Factory Shopping Tips

While factory shopping is a fun and cost effective way to shop, there are a few things to look out for when searching for bargains.

One may say that with certain shops, the low prices might be too good to be true.

And this is sometimes the case.

The prices on certain items may be brought down due to lower quality garments or not meeting retail standards.

Other issues such as opening and closing times are also important, as I've had the experience of driving to a factory shop on a public holiday, only to find that they were closed.

So here are a few tips to use when factory shopping:

*Always check for rejects. These can be anything from tears, holes, loose seams or stitching. Most times the store will indicate a reject with a sticker but not all stores do. So take it upon yourself to check every item before you buy it.

*Some factory shops don't operate out of big spaces and don't always have change rooms. This all ties in with the idea of cost effective shopping etc. So if you're not entirely sure about their sizes and cuts, you may need to try on the stuff before you make a purchase. And while it's not the best idea to strip down in front of others, maybe wear an extra vest on the inside, so if you need to try on a shirt, you can do so without the added layers and exposing yourself.

*Trying on stuff also eliminates the issue of returns. While some shops may happily return items provided you have a receipt or till slip, others have strict No Return policies.

*So another valid point to query is the store's return policy. Be sure to know what the terms are before you rush to pull off all the tags and throw away the receipt.

*Payments are another important issue. Before visiting the store, why not phone or email them to find out what their payment options are. While some factory shops are run by the original retailers and have card machines and even ATM's on site, other factory shops are run by small business owners who may only accept cash.

*Also make note of the factory shop's operating hours. Some businesses may operate from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, while others may run from 8am to 2pm, Monday to Saturday and are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.

*As with retail stores, some factory shops are laid out for maximum customer spend. So the more expensive items will be displayed better or set up in better lighting. It could also be that the more expensive stuff will be displayed at the front and the much cheaper stuff at the back. So be sure to look around for deals rather than dart to the awesome display and settle for what you find there.

*And last but not least, remember that not all factory shop items are cheaper than those in stores. Yes, there are quite a few bargains, but sometimes there are items that are only a few Rands cheaper than the retail store. So check out the catalogues and in-store for prices, to determine whether you are actually saving or not.

Happy Shopping :)

*All image credits to Google Images.*