The  »Factory Outlet Centers » concept was imported from the United States where there are more than 340.
After a first wave of penetrations, concerning more particularly France during the 1980s, the concept spread to continental Europe from 1993 onwards.
Early in the 1990s, Clarks, the shoe manufacturer based in Great Britain, seeking both a use for buildings adjoining the factory and a solution to its excess stock problems, opened its first factory store and sold its excess merchandise at reduced prices. Seeing the success of this new store at the factory exit, he decided to increase the commercial offer by adding an entire “village” of stores of the same type.
Clarks then drew inspiration from the American concept, creating the first  »Factory Outlet Center »,  »Clarks Village » in Street (Somerset) in 1993.It was on that date that “ Marques Avenue”, France’s first new generation factory store centre, opened in Troyes.

{{More information about the sector:}}
-*Innovative centres and projects (2007)

{{{Evolution of the concept in Europe : from Factory Outlet Centres to outlet villages (2009)}}}

{{[Download the figure : Evolution of the concept in Europe}}->http://www.magdus.fr/pdf/concept_evolution_in_europe.pdf]

Factory Outlet Centres consisted only in selling unsold articles, but the commercial concept has evolved since the mid-1990s. The progressive orientation of the concept towards “fun shopping” has considerably strengthened the tourist dimension of Factory Outlet Centres. Four generations of centres can be distinguished (cf. figure). This typology, which brings to light the qualitative evolution of the concept, is based on four criteria: the marketing strategy of the centres, their architecture, their location as well as their customer base. All European countries did not experience these four generations of centres – for example, only France has actually experienced the first generation.

{{More information only in french:}}
-*Evolution du concept en Europe (2004)
-*Centres de marques : les nouvelles approches du concept en Europe (2004)

Whilst the concept offers variants in its general aspect (mixed distribution/culture/leisure centres, distribution centres open to several sectors of activity, centres specifically reserved for personal equipment, etc.), there is a common denominator among these different formulas: the brands. But for a centre to function it is not a question of attracting just any brand type. There is, in fact, a real brand typology that must be taken into account in reasoning when planning a centre (from the international brand to the young brand of the moment). The brands fulfil different “functions”: some strengthen a centre’s renown, others tend more to generate visits or make the centre part of a hot trend.

In France, whilst a few industrialists still refuse to see their brands distributed in these specialised centres, there are many who sell their brands through them. This sales method is therefore becoming a real link in the distribution chain.
The quality of the commercial offer makes the concept particularly attractive in the eyes of consumers. The latter do not hesitate to travel considerable distances to purchase in these stores, their motivation stemming from the possibility of purchasing brand products at prices announced as 30 to 50% lower than in traditional distribution channels.
The offer mainly concerns articles of clothing (ready-to-wear, underclothes, lingerie, shoes, accessories) as well as household articles (decoration, household linen, tableware).

{{More information only in french,}} [click here->http://www.magdus.fr/Une-forme-de-distribution-atypique]
-* Main chronological milestones;
-* History of factory stores;
-* Parallel between the development of Aube groups and national centres;
-* In Troyes: «From hosiery to factory stores» (…)

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