Are You Being Bamboozled at Philly Outlet Stores? This Video Tells The Dirty Secret Behind Outlets

Are You Being Bamboozled at Philly Outlet Stores? This Video Tells The Dirty Secret Behind Outlets

I’ll be the first to admit it.  I drive out of my way to hit up Franklin Mills (Yes, I know it’s now Philadelphia Mills but it will always be Franklin to me.)  Besides the affordable shopping I enjoy the array of great stores for guys,  as I find most malls cater to women. But I digress.  This whole time I am thinking that I am getting discounted designer brand clothes when in fact they could very well be knock offs.

Here’s the secret they don’t want you to know. Outlet stores began in the 1930s as a place for excess and damaged goods to be sold employees. As outlet stores grew they began offering the same goods to non-employees.

Today, shoppers believe they can purchase excess designer clothes from last season at a good price in outlet stores like Nordstrom Rack or Saks OFF 5TH. Wrong. The little-known truth about outlet stores is that most of their merchandise was actually made to sell only at outlets.

Some brands—including Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Gap, Banana Republic— are being sued for their misleading retail price comparison on the merchandise tag.  Meaning that they are paying third parties to make their clothes or in some cases licensing out their names.  Check out the video above for the full scoop!