Sample Sale Extended(???)

By "The" Nancy Brenner:

I see more and more of these e-mails in my inbox - now nearly once a day. Or - prices slashed. Do I run and see "what's left"? Do I bemoan the fact that I stood in the pouring rain to score a deal, and find out that maybe I scored a "mini-deal" instead?" Unlike a department store, you can't go back and ask for a readjustment. Although given the preponderance of extended sales, I'm beginning to feel like we should - what message does that impart to loyal customers who return year after year for the "score," when we should have out waited the market? It's like buying a Fortune 500 stock when you thought it was a good deal, only to discover that's it's now a penny stock. Yes, we're not the retailers' dream in terms of full-priced sales, but we're their word-of-mouth campaign - sample salers tend to spill the brand name faster than you can whip out your Visa because we're so happy we got a deal.

Some of this season's sample sale extenders included Alice & Olivia, Betsey Johnson, Mulberry, Kate Spade and Eugenia Kim. Some of the price slashers include D&G, Anni Kuan and Catherine Malandrino.

Shoppers - do you feel you just overpaid for something you bought just two days or two weeks ago? Do you feel buyer's remorse since you may not have even worn your merch yet due to the monsoon like weather we're having? Have you noticed that some brands like The Wrights, J. Crew and White + Warren run more than one sale per season? Have you noticed that brands like Lauren Moffat run an in-person then an online one? Fellow sample salers, what's your best strategy? Some shoppers’ policy is to go only on the last day of the sale since many are priced too high from the start and some brands have gained a reputation for dropping down prices on the last day. What's your risk? Not finding your size and then scooping up something for less, but paying big for alterations. Or, buying something you never wanted in the first place, but you've been waiting to shop this designer's sale...so...you open your wallet for something you never would have bought. Some shoppers do a split - first day, last day. They grab what their "must haves" are on the first day, and then do a last-loop on the final day to see if their B-pick finds are within range. Do you use the last day as an exploratory mission? Originally I discovered two great sales on Friday afternoons - both Beth Bowley and Cynthia Steffe - wondering what could be left as last licks - not much - but I found great brands that fit me perfectly, were priced to go and I went back to the following year.

Oh Sample Salers, To Shop or To Wait, That is the Question....