KAZUKIN likes outlet malls.
Walking through a place like an outlet mall, for some reason I feel a little rich.
My assets haven't actually increased.
My holdings haven't soared.
I'm just walking down a street lined with signs of famous brands, mingling with people carrying shopping bags.
Yet it feels good.
Look at the price tag, and quietly leave the store
An outlet is a strange place.
Products from brands that are normally a bit hard to touch are lined up at more reasonable prices than usual.
“At this price, maybe I can do it.”
With that hope in my heart, I enter a store.
And I look at the price tag.
“...Still expensive.”
I quietly leave the store.
That too is a way to enjoy an outlet.
Even if I buy nothing in particular, it's fun just walking while looking at the shops.
The neat streetscape.
Big brand logos.
People with shopping bags.
Mount Fuji in the distance.
Just being there makes me feel like a person who's properly enjoying a holiday.
Yes.
It feels good.
Even at an outlet, product analysis begins
But KAZUKIN, the contrarian investor, has tight purse strings.
I don't move just because something's marked down.
What was the list price?
Has it really been discounted?
Is it an old model?
Are there scratches or stains?
Can I use it long?
And what is this product's true value?
I start analyzing the product as if it were corporate analysis.
From the staff's point of view, a customer who looked at a product for quite a long time ends up leaving without buying anything.
...An annoying customer.
Even seeing a “30% OFF” sign, KAZUKIN doesn't jump at it easily.
It's the same as not buying a stock just because its price fell.
Is it undervalued?
Or does it only look cheap?
I have to figure that out.
The fact that I'm thinking this at an outlet suggests I may lack a bit of talent for enjoying shopping.
It's fun without buying, more fun if I can buy
Even so, the satisfaction of holding a product I've judged “this is cheap” after careful agonizing is big.
It feels less like buying a discounted item and more like picking up a quality stock at a fair price.
It's no longer shopping.
It's investing.
And even if I end up buying nothing, there's no problem.
Look at Mount Fuji, walk past the brand shops, taste feeling a little rich, and finally eat something at the food court.
That alone is plenty fun.
It's fun without buying.
More fun if I can buy.
But I don't touch what's overpriced.
That is contrarian investor KAZUKIN's proper way of dealing with outlets.
アウトレットいいよね
KAZUKIN Rating
- 💰 Feeling rich for some reason — ★★★★★
- 🏷️ Rate of quietly leaving after seeing the price tag — ★★★★★
- 🔍 Thoroughness of product analysis (corporate-analysis level) — ★★★★★
- 🛍️ Actual purchase rate — ★★☆☆☆
- 🗻 Satisfaction while looking at Mount Fuji — ★★★★☆
This article is a personal opinion and record. KAZUKIN LAB has no relationship with the facilities or brand makers shown in photos and illustrations. I'm just an outlet-loving customer. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.