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The variety of products, low prices, and increased demand for off-price products could all be reasons for that.
Kohl's reported in mid-November that comparable sales were up 2.5% in the third quarter, while Burlington reported last week that comparable sales were up 4.4% in the most recent quarter.
We compared what it was like to shop at Kohl's and Burlington, and the winner was clear.
Kohl's and Burlington are both loved by shoppers for a number of reasons, including the low prices that both stores have on a huge variety of products.
Kohl's recently reported that comparable sales were up 2.5% in the third quarter, while Burlington reported last week that comparable sales were up 4.4% in the third quarter.
While Burlington has 679 stores in the United States, Kohl's has more than 1,100.
Both stores are benefiting from a disappearing middle class and a higher demand for budget options - two factors that have been hurting traditional department stores. In addition, because most Kohl's stores are located in suburban strip malls rather than shopping malls, it's less likely to be affected by the declining foot traffic that has hurt malls and the retailers that depend on them.
Even though Kohl's is a department store and Burlington is an off-price retailer, upon visiting the two stores we found that they were similar in many ways - the styles and quality of the products were nearly identical, and both offered recognizable brands for low prices.
But one store was better than the other for a key reason:
Burlington, in New York's Flatiron District, was my first stop.
Christmas decorations and seasonal products were set up to the left of the entryway.
Women's clothing was on the right.
That section took up most of the first floor. The aisles seemed to go on forever.
The aisles were very narrow and difficult to walk through, especially if more than one person was trying to shop.
There was an overwhelming amount of clothing to go through. I saw a lot of recognizable brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and most of the name-brand products were under $35.
There were tons of jeans ...
... jackets ...
... and items on clearance.
In the back of the store was a maze of handbags from brands like Juicy Couture and Betsey Johnson.
There were a lot of makeup and beauty products at low prices ...
... and even more women's clearance items. A lot of the in-store displays were pretty messy.
There were a lot of snacks and small products for sale by the register, which had a very long line.
When I went upstairs, I noticed that the second floor had a very long line for the register as well.
There were a few aisles of shoes ...
... but a lot of shelves were empty. The store was very no-frills.
The second floor also carried toys ...
... more clearance products ...
... and a ton of men's clothing.
There was a tailor shop at the back of the floor, though the area around it was cluttered and messy.
There was even more packed into the third floor. There were aisles of women's coats ...
... infant and toddler clothes ...
... and plenty of baby products like car seats and strollers.
Home products were also upstairs. It wasn't the nicest store to shop in. The wood floors were stained, and a lot of the carpets were dirty.
There were flickering lights, long lines, and a lot of clutter.
Next, I went to Kohl's in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Menswear was the first department I saw when I walked in. The store immediately seemed cleaner and brighter than Burlington.
Kohl's carried name brands like Adidas and Under Armour, but they were slightly more expensive here than at Burlington.
Even though products generally seemed more expensive, there was a lot on sale.
The organization of the floor wasn't great, but everything was more spread out than at Burlington, which made it more manageable to shop at.
Between the men's department and women's department were accessories, many of which were 50% off.
There were a lot of styles to choose from ...
... and a huge beauty department, similar to that of a traditional department store.
Women's clothes were also slightly more expensive at Kohl's than at Burlington ...
... but there was just as much to choose from.
There were also a lot of sales.
Further back in the store, there was a huge clearance section.
Some products were as much as 80% off.
Upstairs was a huge children's department.
There was a brand-new toy display from FAO Schwarz set up in time for the holidays ...
... and a space set up for kids to meet Santa throughout December.
The top floor also carried shoes ...
... bedding ...
... and a lot of home products.
The electronics department was also brand-new. There were games, speakers, smart home devices, and more.
Kohl's even had a few tech products like the Apple Watch, which Burlington did not.
Another thing Kohl's had that Burlington did not was online-order pickup lockers. They looked extremely similar to an Amazon Locker.
Even though Burlington was slightly less expensive, Kohl's offered a significantly better shopping experience. It also had more electronics, order-pickup lockers, and plenty of sales to keep prices low, ultimately making it the clear winner.
