Outlet Store Shoes: Are They Really the Same as Retail?

Outlet stores promise brand-name shoes at lower prices, and sometimes they deliver exactly that. But not everything in an outlet is a discounted version of a shoe that once sold at full price elsewhere. Understanding the difference helps you decide whether an outlet price is a real deal.

Two kinds of products in outlet stores

1. Genuine excess or past-season stock. These are shoes that were sold through regular retail channels and are now being cleared: last season's models, unpopular colors, leftover sizes. They are the same product you would have bought at full price, just later and cheaper.

2. Made-for-outlet products. Many brands also produce items specifically for their outlet and factory stores. These may look similar to retail products and carry the same logo, but they are designed to be sold at outlet prices. They might use simpler materials, a different midsole, or a design that never appeared in regular stores.

Made-for-outlet products are not fakes, and they are not necessarily bad. But comparing their price to the full-price retail version of a similar-looking shoe can make the "saving" look bigger than it is.

How to tell which is which

• Search the exact model name. If you can find the shoe on the brand's main website or at regular retailers (now or in the past), it is likely genuine past-season stock. If the model only appears in outlet listings, it may be made for outlet.
• Check the style code. Shoes have a style or product code on the label inside the tongue. Searching that code often shows where and when the shoe was sold.
• Compare the specs. If a shoe resembles a well-known model but the listing does not mention the same foam, technology or features, it may be a simplified version.
• Look at the "compare at" price skeptically. A "compare at" or "originally" price on a made-for-outlet product may not reflect a price anyone actually paid.

When outlet shoes make sense

Made-for-outlet shoes can still be good value for:

• Casual everyday wear, where advanced foams and features matter less
• Kids' shoes, which are outgrown quickly
• Backup pairs, like a pair for yard work or rainy days

Genuine past-season stock in an outlet is a better deal for:

• Running shoes, where midsole quality affects comfort and lifespan
• Work shoes that you wear for long hours
• Any shoe where you know and like a specific model

Online outlets and clearance sections

Many brands and retailers have online outlet or clearance sections. The same principles apply. Online, it is often easier to check whether a shoe was ever sold at full price: search the model name and style code, and use price history tools where available.

Online outlet purchases are sometimes final sale, so check the return policy carefully before buying. Our online returns checklist covers what to look for.

Better than outlet: the model changeover

For athletic shoes, the most reliable deal is often not an outlet at all. It is the previous version of a current model, discounted at regular retailers when the new version launches. Our guide to buying last season's running shoes explains how.

A quick checklist before buying at an outlet

1. Do I recognize this exact model from regular retail?
2. Does the style code show up in regular retail listings?
3. Is the price low compared with what the shoe actually sold for, not just the "compare at" tag?
4. Does it fit as well as the version I know?
5. Can I return it?

If the answers are mostly yes, it is a good outlet buy. If not, consider whether the shoe is good enough for its intended use at that price.

The bottom line

Outlets mix genuine past-season markdowns with products made specifically for outlet stores. Neither is a scam, but they are not the same thing. Check the model name and style code, judge the price on its own merits, and use the cost-per-wear test to decide whether it is worth it.