What makes an off-price retailer so much fun to frequent? The mystery of “How did this <insert brand name here> White Linen Size 6 Dress end up here and in my lucky hands!”  Mystery no more ladies and gentlemen, I present to you three off-pricers who are mass communicating the way in which they acquire their inventory as way to improve their image.

Three major off-price retailers, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Burlington Coat Factory, have all approached brand communications with a similar goal: to educate the consumer on how the brand labels end up in their stores at lower prices than traditional retailers.  Through this approach they glamourize the process by showing well-dressed buyers the consumer might have previously only associated with a high-end retailer.

 TJ Maxx Website

Marshalls Website 

TJ Maxx and Marshalls are from the same parent company so it only makes sense they share the same campaign ideas.  Both have new commercials with the basic story line- buyer for high-end retailer goes too crazy ordering a brand name item, TJ Maxx or Marshalls takes the item off their hands at a lower price, end result—you get to buy the item at their stores for less than the department store selling it.  The idea here is to debunk the popular belief that off price retailers only get defected or off-season merchandise.

 Burlington Coat Factory Website

Burlington Coat Factory responded with its own take on this approach.  A brand new commercial aired this week personalizing their Senior Fashion Director.  She explains the reason Burlington gets high-end labels and sells them for less is only because she agreed not to mention the designers names in advertisements.  Again, educating the consumer to prove the merchandise you will find at Burlington might very well be at a high-end retailer at the same time but at regular price.

Are these efforts in direct response to the economic climate? Do they make you more confident in the trend worthiness of the merchandise at these retailers? Does it take away from some of the reasons you enjoy shopping at an off-price store?