Coach vs. Coach Outlet—10 differences you should know!
Are you a fan of Coach bags and wondering what the difference is between Coach and Coach Outlet? While both offer similar styles and designs, there are some key differences you should know before making a purchase.
Coach sells its products through its boutiques and website at retail prices, while Coach Outlet offers discounted items on specific styles and from previous collections.
In this article, we’ll go over 10 differences between Coach and Coach Outlet that you need to know, from the pricing and product selection to the quality and authenticity of the products.
So, whether you’re a Coach lover or a newcomer to the brand, keep reading to make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing Coach products.
To understand what the difference is between Coach vs. Coach Outlet we first have to look at what an “Outlet” actually is, so keep reading!
What is an Outlet?
While outlet stores originally used to sell overstock or past-season items at discount prices, today outlet stores mostly sell products made or bought specifically for the outlet—with the designers and vendors creating familiar-looking items at a lower cost and quality.
This means that even though outlets sell products with the same branding as the main brand, modern-day outlet stores usually sell different, lower-quality products than the regular retail stores, made specifically for the outlet to be sold at lower prices.
So, what is Coach Outlet?
Coach Outlet is a store created by Coach that sells its own line of products that are made specifically for the outlet. These products contain the same Coach branding but are usually made with lower quality materials and construction than the Coach retail store and sold at lower prices.
If you’d like to learn more about the Coach brand, check out this article: Is Coach a luxury brand?—A full brand analysis.
Coach vs. Coach Outlet—Key Differences
The main difference between the two is that Coach Outlet creates a specific line of products that are tailored towards a lower price point compared to Coach products, which are more carefully designed for higher price points.
In fact, even though Coach and Coach Outlet are owned by the same company and produce similar looking goods with the same brand identity, there are quite a few things that make Coach Outlet different from Coach, so let’s take a closer look.
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1. Website
As a buyer, the first big difference you’ll probably notice between Coach and Coach Outlet is that they have two separate websites. Both websites have a very similar look and layout but the feel is a bit different. For example, Coach displays the products in full width view for a more boutique like display, while Coach Outlet displays them at a slightly smaller size, squeezing in a filter at the side.
Both websites list a full description of the product materials and Coach Outlet displays a star rating under each product with the number of customer reviews associated with it as well. This does not feature on the main website. Overall the Coach site has a more sleek and boutlike-like feel compared to Coach Outlet which feels a bit more functional.
2. Product Line
Perhaps the most important difference for you to know, is that even though Coach and Coach Outlet are owned by the same company and sell similar-looking goods with the same brand identity, the two stores have completely different product lines. It is possible to come across surplus Coach stock in a particular outlet, but the products that are sold on the website are created specifically for Coach Outlet.
Another difference is the volume of products offered, for example Coach Outlet lists 362 women’s bags and 106 men’s bags, whereas Coach only lists 255 bags for women and 84 for men. You’ll also notice that their collections, edits and campaigns are completely different from one another as well.
3. Product Design
It’s unclear whether Stuart Vevers, the executive creative director at Coach who designs both their men’s and women’s wear, also oversees the creative direction of Coach Outlet. This is unlikely however, given the price point of the outlet products.
While you’ll see certain brand elements carry over like the signature Coach jacquard canvas and the well-known carriage motif, this is actually where the similarities end. The overall size, structure and weight of the leather goods made by Coach Outlet is completely different to Coach even for very similar looking items.
The base color pallet at Coach Outlet is very similar to Coach so you can expect to see a lot of brown, beige and cream tones. However, the outlet offers a less diverse color range for individual products but does have a lot more designs available with trendy colors and motifs that have a youthful aesthetic.
4. Material and construction quality
The materials and construction methods for these two stores are also different. Coach tends to use high-quality and authentic materials especially when it comes to their leather. You can expect to find bags made with buttery soft nappa leather, strong full-grain leather and polished pebble leather as well.
In comparison, Coach Outlet tends to produce a lot more canvas products and describes their leather as “smooth” which is not a great indication of quality. When you compare products from these two stores side by side you can also see a difference in build quality. Coach products feel a lot more sturdy and robust whereas Coach Outlet products feel less durable.
5. Logo
Both Coach and Coach Outlet appear to use the same logo which is the stylised brand name with the carriage symbol. However, the use of the logo and brand elements is slightly different. You’ll notice that most of the Coach Outlet products feature the main logo and nothing else, whereas Coach retail products can feature various versions of the brand logo like the iconic “C” for example.
6. Price
Coach prices are generally higher than Coach Outlet. Below is a comparison table of some similar product types and their price range in each store.
| Category | Coach Retail Lowest Price (USD) | Coach Retail Highest Price (USD) | Coach Outlet Lowest Price (USD) | Coach Outlet Highest Price (USD) |
| Men’s apparel | $ 125 | $ 1400 | $ 45 | $ 697 |
| Men’s belts | $ 195 | $ 250 | $ 59 | $ 97 |
| Men’s bags | $ 195 | $ 800 | $ 75 | $ 478 |
| Women’s apparel | $ 125 | $ 1100 | $ 64 | $ 600 |
| Women’s belts | $ 150 | $ 175 | $ 45 | $ 69 |
| Women’s bags | $ 195 | $ 895 | $ 65 | $ 497 |
7. Sales
Both stores are known to run sales and participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year. However, after knowing both stores for a few years now, I’ve noticed that Coach tends to have sales at particular times in the year or at the changeover of the season. Coach Outlet on the other hand, always has items on sale. They even have a clearance section, where you can find prices that are really low.
Another difference that I found is that Coach will discount their stock by 10-50%. You usually won’t find deals that go beyond that. At Coach Outlet however, the discount can be as much as 70%. Another price factor to note is that, Coach offers free shipping on orders over $200, whereas you can get free delivery from Coach Outlet on orders over 50.
8. Packaging
Another interesting difference between Coach and Coach Outlet that’s often forgotten about, is the different packaging that you get. If you order from Coach Outlet, you can expect to receive a pretty plain looking cardboard box with the logo printed on the inside. Your item should be placed inside or wrapped with a branded plastic or foam sleeve for protection.
Coach packaging is slightly more elaborate with dust-proof bags and carefully sealed paper wrapping, enclosed in a more tailored looking outer box. The exact packaging will also differ depending on which item you order as well. Regardless which one you order from, all items are shipped with a care card and price tag, unless stated otherwise.
9. Product model numbers
Coach items usually have style numbers that begin with a number, such as Style No. 18083, etc. Coach Outlet product codes usually start with an F, which stands for factory, meaning the item was made specifically for Coach Outlet and followed by a serial number, such as F17694 for example.
10. Purchase quota
Another discrete difference between these stores is the fact that there is a limit to how many bags of the same style you can buy at Coach Outlet. There is a 10-unit restriction per customer per purchase, with a maximum of 5 units per style. This to ensure that customers have a fair chance of purchasing authentic Coach Outlet products.
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Why is Coach Outlet so cheap
Coach Outlet is cheaper than Coach because their product lines are entirely different with different designs, materials and construction. The outlet can also take advantage of the Coach branding, factory network and facilities which helps to keep production costs low in the first place.
Unlike Coach, Coach Outlet’s goal is to sell large volumes of clothing and leather goods at inexpensive prices. Even if the prices are low, they still make a decent profit off of the volume of products sold! This is one of the major reasons why Coach Outlet is so cheap.
Is Coach Outlet legit?
Coach Outlet is owned and operated by Coach and is therefore a legitimate part of the company. The outlet has its own website and range of products separate to the Coach retail store but both websites are owned by Tapestry, Inc.
Coach Outlet has a rating of 1.9 stars from 19 customer reviews on trustpilot.com and a rating of f 1.5 stars from 335 reviews from sitejabber.com, indicating that most customers who left a review were generally dissatisfied with their purchases.
It’s important to note however that customers who are dissatisfied with their experience are more likely to leave a review than customers who had a positive experience.
Consumers that left positive reviews most frequently mentioned value for money, collections that have both classic and chic designs and the user-friendliness of the website. Negative reviews highlighted issues with peeling leather and poor build quality.
Final thoughts
Coach Outlet is a good choice for you if you love the Coach brand, their ethos and their aesthetic but don’t necessarily need a product that is very long-lasting, or might only be worn occasionally. You also might just happen to find a design, color or shape that you love that you just can’t get at the Coach retail store.
Personally, I would prefer to spend my money on a Coach item especially if I could get it on sale, compared to a Coach Outlet item unless I found something that I was really in love with that I just couldn’t get at Coach.
I hope this article helped you to understand the main differences between these two stores before you buy so that you know exactly what you’re getting and what to expect. There’s nothing worse than feeling confused or uncertain about shopping from particular stores or places online so be sure to come back to this article if you need to refresh your memory before your next purchase!
