If you didn’t join us last week please read Your Target guide to buying at rock bottom Part I.
Last week we outlined how to combine coupons, sales, and store incentive to get items at rock bottom at Target. This week we will focus on clearances, secret sales, rain checks, and price adjustments.
Target is a corporation, but each store is allowed to adjust the regular price of their merchandise however they want. The only exception to this is if an item is featured in the sale ad then they must have that item on sale. A Target that is close to a lot of other stores like Wal-Mart will usually have better prices than one that is not.
Finding clearances at Target can be lots of fun. Target does have a markdown schedule that most stores follow. You can find this at a Full Cup or Slick Deals
Monday — Infants department, Kids clothing and Electronics
Tuesday — Women’s clothing, Domestics, and food items
Wednesday — Men’s clothing, Garden, Toys, Health and Beauty
Thursday — Lingerie, Shoes, Housewares, Sporting Goods, LuggageFriday — Cosmetics, Hardware, Auto, Home Improvement and Jewelry
Holidays:All holidays except Christmas follow the 3-3-2 rule:The first 3 days after the holiday are 50% off.The next 3 days are 75% off.The next 2 days are 90%.
For example, if you want to find grocery items on clearance you would go on Tuesday (you need to go early these deals don’t last). To find the clearance items look in the clearance section, end caps, or the back of the aisle of each section. Clearance items are marked with a red sticker. According to “Target experts” you can tell how much an item has been marked down by the last digit of the sale price. Full price will end in 9 and 4 is the lowest meaning 90% or more. Most experts say that 75% off is the best you will get. So if you see an item on clearance for 9.95 or 9.96 this is a good sign to buy!
In addition to regular clearance items Target also has special clearances and secret sales. Special clearance item include items that are returns that were purchased online or without a box. Secret sales are ones that are not marked with clearance stickers. The only way to tell is to scan the item at a self-scanning station. You can find out about secret sales by looking on forums like A Full Cup or Slickdeals.
If Target is out of a sale item always make sure to get a rain check for it. Rain checks are usually good for 1-2 months so you can hold on to the rain check to see if more coupons come out or you can go to a coupon clipping service like coupon masters to order some. You can also get a price adjustment if you recently bought an item that later when on sale. Call your local Target to find out how long you have on price adjustments.
Target is a great place to shop and save big!!! If you have any tips or strategies that you use at Target please leave a comment so we can help each other save money.
Information courtesy A Full Cup, Slick Deals, Wise Bread, and A Twenty Something Mother
