T.J. Maxx & Marshalls Review & Giveaway

About this time of year as the days get longer, the winter weather disappears and the sun starts shining, I start shopping! I don’t know what it is about the spring weather, but I just start itching for a new wardrobe. Now, don’t get me wrong, I always shop on a budget because I love the freedom it provides. Normally I will start saving up my clothing money about January because I know that when the weather gets nice I will want to buy spring and summer clothes.

Since I am normally Shopping with a specific amount of money I love to find ways to stretch my budget as far as possible. One of the great ways to do this is by shopping an off-price retailer like T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s. Unlike outlet stores that have last years merchandise, at T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s you will often find the same items that you see in stores only at lower prices. In fact over 85% of the items you will find in T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s are current season item!

If you are like me then you may be wondering where the T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s merchandise comes from, well I got the chance to ask a few questions and I wanted to share the answers with you.

Where do the products at T.J. Maxx & Marshalls come from?

We buy our merchandise directly from designers.  Unlike department store buyers, our buyers are in the market over 40 weeks per year looking for the best value on products for our customers. Because we are making deals closer to need, we are in a good position to negotiate a better price with vendors, and pass those savings along to our customers.

How do T.J. Maxx & Marshalls get such a great price?

Today more than ever our buyers can negotiate even better prices with vendors due to many factors: department stores planning their inventories much lower, overbuying and then canceling orders, or designers overproducing. All these things allow us to deliver the same merchandise sold in department stores, at the same time, at much lower prices to our customers.

Are the products actually from the Manufacturer, or are the knock offs or seconds?

The merchandise found at T.J.Maxx and Marshalls are first quality, designer merchandise, the same that you would find at a department or specialty store.  You will not find knock-offs in our stores, in fact over 95% of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls merchandise is first quality. Less than 5% of the items available are slightly irregular, usually unnoticeable to the customer.  All irregular merchandise is clearly identified on the price tag.

Over 85% of available merchandise is current season. In fact, customers often spot the exact same merchandise they’ve just seen in a department store!  The remaining 15% are basics, such as gift wrap and hosiery, which don’t vary significantly by season and can be “packed-away” to sell at the right time.

Last Week I had the chance to shop my Local T.J. Maxx Store and I wanted to share with you a few of the items I found in stores right now for spring! Just Click on the Image Below to view a slideshow of my shopping trip!

 GIVEAWAY:

I have some exciting news to share with you! I am giving away $50 to T.J. Maxx and $50 to Marshalls! Here’s how you can enter to win!

1. Tell me one item you are wanting to add to your spring wardrobe.  Leave a comment letting me know!

2. Become a Subscriber to Passion For Savings either by RSS or Email Updates - Leave me a separate comment letting me know you are a subscriber.

3. Share this giveaway on Facebook, and don’t forget to Become a Fan of Passion For Savings while you are there. Leave me a separate comment with the link to your post.

4. Follow me on Twitter @Passion4Savings and leave me another comment letting me know!

Disclosure: I want to say a big thank you to T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s for providing the gift cards to giveaway as well as a gift card for me to use to shop their stores and share my experience with you. Giveaway will end on Monday, April 19th, 2010 and the winner will be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.