Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

SplitOk7780 t1_iuop30r wrote

The store you buy it at has I huge affect on the quality. Never buy Dickies, Carhart etc at a Walmart for instance. They are completely different than the stuff you find at an Army Surplus type of store.

89

dapala1 t1_iuox50s wrote

Levis is the same. I have two pairs of 501s. They are completely different in quality. I don't remember where I got them, I wanted their color from different places. One pair is lighter, the pockets and button holes got stretched out. The other pair look and feel new.

They are for sure two different pairs of jeans, but have the same tags.

63

ben010783 t1_iuphqlr wrote

Even the size of Levis differs depending on where you buy it.

38

TyreesesCup t1_iupsrsq wrote

Black labels I believe are the cheapest of them. I've religiously worn Levi's for the last 12 years or so. Orange labels are usually the better quality, I generally buy secondhand so never know where they come from. They get the denim from different countries which varies the quality, and always printed on the inside tags. Been meaning to check my favorite ones for the region so I can get constant pairs but I forget. I install tile though so I go through jeans quickly (hence the second hand 10-20$ pairs). Recently though I bought a couple pairs(always same size and fit) but they're significantly different in fit. Can't even button them up

24

Cleanclock t1_iupnte2 wrote

Really? So Walmart’s selling knockoff dickies?

6

Mamapalooza t1_iupr491 wrote

Not knockoffs. It's the same idea as outlet malls. They used to buy out of season and overstock items and sell them at a discount. But then the companies decided they could monetize even the discount market and began producing lower quality goods with their branding. It's like the direct-to-VHS version of retail.

93

BBBBKKKK t1_iupuxr4 wrote

This is so interesting. I always wondered why/how Sears could sell 501s for $40 (some years ago) but other stores with higher end stuff sold them for much much more.

22

Mamapalooza t1_iuqsctw wrote

Yep. It's all nonsense.

I was touring a factory once and they were manufacturing some at-the-time name brand pants (Bill Blass?). They were coming off the machines. Then a buzzer sounded, the machines stopped for a few minutes. When they started back up, same pants, Wranglers labels.

20

TerryPies t1_iurrtwg wrote

Exactly the same as the Black Friday bullshit. People think they're getting great deals, but they're getting cheaper made products with cheap internals. It's all an illusion, but it works because we're consumers first and foremost. I don't participate, but I'm as much a part of the problem because I still give shitheads like Wal-Mart my money for other things.

7

disapprovingfox t1_iupva50 wrote

It will be a line of the name brand made especially for Walmart. At one time Outlet shops for chains was to offload the stuff that didn't sell. Now those brands make an entire cheaper and lower quality version just to sell in their outlet shops.

23

em-ah t1_iupwuzg wrote

this made me so sad. outlet malls selling out of season/stuff they didn’t sell sounds AMAZING. outlet malls selling shitty quality stuff the companies made specifically for them is horrible!!! just adding more garbage to the landfill, man… that’s so disheartening

30

disapprovingfox t1_iupxzy1 wrote

Early outlet stores were amazing. I miss them too.

21

iamshifter t1_iuqsp8r wrote

Now it’s all “factory stores” instead of outlets.

Outlet = some items are factory rejects, most items are actually just from a year or two old design, and they have made changes to the newest design.

Factory Store: we sell our own stuff directly to you. Cut out the middle man, pay us!

11

breachofcontract t1_iupz0bb wrote

They buy in large enough quantities they ask the brand and manufacturer to make them a specific way to hit a price point in their stores that they sell them for. They’re never the exact same model or anything that would buy directly from the brand or something. The items are often one digit off and tough to find on the tag.

Same goes for Black Friday stuff. They order shit specifically made to be sold on Black Friday and no other day. It’s fair shittier bc it has to be sold so cheaply at their stores. Electronics are a great example.

6

Cleanclock t1_iurn6ms wrote

This is shocking to me that it’s not illegal. It’s been the issue I’ve had with Amazon prime for the last few years but I didn’t realize all retailers are doing this too. You think you’re buying quality name brand, but shoddy, low quality merchandise arrives instead.

1

breachofcontract t1_iuujohf wrote

But directly from the manufacturer to avoid it. Also, if you’re an American, I ask when has this country protected consumers over corporations in the past two decades? C’mon.

2

lynivvinyl t1_iure6w3 wrote

I freaking wish we still had a Army/Navy surplus store near me.

6

OhioJeeper t1_iurnjgu wrote

As long as it's truly the same product this is one of the most often repeated but unsubstantiated claims I've seen here.

Certain brands will make different products at different price points and sell them at different stores (TVs are a prime example of this), but a traditional Carhartt jacket is going to be the same regardless of where it's bought.

Walmart also doesn't sell Carhartt in their stores to my knowledge. Walmart.com maybe, but that's more third parties using their website to sell than Walmart themselves.

2

SplitOk7780 t1_ius0aee wrote

And if you buy it from walmart.com it will be different. And be a "traditional Carhartt" because they are still made by Carhartt. Don't believe me, I don't care. But if you get the lesser one sometime you will see it is different thats all.

2

ChiefDrowningBear t1_iur6nqz wrote

I love the Walmart Dickies. Half the price, they last just long (about 3 months), and they aren't stretch material like the real ones seem to be.

−4

SplitOk7780 t1_iurmn7u wrote

I do not agree that they are just as good. There is a reason they are half the price!

2

ChiefDrowningBear t1_iurqg7y wrote

I have both, they both ripped in the seat after about 3 months. Are they really twice as good for twice the price if they fail at the same rate?

1

SplitOk7780 t1_iurzguo wrote

That sounds more like something you are doing than either one of the items. Like, how you get out of your vehicle or some such.

1