10 Tips for Shopping Target Clearance

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t a Target clearance shopper. You see, my parents met at Target (they both worked there in the 70s, and my Mom still works there!), so Target is in my blood.

At a very young age, I remember getting so excited when I would find things on sale, and shopping the day after Christmas was a family tradition.

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Now as an adult, I have taken shopping Target clearance to a whole new level. It used to be that 50% off was when I bought, but not anymore. I typically wait for 70% off – or 90% off when it happens! If I miss something at 50% off, I figure I didn’t need it and there’s always another sale. I am committed to saving as much money on gifts and items for my family as possible.

The last Thursday in July is typically the bi-annual big toy clearance (a huge portion of toys go 70% off to make way for Christmas toys). In honor of that, I thought I would share my 10 tips for shopping Target clearance.

1. Understand how things get marked down: Most items will be marked down 30% off/50% off/70% off. Mark downs typically happen every two weeks (with the exception of seasonal items, which get marked down much faster.) Popular items (like food, beauty products and electronics) will start at 15% off. Holiday and seasonal items (Valentine’s, Easter, Summer, Back-to-School and Christmas) will go down to 90% off – YEOW!
   
2. Pay attention to deal cycles: The BIG clearance mark-downs are cyclical. For instance, the big toy clearance happens at in late January and the end of July/early August (on a Thursday) every year. Mark your calendar and start paying attention to mark-downs prior to the sale.
3. Learn when your store does mark-downs: Do certain departments get marked down on certain days? Pay attention. When you are in the store and you see mark-downs happening (usually in the morning), jot down the day. (Check out Kayla Aimee’s post for a general mark-down calendar by day.)
4. Look on back end-caps: You will find most store clearance on the back end-caps. I always make it a point to walk up and down all the back aisles to monitor what has been marked down.
   
5. Don’t just look on back end-caps: I know I just said look on back end-caps, which is true. Most clearance will be on back end-caps, this doesn’t mean you won’t find clearance in aisles, so it is good to check the regular aisles too. This past week, I found lots of photo albums on clearance, as well as canned pineapple marked 50% off in the canned good aisle (which is considerably better than the 15% off that I usually see food marked down to).
6. Look at how low the price is: There is misinformation out there that if a price ends in 4, that this is the lowest the price will go. This is not true. You need to look at if the item is marked down 30% off, 50% off or 70% off. If the item is marked down to 70% off (and isn’t seasonal) then that is as low as it will go. Clearance stickers also say in the top right corner how low the mark-down is, just in case you aren’t good at mental math!  Read this excellent postby All Things Target for more on this.
7. Signs aren’t always right: Just because I sign says 30% off, doesn’t mean everything in the area is 30% off. For instance, even though this display in jewelry/accessories said 30% off, I found purses as high as 70% off in that area. That’s why the signs say X% off or more.
8. Shop at Target often: Of course, visiting Target often will ensure you learn your store and don’t miss any great deals. There is a Target right on the way to my kids’ day care, so I often stop in after work before picking them up.Visiting multiple Targets will also give you a better sense of the stock and where the best store to shop is when a big clearance sale hits. Nashville has two Targets that I regularly monitor. For the summer 90% off sale, I knew that one store had 5 times the clearance of the other one I go to, so that is where I headed at 8 a.m. last week Tuesday. It was definitely worth the trip as I got $725 worth of stuff for $75. 
9. Read Target blogs: Target blogs are a great way to monitor the best deals available. I loveAll Things Target and Totally Target. Some frugal blogs, like Money Saving Mom, also share Target deals.
10. Follow Target blogs on Facebook: Often times I find that I learn of Target sales faster through my Facebook feed. I especially love the All Things Target Facebook page. The community is super active and always sharing what they are finding at their stores. This is SO helpful because then you know what to look for.

Additional tips when shopping clearance items (at any store):

1. Budget: Spending lots of money that is outside the parameters of your budget is never wise, so be sure to pay attention to your spending.
2. Review your receipt: Sometimes an item that is supposed to be on clearance will not scan properly, so be sure to pay attention when the cashier is ringing up your order AND review your receipt after the sale is complete.
3. Return what you don’t need: Sometimes, I get a little crazy and will overbuy during a major clearance sale (like last week’s 90% off summer clearance). My philosophy is to snatch up what I think I want, evaluate what I want when I get home and return what I don’t need. Even if it was only $1, if you don’t need the item, the $1 is better in your bank account.
4. Storage: When shopping clearance, it is important to have a place to put what you buy (especially when stockpiling gifts).
5. Stay organized: Overspending and buying things you don’t need is not good! I keep a spreadsheet of all the people I buy gifts for and what I have bought so I don’t forget. Over-buying doesn’t end up saving any money.

Three final tips for saving money at Target

1. Sign up for the Target debit card: This is NOT a credit card. It is a debit card just for Target that syncs with your bank account, AND you save 5% off on all purchases. I love this. Since I am shopping at Target anyway, why not save an additional 5% off? I buy a lot of groceries at Target too because you save more money on them when you use your Target card. The only thing to keep in mind is that it takes a few days for the money to come out of your account.
2. Download the Target “cartwheel” app: It has tons of coupons in it that can be stacked with sales and manufacturer’s coupons, making for some awesome deals.
3. Price-match to Amazon: Target will price-match anything in store to Amazon. You just need to take the item to the service desk, along with the Amazon app showing the price and bam! they will match it. Even better, you can still use your Target red card to save more money.

6 Tips for Clothes Shopping During Store Clearance Sales

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I love it when I go shopping and find that my favorite store is having a huge sale. Gearing myself up to spend a certain amount and then learning that I’m getting way more bang for my buck is one of the best feelings in the world. However, it took me years before I realized that the feeling of snagging a huge score while shopping didn’t have to be completely random. In fact, you can track a store’s sale cycle so you always get the best price for whatever clothing and accessories you want.

Stores want to keep their shelves and racks filled with clothing and accessories, but they get new merchandise so frequently that eventually, items that aren’t selling must be put on clearance in order to move it out the door. This is when it’s your turn to score.

If you know exactly when an item will be on sale, you can decide whether you want to wait to buy it on the cheap, or you think it’s worth the extra money to buy it beforehand. Having the option gives you the chance to be the savviest shopper possible.

Understanding Sales Cycles

Don’t get me wrong – stores want you to pay top dollar for the goods on the shelves. That’s why they put higher-priced items right at the front of the store, and sale and clearance items way in the back. But just because a jacket is 30% off doesn’t make it any less fashionable, does it?

Between seasonal sales and the regular sale cycle, there’s really no reason you should have to pay full price for any article of clothing or accessory – unless, of course, it sells out and you don’t get a chance to make your move. Armed with the information below, you can save money, look fashionable, and dress the way you want for cheap.

1. Wait Six to Eight Weeks
The typical retail store lets a new item hang out on the shelves for six to eight weeks before it’s marked down. Merchandise in retail stores is ever-changing, so shop owners can’t afford to have old items languishing on the racks and taking up space. Furthermore, after six to eight weeks of buying, there might only be a few of a specific item remaining – hardly enough to take up room on a display. Therefore, it’s moved to the sale or clearance section, usually at the very back of the store. There, it can be lumped with other sale items to be snapped up by savvy shoppers.

2. Thursdays Are Best
If you want first dibs on a pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing, your best bet is to try shopping on a Thursday. Stores know that most people come to the mall or the shop on the weekend, so they begin preparations on Thursday to mark down old merchandise and rotate new merchandise into the store.

By shopping on Friday and Saturday, you might score a great deal, but you might also have a limited selection – that’s not good if you want something specific. By shopping on a Thursday, you can have the best selection paired with the best prices to snag the item that you desire.

3. Ask Around
I once found a dress on sale that I loved, but they didn’t have my size. Instead of leaving empty-handed, I asked one of the retail associates if she could check around to see if any of their other store locations had the same dress in stock. As luck would have it, there was another, and the store had it shipped to my house for free.

If you see something you want but the pickings are slim, ask to see what the store can do for you. In many cases, the salespersons want to keep the sale in-house, so they’ll bend over backwards to make sure you’re happy. While clearance buys are often limited, most stores have inventory elsewhere, so if you really want a great deal, it’s worth it to ask. You can also check smartphone shopping apps to see if they have the item in stock online.

4. Know the Return Policy
Clearance buys are often a great deal, but it’s important to read the fine print. Finding a shirt for $5 is great, but not if you can’t return it if it doesn’t fit.

Always read or ask about the clearance return policy. In most cases, all clearance jewelry sales are final, but plenty of stores offer store credit in lieu of a refund for clearance clothes. Stores do not want to see out-of-season merchandise boomeranging back to the store since they need space for new wares. That’s why most clearance return policies are pretty short, usually around 14 days.

5. Shop End of Season
One of the best times to get the most bang for your buck is to shop around the end of a season. Keep in mind that retail stores are a couple of months “ahead of the weather,” so you could still pick up a cheap sweater and get a month’s worth of wear before it’s time to bring out your spring wardrobe.

Generally, stores overhaul their merchandise in line with the New York Fashion Weeks in September and February, so keep an eye out. You can get excellent deals on summer fashion by shopping in September, and you can snag winter fashion on the cheap in February.

6. Know When Not to Buy
You’re going to pay a premium price if you shop too early or during the wrong month. For instance, it’s unwise to buy jewelry around Christmas, when you’ll probably pay top dollar for your baubles. And some items never go on sale – high-end designer shoes and accessories are usually pretty constant in price, especially if the item doesn’t technically have a “season.”

5 Ways to Decorate Your Living Room Console Table

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Decorating Ideas for Console Tables

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The best part of decorating the console table in your living room is that you can change the way it looks as often as you'd like. It can be a place to hold food during parties, set presents down for birthdays, decorate for each holiday, set out pictures of loved ones, and so much more! 

Check out these tips for ways you can spice up your console table and wow your friends!

There are a million ways to decorate the console table in your living room — which will you choose?

Go symmetrical or asymmetrical! For both the orderly and the eccentric, you can choose to add two of each decorative pieces, or jazz it up with decor of every size. 

Create a focal piece. Choose a dominant piece to feature on your console, whether it be a mirror, artwork, vase, basket, or whatever! You can have it centered or spotlight it on the side. The choice is yours!

Don't be afraid of white space. There is such a thing as too much decor; so let your console table speak for itself by minimizing what you put on it. After all, the console table alone can be a decoration all by itself. 

Add pops of color. Even if your living room has a cohesive color scheme, don't be afraid to go bold with the color of your decor. For instance, if your room is largely decorated with neutrals and blues, add a pop of orange or yellow for an exciting contrast of color.

Put a lamp on it. Have a favorite lamp but don't know where to put it? A console is a great location, as it can help light up a part of your living room that your regular lighting wouldn't have reached. You can also go wild and use a lamp that might not necessarily fit with the rest of your decor.

For more ideas on how you can decorate the console table in your living room, visit your nearest Bassett showroom or browseour collection of console tables online. 

5 Ways Wearables Are Improving the Way We Shop

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If you think we don't have room for another connected device in our pockets or purses, you might be right.

Placing one on our wrist is another story.

Need proof? Last year, 39.5 million Americans over 18 years old used wearable devices, an increase of 57.7 percent over 2014, according to eMarketer. This rise is estimated to continue, with 81.7 million adults expected to be using wearables by 2018.1

The reasons for wearables’ growing popularity vary, including giving consumers the ability to better monitor their health and fitness and keeping them organized when on the go. Wearable devices, such as with Apple Watch and others, are also improving the way we shop by receiving communication and alerts and making payments hands-free. On the retailer side, wearables allow brands to send targeted messaging to customers in-store and offer discounts to improve conversion.

“Tech-savvy retailers willing to invest in marketing through wearable technology can place themselves a step ahead of competitors as these devices grow in popularity,” said Soumya Chakrabarty, Director of Research & Development at Discover. “For example, brands can push out notifications that send shoppers personalized offerings, increasing conversion and driving interest and loyalty.”

Streamlining Product Search by Pairing Smartwatches with Beacons

One way to engage with wearables in stores is by coupling them with strategically placed beacons. In this scenario, a customer heads to his or her local retailer, and is seeking help from a sales associate to help with a question or locate a product. If this retailer is leveraging beacons placed throughout the store, shoppers armed with wearables don’t have to worry about finding staff, since they can use their device both to navigate a store’s aisles and access valuable information. A quick scan of an item followed by a few taps of their watch, and they can retrieve such information as sizing, materials or location.

Streamlining Payments

With the advent of Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay, mobile payments are gaining popularity among consumers and the technology to accept these forms of payment are becoming available at major chains and smaller retailers alike. Wearables could change the game by making these transactions even easier, favoring a flip of the wrist over pulling out a phone.

According to an eMarketer study, 48 percent of consumers said they would use a wearable device if it could make an in-store payment, and 67 percent said they would prefer to use a wearable device over a smartphone to make an in-store payment.2

Better Dissemination of Discounts

Thanks to post-purchase opt-ins, the average shopper now receives regular emails about online and in-store deals and sales. But for those steering their shopping cart to the cash register, pulling out their smartphone to scan through hundreds of emails to find an offer can be difficult, if they remember to search for these mobile coupons at all. Wearables could fix that by allowing consumers to take advantage of discounts by swiping their wrist over a scanner at the time of purchase, applying the coupons to their bill during checkout.

Targeted Messaging

While push notifications and beacon-enabled messaging aren’t new, the growing success of reaching shoppers via these technologies is partially thanks to wearables. That’s because they don’t require shoppers to pull out their phones to get these messages. What’s more, these technologies allow a retailer to access shoppers across channels, lessening cart abandonment. A retailer can alert a customer to items left in their cart as they pass the physical store. This retailer can also send a customer a message letting them know that an item they were browsing online is in stock at the store nearby.

Better Overall Customer Experience

In its 2014 study, The Wearable Future, PWC found that 72 percent of consumers said it was very important for wearable technology to improve customer service. The most vocal group was busy parents – 76 percent of whom said they wanted wearable tech to make shopping a more pleasant, efficient experience.3

Smart retailers targeting these shoppers may turn to wearables to tackle customer service gaps and increase the efficiency of their workforces. By arming sales associates with devices that can check inventory, pull up product specifications and even take payments, retailers can get rid of the need to go to the back of the store or visit a separate computer terminal to perform these tasks, creating a more seamless retail experience.

“As brands are considering their end-to-end customer journey, they should think about how to integrate these devices into their overall marketing strategy,” added Chakrabarty. “Wearables offer merchants a fast and simple way of interacting with customers on-the-go and can push out relevant, personalized messaging in order to enhance customer loyalty.”

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