Your post and title don't really relate, but to answer your subject question it is because fashion changes so quickly that department stores only buy a small quantity of each designer's styles, maybe only 2-3 pieces in each size.

To answer your question in the post, shop at higher quality stores if you don't like what you get at the mall. J Jill is one of my favorites and has very good customer service.

I have never heard of this and it never occurred to me.
I buy most clothes online because there are not many stores
around here.
Please let us know what store. I have bought
at Macy's and have seen the same thing in the store.

sheshe

sheshe, I have ordered on line at Bloomingdales and other high end stores and the clothes are not as nice as they are in the department store.
They very rarely have on line what is in the department store. I like nice clothes but don't want to go the store.
So, the variety of clothes on-line is of a lower grade or don't show you all they have. Things, like sweaters, I have bought at Bloomingdales you won't see on line very often. They are like outlet clothes that are made specifically for outlet stores.Catalogues that have the Bloomindales name but add "by mail" work the same way as the online clothes. I am willing to pay the extra for a few nice pieces but you have to go to the store to see the the whole range of the great stuff. On the other hand, sporting stores usually show you on-line or in the catalogues what is in the store.I am sorry for not being clear. I hope this helps sheshe. Thanks, Maggie.

One reason department stores do not sell everything from their stores online is that they are department stores. The manufacturers pay to rent the space in the stores and have an agreement with the store to handles transactions. This is why clothing lines like Esprit and Ralph Lauren are displayed in their own areas that are decorated differently than the surrounding store areas and not mixed in with all the other clothing. They may have an agreement contract written to partner with advertising together - or not. They may not want online sales to keep their product line "exclusive".

Cosmetics are sold like this too in department stores. The manufacturer is responsible for stocking, maintenance and displays. The persons working cosmetic counters in department stores are often employees of the cosmetic manufacturer and not of the store.

Ergo, if you wish to order Betsey Johnson clothing online you will have to order from the Betsey Johnson site itself, not the department store.

Yes, Dilly
Ralph Lauren is an example of a site I can go to and buy their clothes from the low end to the high end. This next part has a twist. All the clothes are not represented in the dept. store and, in fact, Macy's dept store "Traci Pants" had black horrible black stitching on summer pants last year and the Traci Pants on line at the Ralph Lauren store did not. So many complaints from Macy's customers.
What is true here is that you have to be a very careful, savy shopper if you shop on line.You have brought one of the finer points of the boutique atmosphere that some designers create in the stores.This should give everyone a hint that chances are you won't see the high end clothes from those designers on line.They also don't want the merchandise sent back and forth as this is as much of an investment for the clothing line as it is for the buyer. Sigh.