Walmart and Target are a one-stop shop for everything—groceries, tech, fashion, books, home goods, and more. But loyal shoppers know that beyond the everyday low prices and flashy sales, there’s an insider secret to scoring jaw-dropping deals. Tucked away in these retail giants is a hidden section of items offered at incredible deals just waiting to be discovered. If you love a good bargain, you'll want to know about these secret hiding spots where both Walmart and Target hide their best markdowns.
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Scan items you find inside Walmart with their app to find hidden discounts.
Walmart"The key to clearance shopping at Walmart is to stay out of the clearance section and to walk your store," advises Budget shopping influencer Star Smith (@couponwithstar) in a recent TikTok video.
Once you find an item you like, simply use the Walmart+ app to scan the item's barcode and see what it rings up as. Even if it's not visibly marked down on the shelf, it could be on even further sale within the app.
For example, Smith found a two-pack of green muffin pans, normally $10, marked down to $2.49 in the app.
Just note that these prices will vary by store and aren't reflected online.
Search the top shelf at Walmart.
ShutterstockIn a video posted in October 2023, TikToker SuperUnsexy explains that there's one place anyone looking for a great price at Walmart should look immediately. "I tell everyone to search the top shelf for deals," he says, pointing to the hard-to-reach ledge that might appear to be overflow storage to the untrained eye.
It could be the same exact item that you see on lower shelves, as he demonstrates in his video—but the one on the top shelf can be on major sale. Why? We don't know, but we'll take it.
Search the top shelves at Target, too.
ShutterstockTikToker SuperUnsexy points out that Target stashes many of its hidden clearance items on top shelves, too.
Similar to Walmart, Target shoppers can also make use of the store's app to check prices—but it differs in that the information online might not match the much lower in-store clearance markdown. This means anyone hunting for a deal will have to scan each product's barcode in one of the store's price check kiosks to verify how much they'll save.
An easy hack? Take a picture of the item's barcode, then scan that image at the kiosk.
Look for items that seem out of place.
Sundry Photography / ShutterstockWhat is a home decor item doing in the groceries section? What's that sad little cluster of lost-looking items in the clothing department?
TikToker @that_coupon_chick notes that pinpointing hidden clearance items can sometimes be as easy as looking for items that seem out of place or tucked away out of sight.
For instance, clearance items can be found hidden behind other display boxes on eye-level and lower shelves, including in the toiletries aisle. Bottom line: The harder you look, the bigger the deals you may find.
Zone in on items that are missing price tags.
Shutterstock / ValeStockConsider it a fun, money-saving hunt: Items at some Targets and Walmarts that don't have a price tag anywhere on them can be a bit of a gold mine. Even big-ticket items like furniture can scan for much lower on Walmart+ app or at a Target price check kiosk.
Plus, if you're ever scanning and realize an item's name or image doesn't match what's in your hand, you could have a possible mismarked deal on your hands. A win!
