What is an Outlet Mall?
A factory outlet mall (or outlet center) is a type of shopping mall, in which manufacturers sell their products directly to the public through their own branded stores.
The concept of factory shop first appeared in the United States as a development of the traditional factory outlet: a store attached to a factory or warehouse. An outlet mall houses several such outlet stores under one roof in a convenient location, usually an "out-of-town" site.
Factory outlet malls have since spread to Europe and to many other parts of the world. During the early 1990s, the UK company McArthur Glen opened the first European fashion outlet malls in the UK (Cheshire Oaks) and France (Troyes), and since the 2000s. in Italy (Alessandria, Rome and Florence) and Portugal (Lisbon).