I'm not going to proclaim myself a "shopper" by any means... Mostly because I just go to the store, get what I need, and go home the majority of the time. Charlotte Premium Outlets really doesn't allow me to do this, but I won't fault it. It is still "finding its legs" as evidenced by the empty food spaces in the food court, but things are shaping up.
It's nice to have outlet shopping on the other end of town (instead of just driving up to Concord). The layout is very similar to any other outlet place you would find closer to the coast, and it's outdoor.
My biggest gripe is the parking lot and the entrance. Coming off of 485, you can see the Outlets but the exit makes it feel like you momentarily get lost since it routes you away from and then back over 485- also having to go through another shopping center's roundabout.
I can definitely see this place as a good family outing. You can divide an conquer or stick together. It's not too too big so you can easily find each other, but unlike Concord Mills, there aren't any easily discernible "neighborhoods" so you end up using the stores as landmarks.
Overall I can't tell if it's a great mall since it's mostly just clothing stores for now... Usually a great one has a good mix of everything.