What do you mean by discounted stores? Also known as Off-Price Store chains — these stores do a good job of offering good quality products from trusted and expensive brands at discounted or lower rates than the original MRP.
What’s more is that you usually get a big list of brands to choose from, and the pricing mostly ranges from cheap to medium, and high at times — but, why are we suddenly talking about discounted stores? Because two labels from this category are currently being compared.
Burlington and Ross are two popular titles in the off-price industry, and many want to know which is a better option for them. So, if you are here for the same, then continue reading because the article below contains a detailed comparison of Burlington vs Ross.
Burlington vs Ross: Overview
Burlington
Burlington, which was previously known as Burlington Coat Factory, is a department store company founded in 1972 in Burlington Township, New Jersey. With more than 1000 locations in 40 states and Puerto Rico, it is one of the ultimate destinations to shop for off-price items.
Here, you get to choose from a wide selection of categories – only including good-quality and brand-name titles, with the latest fashion trends, styles, and outfits to discover. Overall, it is a fair option if you want to buy goods from your favorite brands at lower prices.
Ross
Ross Stores, or just Ross, known and operated as Ross Dress for Less, is an American discount store chain founded in 1980 in San Bruno, California. As the title suggests, it is a good option for middle-class people searching to refresh their wardrobe with the latest trends and trendy outfits.
Moreover, Ross is widely known for offering some of the best bargains and deals in the market – where you can grab some unique and trendy outfits and clothing pieces from a good set of categories, with prices guaranteed to be low and affordable, and quality being fair.
Variety & Categories
Burlington
Burlington is popular for offering a good blend of famous and underrated labels so it can give you a big range to choose from.
Additionally, it is also a good destination to find something unexpected and unique across all the departments.
As for the list of categories it offers – clothing, home goods, home decor, accessories, toys, and home office essentials are all included, with enough variety under every section.
Ross
Unlike Burlington, Ross doesn’t exactly focus on expensive brand products, and although it might have a collection or two to offer, you are not to expect much.
Also, it has a similarly wide range of departments to choose from as Burlington, including clothing, accessories, home decor, footwear, and a few more.
As for the variety, every department comes with plenty of options to choose from, and compared to Burlington, this label might offer more on the affordable and cheaper side.
Pricing & Offers
Burlington
Burlington is known for huge discounts and sales, where you will typically get 50% to 70% off on department store prices of both the expensive and non-expensive brands.
Moreover, along with the regular discounts, Burlington also offers additional clearance sales and drops in prices at the time of special season and occasions.
Ross
Ross has a similar pricing and discount structure as Burlington – where, although it isn’t a typical discount percentage like 50% or 60%, all the prices are still lower and discounted rates.
Also, as already mentioned above – Ross is the home of great bargains, where you can find and grab some interesting things at the lowest prices in the market.
Shopping & Customer Service Experience
Burlington
For starters, Burlington stores are typically huge in size, and while the layout is not exactly modern or renovated, you might also end up being lost within the line of racks.
In addition to that, many customers have also pointed out the fact that Burlington stores are not usually organized, so you might have to play a little treasure hunt game to find a specific product.
Talking about the customer service experience – Burlington doesn’t primarily focus on customer service and you might be left alone in self-service shopping mentally.
Ross
Ross stores come in different sizes, and might be a bit more modernized with a cleaner layout compared to Burlington — but they are not usually as overwhelming as Burlington stores.
Additionally, although Ross stores have similarities when it comes to disorganization like Burlington, many have pointed out that Ross stores are still on the cleaner side.
Now talking about the customer service experience – the case here is not different from Burlington, and you have to expect little help from staff and shop and explore on your own.
Returns Policy
Burlington
Burton follows the 30-day returns policy – where, only with the original receipt and undamaged merchandise, will you be able to file for a return within 30 days after the purchase.
Ross
Similar to Burlington, Ross has a 30-day returns policy, where – if you have the original receipt with you, you can return the item in any Ross location.
But, if you don’t have a receipt, then you will need to offer a valid picture ID, which will only be helpful when accepted by the refund system.
Final Words: Which One Is Better For You?
Starting with the inventory and categories – Burlington and Ross offer similar categories and sub-categories, but, while you might find different brands with each, Ross is more in the cheap and affordable range while Burlington supports all types of ranges.
Moving ahead towards the pricing strategy and offers – both Burlington and Ross are similar in this case because although Burlington offers huge sales and not direct low prices like Ross, both still cover the overall ‘affordable collection’ tag.
As for the ambiance, none of the two does a great job in the organization of products and categories, and even the layout and formats of stores are just average — with neatness not at a higher level.
Now, although both the brands offer similar days in return policy, Ross gets an extra point for allowing you to exchange without a receipt, because with Burlington, the return will not work unless you have the receipt.
Lastly, customer service is not the top priority for either of the brands, and in both stores, you will probably have no one to assist you in shopping or approach you when you seem lost between huge racks of disorganized items.
In the end — Burlington and Ross are highly similar discounted store chains, where Burlington might be for you if you want to explore through all the cheap, medium, and expensive ranges, while Ross is a good option when you have a tight budget to follow.
With that, we have reached the end of the article and hope our comparison of Burlington vs Ross was able to give you all the answers you needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Ross and Burlington competitors?
Yes, Ross and Burlington can be called competitors because there are multiple similarities between them and their services, although each one comes with different highlights.
Is Burlington and Ross the same company?
No, Burlington and Ross are two different companies, they are not the same, and while Burlington belongs to Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation, Ross itself is the parent company.