Outlet Malls

Smaller Malls - organized by state

Department Stores - including Lowes, Dillards, and Belk

Large Shopping Malls - by state

Outlet Malls - by store

An outlet shopping mall is a site where major name-brand manufacturers can sell their clothing or furnishings or other items directly to the public.  Say that Gap has several hundred stores, but they have shirts and pants that are overstock - Gap can sell them directly at their outlet shopping mall for a greatly discounted price.  These stores can have sporting goods, men's and women's clothing, toys, appliances, cosmetics, and more.  Occasionally you find an outlet shopping mall that has discontinued goods or returned goods, but mainly, these are new items, just as god as anything you would buy at the store.

Outlet shopping malls started out as a regular factory store or warehouse, actually attached the factory.  The factory would be way out of town, and the store wouldn't compete with it's retail stores because it was so far away.  Outlet shopping is mainly done in the United States, but Canada now has some outlet stores and they are starting to spread to Europe.