How to dress at a clothes warehouse sale
Not pictures of the sale.
There’s the FJ Benjamin Branded sale on this weekend. If you like La Senza, Guess, Banana Republic, Gap and Raoul make sure you head on down to Bangsar Village II in Kuala Lumpur (3rd Floor above MPH bookstores) to grab some deals.
I was there today. I thought prices were so so. Raoul ladies shirts were RM80, skirts were RM120 for 2, dresses were RM150 for 2 but designs were awful (to me). Banana Republic dresses were RM200, tops ranged from RM70-RM120. Gap jeans were RM120 and tops ranged from RM20-80 or so. La Senza had a good range of sizes for bras and panties this morning but I’m not sure how much is left.
There are loads of stuff, and loads of people and you don’t really want to be spending precious time in the queue for the fitting room when you can be digging through the piles of clothes for bargains right? So, here’s my tip for how to dress at a clothes warehouse sale.
- Wear a light or short skirt - it makes it easier for you to try on pants and jeans or skirts which you can slip on under the skirt in a quieter corner of the hall. A light skirt will help also when trying on a dress so it doesn’t look as bulky.
- Wear a light T-shirt or spagetti strap top - It makes it easier for you to slip on shirts and T-shirts and dresses don’t show up so bulky as well.
- Wear flats - It is easier to move around in flats or flip flops and it makes it easier to try on shoes. Besides, you’ll be considerate to other shoppers who don’t like being stepped on with heels!
So, what did you get from the sales? Spill! 
Pay attention at warehouse sales
I saw on SNS that this week is a week of warehouse sales – FINALLY!
First we have the L’oreal consumer products sale (L’oreal, Garnier, Maybelline etc) and then the L’oreal luxury products sale (Lancome, Shu Uemura, Giorgio Armani etc) both of which feature cosmetics and perfumes in great profusion.
There is also a Metrojaya warehouse sale at which perfumes and cosmetics again are making an appearance.
If you are planning to go for either, I’d suggest you watch out for a few things (coming from a seasoned warehouse saler):-
- Expiry Dates - There is a reason why products are so cheap at these sales. Some are very close to expiry. Remember that products like moisturiser and sunscreen degrade even if unopened and they lose their effectiveness once approaching their expiry date. So, always always check the expiry or best before date.
- Mascara – I’ve bought mascara at a L’oreal luxury sale twice. Both times, although I paid slightly below retail, what I got was dry gunk that did not work. Now, if this was at a counter, I could return it or exchange it as mascara wands should always be wet never dry. But since it was at a sale, I had to suck it up and watch RM50 fly out the window. Its an expensive lesson to learn. So, unless the mascara is shrink wrapped, I’d steer clear of it at a warehouse sale. I’ve seen girls take one and there and then open it up to check. To me, that is one of the sources of the problem, because opening it up introduces air that dries it out. So, I’d be leery of mascara.
- Discontinued Products - Warehouse sales are an opportunity for retailers to clear stock. Sometimes, these stocks include discontinued products. If they were just discontinued and relatively fresh, that’s fine. The problem is if they have been discontinued for years. I’ve seen it happen. Products discontinued in 2003 were still being sold in 2006. So, know your products. If it is super super cheap, there is a chance it has been discontinued and they are just trying to offload it as quickly as they can.
So, bear these thoughts in mind when you hit the warehouse sales this week. And above all, be early!
Happy sale-ing!
Jimat dan Senang Kira – Rounding Up Bills
Come 1 April 2008 1 sen coins will soon be a rarity in Malaysia. (This is NOT an April Fool’s joke!)
The reason for this is that the Government is introducing a rounding mechanism for bills so that you no longer get odd total bills like RM589.99 but it will be rounded up to RM590.00.
Some points to note are:-
- The rounding is on the Total Bill NOT individual products. So, if your toothpaste costs RM4.99 it will not be rounded up to RM5 unless thats the only thing you buy.
- The rounding is on all cash and non cash (credit card) transactions
- Receipts, Bills and Invoices must show the total amount before and after rounding so check your receipts!
Here is a table from the Bank Negara site showing how the rounding mechanism works:-
The rounding up of the total amount of a bill (including goods and services subject to tax) are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5 sen
- 1, 2, 6 and 7 sen to be rounded downwards
- 3, 4, 8 and 9 sen to be rounded upwards
Most importantly, the 1 sen coin is still legal tender. So don’t listen to rumors that say that it is no longer legal tender or of no value.
Shop the luxury designer brand sales
It isn’t a little known fact that luxury and designer brands too go on sale, just like every other brand. The only difference is that luxury brands do not advertise their sales with flashy advertisements and large banners proclaiming sales of 80% off! In fact, unless you know about the existence of the sale, you might not even be aware of it, even if you walk past the store or into it.
Here’s a few tips when shopping a luxury designer brand sale:
- Luxury brand sales happen twice a year - Generally, once in June/July and once in November/December. Look out for subtle ads in the newspapers or little plaques that say “Sale” in the store window.
- Items on sale are limited and are usually from past seasons - don’t expect to find the popular IT bags of the season. Those are either usually sold out or not on sale. Classics too hardly ever go on sale. Gucci for example, rarely has discounts on their classic Jackie O bags except for those with seasonal fabric, and the Celine Boogie bag hardly ever goes on sale.
- Discounts range from 30% to 60% – The general rule of thumb is that of a 30% discount in most brands. Gucci doesn’t usually go higher than that unless you are extremely lucky (and I have been!), Salvatore Ferragamo recently went up to 60% off on very selected items at Starhill.
- Don’t be afraid to ask the price - Sometimes you might be surprised at the amount quoted. Also, the price tag tends to be hidden away and it looks awful to be rummaging through the bag to look for the price tag.
- Do your homework - If you are lucky (and because stocks of luxury brands don’t move as quickly here) you might even get the season’s IT bag on sale, or something classic. Knowing your prices help too.
- Different stores may have different stock and designs - Because the designers have a few different stores around town, you might find that certain stores have some designs that others don’t. So, do shop around before committing. It was easier when there was only KLCC and Starhill to contend with. However, now that Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and The Gardens are up, the net is cast wider.
Over the years and through trial and error, I have amassed my designer handbag collection purely by scouring the sale racks and in the process scored some excellent bargains on full leather bags I could not afford otherwise. No matter how much I want them, I cannot afford the designer items while they are on full price, so waiting for the sale is the next best thing for me.
There is one caveat however. If you are hoping to buy a Louis Vuitton on sale, don’t hold your breath waiting. As far as I know, Louis Vuitton is the only designer brand never to go on sale at all, ever. Pity.