Gator Pam

Aww... At 45, do I qualify as a very sweet chatty older lady?

Nope. We go to FIL's 3 and a half hours south of Gator Town for the four day weekend.

I sure don't, but wanted to say wlecome to the boards!

disneytati, keep in mind in order to PM at Wal-Mart, you have to be at W-M during the times stated in the competitors ads that the door busters are available. for some items, that may only be from 6:00 to 8:00 AM, etc...

I liked the Frapper map created for this site so much, that I created one for the various forums I visit about Perimeter Perusing. If you would like add yourself (or see how much competition is in your area), come visit the Target Perimeter Peruser Map.

How do the TRU science toys compare to the National Geographic ones at Target? Same quality for a better price? Beorn has pretty much outgrown TRU, so I'm never in there, whereas I'm at Target all the time...

Gifts are wrapped right away and set out on display until Hanukkah. One gift a night is given during the eight nights. The torture is going to be great to watch, as Hanukkah comes really late this year...

Noooooo!!! W-M is my only option at FIL's for BF! Please tell me it was an associate who was mistaken!

I know many years ago, like when it first opened, there was a JCPenney Outlet at Sawgrass Mills. I don't know if it's there anymore though.

WTG, Crissy!

Do y'all think the Storyteller Care Bear will be as hot as Teddy Ruxpin was when he came out?

I hadn't heard about it, so I just googled it. Is it the leapfrog product? If it works, it sounds amazing!

I've never done BF online. About what time of the day do the BF specials get offered on the online sites?

Interesting. I was just told by a poster on a different forum about Target that she agrees with what i said about Sawgrass Mills for the other outlet malls, that you need to really know your prices as you can find many ofthe same things at the same price in the retail stores. But, we tend to shop the major discount retailers. Perhaps she means comparing the prices to what we'll find at at those stores, versus the retailers the outlet stores are selling for.

Kewl! It's done over at Perimeter Perusing at Target. I hope it's a helpful thread.

Excellent! I hope it all works out. Just an FYI... I feel I have highjacked this thread in the BF forum with my posts about Target, so I started a new thread over on the Offline Deals forum. Feel free to check it out at Perimeter Perusing at Target.

UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT THREAD: http://forums.gottadeal.com/showthread.php?t=100165 Please continue Target clearance discussion there :) I hope this thread stays active, as posters share their hints and clearance finds at Target. I've been Perimeter Perusing Target for about three years now, and find it helps me get through from one BF to the following year. As many of you know, the Brick and Mortar store Target is known for their terrific clearance deals. You may have noticed that although the sticker price, including the reddish orange clearance stickers, says one price, that many times the items scan for less. It could be better for you if the item is priced higher and does scan less. Many shoppers do not realize this and pass the item by. Also, many times an item is not marked clearance in any way and I would suggest if you are interested in an item that you take it to the nearest scanner and check the price that comes up. The standard clearance at Target works by items being marked down 15% or 30% initially. This price can last somewhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how well the item sells at this price. Then the item typically drops to 50%, again for two weeks to a month. Generally, the lowest an item will be marked down is 75% off, with a few exceptions. Items considered 'holiday' or 'seasonal' items have been known to go as low as 90% after the holiday, and you will find a few occasional display items or things found in the stockroom after inventory marked 80%-90% off. Almost always, the lowest price an item will go will usually end in $.x4 or $.x8, but not always. A markdown schedule for the seasonal or holiday clearance is as follows: Traditional Holiday clearance schedule 50% off day after holiday for three days 75% off fourth day after holiday for three days 90% off seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days. Other than Chr-stmas this is the schedule used for holiday clearance, including Valentine's Day, Easter, Summerville, and Halloween, for at least the last two years Also, Target is the only store I have found where many, although not all, of the cashiers seem to have the ability to bargain on a price when an item doesn't scan with one. There are times when an item will scan as 'clearance + tax'. Be happy in these situations instead of groaning. Sometimes the cashier can do a price over ride sort of thing to find the most recent lowest price, but sometimes if you say 'I'll take it for (whatever 75% off the marked retail price would be)' they'll just key that in. It's always worth a shot. Same thing applies for an item that scans 'NOF' (Not on file). This means the item is so old that it is completely out of the computer system. Again, I would try offering the 75% off the retail price, but if necessary a price can usually be looked up at the Guest Services Desk. However, if an item has gone 'salvage,' this may backfire on you. In this instance, Target marks the item back up to full retail value, before pulling it from the shelves and donating it to a charity, such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army for a tax write off. this is how Target claims to donate so much to charity. The markdown teams in each store seems to keep to a standardized schedule, but there are stores that seem to have different ones. For those who do follow it the departmental mark down days are: ------- Mark Down Schedule ------- -Mon. -- Electronics, Kids Clothing and Stationary (Cards, GiftWrap, etc.) -Tues. -- Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets and Market (food items) -Wed. -- Men's Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, Lawn & Garden items -Thur. -- House Wares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Movies, Music, Books, Decor and Luggage -Fri. -- Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, & Jewelry This schedule says nothing about weekend mark downs, but I have seen items change in price between a Saturday morning perimeter perusal and one done on a Sunday afternoon. I still haven't found any rhyme or reason to what gets marked down on those days though. Another part of the fun. Go to Target.com and see if there are any updates about new Target openings. Target does not have a lay-a-way, but diehard Perimeter Perusers have tried various methods of getting around this. Most are constantly debated on the various forums dedicated to this subject as far as being 'ethical' or not, I'll leave it for you to decide for yourself. When an item goes 50% off, and there are several left, some posters have said they find a 'hiding' place to put the item and they go back to see if the item is still there several weeks later to scan and see if it dropped in price. Some common hiding places shared is: In the middle of a round clothes rack, where all of the clothes hide the item. About a third of the way off the floor of a stack of pillows. Behind similar items, perhaps with newer packaging, on the proper shelf. Sometimes, when items are getting scarce at 50% off, posters will buy them at that price and hold on to the receipt. If they find the item later at 75% or 90% off, they will buy the item again, remove any clearance stickers that show the lower price, and return the item at another time with the older, higher priced receipt, as long as it is within the 90 day return period. Target initiated a new return policy in November of 2002 that says any 'seasonal' clearance items returned will be refunded at the current clearance price, even with a receipt! They updated the policy in April, 2003 to specify these items as Chr-stmas trees and decorations and Hallowe'en costumes and decorations. As far as I know, all other seasonal merchandise should be refunded at the price stated on the reciept. Other web sites to visit to find listed bargains are: Target UPC finds Freebies and Bargains I hope y'all find this information helpful, and would love to know of other Perimeter Perusers tricks that I may not have covered! I just learned something new on a different forum devoted to Target. I've now that the Target website puts out coupons to be printed and used at their SuperTarget stores, but I didn't know that if a regular Target carried the item you could use that coupon, a coupon from a Target circular if one happens to be out, and a manufacturers coupon all at the same time on one item. So, you can stack all three coupons on one item at either a Super or regular Target. Here an online site to print off SuperTarget coupons. Super Target Coupons Some times Wow coupons has target coupons to print off as well, but they seem to not have any at the moment.

I can be a little thick at times, could you clarify? Do you mean if I suggest people read the newbie guide, that I should post the whole thing here (I did write it, so I don't mind), instead of linking to it on another site?

Hi Brad and Rossman. I sort of highjacked a thread in the Black Friday forum regarding clearance deals at Target. Would it be appropriate for me to start a thread in the Offline Deals forum regarding Perimeter Perusing at Target?

The Target at Sawgrass Mills is a Target Greatland. Basically a Target with a larger floor plan. I find that particular Target is difficult to Perimeter Peruse, but not because of the size. My theory is since it is in a mall that attracts both locals and tons of tourists, that the clearance items sell out before getting marked down much. There are a lot of Targets all over the Fort Lauderdale area. If you have time, I suggest you try Perimeter Perusing at any of the other ones. The ones I know best are the ones in Hollywood, Aventura (my favorite for finding clearance when I'm down there), and the one at the Broward Mall. There may be better ones in the area I haven't visited yet, but I've been to about 10 of the different Targets in the area, and those are my favorites for clearance. Keep in mind many times the items are not marked on clearance at all! So anything you have an interest in bring to a scanner and double check the price. You may be surprised and find an item on clearance no one knows about. And the UPC list I linked is quite useful in that situation. Oh, have fun, Elena! Keep in mind a new Target may not have much clearanced merchandise for a few months, especially with the holidays approaching. But, the Halloween clearance should follow the standard seasonal markdown schedule most Targets follow after a holiday except Chr-stmas. Traditional Holiday clearance schedule 50% off day after holiday for three days 75% off fourth day after holiday for three days 90% off seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days. Other than Chr-stmas this is the schedule used for holiday clearance, including Valentine's Day, Easter, Summerville, and Halloween, for at least the last two years In case you haven't made it over to the newbie guide, here is the departmental markdown most Target stores follow. However, you do need to get to know your individual store as some work ahead or behind schedule. ------- Mark Down Schedule ------- -Mon. -- Electronics, Kids Clothing and Stationary (Cards, GiftWrap, etc.) -Tues. -- Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets and Market (food items) -Wed. -- Men's Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, Lawn & Garden items -Thur. -- House Wares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Movies, Music, Books, Decor and Luggage -Fri. -- Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, & Jewelry I hope you find this helpful!

:::sung to George Thorogood's I Drink Alone::: I shop alone, yeah with nobody else I shop alone, yeah with nobody else You know when I shop alone I prefer to be by myself... Actually, if I could convince either of my guys (dh or ds) to get up and shop with me, it would be nice. But, neither of them will deign to even acknowledge that I'm up at that time of the morning on a day off from work and school. And since we're out of town at FIL's for the holiday weekend, I have no friends nearby to shop with.

I am looking forward to replies from those who frequent outlets. My experience has only been with Sawgrass Mills in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and I found that they are just about the same price as the retail stores in most instances. The only deals I have found there are on upscale clothing there, but many of those items appear to be seconds. But, I have never been to one of the outlet malls that are strip malls. Is it pretty much the same, or do you find nearly everything is a lot cheaper in those stores?

I gather your aunt has been there before then? Perhaps you can tell us why she likes it? It may help change our opinion of the store. However, I strongly suggest you check the ads for Circuit City or Best Buy for BF here on the site when they come out. You said you want a camcorder from BrandsMart. Do you know for sure it will be a BF item? You may find the same or an equivalent camcorder at CC or BB, or maybe even Wal-Mart. And, if W-M has it, you can buy it in advance, then go back with your receipt and the BF ad showing the sale price, and get the money refunded. I truly don't know if CC or BB price matches or refunds money from prior purchases on BF, but I know W-M does.

Are you planning on coming for school? One of my ex-coworkers (he graduated this past Spring and returned home) was from Brazil. In fact, as i am the activities programmer at the village housing complex we live at here at UF, I talked him into doing a Brazilian International Cooking Night a few months back. If you're interested, you can see the recipes he and his friends prepared at Tanglewood International Cooking Nights Recipes. We had a great time! Anyway, if you're planning on coming for school, please consider giving UF a look. Perhaps you could could even drive up one day from Orlando while you're there and walk around campus to check it out.

I start shopping the clearance sales after the holidays for the next year. But, tastes can change over a year, so 50% - 75% of my shopping still tends to get done on BF.