Destination Outlet: Why Experience is the New Currency of Designer Outlet Shopping

McArthurGlen's inaugural Industry Report, in collaboration with Censuswide and The Future Laboratory, examines how designer outlets have evolved from purely value-led factory outlet concepts into experience-driven destinations, and why this shift is now central to driving spend and long-term growth for brand partners, landlords and investors.

In it, we explore who today’s high-value outlet customer is, how behaviours and perceptions have changed, and how factors such as time spent, satisfaction, emotional engagement and brand discovery work together to unlock value.

We also look at how outlets are being reimagined as destinations that combine shopping with leisure, dining, social and tourism experiences, before looking ahead to what’s next for the outlet model as it continues to expand beyond discount retail.

The findings position designer outlets not simply as places to save, but as places people actively choose to spend time, delivering sustainable value for consumers, brand partners and operators alike.