(Metro) -- Shopping
for holiday gifts can be an expensive task, especially when you're
looking for the latest trends for gift recipients. Holiday shopping can
be even more pricey for those who wait until the last minute to scour
the stores, as opposed to those who hunt for the best deals.
The savvy shopper can
find bargains on name-brand duds and more if he or she knows where to
look this holiday season. That is the main philosophy behind Duty Free
Apparel, a designer discount store located in the heart of New York
City's garment district. Owner Joel Soren tapped into the potential of
offering discounted designer merchandise to the public during his days
as a retail wholesaler. His outlet store is overflowing with the current
season's shoes, bags and accessories from top designers, including
Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Tod's and more.
Soren and his staff
stock up on items that customers will fawn over in the weeks to come.
The company periodically travels to Italy for buying trips and returns
with their finds. New merchandise is offered in the outlet each week,
often before it appears in top stores across the country. The added
bonus is that his items are priced 20 to 50 percent off retail price
tags. How do they do it? Their European office buys directly from store
stock. Thus, they eliminate the expensive middleman and intermediaries,
who traditionally contribute to the markup of merchandise. Duty Free
runs a modest shop; therefore, they can pass the savings of authentic
merchandise on to you. It's an ideal place to visit if you'll be in town
to see the tree at Rockefeller Center, attend a Broadway show or just
hunt for holiday bargains.
For more information
on Duty Free Apparel, including a sample of current stock, visit
www.dutyfreeapparel.com.
BARGAIN HUNTING 101
You don't have to
head to the big city for deals. It's easier than you think to find
bargains right in your area or at your favorite store for everyone on
your holiday shopping list. Here are some handy tips to keep in mind
when shopping sales:
* Sample sales
and overstock sales are great places to find discounted merchandise.
Look for advertisements in your newspaper and by subscribing to stores'
e-mail newsletters.
* Sales are
generally held at the end of the season, so you can stock up on items
you currently need or save them for the following year.
* "First come,
first served" is the mantra of many sales. Get there early for the best
item and size selection. Lunchtime is often the most crowded time of
day.
* Outlet
centers are a good place to find deals because they are able to buy in
bulk and pass the savings on to you. When possible, "shop in stores with
concrete floors."
* Sales on
reduced merchandise are often final, so inspect items carefully for any
defects, missing buttons, scuffs, etc.
* Sign up for
mailing lists where available so that you'll get invitations to private
"pre-sales," or just to be informed of what's currently in stock.
* A good
tailor can a hem a pair of pants or sew a button. But sometimes if the
merchandise is damaged beyond repair, it's not worth spending more on
the repair than you did on the item. So pass it up, no matter how cheap
the price.
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