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Between ongoing product shortages, supply chain issues, and stores left with excess inventory, 2022 has been unpredictable when it comes to retail. So what does that mean for the traditionally deep discounts offered at the end of the year? Here’s what to know about 2022's after-Christmas sales, including when they start.
How to get the best deals during after-Christmas sales
For some people, the real shopping doesn’t begin until after the gift-giving holidays are over, when inventory may be diminished, but the prices are low.
Here’s what to keep in mind when looking for the best deals:
Not everything will be discounted
While it’s safe to assume that some items—like holiday decorations, or regular products in festive holiday packaging—will be on sale after Christmas, that’s not the case for everything. For example, hold off on buying any fitness/exercise equipment, devices, or clothing until a few weeks into the new year (when people realize that turning a page on their calendar won’t magically motivate them to work out).
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End-of-season sales may have already started
Our drift away from the traditional retail calendar began even before the pandemic, as new, made-up shopping “holidays” like Prime Day made it difficult to know when certain items would be offered at the lowest prices of the year.
This is also the case within the holiday shopping season itself. Some retailers that typically wait until after Christmas to make certain markdowns did so early this year—like Target, which began discounting holiday items on December 14. The same is expected to be the case for deals on clothing: That we probably started seeing after-Christmas prices before the holiday.
Not all after-Christmas sales begin on December 26th
Be strategic with your post-holiday shopping, including doing some research ahead of time on sites like the Krazy Coupon Lady to find out when, exactly to expect the biggest markdowns on the items you actually need or want. (Hint: It’s not always December 26.)
Here are a few insights from the site:
Target: Christmas clearance typically hits 70% to 90% off on Dec. 29.Home Depot: Holiday clearance sale begins on either Dec. 26 or 27 with a 50% discount. But wait until January to buy artificial Christmas trees when they’ll be more heavily discounted.Walmart: 50% discount on holiday decor starting on Dec. 26, but a few days later (on or around Dec. 31), that will jump to 75% off. About a week later, items be marked down to 90% off.Walgreens: Holiday gift sets and decor marked down by 50% on Dec. 26; the discount with then increase to 70% the first week of January.These Krazy Coupon Lady posts have even more information to help you make the most of these end-of-year sales.
