Clothes for Cheeep
July 14, 2010 7:50 AM Subscribe
There's a store in Florida that resells catalog and in-store returns from Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People and J. Crew at a HUGE discount (because they've been used, although gently or not at all in most cases).
I've never seen a store like this anywhere else, and I wonder why that is. Anybody have any insight into how this works, especially how the owner gets their hands on these specific brands to resell?
I've never seen a store like this anywhere else, and I wonder why that is. Anybody have any insight into how this works, especially how the owner gets their hands on these specific brands to resell?
Response by poster: That makes sense! There's no Urban Outfitters within probably 2 hours of the stores we're talking about. I wonder if there are other secret locations strategically located. Is there some underground website that lists them if you know the secret handshake? It's like finding a rave or something, ha.
posted by sarelicar at 8:10 AM on July 14, 2010
posted by sarelicar at 8:10 AM on July 14, 2010
Well, I know there are Urban Threads in both Gainesville and Tallahassee. It seems stores of this type are referred to as "catalog resellers" or "catalog return" stores and you can find a small handful of them by googling.
I was in the store once when the gatorfood people tried to talk the salesgirls into some sort of marketing agreement, and they had to patiently explain that they're not allowed to have a website or advertise.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2010
I was in the store once when the gatorfood people tried to talk the salesgirls into some sort of marketing agreement, and they had to patiently explain that they're not allowed to have a website or advertise.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2010
We have stores like that in Massachusetts as well. Namely, Building #19 1/2 and Ocean State Job Lots.
sarelicar: I just noticed that you're in Coral Springs; that's where I grew up!
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:17 AM on July 14, 2010
sarelicar: I just noticed that you're in Coral Springs; that's where I grew up!
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:17 AM on July 14, 2010
You can open one of these stores yourself. The Mason-Dixon Line-area has Gabriel Brothers. Basically, you start out buying salvage loads from middle men. Once you're making money, you create buying agreements directly with the reseller.
Places like the Gap do not reshelve returned clothing, even if it's never been worn. Your mileage may vary.
You can buy salvage loads of anything---and they come from all kinds of places. Stores out of business, water/fire damage, clothing returns, last years models---all kinds of stuff. Google "buy salvage load" for more info.
Here, we enjoy visiting a very "country" auction that sells returns from sears (among other places.)
posted by TomMelee at 8:41 AM on July 14, 2010
Places like the Gap do not reshelve returned clothing, even if it's never been worn. Your mileage may vary.
You can buy salvage loads of anything---and they come from all kinds of places. Stores out of business, water/fire damage, clothing returns, last years models---all kinds of stuff. Google "buy salvage load" for more info.
Here, we enjoy visiting a very "country" auction that sells returns from sears (among other places.)
posted by TomMelee at 8:41 AM on July 14, 2010
There are Plato's Closets in my area, which go for gently used clothes from H&M/Urban Outfitters/Forever 21. I've resold stuff there- they pay $2 per item and then sell most things for around $10. It's basically a consignment store for the 15-25 demographic.
posted by emilyd22222 at 8:48 AM on July 14, 2010
posted by emilyd22222 at 8:48 AM on July 14, 2010
Places like the Gap do not reshelve returned clothing, even if it's never been worn. Your mileage may vary.
Granted I never worked specifically at the Gap, and my last clothing retail experience was going on 10 years ago. But, yes, in my experience clothing stores do reshelve clothing returned in the stores. The mere concept that a piece of clothing may have touched someone else's body is not enough for the company to mark it down in price.
posted by Sara C. at 10:22 AM on July 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Granted I never worked specifically at the Gap, and my last clothing retail experience was going on 10 years ago. But, yes, in my experience clothing stores do reshelve clothing returned in the stores. The mere concept that a piece of clothing may have touched someone else's body is not enough for the company to mark it down in price.
posted by Sara C. at 10:22 AM on July 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Interesting. Anyone aware of such a shop in the greater Chicagoland area that would carry men's clothing, by any chance?
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 10:36 AM on July 14, 2010
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 10:36 AM on July 14, 2010
Response by poster: Sara c. (hey my name's Sarah c.) - I think retail outlets have changed some rules recently...Don't know about reshelving policies but I tried to get a discount on a dress from Macy's on a damaged dress (last of its size) and they wouldn't even give me 10%. Explanation was that the manufacturer would prefer to have damaged merch returned to them than to have it sold at a discount.
I don't see how me saving $5 on a dress with a noticeable tear and a destroyed seam would justify whatever they planned on doing with the dress, but maybe it cuts down on people intentionally damaging items for the discount.
So, at Plato's closet, at least in my area, my experience is the clothes tend to be way overpriced, i.e. more-than-gently-used American Eagle Jeans for $18, when you can buy brand new for twice that at most. I have found a couple of off-brand gems at Plato's but I won't spend more than $15 on anything in there. I'd rather pay $150 for this season's jeans that fit perfectly than $50 for some trend from the last few years just for the name and the illusion of saving. Also their racks are always packed so tight it's a bitch just to get through everything.
posted by sarelicar at 11:27 AM on July 14, 2010
I don't see how me saving $5 on a dress with a noticeable tear and a destroyed seam would justify whatever they planned on doing with the dress, but maybe it cuts down on people intentionally damaging items for the discount.
So, at Plato's closet, at least in my area, my experience is the clothes tend to be way overpriced, i.e. more-than-gently-used American Eagle Jeans for $18, when you can buy brand new for twice that at most. I have found a couple of off-brand gems at Plato's but I won't spend more than $15 on anything in there. I'd rather pay $150 for this season's jeans that fit perfectly than $50 for some trend from the last few years just for the name and the illusion of saving. Also their racks are always packed so tight it's a bitch just to get through everything.
posted by sarelicar at 11:27 AM on July 14, 2010
I am telling you this because I know it to be true---The Gap does NOT reshelve returns. Or at least up until about 3 years ago. Most stores do. A LOT of stores do. The Gap is not one of them. Not sure what the purpose of your comment was, honestly. I don't buy clothes at the Gap, I don't buy returns from the Gap at discount clothing joints. I'm merely sharing a data point.
I happen to be very good friends with the director of acquisitions of one of the aforementioned establishments, who buys hundreds of millions of (retail) dollars in merchandise every year, and I asked him once why they had so much Gap stuff. And that's the answer. They do require the wholesale joints to clip the tags though---not cut them off, just slide up them, so that the store can recognize a return.
There are other stores that don't reshelve either, because he told me---but off the top of my head I can't remember them, mostly because brand name clothes make me want to vomit.
posted by TomMelee at 12:08 PM on July 14, 2010
I happen to be very good friends with the director of acquisitions of one of the aforementioned establishments, who buys hundreds of millions of (retail) dollars in merchandise every year, and I asked him once why they had so much Gap stuff. And that's the answer. They do require the wholesale joints to clip the tags though---not cut them off, just slide up them, so that the store can recognize a return.
There are other stores that don't reshelve either, because he told me---but off the top of my head I can't remember them, mostly because brand name clothes make me want to vomit.
posted by TomMelee at 12:08 PM on July 14, 2010
There's a place like this in CT called Retail 101 that's achieved almost mythical status, for some reason - they open one week a month from Thursday to Sunday, with a special Wednesday sale for people on their e-mail list. It's held in a warehouse out in the middle of nowhere (in Beacon Falls, for anyone else who lives in CT) and they're mostly known for selling American Eagle clothes really cheap - $10 for $40 shirts, etc. I got a nice blazer there once for for $15, though it was probably worth like $80. It's kind of awesome.
posted by JimBennett at 1:18 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by JimBennett at 1:18 PM on July 14, 2010
...and yeah, I think the standard policy at places like this is to mess with the tags. Retail 101 is a pretty low budget operation, so they just sharpie over the brand name on the tag.
posted by JimBennett at 1:19 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by JimBennett at 1:19 PM on July 14, 2010
Last Chance here in Phoenix is where returns from Nordstom & Nordstrom Rack go. It's actually run by Nordstrom so only sells from them. Most of the items are worn (and some ROUGHLY) and some (very few!) are brand new, but you can score some SERIOUS discounts.
posted by TurquoiseZebra at 2:24 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by TurquoiseZebra at 2:24 PM on July 14, 2010
Is there a way to find out where these stores are? I live in the NYC area, and they sound wonderful.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 4:35 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 4:35 PM on July 14, 2010
In New York the only place like this I'm aware of is Century 21, which is where department store cast-offs go to die. Also, Daffy's, though I'm not sure exactly what the provenance is on their clothes.
On the internet at large, Gilt Groupe.
posted by Sara C. at 6:01 PM on July 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
On the internet at large, Gilt Groupe.
posted by Sara C. at 6:01 PM on July 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, I know there are Urban Threads in both Gainesville and Tallahassee.
AFAIK, the one in Tallahassee is closed now.
posted by kro at 5:14 PM on July 15, 2010
AFAIK, the one in Tallahassee is closed now.
posted by kro at 5:14 PM on July 15, 2010
Grrr....you mentioned this already. Sorry.
posted by Hypnotic Chick at 6:26 PM on July 15, 2010
posted by Hypnotic Chick at 6:26 PM on July 15, 2010
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My understanding is that Urban Thread has a special agreement with the catalog sellers where they're not allowed to advertise, at least, and may even have more restrictions. They're sent the items directly from the companies and positioned carefully so as not to be "in competition" with them. I'd imagine such agreements are hard to come by, and the lack of advertising would make the business a bit risky/difficult.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:55 AM on July 14, 2010