Supreme Court rules against discount shopping
Filed under: Stores We Love, Steals and Deals
For most of us, buying nothing but designer clothing would be out of the question (assuming we still wanted to eat and pay rent, that is), if it weren't for discount stores. Rummaging through the racks of second-run shops and "bargain basement" style outfits like Last Call Neiman Marcus is the only way I'm able to afford anything that isn't a knock-off.But all that might change, now that the Supreme Court has lifted a ban on manufacturers' ability to enforce the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). To be honest, I've never seen a price in a retail shop that matched the MSRP, and had always assumed it only existed so discount outlets could use it as a marketing gimmick -- so the outlets could "prove" to customers how much they'd "drastically reduced to all-time-low prices." I can't imagine how much more expensive it will be to shop for designer clothing now that this ban is no longer in place.
That said, there's always thrift and "vintage" stores -- where you'll have to dig a lot harder to find quality goods, but you'll still definitely save some money. Plus, I'm sure designers will still operate their own outlets -- but if you don't live close to an outlet mall, you're out of luck. Even then, now that there will be less competition from other retailers, I doubt those designer outlets will reduce prices as much as they do currently (which isn't much).
So...um... eBay, anyone?
Henna 7-06-2007 @ 5:42PM
Keep in mind that some manufacturers make products especially for those discount outlets and so the MSRP is a total scam that the outlet and the manufacturer is in on....
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Betty 7-07-2007 @ 7:25AM
From an article I read from the Kovels, this new ruling, and the MSRP may also affect some items on eBay. Gas prices, grocery prices ridiculous; wars going on; outsourcing and Americans out of work; economy sucks, and the Supreme Court has nothing better to do than help greedy retail corporate America get more of the already over-taxed US dollar. What's next??? Of course, those Justices have so much money, it is nothing to them to pay MSRP so why care about the little people!!! Much of the way it goes in Congress with spending and law making. America's shining star among nations has become very tarnished, and it is so very, very sad.
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