Prev
| Next
| Contents
2.0 CLOTHING TERMS; DISCOUNT CLOTHES AND CLOTHING.
In
order to get the best deals, you should know some technical terms used in the clothing
industry.
==
First-quality
The
best quality, flawless.
==
Irregular or slightly imperfect
These
clothes have tiny flaws which you will probably never find. In fact, first quality
overruns might be labeled as irregulars, just to keep full-price retailers from
objecting.
==
Seconds
They
have much more serious flaws than irregulars. Look carefully.
==
Overruns and Surplus
Clothes
that are left over after all wholesale orders have been fulfilled. Once a factory starts
churning out a particular garment, clothing companies deliberately make more than they
think they can sell to full-price retailers. Businesses know it is much cheaper (per item)
to overproduce than to produce fewer clothes and later find that there is not enough to
meet consumer demand. Any clothes not sold to full-price retailers are then sold at a
discount in their factory outlets or closeout stores. Overruns often include very popular
fashions. Factory outlet stores may carry a lot of overruns.
==
Closeouts
The
last remaining clothes from an earlier season or a particular style.
==
Samples
Prototypes
of clothes made in limited numbers.
==
"AS IS"
No
return, no guaranty. Inspect carefully.
2.0.1 TYPES OF DISCOUNT STORES
==
Discount stores
Stores
that sell for less than full retail, such as Kmart and Wal-Mart.
==
Off-price chains
These
are stores such as Loehmann's , Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and Filene's Basement. They sell
overruns and closeouts from a variety of manufacturers. Clothes that don't sell right away
get reduced for a quick sale.
==
Catalog outlets
These
stores sell returned items, overruns and irregulars from various mail-order catalog
companies.
==
Clearance centers
They
sell closeout merchandise from various retailers.
==
Factory outlets
A
store owned by the company and selling only that company's goods.
==
Wholesale or manufacturers' outlets
Similar
to factory outlets but serving as an outlet for several companies.
Prev
| Next
| Contents
| 
