Are outlet stores a scam?

Outlet stores used to be a good deal, but now, are they a scam? Find out in my moderately popular recurring segment, is it a scam? Yep, there was a time that outlets sold overstock, out-of-season items. It was a pretty good deal if you weren't that picky. But then brands figured out they could just lie. The vast majority of stuff sold at outlets is made specifically for those outlets. They specifically get all their stuff for their store from the worst stuff store. That in and of itself, not a scam. Plenty of places make bad things and sell them for less money. It's not great for the world, but it's totally legal. But then, there's the price tags. If everything is always 50% off, that's not a sale, that's the price, but I have to do my own math. And I hate you for it. But the even funnier part is the compare-at prices. So I can compare this $50 item to the number 300. And that number comes from their butts, or probably their butt outlet, because it's cheaper. You can see the same principle in this Craigslist ad. It's broken, doesn't turn on, and is essentially a heavy metal box that you have to throw away. So $20 sounds a little bit steep. But if you compare that price to $270, $20 is less than $270, I feel like I'm getting a steal. So they sell stuff that's bad, but is designed to look like something that is good. And then the name of the store, the price tags, and the signs around the building are all intentionally misleading you. But is it a scam?