only 7 weeks each year

Commencing November 9th

 Monday afternoons: 2- 5pm

• November 9, 16, 23, 30
• Dec 7, 14

 SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICE

Plus additional exclusive 15% off for Shop Gotham blog visitors only

The holiday season is a magnificent time to shop in NYC for oneself or for gift giving, especially in the Garment Center, an area rich with designer deals for women, if one is on a Shop Gotham shopping tour. For 7 weeks only, this special Monday afternoon tour is added at a special price for those long “weekenders”.

 For detailed information or to book tickets:

http://www.shopgotham.com/special-seasonal-tours.php?aid=22

Discount Code: Holiday09

Maximum 4 tickets per guest

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We who have our finger on the proverbial pulse of nyc sample sales see that the “season” is starting a good 3 weeks ahead of schedule. Waiting to come to NYC to score your fall/winter items. Don’t delay. The goods are here and they are already discounted.  Note for the unaffiliated: Designers each do but one sale per season ranging from  1- 5 days.

 Remember.. Shop Gotham vets out the good sales from the mediocre. Check out our Garment Center “Insider” Shopping Tours and our holiday time Cheap and Chic shopping tours. www.shopgotham.com

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The visitors are leaving NYC, soon to return again. In the meantime, enjoy a 1st and last time Shop Gotham shopping tour special discount. 25% off tickets for any Regularly scheduled tour tours for the remainder of Sept. Max: 2 tickets per buyers. www.shopgotham.com. discount code: Sept09. See ya on the streets!

We like to give a heads-up about the Sample Sale “high” season. Typically, it commences mid-november, but our recession radar claims we can expect an early onslaught.    By early november, the designer for much less options will make your head swirl. As always, Shop Gotham will vet out the worthwhile from the junk-

See Shop Gotham Garment Center “insider” tours.

www.shopgotham.com

Subscribe to Shop Gotham New York Shopping News:(1 issue per month) and we will send you our semi-annual NYC Resource List of the best fashion odds & ends (such as the VERY best stores for bras, special size shoes, plus size fashion) –www.shopgotham.com)

WHAT EXACTLY IS A SAMPLE SALE? Once upon a time, Sample Sales were the place to buy one-of-a kind items created by a designer for the purpose of selling his/her line each season to retailers. Some items never even went to production, making them oh-so-coveted. Typically these sample items were size 4-8, depending on what the designer determined as his/her “model” size.

Today (circa 2009) Sample Sales are synomous with OVERSTOCK – the goods left over after all the stores have made their purchases.  Which means that real people can shop these sales too, as ALL the sizes a designer produces can typically be found. Often, but not always, there are also those coveted sample pieces which were never produced (and sometimes past seasons’ items as well). Expect savings of 50-70% below retail.

WHY CAN WE BUY ITEMS “In Season” WHEN THEY ARE STILL IN THE STORES? The fashion industry sells their items 2 seasons ahead to the retailers.  When spring arrives (for instance) and you are ready to buy your wardrobe,  designers are busy selling their goods to the stores for the Fall.  Hence, if they have overstock, there is nowhere for it to go except to off-price stores, outlets and into the consumer’s hands directly via Sample Sales.  Although Sample Sales have become more and more abundant in recent years,(they are especially good in a failing economy) they are still frequented primarily by those who live and work in their respective areas, not the masses of shoppers. This is why the stores selling the same items at full price do not publicly object to their existence.

WHAT TO EXPECT? Some sample sales are truly amazing: abundant stock, well organized, ample dressing rooms and huge discounts. Some have none of these good qualities. Some will be designers with great name recognition and cache (in NYC this week one can find Tory Burch, Diane Von Furstenberg and Lauren Moffet). Some for lesser known names, but for those” in-the-know”, these can offer the most unique and valuable finds.  These days, one can patch together a list online of  many sample sales (but certainly not all) .  But how does one vet out which sales are worthwhile? How to know if the sale restocks every day or if everything “good” will be gone after the 1st day.  What if you don’t know your way around NYC and its plethora of neighborhoods? This folks is one of the many reasons to take one of Shop Gotham’s shopping tours (forgive the blatant self-promotion). You are paying for our knowledge as well as an awfully good time.

check out: www. shopgotham.com to see what’s doing in the New York City shopping scene