Making The Most of Your Warehouse Experience
I remember the first Alexandria Boutique Warehouse Sale I attended at The Campagna Center nearly thirteen years ago. I was a young mother of two toddlers living in Old Town. I called my partner in crime (aka my own mother!) and we both stood outside in line with a coffee on a windy late Saturday morning. It was pretty insane even after 11am. The rooms were packed to the point of hardly being able to move and we were immediately shedding our coats due to the amount of body heat being released. You might equate it to a retail rave where the adrenaline rush was in the form of 50-90 percent off designer merchandise and the cash exchanging hands was for a different type of drug.
I can also remember a few of the items I purchased — a pair of statement earrings and a black Wolford bikini from Hysteria and a pale pink Eberjay bikini from Romance for the Senses (thank you Torun!). Why bikinis you might ask? No one else was buying them and there was no Lululemon yet to score my mom staples…black leggings!
Preparations for sales such as this are like CSI analysis for the boutique owners. What’s left after the scene of a crime is very telling about who was there and the behavior they exhibited. The owners are assessing their buy against what worked for their clients’ lifestyles. The pieces that didn’t sell weren’t necessarily bad, they just didn’t convey here in Old Town.
We can deduct a couple of things from that fact that two-piece bathing suits were at two different boutiques at the warehouse sale. First, Old Town women purchase less expensive swimwear. Second, bikinis are hard to sell at any price…even at warehouse prices. And if we are to look extra closely, there is one other relevant piece of information that we can deduct from this tale of two swimsuits: that for every seller, there is a buyer (in this case, me!). The beauty of this epic sale is that there is an opportunity to pair great pieces to an entirely new audience. It’s a win for buyers and sellers.
Source
Many of my favorite pieces have been purchased from clearance events. For instance, last year I scored a Veronica Beard windowpane blazer and an Apiece Apart top from Wrabyn, a boutique in Annapolis, Maryland. This leads me to another aspect of this sale that I love, which is being exposed to new boutiques. If you haven’t been to Wrabyn yet or explored Lynn Louisa, this event may give you insights to their point of view. Personally, both are on my list of favorite places to shop for clients.
Source
Needless to say, the Alexandria Boutique Warehouse Sale has come a long way over the years. The carpeted grand conference rooms at the Westin make for quite a comfortable experience. With a coat check, $5 parking, coffee, and free yoga and Pilates workouts while you wait in line, it’s more like a retreat.
Yet, even with all the amenities, there’s still a chance for buyer’s remorse. How does one avoid making impulse buys without losing out on great finds during a warehouse sale?
I’ve worked with a lot of women over the last 10+ years and come to understand the various philosophies of “the Sale Rack.” There are those who avoid sale racks at all costs. They would rather purchase items at full price than be swayed by discount prices. It’s almost the reverse litmus test: since they will buy it at full price, they do. End of story.
Then there are those who would never buy anything at the full retail price. Sale season is where they utilize their savvy skills of finding deals on sought-after brands that work for their budget. Both types of consumer are integral to the retail food chain. While boutique owners need to alleviate their inventory to prepare for spring items, it is painful to sell below the cost of goods.
Strategic Takeaway Tip #1: Keep this in mind when asking for further reductions. Sometimes your best opportunity to bargain comes with the purchase of more units, a.k.a bulk!
This annual mother of all sales is an epic event for scoring some great items for your closet and home. And while the Warehouse Sale is a lot of fun, it can also be a lot of work. It’s incredibly easy to get tripped up when there are other women vying for the same pair of Lululemons that you may or may not want. This frenzy can throw you off your game of what’s rational in a moment of “I’m not sure but I better get it now while I have the chance!”
Having been on both sides of this type of clearance event, I can empathize with the pressure of these decisions. If you are not a seasoned shopper and don’t have a clear assessment of where you’ve made mistakes in the past, sales can lead to more ineffective purchases. There’s also a time commitment to certain types of clothing, such as pants. Trying on pants is a hassle but because of this, there are lots of great opportunities for finding pants and denim. However, if you are not 100 percent sure of your size in a certain brand or style, you can leave with a size 29 in Frame Denim only to realize that they are the Garçon (Boyfriend) and thus unexpectedly swimming on you!
Strategic Takeaway Tip #2: Try before you buy.
The next piece of advice I’m about to offer may sound like an oxymoron but I assure you there are pearls of wisdom to my message. I always advise going into a sale with specific goals in mind. If I were to asses my own closet, I would know that I have plenty of blazers. It’s my thing. So much so that it’s hard for me to make a case for adding another blazer. My solution? I’ve moved onto coats! I also gave myself a major closet edit this year and purged many of my sweaters. It was time for us to part ways and they had served me well. So now I am looking for good replacements. Identify what your weaknesses are and keep your focus on filling in areas that will enhance those powerful pieces you already own.
When attending an epic sale such as the Warehouse Sale, you want to be open-minded toward finding items that can easily be tweaked with an alteration. The length of a dress or pair of pants can be well worth the price of alterations when you are already receiving a great deal. Knowing your magic adjustments gives you an edge over others. When assessing fit, start with the shoulder and armhole. While these areas can be fixed, they will cost more. Most alterations for minor darts, waist adjustments, sleeve shortening from cuff, and pant hemming will be less than $40. Keep this figure in your head when you are thinking about whether the added cost will give you the Cost Per Wear you desire for your purchase.
Strategic Takeaway Tip #3: Go in with an open mind…but be specific.
Another piece of advice that falls in this area of specifically open-minded has to do with statement pieces. No one loves a great statement piece more than I do. I caution those who always buy statement pieces at warehouse events to consider whether another one will add value or just be a satisfying acquisition. For those who never buy statement pieces, you may be missing a key element in your wardrobe. I say this from my tenure as a professional stylist who has seen many closets. There are those who have too many and then there are those who are in desperate need of a statement! There’s really no gray area here. You know into which camp you fall!
Strategic Takeaway Tip #4: Don’t be a repeat offender of your favorite category and lose site of adding value to what you already own.
Lastly, I leave you with the most important part of your preparations…the 2018 Boutique Map and a link to the event page. Now the keys to the kingdom are in your hands. Call your bestie and plan your strategy for this Saturday, February 3rd. The parking is $5 all day, which is your only monetary price of admission. Asses your home, workout gear, clothing, shoes, and accessories and plot your course for a successful day of deals.
Footnote: For what it’s worth, I still have both of those quality bikinis only now I wear them with my oversized Mih blue shirt, proving that style can be an evolution of the things you love.
1 Comment
I remember that first sale plain as day as well! Awesome and beautiful memories. See you Saturday for #13!