T K Maxx

[David Ruskin]

It has been mentioned by many, including myself, that it is possible to buy some very well known fragrances at a fraction of the cost at T K Maxx. Just yesterday I bought a bottle of "Saffran Troublant" for £20.00 (RRP £86.00). I have no idea how they manage to do this. Stock seems to change weekly, so it is worth visiting regularly. Maybe that is the idea. Anyone have their own theories as to why and how this is done? End of lines? Soon to be discontinued stock? Or what?

[ION-ONE]

Yes, it can be a real diamond mine - yesterday I got Tea for Two for £25! And there were several Lutens (not as well Discounted). The website does have a 'how we do it' section that mentions manufacturers overproducing / old season stock / stores over ordering etc.

With fragrances some are clearly cosmetally damaged - I guess the brands would rather ship them off to a discounter rather than have less pristeen stock on their shelves. Some are probably returns that they feel can't be sold at their exclusive stores.

With brands like L'artisan I suppose a store will re-order (from the manufacturer), say TFT when stock gets low e.g down to the last 5, when the new stock arrives they may ship off the residual stock therefore keeping a consistently new batch within the store.

I hear creed has an annual bonfire rather than risking its brand exclusivity by gracing the shelves of T.KMaxx!

[Marais]

I have had zero luck at the branches I have visited. I have only ever seen a few old label Goutals (Mandragore Pourpre and another couple I don't like), apart from some designer stuff which wasn't particularly cheap. I haven't been for a while as the likelihood of a 'find' was more than offset by the aggro factor (not a pleasant shop to visit and I have to go incognito in case spotted and image tarnished). Maybe I am missing out as a result. Poundland, OTOH, has been worth the scrum for several bargain-priced gentleman's shaving requisites.

[hednic]

Just yesterday I bought a bottle of "Saffran Troublant" for £20.00 (RRP £86.00).

That's a great price David - about $32US. Congrats!

[Kaern]

Just last week -- Aventus 75ml for £15

A different bottle mind you and I was a bit dubious about the hand written Aventus post-it note slapped on it, but nevertheless!

Zero luck otherwise apart from some knockdown Ted Baker post shave

[sjg3839]

Great price indeed! I paid about $100.00 and had to wait a month for L' Artisan to send it from their website. Another Congrats!

That's a great price David - about $32US. Congrats!

[Michael 38]

I got a 50ml bottle of penhaligons elixir for £29 they had loads of penhaligons a few months ago

[David Ruskin]

It varies considerably. The bottle of Saffran I bought has a bit of a dodgy cap, which doesn't fit well, although the spray mechanism is fine. I wonder if T K Maxx just get a load of rejects to sell on the cheap. Or get fragrances that will be discontinued. Oh well, I'll keep on checking out. The other thing is that all the bottles are in a nasty plastic covering, so you cannot sample. However, all this is worth it, I think.

[donna255]

Coughs, I seen Creed in my local one some years back the 75mls sizes at around £60. Serge Lutens Gris Clair has been there recently at around £50. Juliette has a gun as well. Penhaligions, L'Artisan, Annick Goutal as well.

[cacio]

Unfortunately, TJ maxx here in the state doesn't have anything so interesting.

As others were saying, the stock they have is a combination of slightly defective product, periodic inventory clearing, last product of a batch when the new one comes, stores ceasing to carry the brand, and so on. I am not familiar with the distribution contracts, but I think most firms do not take back unsold merchandise, at which point the seller does what he wants. I suspect a few brands do have better control: for instance, I don't think I've ever seen a Chanel at a discounter.

cacio

[David Ruskin]

Hey Ho, guess we are lucky in the UK.

[broguesforsir]

Thanks for the reminder, David. Been meaning to have a mooch for a long time but keep forgetting. Right, I'm off there asap...!

[badarun]

I have had zero luck at the branches I have visited.

Same here - no luck at Winners / Marshall's in any of their stores I've visited in Canada - they supposedly carry cheap Creed's & Bond's etc, compared to retail - no luck even once...

[Kaern]

I got a 50ml bottle of penhaligons elixir for £29 they had loads of penhaligons a few months ago

I'm pretty sure that Elixir tanked badly saleswise

[Michael 38]

I wasnt that impressed it sort of smelt like dusty books and wore it to work discription sounded fantastic difficult to try as stockists are very few our local store had a few endymions which is lovely but only lasts 5 mins

[Marais]

I'm pretty sure that Elixir tanked badly saleswise

Can't say I'm surprised. I expected to like it based on the notes but there was a sour milk smell which turned my stomach.

[Michael 38]

They had penhaligons womens night scented stock thats £110 for £39 but the mrs wouldnt buy it cos she couldnt smell it seemed like a bargain they had the classics like blenheim bouqet and english fern as well although they were all 50 ml bottles

[Kaern]

Can't say I'm surprised. I expected to like it based on the notes but there was a sour milk smell which turned my stomach.

+1 It turned me over also -- and did it have to be that loud?

[Earnest_Meadows]

I picked up a bottle of L'artisan Tea for two today for £25. A blind buy, I have heard it talked about on here a lot, so I took my chances! After reading the reviews, I am excited to try it.

[teardrop]

l've been in our local branch today, saw Tea for Two, & two Serge Lutens; Cedre & Un Bois Vanille, for £59.99 each. Not risking a blind buy though, even at those prices.

[Kaern]

l've been in our local branch today, saw Tea for Two, & two Serge Lutens; Cedre & Un Bois Vanille, for £59.99 each. Not risking a blind buy though, even at those prices.

Crikey -- three crackers imo

[JamesBeach]

I've gotten a few things at TJ Maxx but nothing quite so upmarket as you are describing. I'd do somersaults if I saw Penhaligon's, Annick Goutal, or, heaven forbid, Guerlain on their shelves. Mostly, though, it's Cabotine, Elizabeth Taylor, Guess, and other department store stuff plus cheap classics like Grey Flannel, Quorum.

[ION-ONE]

I picked up a bottle of L'artisan Tea for two today for £25. A blind buy, I have heard it talked about on here a lot, so I took my chances! After reading the reviews, I am excited to try it.

Very much enjoying the exact same deal. Didn't really have any preconceived notions. Needless to say it fills a gap in my collection I didn't even know existed.

Altogether a darker fragrance that I might of expected. It changes quite a bit over its development, which is great. A strong clove opening burns itself off with some kind of blackcurrent fruityness in the backgraund. followed by the most dark, bitter black tea which gently softens and sweetens over the drydown.

It puts a lot of black / dark / Noir men's frags to shame. Quite thought provoking and introspective.

Hope you enjoy the bargain like I do!

[miner]

TK Maxx stores in Germany have a lot of Bond No.9 (usually 79-99EUR), Tom Ford (59.99 EUR), Penhaligons (39,99 EUR) and Creed (39.99 EUR). Then a lot of designer fragrances like Superdry, Davidoff and increasingly stuff from TJ Maxx stores in the US, that are otherwise not widely available in Germany, such as Cadillac Coupe, Michel Germain fragrances or Dirty English. Selection increased massively over the last years. I used to shop a lot in TJ Maxx in the US but now rather wait until I'm back in Europe at TK when it comes to fragrances and also clothing.

[ohdeberlin]

Tkmaxx stores in Berlin (and other german stores in bigger cities) had two good weeks (starting in august)
with a good selections of L'artisan at 39,95 EUR/ 100 ml on
Dzing!, Séville à l'Aube, Safran Troublant, Caligna, L'Été en Douce, Poivre Piquant, Piment Brûlant,
@49,95 EUR/ 100ml on
Mon Numéro 10, L'Eau de L'Artisan,

all of them in rather small quantities.

filling a gap in im collection i did not know of ...

Hoping to find a few Serge Lutens after reading about your findings in the Uk

[donna255]

So yesterday in Belfast city centre brand, Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille £59.

Miller Harris candles at £19.

[tefg]

Penhaligons Quercus and Endymion for £18 and £20 respectively IIRC, a few months ago.

I've seen other Penhaligons and L'Artisans as well but none of the ones I'm interested in.

[The Islands]

I live in Georgia (United States) and my TJ Maxx never has anything good. The only thing that had potential was Vera Wang for men, but it was a 1.6 fl oz for $20. You can buy a bigger bottle for the same price online.
Although I thought it was interesting that they once had CK Euphoria Intense for 50% compared to the Sephora a few blocks away.

[dealt7faux]

TJ Maxx, rarely if ever has anything of promise.
As of late there has been some Bvlgari, but only for women.
Men are treated to things like Beverly Hills Polo Club, Ed Hardy, Calvin Klein and a few stray bottles of Zegna, Cool Water, and Vera Wang.
TJ Maxx could do so much better if they stopped treating fragrances like an afterthought like Macy's does.

[d_l_esmond]

I bought Penhaligon's Zizonia untested for £39. As I have some of their older ones, I thought it was a relatively safe buy. It is not terrible, but had I been able to test it, I probably wouldn't have bought it.
I've seen some of the L'Artisan's creations mentioned above, plus one Lutens and one Goutal. The rest are usually stuff that one can get fairly cheaply from any other discount stores on the high street or at outlet shops.
But I will keep an eye on them a bit more regularly from now on, just curious to see if anything else interesting turns up.