Shopping at Target on any day of the week can be an easy way to score a great deal. The mega-retailer has become a go-to option for shoppers on a budget thanks to its conveniently wide selection of items that always seem to be at some of the lowest prices around. But if you're a regular customer, you may have noticed that it's possible to get some serious bargains if you time your purchases just right. Read on to learn more about the secret sales schedule at Target only die-hard shoppers know about.
READ THIS NEXT: 6 Secrets Home Depot Doesn't Want You to Know.
There's a little-known schedule for sales at Target you may not know about.
Brenda Rocha - Blossom / ShutterstockEven casual customers know that big semi-annual sales or significant markdown events like Black Friday can be some of the best times to save money on purchases. Otherwise, your best bet is to wait until the item you've got your eye on goes on clearance—so long as you can get your hands on it before anyone else does.
But according to some die-hard shoppers, it may be possible to hone in on sales at Target thanks to a little-known schedule the retailer uses. The store has been known to move items from specific departments into clearance depending on which weekday it is, per a post from the store-focused blog All Things Target.
Locations allegedly mark down different items on each day of the week.
ShutterstockDepending on what you need, you may want to designate different shopping days to align with Target's schedule.
The retailer allegedly moves electronics, accessories, kids' clothing, books, baby, and stationery items onto sales racks on Mondays; women's clothing, pet products, and groceries on Tuesdays; men's clothing, health and beauty products, diapers, lawn and garden items, and furniture on Wednesdays; housewares, lingerie, shoes, toys, sporting goods, home decor, and luggage on Thursdays; and cosmetics, jewelry, hardware, and auto-related products on Fridays, according to All Things Target.
From there, the savings can grow over time. Most items start at a 30 percent discount before dropping to 50 percent off, usually two weeks later. If the product is still on hand a couple of weeks after that, it will often get reduced even further to 70 percent off, per All Things Target.
For more shopping advice delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Make sure to visit your local Target to see if your location's sales schedule is different.
ShutterstockHowever, the store's sale schedule comes with a big caveat: As a large chain, there's a decent chance that your local store may be on a slightly—or even entirely—different schedule for markdowns. Sometimes, it may come down to having enough staff to process the price changes.
"While I myself never worked at Target, I did work at Walmart years ago, and at least for them, I can say markdowns happened whenever we had time to make them; if Target is even somewhat similar, they're going to be dealing with the same type of situation," Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews.com, tells Best Life.
Ramhold also reiterates that while a one-size-fits-all sales schedule may seem convenient, it's likely to be slightly different in your area. "Target stores do tend to make markdowns in select departments Monday through Friday. But as for which departments are done on which days, well, that'll vary from store to store and be highly dependent on the workforce," she says. "If a store has a labor shortage in one department, it may be harder for them to get markdowns done."
However, you can still score some deals if you're willing to do a little research. "Rather than relying on this schedule that's being spread as gospel, you're better off getting familiar with your favorite Target store," Ramhold suggests. "Even those in the same metro area could have different markdown schedules, so it's important to pay attention to how your preferred location handles department markdowns."
Experts say one day of the week is particularly good for deals at Target.
ShutterstockEven if getting to know the secret sale schedule for your local Target seems complicated, there is still one date-related tactic to getting a good discount when you hit the store.
"In general, it's best to shop Target on Sundays, as that's when the new ad is released and goes into effect," Ramhold says. "If there's an item you're looking at and waiting on a price drop for, favorite it in the app and watch for notifications related to it."
"For instance, Target will usually have a notification when something you've been looking at has a deal, so keep an eye out for those kinds of things. When a price drops, you can then jump on items that you're interested in before they have a chance to sell out," she tells Best Life.
