TK Maxx 'bargains'

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Does anyone have a really good experience of buying stuff from TK Maxx? What am I doing wrong as I seem to always end up with substandard stuff? Most recently, I just bought a silver chain (£49.99) online to give to someone as a present. It arrived this morning. Just unpacked it, unclasped it to take the labels off. Went to do it up again and the whole clasp structure came apart on the table! WTF!

I buy quite a few things from them online and have rarely had a bad experience - but when I do, it's very easy to return to the store - they're always lovely, and you get an instant refund back to your card

Thanks @faustina. Maybe I'm just over remembering the bad experiences (rather than the good ones!). I just wouldn't have expected a £50 necklace to be faulty and fall apart before it's even been worn! Possibly just as well it happened though as clearly the clasp isn't fit for purpose and would likely have failed sooner rather than later anyway. I purposefully went for a chunkier chain thinking it would be more robust but clearly little point if the clasp is so small and fragile that it's not fit for purpose.

It used to be my favourite shop in the whole world, then one day I started counting how many purchases had turned out to be duds, and I realised it would probably have been cheaper to pay full price for the genuinely good stuff.

@Floisme I think there are lots of false economy purchases to be made at TK Maxx. And I am always shocked that they put clearly damaged goods out for sale (even Clearance prices wouldn't persuade me to buy something woollen that's very noticeably laddered!).

I bought an item of clothing to wear on holiday last summer (not in Clearance). Put it on only for DD to point out there was a massive slit across the lower back of it which I'd failed to notice when I put it on! I did get my money back but because I didn't have the receipt I spent nearly an hour at the returns desk, as they trawled back through their systems to find my purchase! Had I not had a righteous sense of indignation about being sold a damaged item in good faith, I'd have given up. An hour is a long time to have to wait for a £20 refund, although all credit to the staff they were very patient and professional.

I thought I'd got a nice Osprey bag there years ago, but the quality was crap. Months or years later I read that some of the high end brands actually make lines for TK Maxx and other similar shops, they're only stocked in discount/clearance places and they aren't made to the same quality. It also said that people should take the RRP of designer items with a pinch of salt unless they know the brand and lines.

I've bought some makeup there at a great price and with accurate RRP, but I'm a lot more sceptical about some designer items there now.

Love TK Maxx, but if I'd had wanted a sterling silver chain with £50 to spend, I wouldn't have gone there- jewellers are about this price.

I buy lots, but it tends to be brands I don't know, not designer brands. I have a couple of wrap dresses that come out regularly since I've had DD, and I buy nice quality/ weight t-shirts too. A couple are branded 'cream', no idea if that's an actual brand but they're washing nice

@KnobJockey lesson learned I can tell you. I happened to be buying some other stuff and just liked the look of the necklace and thought it would tick the present box I was looking for.

I also think that nothing is made as well as it used to be. Costs are now really pared to the bone so quality ultimately suffers. For a chunkier chain, I would have expected an equally sturdy clasp but no, it was the same type to be found on very fine link chains.

I love TK Maxx. I've never bought anything online because their website drives me crazy but I buy a lot in store. Mostly shoes and homeware. I was crazy about their luggage in the days when I used to travel :(.

It can be hard work but I've found the odd gem..recently a DKNY leather jacket that I love.

I shop in TKMaxx quite a lot (not online though) and have never bought anything that turned out to be poor quality tbh. I've bought mostly clothes and shoes, but also bags, sunglasses, soap and homewares. Often high street or minor designer brands at much reduced prices. Sometimes brands I've never heard of, but all have been fine.

It's like M & S outlet, it's made for them.

Which is fine if you ignore the RRP........ as it would never be worth that.

I shopped there a lot pre-Covid, had lots of shoes I’ve been pleased with.
I completely ignore the “RRPs” and just treat the price as the price like I would in any other shop. So I don’t get caught up buying something I don’t really want just because it’s a “bargain”

I have a double-faced cashmere coat by Rochas, bought from TK Maxx. It’s the most beautiful thing in my wardrobe. I imagine it was a sample, as I’ve seen it’s almost twin on catwalk photos for the relevant year. (Found it during the few months when I was at my thinnest.) And no, it’s not a fake - I’m an experienced shopper.

It’s actually pretty much the only concrete shop I had any use for pre-lockdown. The Gold Label section was an absolute treasure chest unexpected gloriousness - as long as you had sufficient patience and knowledge. Far better value than anywhere else on what used to be known as the High Street.

But there’s no way I’d place any trust in random bits of jewellery bought from there online.

Most of the ‘designer’ clothes are made especially for the discount and outlet market so it’s never going to be the same quality.

I’d assume that most of the cosmetics have been sitting in a wear house for years.

I used to be addicted to the TK Maxx beauty section and when I was bored at lunchtime, literally used to go and search for ‘bargains’ to buy - I stopped doing that many years ago and didn’t go to a TK Maxx for over 5 years as it felt like the opposite of intentional shopping.

I’ve been once since lockdown lifted and bought a Butter London nail polish for a couple of pounds which is beautiful and such lovely quality, as well as some Hotel Chocolat bath oil which again is beautiful but not life changing! And finally, a humongous bag of magnesium bath salts which are a staple in our house, and I’ll mix with the HC bath oil. I’m back on the wagon again now as generally I think going there makes me buy things more because they’re a ‘bargain’ than because I really need/want them.

I got a beautiful Reiss jumper once and the gym clothes are decent too. I go for the candles really, but again you can get get some good bits especially on the beauty section.

I bought an Osprey work bag from there a while ago and although I liked it, the lining really didn’t stand the test of time. I think it was one of the lines made specially for them with an artificial RRP. We’ve got a big one locally and I’ve occasionally bought nail varnish and shoes for the DC because it’s literally the only place locally where they can try on shoes, but it’s normally more hassle than it’s worth.

I bought a gorgeous Reiss leather biker jacket for £34, although I was swayed by the price - it doesn't really suit me! I will give it to my best friend!

I bought a gorgeous All Saints dress for £18, saving it to wear to a party.

Moschino aviator sunglasses for £6 - I wear them a lot.

Birkenstock Madrids - I think they were £30 and I live in them.

Pretty Polly bras for £5.99 each.

Agree that it's a store you have to hunt around - it's all a case of luck! One tip I've been told is that once there's a yellow sticker the price won't be reduced any further.

I buy a lot and consider it at home then return for a refund. TK Maxx is my favourite shop - I spend hours (and a small fortune!) in there.

I've bought a lot of clothes from there over the years. I used to pop in a couple of times a week to see new stock. I'm less successful at it now.

Most recent purchases were Ralph Lauren shirts and polo shirts for DH. Exactly the same as on sale in John Lewis.

FWIW I bought an Osprey bag in John Lewis a few years ago and the quality was disappointing. I think it is just of 'cheaper' quality generally nowadays.

Pre-Covid, I have had some great stuff from TKmax. I have never shopped online, however, so have always been able to assess the quality of anything before I bought.
I think you have to go there relatively frequently and be prepared to sift through. And, asa PP said, look at the actual price, not the RRP on the lable - are you happy to buy that item at the price they are actually asking?

I love TK Maxx. I go there all the time and buy far too much.

I don't know about clothes or bags etc but I do seem to get some good beauty bargains. The other day I got the face masks and foot peels I use for half price. I felt sick I'd been paying full price on beauty bay . A few friends also get some high end make up for really cheap. It seems to be luck / when you go there though.

I rarely shop there now because there isn't one nearby but I've got lots of good stuff from there in the past - I usually go for brands I know only, though. At one point they had Boden, Joules, Kew and similar clothes, and Fossil bags. Some of my nice home decor bits also come from their home department/Home Sense, like blankets, cushions, Christmas decorations, kitchen stuff etc.

A lot of their "brands" are their own and specifically made for them, though, even though they're made out to be designer.

I think they are best for house things - if you want a frying pan or a set of knives it can be great. Also Christmas decorations etc. Clothes are hit and miss although I do but decent quality UGG type boots every year for about £60 which I use as slippers for the entire year.

@KnobJockey

Love TK Maxx, but if I'd had wanted a sterling silver chain with £50 to spend, I wouldn't have gone there- jewellers are about this price.

I buy lots, but it tends to be brands I don't know, not designer brands. I have a couple of wrap dresses that come out regularly since I've had DD, and I buy nice quality/ weight t-shirts too. A couple are branded 'cream', no idea if that's an actual brand but they're washing nice

£50 for a silver necklace is not cheap. If you looked on jewellery websites or Etsy or the gift shops for musuems and art galleries there would be masses available for that budget.

I don't know anything about TK Maxx- never shopped there.

I have bought some beautiful jumpers there for a few pounds each. I've had them years. And last year I bought a GORGEOUS cashmere mix camel coloured coat. I get compliments on it all the time!