Where to get real designer fragrances on the cheap

If designer fragrances are your stocking stuffer of choice, this fall you can get expensive brands up to 50% off if you’ll just change where you shop.

Get fancy perfume and cologne on the cheap

The Wall Street Journal reports you can save big on fragrances if you’ll skip the department stores and instead buy in non-traditional places like drugstores, Walmart, Target or online at places like Overstock.com.

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Sales of fragrances are really soft right now. That’s led to a lot of product being grey marketed through unofficial outlets. This is not out-of-date product or counterfeit junk. This is the real stuff at big discounts, often 25% to 55%.

For example, the Wall Street Journal found the following:

Hugo Boss fragrance (2.5 ounces) at $28 on Overstock.com vs. $59 at Sephora

Eternity for Men (3.4 ounces) for $36 at CVS vs. $76 at Macy’s

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue (3.3 ounces) for $70 at Walmart vs. $96 at Nordstrom

As a Costco shopper, I’ve seen the warehouse club have a lot of department store exclusive fragrances from time to time. But now this is across the industry. And it’s not just perfume, it’s cosmetics too. Rarely will they be counterfeit; it could happen, but if you know the store you’re shopping, you can lessen that chance.

The whole thing of exclusive sellers and fixed prices? You can blow that apart and your wallet will smile!

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For more money-saving advice, see our Shopping & Retail section.