Bargain hunters swarm to the sales 04/01/2008 00:00

According to department stores, the stocks of unsold clothing are considerable this year

4 January 2008 - Yesterday  was the official start of the winter sales period. Many shops opened their doors at 8:00 am and there were swarms of people waiting to get in.

According to department stores, the stocks of unsold clothing are considerable this year. "4% less was sold during the normal winter season this year," says Luc Ardies of Unizo.  

Unizo (Unie van Zelfstandige Ondernemers) is a Flemish organisation of Self-Employed and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME).

Expectations for the sales period are optimistic.

Some large chains violate the law

Shops that started their reductions before the official start of the sales will probably go unpunished. Federal inspectors have reported violations by some 3% of shops, including chain stores. Galeria Inno and E5-mode are 2 of the worst repetitive violators.  

They often send letters to their clients ahead of time regarding the sales, and allow people to reserve clothing.

However, according to inspectors, although they are reported, it never comes further than a summons.

The Neutral Syndicate for the Self-Employed is filing a complaint against Inno and E5-mode. Disappointing first day of salesThe first day of sales was a diappointment, according to an initial reaction by the shops and stores.  Unizo tips for bargain hunters1. Plan : make a list of items that you need or want to buy during the sales.

Decide ahead of time what your budget it.

2. No hassle : take your time to look at everything. Don't let yourself be hassled. Avoid the first days of the sales.

3. Prepare well : buy clothes that you can mix and match. Take your time in front of the mirror, inspecting the clothes before you purchase them.

4. Don't focus on the amount of reduction : the percentage of reduction should not be the guiding factor. It is better to buy a more durable item at 30% reduction than a less suitable piece of clothing at 70% reduction.

5. Go for timeless fashion : choose items that you can wear for more than one season.

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