Make the Most of End of Season Sales
If you know how to make the most of an end of season sale, you may never shop at retail price again. The end of the season marks a significant point in the year for both consumers and retailers. Anyone can make the most of an end of season sale if they understand the cycles of the fashion industry. Some items are marked tremendously below retail value meaning you can save your extra dollars to treat yourself when you do shop at retail price.
The Season Schedule
The seasons of fashion are similar to the seasons of the year. Designers create fall, winter, summer and spring collections for their lines. However, the primary difference between the seasons of the year and the seasons of the fashion world is that the fashion world is usually 4 to 6 weeks ahead. Retail stores set out winter clothes in fall and spring clothes during the latter part of winter to help you prepare for the upcoming season. For some designers, resort collections are a part of winter which means you are able to purchase bathing suits and other warm weather clothing during the winter where off-peak traveling is popular. As retailers begin making way for the upcoming collection, surplus clothes from the current season are placed on sales and clearance racks.
When to Arrive
There is no perfect time to shop for off season clothing. The best time varies by customer. If you prefer to shop by price, waiting to get the last of the season’s clothing is the best option. The longer the clothes remain on the sale rack, the larger the discount usually is. However, if you want to purchase specific items at a discount, it is better to shop early when there is still an abundance of sizes, styles and colors of the items you want. As shoppers pick through the clearance racks, finding your correct size in an item can prove impossible.
Where to Shop
Shopping off season is best suited to department stores and discount stores since both carry large amounts of inventory. Boutiques occasionally have aggressive off-season sales, but since their inventory is small, they do not have the chore of getting rid of large amounts of merchandise like a large department store. Another benefit of shopping at a large retail outlet is variety. With more options available, you have the opportunity to shop the sale sections longer.
Shopping off-season online is another great option. Online retailers also face the chore of storing large amounts of inventory and must keep up with the current season’s trends. Designer clothing websites may have items at affordable prices that would not otherwise be available without a clearance sale.
Considerations
Discounts for shopping off-season vary based on the retailer. However, some stores offer clearance sales of up to 90 percent of the retail value of merchandise. In other retail outlets, customers have the option to buy an article of clothing and get the second item free. This helps the retailer quickly clear the showroom for the next large influx of clothing for the coming season. There is no guarantee of what you will find when shopping off-season, but you can guarantee receiving a discount on your merchandise.
