Susan Scafidi was quoted in the Virginian-Pilot about customers purchasing big-brand items from outlet malls.
When Susan Scafidi, founder of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School, hears the discount promise of the new Norfolk mall, it gives her pause.
“Maybe you could do the math,” Scafidi said, ”but all of the merchandise, all of the time, every day? I would be very careful making a claim like that.”
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Scafidi said the litigation has taken the oldest story in the book and shifted the narrative. Caveat emptor has become caveat venditor: “seller” beware.She sees examples of vendors being more cautious in the disclaimers at the bottom of flash-sale websites, explaining what their reference prices really mean, and some retailers choosing to label items as outlet exclusives.
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At a time when many traditional malls are losing long-time tenants and turning into ghost towns, an outlet mall could offer robust shopping experiences for customers, Scafidi said.But she has some advice for consumers: Know what you’re buying, and remember there are lots of shopping choices, of which outlets are just one.
“Don’t be seduced by the retail structure, designed to isolate you from those other options and make you feel like you shouldn’t leave empty-handed,” she said. “It’s not unlike a casino.”
