Basic Balenciaga Arena City purse from Holt Renfrew, over $1500 ( *This article was featured in The Montreal Gazette.)
Some shoppers prefer to buy generic. They’ll take discount clothing and no-name groceries over fancy logos on cars, bikes, furniture, and even ibuprofen (a.k.a. Advil): To them, brand names mean nothing.
Equally devout are those who’ve got sparkling insignias on their Prada sunglasses, Lexus cars and Apple computers. They believe top quality is something you can see and touch – and it’s always worth the extra splurge. Somewhere in between the two camps are the dreamers: the gal who lusts after a $28 Chanel nail polish (while a Personelle polish costs $3.99), and the man who wishes a brand new flat-screen TV for $2,099 would appear under the tree even though an older model costs $299.
So, what products are worth the splurge? Which ones make better steals?
Here’s a breakdown of popular gift items that can come with generic or luxury price tags.
Clothes
$10 shoes, $15 jeans and a $40 dress – Montreal is full of megacheap clothes. Even the formerly posh Les Ailes de la Mode is now a bastion of bargains – and fair competition to Forever 21 at the opposite end of the mall.
For the last six years, the mall has featured “value added merchandise” like cocktail dresses at a low $49 and $69, said Shane Paull, operations manager for Les Ailes.
“We have our own designers. We source the world for fabric, negotiate with manufacturing, and we buy in volume,” Paull said.
Les Ailes markets its items as trendy and comparable to a mid-to-high range style, but at a lower price. “People are shopping for value right now,” he said. “If you don’t get the price/value equation, you’re not doing the right thing.”
One way Les Ailes adds value is through the department store shopping experience. “We have a tidy store display, great promotions, and excellent price positioning, so customers get even more value for their dollar.”
A cute sparkly sweater at Walmart can cost as low as $12 while a slightly frillier number at Les Ailes goes for $19. However, as a gift for a teenage girl, that extra $7 for the Les Ailes version might save you from buying tissue paper and a gift bag, which you would have to do at a warehouse-style store.
All that low-cost clothing comes from overseas, where labour is extremely cheap. Some of the poorest countries, Bangladesh, for example, also don’t have to pay Canada’s 18-per-cent import duty.
So expect to pay a premium for North American-made items, even when it comes to fast fashion. A man’s T-shirt made in California costs $21 on Americanapparel.ca; one from H&M made in Bangladesh is $7.95.
This price difference expands dramatically for more labour-intensive items – like jeans with extra faded washes and perfectly manicured holes – and also for hipster brands that spend a lot on advertising.
The scoop: When buying discount clothes, consider heading to places that come with added little bonuses like tissue paper and a pleasant shopping environment. This can make a huge difference if the recipient returns the item. Also, for local-loving shoppers, consider giving a gift certificate for any Canadian boutique designer (boutiques rarely accept returns) like Marie Saint Pierre (2081 Mountain St.) or Preloved (4832 St. Laurent Blvd.).
Beauty
At Maxi & Cie supermarkets, Joe Fresh lip-stains and eye crayons sell for $6. Bath balms and body polish go for $4. Because owner Loblaws is so large and buys in bulk, the prices can get super low.
Joe Fresh adds value by knowing the “it” colour and the “it” trend for the season, Elizabeth Margles, vice-president of marketing for Loblaw Cos. Ltd., said. “We have over 200 design staff, including product development and trend forecasters just for Canada.”
The adorable items make great stocking stuffers, especially for young girls.
If you’d like an entire gift to be beauty products – say, a large basket of products for your sister or girlfriend – it’s best to aim for mid-range speciality stores like Body Shop or Bella Pella. There, prices are reasonable, but the entire gift set comes complete with basket and bulkier presentation. Unless you happen to stock up on Dollar Store gift packaging items regularly, there’s little chance you can do it for cheaper.
Bella Pella has a holiday themed bubble bath, bath salts and soap with prices that range from $6.95 to $22.95. All items are made with natural ingredients right here in Montreal. At the 1201A Mount Royal Ave. E. store only, you can buy ingredients to make your own soaps.
High-end bath and beauty products are usually quite expensive thanks to fancy ingredients, glamorous and intricate packaging, and, yes, wildly expensive ad campaigns. They also offer less bulk for your buck – a Bobbi Brown bronzer costs about $40 for the product alone, whereas the prearranged gift set by Stila on sephora.com/Canada comes with a convertible colour duo, a smudge pot, a lip glaze and an eye shadow all for $50 (make sure to hit the “Canadian Checkout” tab).
The scoop: For stocking stuffers, aim for trendy, super-cute items at discount stores – and steer clear of dowdy brands that look like they were designed in the ’80s. For gift baskets, head to stores that offer added value in terms of packaging and specialty themed scents. They are experts at the trade.
Electronics
This year, “flat screens are on top of the wish-list,” Thierry Lopez of Future Shop said.
Prices are also dropping: A 32-inch Dynex LCD TV is now being sold for $299. “Every time there’s a new line of products and the technology gets better, the prices go lower,” Lopez, a marketing manager, noted.
The latest pricey technology is featured in the Sony Bravia LCD TV – $2,099.99 for a 52-inch model. It’s greener and uses less energy, Lopez said. “It’s also the quality of the screen. The Bravia gives a high quality image.”
Netbooks, small laptops intended for surfing the Internet, are another example of this price drop; shoppers are whisking them off shelves, he said. This year, they’re about $250 on average for a 10-inch screen. “It comes with Windows 7 and all the properties, but its main purpose is going on the Internet or for social media like Facebook. There’s a webcam included that really shows that it’s for a (younger person).”
Pricier laptops have bigger screens, more memory and more functions, but, for example, the HP Pavilion can run about $749.99.
The scoop: For electronics, buy last year’s models and consult flyers to see which items are on sale – unless you’re treating yourself. Also, ask an in-store expert to make sure what you’re buying is appropriate for your gift receiver. Most university students will require more features than a netbook can provide.
Luxury accessories, watches, jewels
As one climbs up the price ladder from mid-range to high to luxury, “value” is added in all kinds of ways.
For lingerie, it’s often the fabric and cut. You can go from a sexy and stylish red negligee from La Senza made with nylon, spandex and polyester for $49.50, or opt for a glamorous mid-priced item like a Montelle chemise for $64. Made from satin and lace, Montelle goes to great lengths to ensure that the fit is perfect.
From there, prices leap up, up and away. On Agent Provocateur’s luxuriously sexy website (www.agentprovocateur.com), negligees and chemises sell for $300. But for the eye-popping price tag, the British company offers top of the line design and fabrics – and the opulent label.
Luxury is a high-rolling game. It’s also often donned by perfectionist-seeking consumers who have specific taste. Some men wear only Breitling watches; others swear by Cartier.
Luxury shopping is also a value-added experience. At Holts, the perks positively sparkle: personal-shopping services, corporate gifts, gourmet baskets, gift delivery to the home and office, plus full returns with a gift receipt – not to mention a series of pre-selected gifts for less than $100.
At Birks, customers can expect a solid return policy, product guarantees, cleaning services and free personal-shopping services.
Costco has diamond earrings for $849.99, but those at Birks have the added value of quality. “During the holidays, all kinds of places pop up offering discounted prices,” said Anny Kazanjian, divisional vice-president for public relations for Birks Canada. “But we’ve been there 130 years. Service is important and guarantees are important. The quality is as well.”
She said luxury shoppers consider more than just price. When a Birks customer comes in, he or she is guaranteed quality-controlled products and full-on personable service. “There’s a closeness, so that’s a part of the carriage trade; that’s what luxury is.”
There are also high ceilings, luxurious decor, and a beautiful blue and gold tree with twinkling lights that can make your heart skip a beat – and your wallet suddenly flip open.
The scoop: For some people, it’s the box that counts. When buying luxury, ask diva shoppers exactly what they want. Chances are, they’ll have a very detailed answer.