Outlet stores, are stores in which manufacturers sell their products directly to the public through their own branded stores. Other stores in outlet malls are operated by retailers selling returned goods and discontinued products, often at heavily reduced prices. Clothing, sporting goods, electrical products, cosmetics, and toys are among the types of items sold at outlet malls. Outlet malls first appeared in the United States as a development of the traditional factory outlet: a store attached to a factory or warehouse, selling surplus stock at discounted prices. An outlet mall places several such outlets under one roof in a convenient location, usually an "out-of-town" site. The out-of-town site minimizes overhead costs. And they may be legally necessary as conventional retailers may have contractual restrictions on the manufacturer on the location of the factory outlets so as to minimise competition with the traditional retailer. Therefore, factory outlets are usually located at about 15 miles outside of major cities, and consumers must account for gasoline costs and driving time when calculating their net savings. Depending on what you are purchasing, your savings can be quite substantial. Pyrex bakeware can cost as little as $1 through the outlet store, while costing six times that amount at your local department store. Some outlet stores offer huge discounts on discontinued items and items returned from their retailers. These may have minimal flaws such as uneven stitching, but generally these flaws are not noticeable even to the discerning eye. Your savings can be quite considerable if you are shopping for many items during this one shopping trip as in back to school shopping or Christmas shopping, since you are not having to drive all over town to get to different stores and the discounted prices are generally marked down even further during those periods.

Nowadays, none. They say the prices at outlet stores are about the same or more at regular stores now.

you dont there are more places to shop with wider variety of products thus makin it difficult to go and just purchase the items you are searching for....more people more products more spending

Nothing, i don't see any difference. +5