Can someone explain the allure of Nordstrom Rack (and other discount stores)?

[Anonymous]

I honestly think it’s really fun to just go look and browse. I’ve gotten Denby plates/bowls, beautiful planters and some great kids toys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

Fwiw, take those price tags with “the original prices” on them with a grain of salt.

—someone who worked in retail

[Anonymous]

This is a bit of a tangent - but, does anyone know someone (or perhaps yourself) that’s addicted to shopping at these stores? I honestly think a friend of mine has an addiction. She is there several times a week. She ALWAYS buys something. Anything. Clothes. Household items. Etc. her house is neat and organized but I’ve noticed tons of stuff, especially clothes still with the tags and closets full of new kitchen supplies or towels and sheets. I don’t think a day goes by where she doesn’t think about stopping at one of these stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a bit of a tangent - but, does anyone know someone (or perhaps yourself) that’s addicted to shopping at these stores? I honestly think a friend of mine has an addiction. She is there several times a week. She ALWAYS buys something. Anything. Clothes. Household items. Etc. her house is neat and organized but I’ve noticed tons of stuff, especially clothes still with the tags and closets full of new kitchen supplies or towels and sheets. I don’t think a day goes by where she doesn’t think about stopping at one of these stores.

Sounds like my retired and widowed mother in law. Bored and lonely, sadly, so she just makes the discount retailer rounds all week. Buys and returns 90% of it because she has no use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

But why did you want $200 worth of baby Boden? I have a growing kid, I get that I often need to buy a bunch of new kid clothes. But when I need them, I need them. Buying way in advance usually doesn’t work because I don’t know what size we’ll be in what season.

Whenever I buy clothes for myself, too, without knowing what I’m about to wear them to they end up sitting in my closet forever. I don’t have room to just buy random stuff because it’s a good deal.

LOL $200 worth of Baby Boden is like two tops, a set of pjs, and a dress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that Nordstrom Rack is not what it used to be (and not as good as Filenes used to be), but back in the day I used to frequent the Nordstrom Rack on State Street in Chicago and it was truly amazing. I still have clothes I picked up at that store.

+1 When there was the only one around here at Potomac Mills I used to go twice a year just for that.

I used to buy all my bras at the Nieman’s outlet next door. Good times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bit of a tangent - but, does anyone know someone (or perhaps yourself) that’s addicted to shopping at these stores? I honestly think a friend of mine has an addiction. She is there several times a week. She ALWAYS buys something. Anything. Clothes. Household items. Etc. her house is neat and organized but I’ve noticed tons of stuff, especially clothes still with the tags and closets full of new kitchen supplies or towels and sheets. I don’t think a day goes by where she doesn’t think about stopping at one of these stores.

Sounds like my retired and widowed mother in law. Bored and lonely, sadly, so she just makes the discount retailer rounds all week. Buys and returns 90% of it because she has no use it.

Returning it because she has no use for it is better than what many who can't stop buying "bargains" do -- which is hoard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

But why did you want $200 worth of baby Boden? I have a growing kid, I get that I often need to buy a bunch of new kid clothes. But when I need them, I need them. Buying way in advance usually doesn’t work because I don’t know what size we’ll be in what season.

Whenever I buy clothes for myself, too, without knowing what I’m about to wear them to they end up sitting in my closet forever. I don’t have room to just buy random stuff because it’s a good deal.

LOL $200 worth of Baby Boden is like two tops, a set of pjs, and a dress.

Yeah but why would I want that?? When would I ever be in a situation where my kid needs two tops, a set of PJs and a dress and I haven’t already just bought them and I wandered into a Nordstrom Rack and there they were? If my kid needed those things, going to a Nordstrom rack would not be a good strategy right? You don’t know what they’ll have. So if I needed those things, I’ve already ordered them.

I guess the point of this thread is some people really like browsing and either holding an open need until they come across a bargain, or getting stuff before they need it and storing it. I hate all three of those things. I don’t want to buy random le crueset pots, I just want to outfit the kitchen once. If/when something in the kitchen is broken or otherwise needs replacing, I want to replace it quickly and directly. When I’m looking for the replacement, I want to use digital search.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

But why did you want $200 worth of baby Boden? I have a growing kid, I get that I often need to buy a bunch of new kid clothes. But when I need them, I need them. Buying way in advance usually doesn’t work because I don’t know what size we’ll be in what season.

Whenever I buy clothes for myself, too, without knowing what I’m about to wear them to they end up sitting in my closet forever. I don’t have room to just buy random stuff because it’s a good deal.

LOL $200 worth of Baby Boden is like two tops, a set of pjs, and a dress.

Yeah but why would I want that?? When would I ever be in a situation where my kid needs two tops, a set of PJs and a dress and I haven’t already just bought them and I wandered into a Nordstrom Rack and there they were? If my kid needed those things, going to a Nordstrom rack would not be a good strategy right? You don’t know what they’ll have. So if I needed those things, I’ve already ordered them.

I guess the point of this thread is some people really like browsing and either holding an open need until they come across a bargain, or getting stuff before they need it and storing it. I hate all three of those things. I don’t want to buy random le crueset pots, I just want to outfit the kitchen once. If/when something in the kitchen is broken or otherwise needs replacing, I want to replace it quickly and directly. When I’m looking for the replacement, I want to use digital search.

lol ps if you can’t tell I grew up in a loving but disorganized home with my mother who had a real thing for crate and barrel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

But why did you want $200 worth of baby Boden? I have a growing kid, I get that I often need to buy a bunch of new kid clothes. But when I need them, I need them. Buying way in advance usually doesn’t work because I don’t know what size we’ll be in what season.

Whenever I buy clothes for myself, too, without knowing what I’m about to wear them to they end up sitting in my closet forever. I don’t have room to just buy random stuff because it’s a good deal.

LOL $200 worth of Baby Boden is like two tops, a set of pjs, and a dress.

Yeah but why would I want that?? When would I ever be in a situation where my kid needs two tops, a set of PJs and a dress and I haven’t already just bought them and I wandered into a Nordstrom Rack and there they were? If my kid needed those things, going to a Nordstrom rack would not be a good strategy right? You don’t know what they’ll have. So if I needed those things, I’ve already ordered them.

I guess the point of this thread is some people really like browsing and either holding an open need until they come across a bargain, or getting stuff before they need it and storing it. I hate all three of those things. I don’t want to buy random le crueset pots, I just want to outfit the kitchen once. If/when something in the kitchen is broken or otherwise needs replacing, I want to replace it quickly and directly. When I’m looking for the replacement, I want to use digital search.

That’s an interesting way of looking at it. When I have a need, I want a particular thing at a particular price and I’m happy holding that need open for as long as it takes. I don’t store things for later “just in case”, but I’m perfectly happy going cheap until I find perfection. The one thing I can’t bear is paying MSRP for mediocrity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

But why did you want $200 worth of baby Boden? I have a growing kid, I get that I often need to buy a bunch of new kid clothes. But when I need them, I need them. Buying way in advance usually doesn’t work because I don’t know what size we’ll be in what season.

Whenever I buy clothes for myself, too, without knowing what I’m about to wear them to they end up sitting in my closet forever. I don’t have room to just buy random stuff because it’s a good deal.

LOL $200 worth of Baby Boden is like two tops, a set of pjs, and a dress.

Yeah but why would I want that?? When would I ever be in a situation where my kid needs two tops, a set of PJs and a dress and I haven’t already just bought them and I wandered into a Nordstrom Rack and there they were? If my kid needed those things, going to a Nordstrom rack would not be a good strategy right? You don’t know what they’ll have. So if I needed those things, I’ve already ordered them.

I guess the point of this thread is some people really like browsing and either holding an open need until they come across a bargain, or getting stuff before they need it and storing it. I hate all three of those things. I don’t want to buy random le crueset pots, I just want to outfit the kitchen once. If/when something in the kitchen is broken or otherwise needs replacing, I want to replace it quickly and directly. When I’m looking for the replacement, I want to use digital search.

I totally get what you are saying. But I think you are underestimating the dopamine hit many get from shopping. They don't necessarily need (or even want) the pot/sweater/tote/decorative pillow or whatever the heck else they are throwing into their cart, and they will likely be sorry later when it is taking up space in the kitchen/on the couch/ in the drawers or whatever. But the dopamine hits are so good, they shop to relax or have fun or whatever. It isn't rational consumption. It is shopping as fun. Depressing? For sure it is. And the landfills get bigger and bigger...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

But why did you want $200 worth of baby Boden? I have a growing kid, I get that I often need to buy a bunch of new kid clothes. But when I need them, I need them. Buying way in advance usually doesn’t work because I don’t know what size we’ll be in what season.

Whenever I buy clothes for myself, too, without knowing what I’m about to wear them to they end up sitting in my closet forever. I don’t have room to just buy random stuff because it’s a good deal.

LOL $200 worth of Baby Boden is like two tops, a set of pjs, and a dress.

Yeah but why would I want that?? When would I ever be in a situation where my kid needs two tops, a set of PJs and a dress and I haven’t already just bought them and I wandered into a Nordstrom Rack and there they were? If my kid needed those things, going to a Nordstrom rack would not be a good strategy right? You don’t know what they’ll have. So if I needed those things, I’ve already ordered them.

I guess the point of this thread is some people really like browsing and either holding an open need until they come across a bargain, or getting stuff before they need it and storing it. I hate all three of those things. I don’t want to buy random le crueset pots, I just want to outfit the kitchen once. If/when something in the kitchen is broken or otherwise needs replacing, I want to replace it quickly and directly. When I’m looking for the replacement, I want to use digital search.

I totally get what you are saying. But I think you are underestimating the dopamine hit many get from shopping. They don't necessarily need (or even want) the pot/sweater/tote/decorative pillow or whatever the heck else they are throwing into their cart, and they will likely be sorry later when it is taking up space in the kitchen/on the couch/ in the drawers or whatever. But the dopamine hits are so good, they shop to relax or have fun or whatever. It isn't rational consumption. It is shopping as fun. Depressing? For sure it is. And the landfills get bigger and bigger...

Meh. I get most of my stuff from thrift stores. When I get a good deal on an upgrade, the old stuff just goes back through the donation door. I end up spending less money than if I had just bought one mid-tier item and had a lot more fun in the process.

I can see how it would be a problem if you can’t let stuff go, though, or don’t have a feel for what “enough” looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one of those right place, right time things. I popped in once and found lots of Baby Boden on the final markdown rack. For less than $35 I got $200 worth of Baby Boden (that had the original prices still on it). But that doesn’t happen every time. You need to know when to time the shipments.

Fwiw, take those price tags with “the original prices” on them with a grain of salt.

—someone who worked in retail

DP here. Well yeah, of course!

OP, feel better now? Here's a hint: maybe worry less about who is shopping where. How is this affecting you, exactly? If you don't like it for yourself, no one is making you go.

For myself, I think those stores are not the same after covid, but it is fun to browse once in a while. It is not a regular thing. So?

[Anonymous]

I miss Loehmann’s where I used to find quality clothing for work and fun party outfits. They declined their last few years, but before that I could find great coats, bags, etc. I also occasionally found nice items at TJ Maxx but those days are pretty much gone. Anne Taylor had great suits for work. Now I grown and drag myself through websites on-line. We didn’t appreciate what we had.

[Anonymous]

I got one Theory and two Boss dresses there for $130-150 each; they were $300-600 originally (and still are in other colors).