Prices at outlet malls might be cheaper but then so is the quality of the merchandise, according to a recent story in the Sacramento Bee.
While 10 years ago brand-name products were sold at deep discount, it is no longer the case.
Most brands, says the newspaper, now sell lesser-quality merchandise that is manufactured specifically for their outlets.
“It’s an abuse of the brand. Most consumers don’t realize what they’re getting,” Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, told the newspaper. But outlet mall operators say the difference is quality is minor.
“Sometimes (retailers) tweak production of the items so they’re slightly different in terms of quality, but it’s acceptable. I don’t think this is a dirty little secret of the outlet industry,” Coleen Conklin, senior vice president of marketing at Premium Outlets, a division of Simon Property Group, told the newspaper.
