Rules to Bargain Luxury Shopping

I am a champion for finding awesome luxury items on the cheap. I am a bargain shopper through and through and when I find something awesome, I am going to share .

Today, before running off to get some groceries, I stopped by Sak’s Fifth Avenue’s  Off 5th just to do some browsing and found a perfect BCBG MAXAZRIA clutch that was originally priced at $158. I ended up getting it for $37.

I’m not going to guarantee any results, but if you follow some of my rules to bargain luxury shopping, I’m pretty sure some of you luxury fashionistas will snag some pretty awesome deals as well.

Go to the RIGHT STORE!
Shopping ant Neiman Marcus, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, and the bottom floor of Nordstrom may only be a dream for some people. However, there are always the discount stores. Neiman has Last Call, Sak’s has Off 5th, and Nordstrom has The Rack. They all have great deals and great finds.

Whether you’re going on a mission, like a clutch, or just for a quick browse, you’ll never know what you’ll find.

Look for COUPONS!
The Off  5th store near me opened about a month ago. It’s so close that coupons and discount packets were mailed out to our neighborhood. I didn’t use the coupons right away, nor did I run in, but if there’s a big ticket item that you’re waiting for these kinds of coupons may be perfect. Watch out for expiration dates though, some stores have very specific dates on sales (not just luxury stores, even Old Navy gets picky with sale dates).

Look at the windows as you window shop or drive by. Big signs are always an indicator that there’s a sale. In addition to coupons, stores are also offering bigger discounts for people who just happen to stop by.  Even though I didn’t get the 20% off today, Off 5th had signs all over the place.

I’ve mentioned it several times, coupons from your e-mail are always awesome. I get them all the time and I love them. When I went into the Off 5th location the first thing the cashier asked for, aside for how I was going to pay for the clutch, was my e-mail address. All I could of was “Ca-ching!”

Look for DAMAGED Goods
Not necessarily so damaged that you won’t want to use it, but if the product has a tiny tear that you can fix, a little nick or pinch somewhere the cashier will likely be able to take some more off the already discounted price (if you’ve followed rule 1-2).

Case and point, the BCBG MAXAZARIA clutch from today had a pinch in it, along with some scuffs. I asked the cashier if I could get anything else off the price. She said, “Absolutely, how does $37 sound?” (In the photo to the left there’s a spot in the middle that shows the flaw)

Of course, do remember that if these discounts are applied the sale may be final. Don’t fret though! Think of this..

SWAP your stuff

If that little tear just bugs you so badly that you can’t stand to see the luxury item anymore, tell one of your friends or co-workers. Start up a swap with them. You’ll be able to get something for nothing. I love this idea. I haven’t used it myself yet, but if the little dent in the clutch gets so bad that I can’t stand it, this is what I’m going to do.

So, now that I’ve shared my words of wisdom, let’s get some more shopping done!

Photos from: Ashley Shute