Are you really saving money when shopping Target's in-store clearance and seasonal sales?
To find out, Dealspotr obtained exclusive insights from a Target store manager, retail experts, and shopping bloggers to uncover the secrets of these sales. We also uncovered insider tips and tricks that can help you save even more money on marked-down items. Here's what you need to know about Target's clearance and seasonal sales.
A Target store manager told Dealspotr that most stores use a basic schedule for markdowns throughout the week. Retailers don't like to give away their secrets, so this manager asked not to be named, but they cautioned that no two stores are the same, and some stores may use a different schedule unique to that location. Still, you can use the following as a basic Target clearance cheat sheet for markdowns:
Monday: Electronics, Accessories, Kids Clothing, Books, Baby, Stationery
Tuesday: Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets, Market (food items)
Wednesday: Men's Clothing, Health and Beauty, Diapers, Lawn and Garden items, Furniture
Thursday: Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Toys, Sporting Goods, Décor and Luggage
Friday: Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, Jewelry
The Target markdown schedule typically starts at 15% off and can go as low as 70% off. However, the exact schedule and markdown percentages depend on the item and available inventory. Items, except for seasonal merchandise, never drop below 70% off. Expect additional markdowns every two to three weeks.
"I had a Target employee tell me that they continue to mark things down weekly until they're all gone," says Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping. "So, if you see an item is 15% off and they have a ton of inventory, there's a great chance you can get it, next week, for 30% off."
But timing is everything. If you try to wait until an item is 70% off, you run the risk that the item will be gone when you stop by next week. James advises that if it's something you really want, your best bet is to buy it at 50% off.
A secret hides in the clearance tag code, telling you how good of a deal you may get. The markdown percentage is listed as a number in the upper right-hand corner, usually 30, 50, or 70.
Our Target inside source gave us an even better tip. The manager said that in most cases, prices that end in a "6" or "8" — like $12.58, for example — are discounted and will continue to be marked down until they reach 70% off. When an item is priced with a "04" at the end — like $5.04 — that's the final Target clearance price.
Christy Palmer, founder of the All Things Target blog and social media accounts with almost 400k followers, told Dealspotr that the best time of year to save at Target is when the retailer shifts between seasons.
"You can find regular clearance all year long at Target, but the best times to shop are usually January and July/August because they're clearing out lots of seasonal merchandise to make room for the upcoming season," Palmer says. "January is when they will clear out winter clothing, shoes, bedding, and more because they're making way for new spring styles. The same thing happens in almost every department, including cosmetics."
Palmer says there are other key times of the year when shoppers can save. Here are some key sales and product categories to put on your shopping calendar:
Baby Products: Target's "Big Baby Sale" is held twice yearly, in February and September.
TVs: Thanks to the Super Bowl, look for deals in January and February.
Home Décor, Mattresses, Tech: Target's Presidents Day sale usually starts the Friday before the holiday and runs for four days.
Laptops, Backpacks, Office Supplies: Hit up the aisles in late July and August when everyone prepares to return to school.
Fitness Equipment, Vitamins/Supplements, Organizational Items: The New Year means new resolutions and often deep discounts on health and wellness products in January.
Grills, Outdoor Furniture, Mattresses, Bikes: Mark your calendars for the Memorial Day and Labor Day sales at the start and end of summer.
Luggage: In preparation for spring and summer break, the best deals on these items often run in March.
Women's Clothing, Jewelry, Beauty Items: May is all about Mother's Day, and many items for women go on sale in the lead-up to the holiday.
Men's Clothing and Accessories: If you didn't snag a grill for Dad at the Memorial Day Sale, you can get clothing, accessories, and tech at the Father's Day Sale.
Gift Cards: Target runs its Gift Card Sale the first weekend in December, when Target Circle members can purchase up to $500 in gift cards and save up to $50 (10% off).
The best sales typically follow immediately after a holiday when the excitement has passed and the retailer is looking to clear products off the store floor, Palmer says.
"The Target holiday clearance will always be marked down the day after the holiday. For instance, Christmas clearance will go 50% off on December 26," she says. "I believe the best time to shop for clearance is generally about a week after the holiday when items usually get marked down to 90% off. I try to wait for the 90% off markdown before I buy holiday items so I get more for my money."
Palmer says she gets creative about what to buy during the post-holiday sale and plans ahead.
"The cool thing about the Christmas clearance is there are so many items that aren't necessarily holiday-themed," she adds. "You can find pretty blanket throws that are perfect for gifting. The beauty gift sets are perfect for gifting, too, especially when you can find them at 90% off. You can also buy wrapping paper after Christmas to use for birthdays — you just have to keep your eyes peeled for wrapping paper prints that would work for birthdays, like those with colorful stripes or silver glitter."
As a good guide, seasonal sale discounts typically happen:
Day 1 after the holiday: Discounts of between 50% for non-food and 30% for candy and food.
Days 3-4 after the holiday: Discounts of 70% for non-food and 50% for candy and food.
Day 7 after the holiday: Discounts of 90% for non-food and 70% for candy and food.
It can be tempting to go nuts when items go on clearance, but that's not always the best strategy to save money. Our team of insiders and shopping experts offered up this list to help you shop Target's clearance and seasonal sales more effectively.
Most people only think of sales periods as times to buy gifts or seasonal items, but that's not the best way to save. It's better to list out all the things you need to buy and look for those items to be marked down during clearance and seasonal sales.
For Palmer, these sales times are a wonderful opportunity to save on children's clothing, even if her kids won't wear them for another year.
"I like to buy clothing for my kids when there's an abundance of clearance [items] and when it hits the lowest markdown — 70% off," Palmer said. "For instance, we see a ton of summer shorts and shirts on clearance in August, so I will stock up when I find 70% off items and buy them for the following summer. When summer rolls around the following year, I have most of my kids' clothing purchased, saving me from paying full price."
When Target moves its seasonal items to the clearance aisle, some things get lost in the shuffle but still ring up with the clearance price.
"For example, there are always items like seasonal lip balms that are included in the Christmas clearance, but sometimes you may find them in the regular health and beauty aisle," says Palmer.
Rather-Be-Shopping's James says to get the widest selection of freshly-marked down items, you must shop early in the morning when the stores are restocked.
"The absolute best tactic to make sure you're prepared to get the best deal is to shop at Target the first thing in the morning," James says. "Most Target locations restock their inventory between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. because the stores are closed. This makes it easier for workers to stock shelves more efficiently without the constant interruption from busy shoppers. As a result, expect shelves to be fully stocked in the morning — even in the clearance section."
Gretchen Dahl, half of the sister team that runs the Target Deal Sisters account, told Dealspotr that if you're only shopping at one Target store, you could be missing out since each store can have a different selection of clearance items.
"To get the best deals, you have to go often, and you have to go to multiple locations!" says Dahl. "So many people message us saying their store is never as good as ours, and I always say to try another location and double-check those prices with the in-store scanners. Some stores just aren't great at marking down their clearance."
Dahl advises shoppers to use the price scanners located in the store since it can be hard for store employees to keep up with markdowns. Something might be marked down 30%, but when you scan it, it shows up at 50% off.
You may be tempted to scan tags with your smartphone, but don't! Your phone will only give you the more expensive online price, so taking a minute or two to scan it in-store can mean additional savings.
What's better than one coupon or special offer? It's when you combine two or more coupons or offers into a super deal. And if you are a Target Circle member, that's easier than you might think. "Many Target shoppers are unaware that you can actually stack Circle offers on top of any manufacturer or Target coupons that you've found,” James says.
Target allows you to stack coupons, which means you can use manufacturer coupons on already marked-down items and then use a Target store coupon and a Target Circle offer on each item. Formerly known as Cartwheel, Target Circle is a free rewards program found in the Target app that comes with a variety of perks and exclusive discounts on your purchases. Once you sign up, you can get 1% back on all purchases, access to hundreds of exclusive deals from Target and Target partners — including Apple and Ulta — and Target Circle Bonus offerings.
There's a unique disappointment when you buy an item only to find out it went on sale the next day. But thanks to Target's price match policy, you have 14 days to return and get that price adjustment, meaning you can still get the lower price after all.
"When making significant purchases (think electronics, appliances, and furniture), always keep your receipt and create an alert on your smartphone to remind yourself to check if the price has dropped before 14 days have expired," James says. “If it has, just head back into your local Target and get some money back."
Abby Heugel is an award-winning writer and editor who has done everything from managing retail trade magazines to working with clients like Meta, Lyft, Instacart, Shopify, Indeed, Amazon, Payoneer, Forbes, and Google. With a background in professional writing, proofreading, e-commerce, and retail, she’s committed to crafting the information that helps brands and consumers solve problems and make informed decisions, whether it's about buying a new computer or trying the best vegetarian recipe.
