most stores in Bicester are from about 30% off and upwards. Most stores have set prices for outlet stores.
Others depends on location. A friend told me a well known suitcase makers Bicester shop is more expensive than one in Swindon.
Very rare to get anything near 70% unless in final reduction.
You can get lucky in an outlet by getting items that are still currently full price for discount if they have a mark on them or a manufacturing fault,Sometimes brands who need to hit sales figures send perfect items and class them as substandard to shift them quickly.
Also some items are "special purchase" or made for outlet. Normally using a style of a full price item in cheaper material or a colour never sold in full price.
Others depends on location. A friend told me a well known suitcase makers Bicester shop is more expensive than one in Swindon.
Very rare to get anything near 70% unless in final reduction.
You can get lucky in an outlet by getting items that are still currently full price for discount if they have a mark on them or a manufacturing fault,Sometimes brands who need to hit sales figures send perfect items and class them as substandard to shift them quickly.
Also some items are "special purchase" or made for outlet. Normally using a style of a full price item in cheaper material or a colour never sold in full price.
Edited by Jordan210 on Thursday 2nd February 15:11
93DW said:
Doubt it very much. Also Bicester village is not what it used to be with things being either close to retail or 10%-20% off. I have seen RL at Bicester being sold at full retial
RL Cheshire oaks is cheaper but I do sometimes wonder if the stuff is seconds as 3 items in identical size and style can all wear and fit a bit differently.I've been once and will never go again. Hateful place with lots of hateful selfish people pushing and shoving others out of the way.
I also couldn't believe that people queue for ages to get into most of the popular shops just to buy overpriced stuff.
I'll stick to the internet and the shopping centre.
I also couldn't believe that people queue for ages to get into most of the popular shops just to buy overpriced stuff.
I'll stick to the internet and the shopping centre.
Composite Guru said:
I also couldn't believe that people queue for ages to get into most of the popular shops just to buy overpriced stuff.
I was surprised to see that too, found it most amusing that the 'designer' brands were managing not only to sell the tat they struggled to via normal retail whilst still maintaining an aura of prestige.JimmyConwayNW said:
RL Cheshire oaks is cheaper but I do sometimes wonder if the stuff is seconds as 3 items in identical size and style can all wear and fit a bit differently.
I was shopping in the Swindon outlets and popped in just to have a look and the discounts were pretty decent, left with some jeans and a shirt. I forget the exact prices now but I almost never buy 'designer' gear and certainly not in the UK so it must have been cheap! I got the impression they were end of line stuff in the warehouse, possibly A-grade returns too. I'd think mis-labeled stuff might get in somehow but probably not deliberately.In general I found the Swindon outlets pretty good so long as you know the real value of what you are wanting to buy, I popped on Amazon quite a few times to check prices of things I wanted.
Edited by Gareth79 on Thursday 2nd February 15:38
Composite Guru said:
I've been once and will never go again. Hateful place with lots of hateful selfish people pushing and shoving others out of the way.
I also couldn't believe that people queue for ages to get into most of the popular shops just to buy overpriced stuff.
I'll stick to the internet and the shopping centre.
I've never been, only heard about it from others, but even on that basis I'll stick with Primark, Matalan, Tesco, Asda etc. Had to buy my last pair of jeans from M&S as they stock sizes for the powerfully built, that was not a good day I also couldn't believe that people queue for ages to get into most of the popular shops just to buy overpriced stuff.
I'll stick to the internet and the shopping centre.
Not as cheap as everyone thinks, the increased popularity of them in recent years means they dont have as big a discount and things still sell, especially when people travel from far and dont want to go home empty handed. Have heard a bit about ex-display, seconds and even some brands like Ralph Lauren producing lower grade stuff specifically for the outlet stores.
I think you can get just as good, if not better discounts in the main stores or online if you know where to go. Suppose it depends on what you are buying though, the big sellers, bags n stuff from the big brands, LV, Gucci etc often dont ever go on sale.
I think you can get just as good, if not better discounts in the main stores or online if you know where to go. Suppose it depends on what you are buying though, the big sellers, bags n stuff from the big brands, LV, Gucci etc often dont ever go on sale.
It is a horrific place, god forsaken. I usually pop in mid afternoon, when it is less hectic, as I have a customer just down the road.
I think the genuine higher end fashion has good genuine discounts, the more mass market, RL, Boss, Tommy Hillfiger etc sometimes have bargains, but more often than not a lot of what they offer looks to be specials for the discount outlets.
Some discounts are very good, Smythson and Mulberry spring to mind, I got a Smythson note book for 1/2 price, compared to the Bond St store.
The Tag Heuer shop also offers good discounts.
I think the genuine higher end fashion has good genuine discounts, the more mass market, RL, Boss, Tommy Hillfiger etc sometimes have bargains, but more often than not a lot of what they offer looks to be specials for the discount outlets.
Some discounts are very good, Smythson and Mulberry spring to mind, I got a Smythson note book for 1/2 price, compared to the Bond St store.
The Tag Heuer shop also offers good discounts.
I think its only cheap now for the chinese, I was in Oxford Nov last year and got chatting to a Chinese hotel guest, who was waiting for his Jag XF hire car to be swapped for an E class estate as his wife couldn't fit her shopping in the XF. Turns out they can buy designer handbags in Oxford and ship em home and sell for a very decent margin.
Never been and it sounds like my idea of hell as I hate shopping, I'd rather go to town on a normal day and pay full price and not have as much stress, however the wife went last year and managed to get a Mulberry bag for £300 instead of £750.
She did say though that the place was a massive bun fight with people pushing and shoving and generally being obnoxious and rude.
She did say though that the place was a massive bun fight with people pushing and shoving and generally being obnoxious and rude.
Vandenberg said:
I think its only cheap now for the chinese, I was in Oxford Nov last year and got chatting to a Chinese hotel guest, who was waiting for his Jag XF hire car to be swapped for an E class estate as his wife couldn't fit her shopping in the XF. Turns out they can buy designer handbags in Oxford and ship em home and sell for a very decent margin.
In China and other Far East countries .They pay a lot more for designer goods. Tax and mark ups I guess.So going to Bicester means they save say 30% on an already lower cost. Most of the time have VIP cards due to coming on a tour.Saves them an extra 10% Then get to claim Vat back normally about 16% off it.
So on a handbag that RRP is £850 in UK
Outlet 30% off price £595
Vip card price £535.50
Then save extra £85.68 Vat refund
Total cost £449.82
Edited by Jordan210 on Thursday 2nd February 19:38
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