M&S Outlet

And moving from James’s somewhat cryptic review.
This outlet store offers some great prices for those who enjoy M&S quality but can’t quite afford their goods. I spotted handbags for £20, reduced from around £60, and wrap dresses from £40 to £20. You could probably find equally good prices in any M&S sale but, if you’re at the outlet and need some good quality work wear in a hurry, this is your place to go. Underwear and shoes are M&S’s new highlights and the quality and style of these items are shooting it up the high street ladder — shoes are affordable in store anyway so I didn’t spot many mark downs in that department but the underwear has some good reductions and is worth a try if you feel like treating yourself. There’s a wide range of men’s and children’s clothing aswell, with some sweets and treats by the counter for any last minute impulse purchases. Service was with a smile despite the busy Saturday shopping.
Three stars purely because it remains out of my age range (for now) and some of the pricing wasn’t outlet pricing; a cake with high street value of £6 being sold for…£6.

Peddlers of pricey clothing with a penchant for food porn.
The rise of supermarket clothing and budget store Primark has seen the once untouchable snobbery and borefest that is the mighty M&S slip sharply from it’s perch.
The elderly won’t be around forever you know!
Where’s Take That when you need them?

From a male’s perspective, M&S is only useful for a few things, buying something for your mum or buying home accessories. I have worked in the Lowry Outlet and I have been for a look around on several occasions and not of the stock changes that much. The only bargains I can recommend are straight let trousers for work and the occasional suit which are under £80. The style of the clothes are rather dated and its difficult finding clothes that fit the regular man being 32 by 32. On the plus side, they have plenty of the bigger sizes in stock if that’s your size.

If you are just going in here for a browse, with no particular aim, then it is possible to find a few bargains in here. But if you have a specific item then it seems that they never seem to have what you’re looking for in this particular Marks and Spencer. Which is strange since it is huge! I do love a bit of Marks and spencer, and there isn’t anything extremely bad about this one, but there just never seems to be anything I want! Don’t get me wrong, I have bought things from here before — Knickers, glasses, silly presents, but only on a whim. If you are going for something in particular then I would recommend going to a proper M&S.

I’d like to think you could always find a bargain in the Marks and Spencer outlet in the Lowry Outlet Mall, but this hasn’t always been the case in my experience. I’ve popped in on a number of occasions, but many items (clothing, lingerie, shoes) have only ever seemed to be a pound or so cheaper — not the huge saving you’d expect.
On the times I have found a bargain, I’ve been faced with huge queues at the tills. This is made even worse with Christmas approaching. The store could greatly benefit from a separate refund and customer service till, and sales staff who work a little quicker!
The shop isn’t overly big, and seems a little tucked away within the Lowry Mall.

Now is the time to hit the Lowry Outlet Mall for you gifts. You can buy a whole host of things from this outlet these days. It’s really come on from days as a ‘Out of ghost town Mall’ — there’s even a Black and Decker discount shop (that’s a few Xmas gifts taken care of!).
I reckon I can find many more things on my Xmas shopping list from this Marks and Spencer’s discount store. From fancy bathroom products, to Royally endorsed biscuits and lingerie to kitchen products — they’re all on sale here, at far cheaper prices than in their main stores. I always find the stores (even the modern building M & S in the city) to be a little staid. I think somebody bought some ‘underpants’ from here once, but I just never felt like wearing them. Clothes aside though, you can usually pick up gifts for family members more fitting of M & S’s charms.
This store is by no means as large as the main city store, but it manages to fit in a lot for the size. From the evening gowns section you’ll find a view overlooking Old Trafford Football Club.

Dedicated M&S fans will be tempted to have a look at the ‘bargains’ on offer here. All areas are covered from womenswear, childrenswear, menswear, make-​up, stationery, to household and lingerie, with just a few food items located by the tills.
Disappointingly though, unless you’re a real classic fan — without a great deal of interest in fashion, you’re unlikely to find a huge amount to tempt you. Putting it bluntly, it’s easy to see why most of the merchandise has found its way in here. Prices are also not as alluring as one might imagine; I’ve found far better bargains in their mainstream sales. Still, it might be worth a look if you’re after an item that goes back a few seasons, that you missed-​out on, or want to replace.
Also, worth a look for the views across the water to Old Trafford! Although, sadly the Mancunian weather was far from kind on my visit in late June