Why continue to pay retail prices when brands are willing to sell you perfectly good inventory for less? If you have a fondness for fashion but don’t care to spend a fortune, there is an answer to your dilemma.
Sample sales and warehouse sales are two of the best ways to score brand name products at well below cost prices. Here is a primer on what you need to know, starting with the difference between sample sales and warehouse sales.
Sample Sales
Each season, designers produce their collections and display product samples in their showrooms and runways for buyers to examine and place orders to buy. Many designers aim to recoup some of their production costs and will offer the public, through a sample sale, the chance to purchase high-end items at often ridiculously low prices.
The main caveat is that although standard sample sizes will vary depending on the brand, they generally run small. Runway samples for women’s clothing typically are a size 0 while showroom samples tend to fall between sizes 4 to 6. Men’s sample shirts are usually size medium while pants or denim would be a waist size of 32W.
Warehouse Sales
The beauty of warehouse sales is that you’ll find a greater variety of items offered in a wider range of sizes when it comes to clothing and accessories. Warehouse sales are similar to clearance sales in that brands have excess inventory or stock from cancelled orders that they need to quickly get rid of. You can often find items discounted between 40 percent to as much as 90 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
Many companies will often combine samples and excess inventory during the same event. These sales rival the Black Friday shopping experience in terms of atmosphere and intensity.
Having a solid game plan going in is crucial when attending a sample or warehouse sale. The following tips will help you to get the most out of your experience.
Get there early: If you want to get in and out with near military precision, arrive before the sale start time. To access the best selections, attend the first day of the sale. The flipside is that if you attend the last day of the sale, the variety of items and sizes may be less but the hottest markdowns occur then as companies are desperate to get rid of their remaining inventory.
Don’t worry about looking fancy: Comfort is the order of the day. Forget about the kitten heels and layers of clothes. Instead wear a lightweight top with jogging pants or jeans. Pair your outfit with sneakers or low-heeled shoes that you can comfortably stand in for hours. Don’t forget to bring a light snack and water to tide you over while you wait in line to enter the sale area.
Leave the kids at home: A very busy sale environment tends to result in very unhappy children who just want to go home. Take note of their measurements in advance so that you can still shop for them, without having them tagging along and causing you and them unnecessary stress.
Hone your patience: If you’ve ever shopped clearance racks in your favorite store and become annoyed at the sheer volume and disorder of it, sample and warehouse sales take this to another stratosphere. Prepare yourself for the inevitably and your best ally will be patience. To save time, stay focused on searching for items that you really want. Objects are never worth fighting over, regardless of the discount, so remain calm even if others aren’t.
Know that a deal is not always a deal: There’s a reason why some of the items are marked down to drastically reduced prices. It’s because nobody bought them at the store in the first place. Avoid trendy and “artwork” pieces that may look good in the heat of the moment but will sit in your closet or cupboard for years unused. Stick with basic styles and solid colors.
Many people learn of sample and warehouse sales via word-of-mouth. Most designers don’t broadcast their sample and inventory surplus sales to the general public, except in major cities like New York. If you happen to have a friend who knows a friend who works for your favorite brand, let them know you’d like to receive sale announcements via e-mail. You can also try contacting local manufacturers to see if they will include your name on a sample and warehouse sale distribution e-mail.
If sample or warehouse sales don’t occur in your area, an increasingly popular alternative is the world of online sample sales. Sample sites and member-only sites such as Beyond the Rack, Hautelook and Rue La La can also provide your designer fashion fix at great prices. The options are now just a click away.
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How to Save With Sample and Warehouse Sales originally appeared on usnews.com
