Outlet malls promise high-end merchandise at bargain-basement prices but do they live up to the hype?

Some say if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

Just because that high end product is less expensive in the U.S. than the one downtown, does not mean it is of the same quality.

Online editor of MoneySense Magazine Stefania Moretti says it is buyer beware.

“Sometimes (companies) find they’ve over-purchased certain materials so they’ll use their left over scrap materials and they produce items specially for the outlet malls,” she explained.

Moretti says the very location of outlet malls is designed to make you spend more money.

“They are in the outskirts for a reason, because they want you to invest the time and money to get there as an incentive for you to shop because it would be a tragedy if you went home empty handed,” said Moretti.

She added that other things to look out for are reference prices on tags that might be misleading, full price merchandise mixed in with the discounted products, and coupons that call for large minimum purchases.

Shoppers should also look out for products that are final sale, meaning they cannot be exchanged at a later date.