To Coach or Not to Coach
Dearest Amy,
Ever since that post years and years ago when you mentioned Jason bought you a beautiful bag to cheer you up, I’ve been coveting Coach. Yesterday I visited the nearby outlets and stumbled across a Coach Outlet, where I agonized over whether to buy this bag. I needed it! So I bought it. But now I’m second-guessing myself. But I got such a good deal! And it’s real leather! And Coach!
But now it’s sitting in my bedroom and I’m wondering if it’s really worth it. Especially since it’s from an outlet. Is it okay to buy Coach from an outlet? Is there anything wrong with it, besides the missing dust bag? It’s beautiful and I don’t see gaping holes or cracked leather.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks!
Coaching Myself
Of COURSE it is okay to buy Coach from an outlet. Of COURSE. I mean, that shit is expensive. If you can get a good deal through the factory store, then HOORAY YOU. It’s not like you bought it off the hood of someone’s car at a highway rest stop, or something.
Most items that end up in the Coach factory stores are overstocks, discontinued styles or slightly irregular (very slight, like perhaps a crooked stitch or something — stuff with real flaws generally doesn’t get sold anywhere). You probably aren’t going to find the latest limited-edition suede-and-fur-trimmed satchel there, but you are going to find last summer’s supercute bucket bags and a lot of classic leather styles, usually for about 25% off the original price.
When I decided to get a Coach diaper bag, I actually went to the outlet specifically, because I knew I could find exactly what I wanted: a simple all-leather black tote. You know, something that looked more like a purse than a diaper bag. Because it was summer, the Coach flagship stores were only selling super seasonal fabric diaper bags. In pink. I hit the outlet and got an amazing deal (they were having an additional 10% off sale or something), and I’ve carried that bag almost-daily ever since. And it still looks as good as the day I bought it, which is why Coach has my heart. The stuff LASTS FOREVER. And for someone who gets very attached to her bags, and maybe routinely pulls out her favorite red suede satchel with the pink-and-grey houndstooth JUST TO SAY HELLO TO IT, this is a very good thing.
The one caveat to outlet shopping is that technically, the Coach repair service is not available for bags purchased there. But some people have reported getting their outlet bags fixed up just fine. It seems to depend on whether the bag was ever sold in the flagship stores or was manufactured just for the outlet. Or maybe even just the mood of whoever receives your bag.
All that said, if you don’t love your bag — if you don’t think you’ll really use it, or aren’t happy with the size or pockets or the length of the strap or ANYTHING — you should return it. I mean, you should love it. The end.
