Shop Smart: Best Times to Score Major Discounts at Popular Retailers

Shopping at certain times of the year can help you save significantly. Purchasing the items you need during major sales often enables shoppers to get items at prices lowered by 50% or more. Therefore, being a knowledgeable shopper is essential to saving money and getting the most value out of your purchases in a world of variable prices and sales.

Knowing when to purchase can make a big difference in your budget, whether you’re buying items for regular use or indulging yourself in something special. To help you purchase wisely and get the most out of your shopping experience, we have put together a guide. Here is more on when some of the most popular retailers offer major discounts so that you can plan and boost your savings.

Understanding Retail Sales Cycles

In order to maximize savings, it is essential to understand retail sales cycles. When it comes to discounts and promotions, retailers follow cycles, and being aware of them can help you strategically plan your purchases. Let’s take a look at the principles of retail sales cycles so that you can act and save accordingly.

Seasonal cycles

Retailers frequently time their sales with seasonal changes. For instance, you can get amazing prices on winter clothing when retailers reduce their stock in preparation for spring. Knowing these seasonal cycles will help you anticipate when certain things will be on sale, so you can make the most informed purchasing decisions.

Holiday cycles

The holidays come with many sales and discounts. Retailers take advantage of major holidays, including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, to provide significant discounts on selected merchandise or even storewide/sitewide. If you are aware of the seasonal patterns and the categories of goods that are frequently on sale, you can strategically arrange your shopping trips.

Clearance cycles

Retailers run clearance sales when they need to make room for new stock. Keep an eye out for store clearance areas or end-of-season sales where you can buy things at steep discounts.

Now that you know more about sales cycles, let’s take a look at some of the most important retailers out there and their sales events.

Best Buy

Best Buy offers several key sales periods throughout the year, allowing customers to save on a wide range of electronics and tech products. Here are the main sales events and the discounts you can expect:

Anniversary Sale (varies) – the retailer occasionally celebrates its anniversary with special sales events. When such sales go live, Best Buy offers discounts on a wide range of products, including electronics, appliances, and accessories, and exclusive deals for loyalty program members.
Fourth of July (July) – Best Buy often runs promotions around the Fourth of July, offering savings on TVs, appliances, outdoor tech gadgets, grills, speakers, headphones, and home theater systems.
Back-to-School sales (July to September) – the retailer offers back-to-school deals on laptops, tablets, printers, essential tech for students, school supplies, dorm room essentials, and office furniture.
Black Friday & Cyber Monday (November) – Best Buy is renowned for its Black Friday deals, featuring deep discounts on TVs, laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and more. Following Black Friday, Cyber Monday comes with additional online-exclusive deals. Discounts typically apply to electronics, appliances, smart home devices, and accessories.
Year-End Clearance (December) – the retailer holds year-end clearance sales to make room for new inventory. During this event, you can expect to see markdowns on previous-generation electronics, open-box items, and clearance stock, and discounts on various categories, including TVs, audio equipment, gaming consoles, and more.

Home Depot

If you’re a DIYer or your work projects call for home improvement products and tools, Home Depot’s sales are worth waiting for and seizing when they go live. Here is more on the types of sales held by this retailer, when they usually run, and what you can find on sale then.

Spring Black Friday (April) – discounts on outdoor furniture, gardening supplies, grills, and patio sets and savings of up to 40% on select outdoor items.
Memorial Day and Labor Day (May and September) – special pricing on appliances, power tools, paint, and outdoor equipment.
End-of-Season Clearance (varies) – as the name suggests, these events are typically held at the end of the season to clear out remaining items. For example, the end-of-season clearance held at the end of summer includes markdowns on pool supplies, outdoor decor, and more, and up to 50% off on select seasonal items.
Fall and Winter Holidays (November and December) – deals on holiday decor, power tools, home appliances, Christmas trees, decorations, and lights.
Black Friday & Cyber Monday (November) – deep discounts on appliances, tools, holiday decorations, and home improvement essentials.
Pro Appreciation Days (varies) – exclusive savings for professional contractors and builders.

Keep in mind that these sales are not the only ones running at Home Depot, and the retailer may run additional limited-time deals throughout the year.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s is also among the retailers that run various sales events throughout the year. During such events, you can find discounts on a wide range of products, including clothing, accessories, home goods, and more. Here are the main sales events and the discounts you can expect:

Kohl’s Cash Promotions (ongoing) – the retailer frequently offers Kohl’s Cash promotions, where customers earn Kohl’s Cash on qualifying purchases. Kohl’s Cash can be redeemed on future purchases within a specific time frame, and typically, customers can receive $10 Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent.

Seasonal Clearance Sales (end of each season) – Kohl’s holds end-of-season clearance sales, offering significant discounts on clothing, shoes, and accessories. Such events bring markdowns on seasonal items to make room for new inventory, with items being usually discounted by up to 70%.
Friends and Family Sale (varies) – the retailer occasionally runs Friends and Family sales, providing discounts to associates’ friends and family members on various departments and products.
Black Friday & Cyber Monday (November) – Kohl’s is known for its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, featuring discounts on a wide range of products, including electronics, home goods, and clothing. The events usually include doorbuster deals and limited-time offers, as well as extra Kohl’s Cash promotions.

Target

Target, one of the most popular retailers in the United States, offers various opportunities for shoppers to save big throughout the year. By understanding Target’s sales patterns and best discount periods, you can maximize your savings on a wide range of products.

Here are the months or seasons when major discounts are usually offered:

End-of-Season Sales (end of season) – Target typically offers significant discounts at the end of each season to make room for new inventory. Look out for clearance sales on items like clothing, home decor, and seasonal merchandise. You can typically enjoy up to 70% off on summer clothing, swimwear, and patio furniture.
Back-to-School Season (August) – In late summer, Target runs promotions and sales on school supplies, backpacks, electronics, and clothing, helping families prepare for the new school year.
Holiday Sales (varies) – Target runs promotions during major holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Look for discounts on home goods, outdoor furniture, clothing, and seasonal items.

Other notable sales events or promotional times to watch out for at this retailer include:

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November) – doorbuster deals on electronics, toys, home appliances, and more.
Target Deal Days (varies) – discounts on electronics, home goods, beauty products, and much more.

Walmart

Walmart is known for its competitive pricing and frequent sales events throughout the year. Here are the main sales events and the discounts you can expect:

Rollback Savings (ongoing) – the retailer often offers Rollback Savings on a wide range of products, providing discounts for an extended period. Prices are cut on popular items, including electronics, household essentials, toys, and more, and savings are available for both in-store and online purchases.
Back-to-School Sales (July to September) – during back-to-school sales, you can find discounts on school supplies, clothing, electronics, and dorm essentials.
Seasonal Sales (End of Season) – Walmart offers seasonal sales on items related to specific holidays and events. Discounts apply to decorations, apparel, party supplies, and more. Examples include Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and summer-related sales.
Clearance Sales (year-round) – the e-store features a clearance section where you can often, if not always, find items at reduced prices. You can also find clearance sales in-store. Reduced prices are usually available on items from different departments, including electronics, home goods, and clothing.
Walmart App Savings (ongoing) – You can also save by using Walmart’s mobile app. App users benefit from exclusive discounts, personalized offers, access to Rollback Savings, digital coupons, and convenient shopping features.

The sales mentioned above may vary in terms of sale month and duration. However, they can help you get a better idea of the sales patterns that have developed in the last few years as far as these popular retailers are concerned.