there is a clearance center very near me and when they also run their twice yearly sales, that's what i look for. that tells me that what i'm buying is simply end-of-bolts and not cheap knock-offs. however if the pattern is such that the print doesn't need to be exact, like a white background floral, and the manufacturer is well-known, like michael miller or kaufman, then if the price is greatly reduced i'll buy it. as long as i know what i'm buying.