Shopping in Italy with discounts: all about outlets
When people talk about shopping in Italy, they definitely recommend visiting outlets.
In this article I will tell you in more detail about what it is, how profitable it is to go shopping in outlets and what kind of assortment there is.
Outlet (outlet) is a shopping center where clothes, shoes of different brands of past seasons are presented with discounts of 30-70% all year round. Such outlets are located both in the city and in the suburbs.
What does an outlet look like?
Outlet is of 3 types:
1) Mono-brand outlet, where only 1 brand is represented. It is usually quite large, has a large size range, a large assortment
Some of the most famous single-brand outlets in Italy are Armani and D&G near Milan, Prada near Florence
2) Multi-brand (in the form of a shopping center) - an outlet where many brands are represented. Looks like Okhotny Ryad or GUM or any other Russian mall
Of the famous - Foxtown outlet (on the border of Switzerland and Italy)
3) Multi-brand (in the form of a "village") - an outlet where many brands are presented in the form of separate shops. That is, to move from one store to another, you need to walk down the street.
The most famous among Russian tourists is Serravalle (located near Genoa)
Outlet shops look like ordinary shops (there are fitting rooms, things are hung on hangers)
What can you buy in the outlet?
The outlets feature completely different brands: from luxury brands (Baldinini, Dior) to budget brands (Terranova, Motivi).
In my opinion, multi-brand outlets are divided into medium/above-average and medium/below-average. Russian tourists go to outlets with an above-average assortment. The Italians themselves go to more economical outlets.
Another observation: the less advertised the outlet, the lower the prices and the larger the assortment.
For example, in the Serravalle outlet, a Nike polo cost 60 euros; in an outlet near the city of Vercelli, the exact same polo cost 35 euros.
Why are things so cheap in outlets?
Prices are reduced due to several factors:
The outlets sell items from past collections. But this does not mean at all that dirty and wrinkled things are dumped in one heap in the store.
The buildings that house outlets minimize the cost of maintaining the premises (they are located far outside the city or within the city, but in undesigned premises).
In Italy, many shops are open only on certain days with long breaks. How do outlets in Italy work?
Monday-Sunday, somewhere from 10/11-00 to 19/20-00.
All closed on December 25, January 1 and Easter (Catholic Easter)
When is the best time to go to outlets?
Anytime: outlets are open all year round. And year-round in the outlets there are things with discounts of 30-70%.
However, during seasonal sales (beginning of July-end of August and January-end of February) in the outlets, additional discounts of 30-70% are given for all items with discounts.
On the days of the week: on weekends there are a lot of people in the outlets (there are not only tourists there, but also the Italians themselves), so it’s better to go on weekdays. The best days are Monday and Tuesday.
What are the best outlets in Italy to visit?
There are outlets in every region in Italy.
But one of the most famous in Russia is the so-called McArthurGlen outlet network (5 outlets throughout Italy: Noventa di Piave in Venice, Serravalle near Milan, Castel Romano in Rome).
Do not be surprised at the large number of compatriots and Russian speech, which will be very abundant in these places.
However, I note that these outlets are not limited to everything that can be found in Italy.
How often are new things delivered to the outlets?
A clerk in one of the Fidenza Village outlet stores said that in all outlets, delivery is weekly on Friday, as there are most buyers on weekends. Conclusion - on Thursday there is nothing to do in the outlet.
What is the probability that you will find the items of interest in the right size in the outlet?
As one of my shopper-stylists says, sometimes in the outlet you can dress the client from head to toe, and sometimes you can’t pick up anything at all.
You should go to the outlets when you know for sure that the things you need and the sizes are there. It is best to consult on the assortment with those who often visit outlets and see what is there during this period.
Not always for what you are looking for, you have to go to an outlet outside the city. The same things at the same prices can be found in places not advertised among tourists.
For example, in Milan, not far from Piazza San Babilo, in the outlet I saw a suit (jacket and skirt) from Ferre for 219 euros (it used to cost 2170 euros).
How to get to outlets in the suburbs?
You can only get there by transport in the following ways:
1) by ordering a shopping escort with a car
By paying for an accompanying person, you get a car, a personal driver, an interpreter in stores and even sometimes a stylist
2) by renting a car
You can rent a car in Italy, but you won't be able to save much on it
The price is as follows: 60 euros per day rental of the simplest car + 20 liters of gasoline 30 euros (1 liter-1.5 euros) + motorway fee 30-40 euros = 120-130 euros
3) take a special tourist bus from the city center (very budget option)
It will be possible to save money (on average, a bus ticket to the outlet costs 20 euros there and 20 euros back), but shopping time will be limited. Usually the bus is from outside from 4-5 o'clock. And of course, the question of comfort.
4) by train, then from the station by taxi to the outlet
Again, comfort is not very high level. Especially if you have a lot of bags in your hands.
In my opinion, you should try all the options to compare and choose the best one for you.
It is important to keep in mind the fact that in the outlet you will go shopping for at least 5 hours and carry heavy bags with you, and then solve the problem of how to get to the hotel.
