Home & Garden
Outlet shopping is a hit-or-miss proposition
By Penny Heater
May 29, 2008 - 8:40:21 AM

Two wonderful things happen when my parents come to visit from Indiana: my mom is always up for shopping and my dad, God love him, is always up for entertaining my son while we shop.

So taking full advantage of this dynamic duo during their last visit, we headed to the North Charleston Tanger Outlet Mall. As we headed up I-526 my mom asked me if I thought I saved any money at the outlets. I have to be honest, a lot of you have asked me this, so I am devoting this article to answering just that question, "Do you really save money shopping at the outlet malls?"

In a nutshell, it depends.

Now I hate to do that to you all but it’s the truth. For example at The Children’s Place I found the same sale items at the outlet store also available for the same price on their Web site under their sales tab. However, I do have to say that the size selection was far better at the outlet. On the other hand, I almost always have a 20 percent-off coupon for the Children’s Place that came to me through the mail that I am dying to use, which makes me want to hit the outlet. But I have found that I can almost always find online coupon codes for 15 percent off when I do shop online. So, the net/net for me on this one is that if I can find it online and on sale, that’s where I shop first using my coupon code. If they don’t have my size, up I-526 with coupon in hand I head.

This same theory holds true for me with me for stores like The Gap, Old Navy, Stride Rite and Bath and Body Works as well. I have yet to encounter what I would declare are "outlet" prices that I can’t find either online or in the store themselves. The one caveat here is that I will say that The Gap does in fact make a line of clothing just for their outlet stores which is a great deal, especially during their 40 percent-off days. Be sure to check out Tanger’s Web site, www.tangeroutlet.com/charleston, prior to your visit for the sales that are currently running and to print off coupons.

On the bright side, pregnancy has a way of causing me to wander into stores I would have never thought about if non-pregnant and this trip was no exception. I found myself drawn to The Pepperidge Farm outlet store and the long row of oh-so-yummy Pepperidge Farm distinctive cookies. These cookies which generally sell for $3.19 at the grocery store, were on sale two for $5. That’s a savings that easily justified a few extra bags. Now on top of this great deal, if you spend more than $5, you can buy a loaf of Pepperidge Farm bread for only $1. This was fantastic news for me as I seem to want to inhale Pepperidge farm sourdough bread lately. This same day I had spent $3.14 for a loaf at Wal-Mart. This one I would declare a good deal and worth the trip to load up.

Overall I wish I could tell you that hitting the outlets would save you a bundle in one fell shopping swoop, but I personally just don’t see the huge savings. But if Grandpa is willing to stuff quarters into the choo-choo ride for a few hours I just might be convinced to hit them again if only for more momma-to-be carb-loading at Pepperidge Farm.