Make the most of shopping the Seattle Premium Outlets

My friends tell me I'm the most difficult kind of shopper, one who wants it cheap AND good. In my defense, I'll say that what I'm really after is value, and I'm more than willing to pay a fair price — or go out of my way — for something that is truly worth it.

So, in search of an enviable deal, I headed to the new Seattle Premium Outlets. Lead foot that I am, it took 45-minutes with little traffic to drive from Seattle to the sprawling new mall located in Quil Ceda, just past Marysville. As with most outlet shopping, it's all about the brands. I drove once around the structure, noting the big names as I sped by: GUESS, Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Nike, Sony, Coldwater Creek, The Gap, Banana Republic, Burberry and on. I could tell I was in for a lot of walking. There were acres of free parking; I opted for the less crowded back lot — it was 11 a.m. and already space was filling up fast.

At the information desk located in the food court, I picked up a directory, and for $5, a VIP Coupon Book with more discounts. Later I learned that if I planned ahead and joined the VIP Shopper Club online, I could have gotten the book for free.

I marked my destinations and began to wander the vast discount nirvana.

My first stop was the Coach Factory Store, where I recognized handbags from a past season's mailer. A double-handled tan leather tote ($398 down to $229) caught my eye, along with a pink nylon trench coat ($348 down to $309, plus 20 percent off); not inexpensive, but a decent savings. As I rifled through a display of bright leather CD cases, credit card holders and zippered pouches, I thought for $29 each, they'd make great gifts. If all Seattle Premium Outlets shops were like this — beautifully displayed and nicely priced — I'd say that the new mall was a bargain shopper's paradise.

I found out that happy hunting wasn't quite that easy. Nine hours and three purchases later, I reached a few conclusions.

1. Be aware of what you're buying

The Nike Factory Store offers a mix of both "regular" and "special" merchandise.

Not everything here is what you'd find in standard retail stores, so if you're looking for a first-quality original, shop carefully. The ample quantities of merchandise fall into two categories: "regular" and "special."

Regular merchandise trickles down from standard stores, Web sites or catalogs and is made up of discontinued, overstocked or off-season items — with occasional refurbished goods or seconds thrown in — discounted as much as 50 percent. To me, that's where to snag the real finds. Special merchandise is manufactured for the outlet store and looks much like what is currently in the standard stores, but is generally lesser quality and lower priced. Most outlet stores offer a mix of both.

So how do you tell the difference between "regular" and "special"? "Regular" merchandise is most frequently found at stores with the word "outlet" in the name (Clarks Bostonian Outlet, Children's Place Outlet, Borders Book Outlet) or no additional description (Le Creuset, Sony, Movado). "Special" merchandise is most often found at factory stores that are clearly marked as such (Ann Taylor Factory Store, Coach Factory Store, Guess Factory Store, J. Crew Factory Store). Keep an eye out for in-store signage too — for example, "Special Purchase" display signs.

Also, look at labels. Scrutinize tags both inside the merchandise and on hang tags. If you are familiar with a brand, you will recognize an authentic label. Also, many times "regular" merchandise will be accompanied by an original price marked down by hand, whereas the "special" items display only one printed price along with a phrase like "special purchase."

Finally, don't be shy about asking the sales staff. Simply pose the question: Where does your stuff come from? It simply serves to make you a smarter shopper.

2. Look for the true discounts

To snag a real deal, you have to play the savings game. Compare the original price to the marked-down price. Is it regular or special merchandise? On top of that, look for signs indicating more discounts, or ask about additional savings. Children's Place offers a 15 percent discount if you belong to AAA, Clarks Bostonian gives you a break if you buy more than one. At Borders Outlet, if you buy four books, you get the fifth one free. In some instances, using the coupon book saves you even more. Theoretically, the more you buy, the more you save. Kind of like the Tulalip Casino next door, you've got to play to win.

3. Shop just for the fun of it

Despite my picky reputation, I do believe there is value in disposable style. It's fun and it makes you feel good — and Seattle Premium Outlets offers it in droves. If this weren't the case, the walkways wouldn't be teeming with gleeful shoppers each toting one, two, three or more bags sporting America's favorite brands. Here you can find attitude you can afford, and some stores definitely do a better job than others. The J.Crew Factory Store is one of my favorites, mirroring its main stores with a kelly green wall and tidy racks and stacks of clothing. With its long wooden table laden with a rainbow of cropped pants ($39.99) and rows of colorful polo shirts ($25), it is outlet shopping at its fashionable finest.

Tumi carries luggage and leather goods.

Depending on what you're after, most anyone can find a deal worth taking home. In my fantasy spending spree, I would haul away a Le Creuset enamel stockpot ($70 down to $64, plus an additional 15 percent off for the "color of the month"), a classic Movado women's watch ($550 down to $299, plus a 10 percent grand-opening special), a handsome nylon Tumi garment bag for my husband ($475 down to $371.25) and an armload of M.A.C and Stila makeup from The Cosmetic Company (20 percent off department store prices).

But, being the pragmatic shopper that I am, what I really left with were sensible (yet stylish!) shoes from Clarks Bostonian — cheery orange thongs (originally $40) and zippy athleisure slip-ons (originally $70) — a steal at $59 for two pairs. I also walked away with a crinkle top à la Issey Miyake from Casual Corner Annex Petite ($24.99 down to $17.99).

Is it worth the cost of gas to go there?

Was the trip worth the effort? If you enjoy sniffing out a bargain and/or love one particular brand, yes, it certainly merits a trip. And if I happen to be driving north, I will definitely drop in again. The fact that it's closer than Centralia and the outmoded outlet of Burlington and has a more interesting mix of stores than North Bend is a definite plus. Was the coupon book worth the extra $5? Maybe, if I had remembered to use it, and definitely if I had gotten it for free.

If you do decide to make the 45-plus mile journey to this bastion of bargains, follow the rules of any sensible Northwest trekker: Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and dress in layers. And, allow plenty of time — with more than 100 stores, there's a lot to see. Somehow I managed to miss an entire wing. Oh well, I'll be back when my sensible shoes wear thin.