lovetoshopCA

FYI to the Patio Furniture seekers, I had to pop back over to the Target tonight to get a prescription, and I noticed that they had put out a LOT more stuff than was there this morning. Just like what they did with toys, it seems like they had a lot of back stock and were pushing it to the floor. It will be interesting to see if others find this as well.

Yep. They pretty much all start around 4 or 5 in the morning (which is why they are taking "lunch" at 8). Our teams are done by 1 or 3 depending on the store and/or season. They even work holidays most of the time. I am there almost every weekday morning at 8 when they open. The store I go to then often has the toys already marked down on Thursday mornings when I arrive. However, during the winter they mark them down later in the day because there is more work for them in the other departments as well. I usually hit the other local store on my way to drop of DS2 at preschool, and they usually don't get to the toys until late in the day. It really does vary from store to store and season to season.

I try to gauge the time of day a department gets marked down most of the time. They do vary a bit, but, for example, baby clothes almost always get marked down just before they open, or just as they open. So, if I am watching something in that department, I try to be there when they open on the day they should be doing the next markdown. That isn't to say I don't sometimes miss things, but I find it is helpful to try this. Some days they have a lot in one department and that slows them down a bit, so I have to go back. Fortunately, one store is within walking distance of my house, and the other is a couple of blocks from DS school, so it isn't a big deal to swing in a second time.

The summer furniture was marked 30% off today. That included all the lawn furniture, gazebos and firepits from what I could see. They were also marking the kid's lawn furniture, gardening stuff and tents that are part of of the Happy Giddy line. I am hoping that those giant pots are also included. I have some large potted trees that need re-potting, but those things are expensive!!! They hadn't gotten that far and were heading for their lunch break, so I'll have to go back.

They have already started the Summer Toy Clearance, but it doesn't usually get to 75% off until late July or early August. It might be done in waves this year, too, as they did not mark down a large number of items last week, but have a large quantity of the ones they did mark down. I think you probably want to start watching it pretty regularly if you want to stock up for Christmas.

I noticed that they were stocking the clearance toy end caps today (and yesterday) with stuff straight out of the boxes. Lots of stuff that never even made it to the shelf otherwise. I saw some Barbie Stacy & Kelly sets that I had never seen before. Several Bob the Builder diecast toys and a few other Thomas items. Not sure if they had tons of back stock and it simply never sold, or if some of these things never got their chance on the floor at regular price. Anyway, lots of quantity which bodes well for getting them at higher markdowns.

LOL. It is late here, and I saw DD13 and thought "13! She has 13 children!!" It only took another few seconds to click in, but I had to laugh at myself.

I believe it is. They often do their big markdowns in waves. I would expect to see a lot more marked down next week. Again, it is all guesswork.They sometimes change their policies and stuff, so it is hard to be sure. But historically this is the time frame when they start the summer toy markdown so that it is complete by the first of August. That is when they reset for Christmas.

Well, they have started marking down the toys again. They did not mark everything that I think will end up included in the summer markdowns, but they made a good start today. I got Thomas the Tank Engine Cranky the Crane for half price $7.48. One of the stores I visited skipped the 30% step on all the stuff they marked today. They are often out of sync with the rest, though. My other regular stores were at 30% on these. I also saw some Polly Pocket stuff, some baby Disney Princess items, a handful of Vtech & Leapster items, as well. I know there was more, but these are the ones I took note of. I imagine next week will see even more unless they are going to do it piecemeal.

They might have just pulled them to move them to another area, like an end cap. I have seen them do that occasionally. They pull everything, then it shows up again a couple of days later. They might have donated them to a shelter (they do that with some food items). Or they might have moved it to another local store that has better success selling clearance items at a lesser discount. Keep looking for them! You may well find them yet!

Nope, not me. This is my only place to hang out with the shopping crowd. Just too busy (or lazy) to jump around. So, do you work for Target, or is this just your experience? We have a few employees in the group and no one has mentioned a change in the seasonal clearance schedule. So, I was just curious. They do Seasonal from corporate (meaning the girls with the red tags don't scan and label it all), so it is usually fairly standard.

Just an FYI, but I am pretty sure that either this week or next will begin the big summer markdown of toys. In the last 2 years they did the 30% off at the end of June or first week of July. I don't think they'll wait because of the 4th of July being the normal markdown day, but I could be wrong. They usually finish the sale the last week of July or the first week of August. So, I would be on the look out.

It was in the regular coupon section on the last page.

Ahh...I can only tell you my own experience, and I would also love to hear what others think. Or if one of the Target employees on the list can tell us, that would be awesome! I have noticed that things that start out at only 15% off are things they think will usually sell with less of a discount - like electronics. Other things start at more like 30% off. I have noticed that food items, baby formula, electronics and some other expensive items tend to stay at the lower % off longer than other items. But I haven't figured out any hard and fast rule. However, I find that very generally, things tend to stay at the mark down price for about 2 weeks before the next mark down. When things stay longer than 2 weeks and they aren't those high priced items, they tend to skip the interim markdown and go from say 30% straight to 75%. Or, if an item is not moving at all with the first markdown, it seems like they will sometimes skip an interim markdown. Finally, I think sometimes they are simply behind or have their reset or next round of merchandise that needs the space and they will mark down more quickly. So, I guess the bottom line is to keep checking back. :-)

No, Happy Summer was just that section where they put holiday/seasonal merchandise like picnic stuff and beach toys.

Yep, there were a couple of them in the sunday paper back in May and another one yesterday. The others were out at the same time as the now expired one which was posted by RealSimple.

Got 2 Happy Summer Picnic Blankets, the bean bag toss game (DS next birthday party game), and a bunch of the red plaid plates & napkins all 75% off. Wanted one of the cocktail shaker sets to make my iced coffee at home like Starbucks, but it was regular price!!! Saw them marking the baby Classic Pooh clothes to 50% off.

There was a similar current coupon in yesterday's Sunday paper, too

Did the Tinkerbell one have the "bonus pack" in it? same DCPI? The walking around with their PDTs is more likely them doing "research" which is how they get their ordering done. The red tag people do them as they go and have carts with them with the little printers attached.

Here in CA it was 30% on the 11th and 50% the 15th. I expect it to be 75% tomorrow morning. Fortunately still some good stuff left at one store where they have that section in the far back corner.

Hmmmm....anyone know if the same sort of thing applies when they close a store? They are talking about tearing one of our local stores down to rebuild it larger and in a different position on the property they have. Local space being very limited in CA, this happens more often than the whole building a new one then moving thing. If they do it, it probably won't be until after next holiday season, but can you imagine the deals!?!?! They do so much clearance after Christmas anyway that it would be incredible!

Well, I reckon that answers the question of how quickly they mark it down. Now we all just have to remember for next year. :-)

More of the Do Your Room stuff was marked down today. Those really cute Surf Girl & Monkey sheets were 30% off. Some of the other stuff was at 50% on the first markdown. Happy Summer still at 30% here.

I think it is more like the regular markdown schedule. Probably will be 2 weeks then on a Monday again, but I won't swear to that. Does anyone else know better? Seems like that is how they did the bulk food & cleaning items, wasn't it? More like a regular markdown schedule included with the food items? Has anyone else seen the Playhut Spiderman tent or ready bed that was reported by another person? I have checked several stores with no luck. I did noticed that they raised the price of the Disney Cars Ready bed to $30.99, though! It started at $27.99, then went to $29.99, now this.

The seasonal section (usually at the front of the store - same place they put the other holiday stuff) is 30% off at my local store. Lots of beach stuff, folding chairs, picnic stuff, etc. I'm going to have to go back and check it out when I have time. Know there are things I wanted from that section, but had to get DS from school.