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Generally speaking, I tend to believe the old adage that you get what you pay for, but as a bonafide bargain hunter and discount connoisseur, I also firmly believe that you shouldn’t have to pay full price when you simply don’t have to. As a veteran shopping editor, part of my job is finding under-the-radar, hidden gems and quasi-secret discounts you can’t always find through a basic Google search, including researching stores that have online outlets.
There’s something to be said about that discount-induced serotonin surge that comes from treasure-hunting your way through brick-and-mortar outlet stores. For whatever reason, waiting in long lines for deals and scoring something tangible you get to take home the same day is peak instant gratification. But as I’ve learned from Black Friday shopping over the years, discount shopping IRL has its downsides, from battling crowds to cherry-picking through discount bins with limited (or just downright disappointing) inventory. Fortunately, many of your favorite retailers have online outlet sections allowing you to shop these discounted goods from your couch. I’m talking about Lululemon, Dyson, Amazon, Nordstrom Rack, Best Buy, and my personal favorite “off-price” stores, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx.
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You may not know about many of these online outlets because many e-tailers don’t label them as such, while others make it tougher to find from the navigation bar. For example, you’ll find outlet items in Lululemon’s easily found “We Made Too Much” section, while Amazon’s outlet requires a few less-than-intuitive steps to get to the outlet sections—whatever it may be titled. If you’re in the mood to do some outlet shopping without leaving the house, you’ve come to the right place: scroll through below to check out the best online outlets with which every savvy shopper is familiar.
Amazon does have a few brick-and-mortar outlet stores where you can shop IRL, but honestly, the Amazon online outlet is way better stocked with way steeper discounts across all of the e-tailer’s categories.You probably didn’t even know Amazon had an online outlet until now, but that’s only because it’s hidden from Amazon’s homepage (it hides under the “Programs and Features” sidebar, which we do recommend bookmarking). As you can probably imagine, the e-commerce outlet store has thousands of marked-down items across the endless virtual aisles, from premium electronics and Alexa-enabled smart home devices to premium beauty and fashion deals.
Marshalls has been a go-to destination for discounted (up to 70 percent off retail prices) designer and contemporary apparel, home, and beauty scores for decades, but the off-price retailer quietly launched an e-commerce website in 2019. While I still love browsing Marshall stores in person, I find way more luxury designer scores on its website, including Loewe sneakers, Gucci sunglasses, and Augustinus Bader’s The Cream.What’s kind of fun about shopping at Marshalls is that you can’t search by designer, so it retains the treasure hunt appeal, giving shoppers a similar discount-induced adrenaline rush that you experience when shopping in-store.
If you’re looking for Black Friday-level deals on tech gadgets, appliances, and electronics year-round, Walmart Restored is not to be missed. The new program allows shoppers to buy inspected and certified refurbished items for steeply discounted prices. All items in the Restored program are in “like new” condition (free of visible cosmetic flaws when viewed from 12 feet away) and, for electronics, “have a battery capacity that exceeds 80 percent capacity relative to its new equivalent.” All Walmart Restored items are eligible for Walmart’s generous 90-day return policy.
Dyson’s online outlet lives under the “Dyson Renewed” page on the website. The outlet section includes a range of discounted refurbished products, including the brand’s coveted vacuums, hair tools, and air purifiers. Each refurbished item is inspected and certified to work correctly, cleaned and sanitized, and repackaged to look like you bought it brand new. Plus, Dyson’s outlet items are supported by a generous warranty, ranging from six months to a year. Right now, you’ll find several discounted items, including the first-generation AirWrap for $100 off, and the Dyson Cyclone V10 Total Clean Vacuum for $150 off.
If you’re a frequent Marshalls shopper, chances are you’re equally as loyal to its sister store, T.J. Maxx, too. While we love the rush of shopping at T.J. Maxx IRL, do not sleep on its e-commerce site. T.J. Maxx’s digital aisles are brimming with scores in home decor, apparel accessories, beauty, and tech—some of which you’ll find in-store and others you’ll only find online. T.J. Maxx’s beloved The Runway section is also available online, allowing bargain lovers to score serious discounts on luxe brands like Balmain, Gucci, Chloe, and Valentino. Plus, the beauty section is brimming with luxe and prestige skincare, haircare, fragrance, and makeup from the likes of Bobbi Brown, Byredo, Guerlain, and Shiseido.
Lululemon’s online outlet—under the “We made too much” section of the site—is undoubtedly one of the best activewear finds we’ve ever discovered. Lululemon’s premium activewear pieces certainly warrant their steeper-than-average price points, but that doesn’t mean you always have to pay full price. The “we made too much” section gets updated and restocked regularly, so it’s worth bookmarking the page if you’re a fan of the brand.
Growing up, the Coach store was the go-to destination whenever my friends and I hit the local outlet mall. You could score up to 60 percent off retail prices, and the outlet store always seemed to have sale-on-sale or additional discount events going on. When I found out the Coach outlet had made its way to the e-commerce space, I was thrilled. Coach’s online outlet isn’t just stocked with last season’s rejects either—there are plenty of on-trend styles that are currently full-price on the regular site and, just like the outlet mall shops, you’ll find plenty of additional ways to save on already-marked-down clothing, shoes, and accessories.
J.Crew is another outlet mall staple, but did you know you can shop the brand’s factory outlet store online, too? The massive outlet store is chock full of thousands of discounted apparel, shoes, and accessories, from preppy sweaters and office-friendly slacks to formal-ish frocks and all-season flats—all marked down up to 80 percent. Right now, you’ll find trouser pants for men and women for just $39, women’s girlfriend tees for just $17 a pop, and men’s polos for just $30.
If you’re looking to save up to 50 percent off electronics, tech gadgets, smart home essentials, and appliances, check out Best Buy’s outlet section online. You’ll find top brands like Samsung, Apple, LG, iRobot, Sony, and more. Unlike other online outlets, Best Buy’s outlet section is comprised of steeply discount items across four different categories: clearance items (brand new and unopened items that have been discontinued by the manufacturer), open-box products (items that have been opened in-store or returned by customers), refurbished items (like-new products that have been repaired or restored), and pre-owned items (used items that have been inspected and verified to work properly). All the products across each category have been verified to work properly and many of them include a warranty.
If you love Nordstrom, you already know about Nordstrom Rack’s brick-and-mortar outlet stores, brimming with steeply marked-down designer apparel, shoes, travel goods, and beauty products, but the Rack’s online store is even better. Nordstrom Rack’s online store offers a huge selection and steeper discounts than many of the store locations.You’ll find plenty of top-selling Nordstrom brands across all categories, including Reformation, Tibi, MCM, Veronica Beard, and Nike—just to name a few. Of course, you’ll find even more impressive price cuts on Nordy’s in-house brands at The Rack, including Zella, Halogen, and Treasure & Bond. You can also browse Nordstrom Rack’s clearance section for even deeper savings.
Williams Sonoma’s premium kitchen gadgets, decor, and accessories have made the brand one of the top names in the culinary goods space—for good reason. Not only are the brand’s products designed with aesthetics and functionality at the top of mind, but they also have a quiet luxury sensibility. Williams Sonoma’s online outlet includes plenty of its eponymous items marked down up to 50 percent but also includes discounts on a slew of other in-demand brands like Calphalon and Lodge as well.
Saks Off 5th is arguably one of the more well-known designer outlet stores, and while the in-store merchandise inventory you’ll find out that stores are on-par with department stores, you definitely don’t want to miss out on its online outlet store. You can expect to find savings of up to a whopping 90 percent off designer and contemporary clothing, shoes, fine jewelry, fragrance, accessories, and beauty from luxe labels like Prada, Sisley Paris, Bottega Veneta, Ganni, and Vince.
