These days, it seems like everyone is doing their shopping online. I don’t know about you, but I still get a bit excited at the thought of the hunt at a brick and mortar store. I enjoy looking through the racks of clothing, touching the fabric and trying items on. I get excited just walking into a kitchen supply store and browsing at all of the gadgets they have to offer, that I have to have but never use! I love outlet malls because they have just about everything you might be looking for, and they usually have great prices to boot! Speaking of boots, I found my latest pair of winter boots at an outlet mall and I got them for a steal! When it comes to finding a steal or a great deal, there’s no better place than an outlet mall!
If you’ve never been to an outlet mall, there’s likely one near you that will have amazing bargains—and most that you won’t find online, and also offer hundreds of stores that have great deals on merchandise.
What Is An Outlet Mall?
An outlet mall isn’t your normal shopping mall. It’s a mix of retail stores, commonly located in an outdoor shopping area, and their focus is on offering products at reduced prices. Sometimes these are seconds or last season fashions, and sometimes just overstocks from the main store locations. The Silver Sands Outlet area has a large selection of shops and brands!
STORES AT SILVER SANDS PREMIUM OUTLETS®
They often have off-season products, styles that are no longer “in” style or possibly slightly-defective items. Some retailers also carry new merchandise in their storefronts — though they are probably made of lesser quality than their full-price equivalent. Just be sure, when you’re shopping at an outlet mall, to look your items over carefully to make sure there aren’t any noticeable flaws and that it’s a good deal.
History of Outlet Malls
Outlet malls began in rural mill towns. They were usually attached to factories and were a place to sell irregulars, factory seconds, and unsold inventory from merchandisers. In their next life, they were closer to mid-sized or bigger cities, though they tried to stay 50 miles or more away from the city core. However, the outlet business has become so vital to the retail industry, that they are now found in the suburbs and no longer 50 miles away!
Make Your Outlet Mall Shopping More Affordable
Go for the clearance racks! Most clearance racks are found in the back of the outlet store. Be sure to look over your finds very carefully before buying. Problems that you might want to look for include poor stitching, buttons that might be missing or logos that might be peeling off.
Most outlet mall companies offer loyalty programs and coupon books. Check out Tanger or Premium, as they offer coupons and more if you join their loyalty programs. Premium offers a free VIP coupon book, while prices start at $3 for Tanger’s rewards.
Do’s and Don’ts of Shopping at Outlet Malls
Compare Prices
If something is sold at an outlet mall, it doesn’t always mean it’s a deal. If you have your cell phone, take a few moments to look up the item and compare other prices to see if it’s worth the money. Compare prices online for the same item to make sure you are truly getting a discount.
Plan Ahead
If you know what you’re looking for, you should research and plan what you want to buy before going to the outlet mall. Check online for different outlet stores and their specials before going shopping. You can arrange your excursion during those times and that will help you save the most money. And, as I mentioned above, make sure you check for those royalty programs!
Inspect Quality
While some outlet stores have products the same quality as those sold in regular stores, some outlets sell lower-quality items made specifically for them. It’s always best to carefully inspect the quality of items you’re looking for.
Impulse Buy
It can be easy to get carried away by the excitement of the bargains. While a few impulse purchases won’t hurt your wallet, they can add up fast, until you are wasting more money than you’re saving. Focus on what you need and keep an eye on how much money you had planned to spend. I usually like to take cash so I can keep track of what I’ve spent and what I have left to spend. This way you won’t feel bad about spending too much.
Just Because It’s On Sale, Doesn’t Mean You Should Buy It
Many times I’ve purchased things just because it was on sale and regretted it when I got home, only to never use the item. It’s easy to see a big sale on an item and want to grab it without considering whether you even need it. Make sure it’s something you TRULY need (or want) and that it’s not an impulse purchase!
Shop During Peak Times
Outlet malls get very crowded, especially on weekends and during holidays. During these times, you might miss out on deals or specific items you’ve been wanting to purchase. Besides that, outlet malls expect heavier traffic during peak times, meaning additional deals or sales is less likely.
Time to Go Shopping
During my last trip to Panama City Beach, myself and a friend decided to take a day trip. We called it “outset to the outlet day”. I know, corny, but we were excited to discover that the nearest outlet mall was only about 40 miles away from our condo at Calypso Towers.
We headed west out of Panama City Beach along Highway 98, aka Back Beach Road, and then to the Emerald Coast Parkway to our main goal, Silver Sands Premium Outlets in Miramar Beach, FL. Our research said that they are known as the premier shopping destination along Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast. We found it conveniently located off US Highway 98. This place was beautiful, with gorgeous landscaping and even a kids play area. They had name-brand outlet stores including Coach, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, and Saks OFF 5TH. In addition to those clothing stores, they had sporting goods and houseware stores. The dining options were good and you had everything you needed in one place!
It was overall a fun day, we both found some great deals (remember my boots), shared many laughs, and it was well worth the drive.
Directions
From U.S. Hwy 98 traveling West:
Coming from Panama City or Santa Rosa Beach, travel West on Hwy 98. Silver Sands Premium Outlets is about 23 miles (30 minutes) from the Walton/Bay County Line, 1 mile past Sandestin® Golf and Beach Resort on the Right (North) of Hwy 98.
From U.S. Hwy 98 traveling East:
Coming from the Destin direction, travel East on Hwy 98 through Destin. Silver Sands Premium Outlets is located approximately 8 miles East of Destin and 6 miles (5 minutes) past the Okaloosa/Walton County line on the Left side (North) of Hwy 98.
Shop and Stay
If you’re going to shop in Panama City Beach, or plan to check out the Silver Sands Premium Outlet mall and plan your own “outset to the outlet” day, you’re going to need a place to stay and rest after all that shopping! At Premium Beach Condos, we have everything you need to make it convenient for your shopping adventures. Go to our website and check out our amazing deals that we offer!
