Perimeter Perusing at Target (Target Clearance Deals) - 2011

[Brad]

http://www.gottadeal.com/images/target.gif

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Target Perimeter Perusing!

PerimeterPerusing.com - quick text-only list of current monthly finds - great for printing to take with you!

As many of you know, Target B&M stores are known for their terrific clearance deals. This thread is for GottaDeal.com forum members to share their latest clearance finds. Also, please keep non-clearance discussion to a minimum - there are other threads for discussing weekly sale ads and store policy. This first post will contain some background information on the wonderful world of Target clearance, otherwise known around here as Perimeter Perusing!

You may have noticed that although the sticker price (the red-orange clearance sticker) show one price, many times the items will actually scan for a lesser amount. You can use this to your advantage because many shoppers without the benefit of being GottaDeal members do not realize this and pass the item by, thinking the sticker price is the actual price. Also, many times an item is not marked clearance in any way but still may be on clearance, so if you have an item that you would consider buying if it was on clearance, we suggest you take it to the nearest scanner and check the price that comes up. This is especially true of items which other members have reported being on clearance at their local store.

The standard clearance pattern at Target usually begins by items being marked down 15% or 30% at the beginning. This price can last somewhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how well the item sells at this price and what department the item is from. Then the item typically drops to 50%, again for anywhere from two weeks to a month in most cases. 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%, and you will find a few occasional display items or things found in the stockroom after inventory discounted in the 80%-90% range. In many cases, the lowest price an item will go will usually end in $x.x4 or $x.x8, but this is not always the case for 100% of items, so take that into consideration.

A typical markdown schedule for the seasonal or holiday clearance is as follows:

Traditional Post-Holiday Target Clearance Schedule

50% off - marked down on the day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
75% off - marked down on the fourth day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
90% off - marked down on the seventh day after the holiday, usually lasts for 1-3 days

Other than Christmas, this is usually the schedule used for post-holiday clearance, including Valentine's Day, Easter, Summerville, and Halloween, for at least the last few years.

The holiday mark-down does seem to fluctuate from store to store on occasion, but to help demonstrate how the holiday clearance has gone in 2008 and 2009, here is the Decatur, AL clearance dates for Valentine's Day and Halloween, courtesy of Timswife81404:

Valentine's 08
Feb. 15th, 2008 = 50%
Feb. 18th, 2008 = 75%
Feb. 20th, 2008 = 90%
Valentine’s 09
Feb. 15th, 2009 = 50%
Feb. 17th, 2009 = 75% (red dot dollar spot too)
Feb. 21st, 2009 = 90%

Halloween 08
Nov. 1st, 2008 = 50%
Nov. 4th, 2008 = 75%
Nov. 8th, 2008 = 90%
Halloween 09
Nov. 1st, 2009 = 50%
Nov. 3rd, 2009 = 75%
Nov. 7th, 2009 = 90%

Target initiated a controversial new return policy in November 2002 that says any seasonal clearance items returned will be refunded at the current clearance price, even with a receipt showing a higher purchase price. They updated the policy in April 2003 to specify these items as Christmas trees and decorations and Halloween costumes and decorations. Other seasonal merchandise should still be refunded at the price stated on the reciept.

Christmas clearance is an animal all to itself. The dates appear to be as follows:
50% off - always December 26,lasts four to five days
75% off - within a day or two on either side of New Year's Eve/Day (12/31-01/01)
90% off - within a day or two of Epiphany (01/06)

The Decatur, AL markdown schedule for Christmas in 2007, 2008 and 2009 was as follows:

Christmas 07
Dec. 26th, 2007 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2007 = 75%
Jan. 4th, 2007 = 90%
Christmas 08
Dec. 26th, 2008 = 50%
Dec. 30th, 2008 = 75%
Jan. 6th, 2009 = 90%
Jan. 2nd, 2009 = 75% Dollar Spot Christmas (black dot)
Christmas 09
Dec. 26th, 2009 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2009 = 75% (black dollar spot too)
Jan. 5th, 2010 = 90%

Twice a year, Target has a major clearance on toys. Once in January and again in the summer.

Here are the dates for the January toy clearance in Decatur, AL:

Toys 08
Jan. 10th, 2008 = 75%
Toys 09
Jan. 15th, 2009 = 75% on MOST toys some still 30-50%
Jan. 29th, 2009 = 75% on remaining toys
Toys 10
Jan. 15th, 2010 = 75% (Friday)

Other departments have an annual major clearance. Dates will be posted here as they become known.

Baby 09
Jan. 19th, 2009 = 75% on MOST already clearanced
Jan. 26th, 2009 = 75% on remaining clearance

Target is one of the few stores where many (although not all) of the cashiers have the ability to bargain when an item doesn't scan with a price. 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 override 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.

The 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 inventory system. Again, a good suggestion is to 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 one of the reasons how Target can claim to donate so much to charity.

The markdown teams in each many stores have been known to keep to a standardized schedule, but there are stores that have different ones, so your experience many vary. For those who do follow the standard schedule, the departmental markdown days are:

Traditional Department Mark Down Schedule

Monday - Electronics, Kids' Clothing, Stationery, Cards, Gift wrap
Tuesday - Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets, Market Pantry
Wednesday - Men's Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, Lawn & Garden
Thursday - Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Movies, Music, Books, Decor, Luggage
Friday - Automotive, Cosmetics, Hardware, Jewelry

Note that while this schedule says nothing about weekend markdowns, many Perimeter Perusers on the forum have seen items change in price between a Saturday morning shopping trip and one done on a Sunday afternoon. But nobody has found any rhyme or reason to what gets marked down on those days though - another part of the fun.

Target does not have a layaway plan, but die-hard Perimeter Perusers have tried various methods of getting around this. Most are constantly debated on the forum as far as being 'ethical' or not, so we'll leave it for you to decide for yourself. Just don't be surprised to find some differing opinions if you bring it up in this thread.

When an item goes 50% off and there are several left, some posters have said they find a hiding place to put the item. They then go back to see if the item is still there several weeks later, and if so, scan it to see if it has dropped in price. Some common hiding places shared are 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 or 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.

While not technically a clearance topic, in this thread, you may see reference to MM Juice or MM packs. These refer to 10 packs of Minute Maid juice boxes that can generally be bought for $.69. They are found in the juice aisle mixed in with the 15 packs. This usually includes only the Grape, Apple & Fruit Punch flavors -- never Orange Juice. They look exactly like the 15 packs which are generally stocked on the shelf, but instead of having 3 rows of 5 boxes, there are only 2 rows. They are often mixed in with the others, and even hidden in the back behind the 15 packs. You may go months or longer before you find your first set, but they really do exist. They are not an urban legend. And most of us can attest that you'll do a little dance in the aisle when you find them the first time.

Helpful Target Clearance-Related Links

Target Store Locator
Target Coupon Generator
PerimeterPerusing.com
Target Clearance Locator

[Brad]

http://www.gottadeal.com/images/target.gif

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Target Perimeter Perusing!

PerimeterPerusing.com - quick text-only list of current monthly finds - great for printing to take with you!

As many of you know, Target B&M stores are known for their terrific clearance deals. This thread is for GottaDeal.com forum members to share their latest clearance finds. Also, please keep non-clearance discussion to a minimum - there are other threads for discussing weekly sale ads and store policy. This first post will contain some background information on the wonderful world of Target clearance, otherwise known around here as Perimeter Perusing!

You may have noticed that although the sticker price (the red-orange clearance sticker) show one price, many times the items will actually scan for a lesser amount. You can use this to your advantage because many shoppers without the benefit of being GottaDeal members do not realize this and pass the item by, thinking the sticker price is the actual price. Also, many times an item is not marked clearance in any way but still may be on clearance, so if you have an item that you would consider buying if it was on clearance, we suggest you take it to the nearest scanner and check the price that comes up. This is especially true of items which other members have reported being on clearance at their local store.

The standard clearance pattern at Target usually begins by items being marked down 15% or 30% at the beginning. This price can last somewhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how well the item sells at this price and what department the item is from. Then the item typically drops to 50%, again for anywhere from two weeks to a month in most cases. 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%, and you will find a few occasional display items or things found in the stockroom after inventory discounted in the 80%-90% range. In many cases, the lowest price an item will go will usually end in $x.x4 or $x.x8, but this is not always the case for 100% of items, so take that into consideration.

A typical markdown schedule for the seasonal or holiday clearance is as follows:

Traditional Post-Holiday Target Clearance Schedule

50% off - marked down on the day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
75% off - marked down on the fourth day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
90% off - marked down on the seventh day after the holiday, usually lasts for 1-3 days

Other than Christmas, this is usually the schedule used for post-holiday clearance, including Valentine's Day, Easter, Summerville, and Halloween, for at least the last few years.

The holiday mark-down does seem to fluctuate from store to store on occasion, but to help demonstrate how the holiday clearance has gone in 2008 and 2009, here is the Decatur, AL clearance dates for Valentine's Day and Halloween, courtesy of Timswife81404:

Valentine's 08
Feb. 15th, 2008 = 50%
Feb. 18th, 2008 = 75%
Feb. 20th, 2008 = 90%
Valentine’s 09
Feb. 15th, 2009 = 50%
Feb. 17th, 2009 = 75% (red dot dollar spot too)
Feb. 21st, 2009 = 90%

Halloween 08
Nov. 1st, 2008 = 50%
Nov. 4th, 2008 = 75%
Nov. 8th, 2008 = 90%
Halloween 09
Nov. 1st, 2009 = 50%
Nov. 3rd, 2009 = 75%
Nov. 7th, 2009 = 90%

Target initiated a controversial new return policy in November 2002 that says any seasonal clearance items returned will be refunded at the current clearance price, even with a receipt showing a higher purchase price. They updated the policy in April 2003 to specify these items as Christmas trees and decorations and Halloween costumes and decorations. Other seasonal merchandise should still be refunded at the price stated on the reciept.

Christmas clearance is an animal all to itself. The dates appear to be as follows:
50% off - always December 26,lasts four to five days
75% off - within a day or two on either side of New Year's Eve/Day (12/31-01/01)
90% off - within a day or two of Epiphany (01/06)

The Decatur, AL markdown schedule for Christmas in 2007, 2008 and 2009 was as follows:

Christmas 07
Dec. 26th, 2007 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2007 = 75%
Jan. 4th, 2007 = 90%
Christmas 08
Dec. 26th, 2008 = 50%
Dec. 30th, 2008 = 75%
Jan. 6th, 2009 = 90%
Jan. 2nd, 2009 = 75% Dollar Spot Christmas (black dot)
Christmas 09
Dec. 26th, 2009 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2009 = 75% (black dollar spot too)
Jan. 5th, 2010 = 90%

Twice a year, Target has a major clearance on toys. Once in January and again in the summer.

Here are the dates for the January toy clearance in Decatur, AL:

Toys 08
Jan. 10th, 2008 = 75%
Toys 09
Jan. 15th, 2009 = 75% on MOST toys some still 30-50%
Jan. 29th, 2009 = 75% on remaining toys
Toys 10
Jan. 15th, 2010 = 75% (Friday)

Other departments have an annual major clearance. Dates will be posted here as they become known.

Baby 09
Jan. 19th, 2009 = 75% on MOST already clearanced
Jan. 26th, 2009 = 75% on remaining clearance

Target is one of the few stores where many (although not all) of the cashiers have the ability to bargain when an item doesn't scan with a price. 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 override 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.

The 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 inventory system. Again, a good suggestion is to 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 one of the reasons how Target can claim to donate so much to charity.

The markdown teams in each many stores have been known to keep to a standardized schedule, but there are stores that have different ones, so your experience many vary. For those who do follow the standard schedule, the departmental markdown days are:

Traditional Department Mark Down Schedule

Monday - Electronics, Kids' Clothing, Stationery, Cards, Gift wrap
Tuesday - Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets, Market Pantry
Wednesday - Men's Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, Lawn & Garden
Thursday - Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Movies, Music, Books, Decor, Luggage
Friday - Automotive, Cosmetics, Hardware, Jewelry

Note that while this schedule says nothing about weekend markdowns, many Perimeter Perusers on the forum have seen items change in price between a Saturday morning shopping trip and one done on a Sunday afternoon. But nobody has found any rhyme or reason to what gets marked down on those days though - another part of the fun.

Target does not have a layaway plan, but die-hard Perimeter Perusers have tried various methods of getting around this. Most are constantly debated on the forum as far as being 'ethical' or not, so we'll leave it for you to decide for yourself. Just don't be surprised to find some differing opinions if you bring it up in this thread.

When an item goes 50% off and there are several left, some posters have said they find a hiding place to put the item. They then go back to see if the item is still there several weeks later, and if so, scan it to see if it has dropped in price. Some common hiding places shared are 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 or 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.

While not technically a clearance topic, in this thread, you may see reference to MM Juice or MM packs. These refer to 10 packs of Minute Maid juice boxes that can generally be bought for $.69. They are found in the juice aisle mixed in with the 15 packs. This usually includes only the Grape, Apple & Fruit Punch flavors -- never Orange Juice. They look exactly like the 15 packs which are generally stocked on the shelf, but instead of having 3 rows of 5 boxes, there are only 2 rows. They are often mixed in with the others, and even hidden in the back behind the 15 packs. You may go months or longer before you find your first set, but they really do exist. They are not an urban legend. And most of us can attest that you'll do a little dance in the aisle when you find them the first time.

Helpful Target Clearance-Related Links

Target Store Locator
Target Coupon Generator
PerimeterPerusing.com
Target Clearance Locator

[Brad]

http://www.gottadeal.com/images/target.gif

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Target Perimeter Perusing!

PerimeterPerusing.com - quick text-only list of current monthly finds - great for printing to take with you!

As many of you know, Target B&M stores are known for their terrific clearance deals. This thread is for GottaDeal.com forum members to share their latest clearance finds. Also, please keep non-clearance discussion to a minimum - there are other threads for discussing weekly sale ads and store policy. This first post will contain some background information on the wonderful world of Target clearance, otherwise known around here as Perimeter Perusing!

You may have noticed that although the sticker price (the red-orange clearance sticker) show one price, many times the items will actually scan for a lesser amount. You can use this to your advantage because many shoppers without the benefit of being GottaDeal members do not realize this and pass the item by, thinking the sticker price is the actual price. Also, many times an item is not marked clearance in any way but still may be on clearance, so if you have an item that you would consider buying if it was on clearance, we suggest you take it to the nearest scanner and check the price that comes up. This is especially true of items which other members have reported being on clearance at their local store.

The standard clearance pattern at Target usually begins by items being marked down 15% or 30% at the beginning. This price can last somewhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how well the item sells at this price and what department the item is from. Then the item typically drops to 50%, again for anywhere from two weeks to a month in most cases. 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%, and you will find a few occasional display items or things found in the stockroom after inventory discounted in the 80%-90% range. In many cases, the lowest price an item will go will usually end in $x.x4 or $x.x8, but this is not always the case for 100% of items, so take that into consideration.

A typical markdown schedule for the seasonal or holiday clearance is as follows:

Traditional Post-Holiday Target Clearance Schedule

50% off - marked down on the day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
75% off - marked down on the fourth day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
90% off - marked down on the seventh day after the holiday, usually lasts for 1-3 days

Other than Christmas, this is usually the schedule used for post-holiday clearance, including Valentine's Day, Easter, Summerville, and Halloween, for at least the last few years.

The holiday mark-down does seem to fluctuate from store to store on occasion, but to help demonstrate how the holiday clearance has gone in 2008 and 2009, here is the Decatur, AL clearance dates for Valentine's Day and Halloween, courtesy of Timswife81404:

Valentine's 08
Feb. 15th, 2008 = 50%
Feb. 18th, 2008 = 75%
Feb. 20th, 2008 = 90%
Valentine’s 09
Feb. 15th, 2009 = 50%
Feb. 17th, 2009 = 75% (red dot dollar spot too)
Feb. 21st, 2009 = 90%

Halloween 08
Nov. 1st, 2008 = 50%
Nov. 4th, 2008 = 75%
Nov. 8th, 2008 = 90%
Halloween 09
Nov. 1st, 2009 = 50%
Nov. 3rd, 2009 = 75%
Nov. 7th, 2009 = 90%

Target initiated a controversial new return policy in November 2002 that says any seasonal clearance items returned will be refunded at the current clearance price, even with a receipt showing a higher purchase price. They updated the policy in April 2003 to specify these items as Christmas trees and decorations and Halloween costumes and decorations. Other seasonal merchandise should still be refunded at the price stated on the reciept.

Christmas clearance is an animal all to itself. The dates appear to be as follows:
50% off - always December 26,lasts four to five days
75% off - within a day or two on either side of New Year's Eve/Day (12/31-01/01)
90% off - within a day or two of Epiphany (01/06)

The Decatur, AL markdown schedule for Christmas in 2007, 2008 and 2009 was as follows:

Christmas 07
Dec. 26th, 2007 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2007 = 75%
Jan. 4th, 2007 = 90%
Christmas 08
Dec. 26th, 2008 = 50%
Dec. 30th, 2008 = 75%
Jan. 6th, 2009 = 90%
Jan. 2nd, 2009 = 75% Dollar Spot Christmas (black dot)
Christmas 09
Dec. 26th, 2009 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2009 = 75% (black dollar spot too)
Jan. 5th, 2010 = 90%

Twice a year, Target has a major clearance on toys. Once in January and again in the summer.

Here are the dates for the January toy clearance in Decatur, AL:

Toys 08
Jan. 10th, 2008 = 75%
Toys 09
Jan. 15th, 2009 = 75% on MOST toys some still 30-50%
Jan. 29th, 2009 = 75% on remaining toys
Toys 10
Jan. 15th, 2010 = 75% (Friday)

Other departments have an annual major clearance. Dates will be posted here as they become known.

Baby 09
Jan. 19th, 2009 = 75% on MOST already clearanced
Jan. 26th, 2009 = 75% on remaining clearance

Target is one of the few stores where many (although not all) of the cashiers have the ability to bargain when an item doesn't scan with a price. 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 override 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.

The 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 inventory system. Again, a good suggestion is to 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 one of the reasons how Target can claim to donate so much to charity.

The markdown teams in each many stores have been known to keep to a standardized schedule, but there are stores that have different ones, so your experience many vary. For those who do follow the standard schedule, the departmental markdown days are:

Traditional Department Mark Down Schedule

Monday - Electronics, Kids' Clothing, Stationery, Cards, Gift wrap
Tuesday - Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets, Market Pantry
Wednesday - Men's Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, Lawn & Garden
Thursday - Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Movies, Music, Books, Decor, Luggage
Friday - Automotive, Cosmetics, Hardware, Jewelry

Note that while this schedule says nothing about weekend markdowns, many Perimeter Perusers on the forum have seen items change in price between a Saturday morning shopping trip and one done on a Sunday afternoon. But nobody has found any rhyme or reason to what gets marked down on those days though - another part of the fun.

Target does not have a layaway plan, but die-hard Perimeter Perusers have tried various methods of getting around this. Most are constantly debated on the forum as far as being 'ethical' or not, so we'll leave it for you to decide for yourself. Just don't be surprised to find some differing opinions if you bring it up in this thread.

When an item goes 50% off and there are several left, some posters have said they find a hiding place to put the item. They then go back to see if the item is still there several weeks later, and if so, scan it to see if it has dropped in price. Some common hiding places shared are 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 or 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.

While not technically a clearance topic, in this thread, you may see reference to MM Juice or MM packs. These refer to 10 packs of Minute Maid juice boxes that can generally be bought for $.69. They are found in the juice aisle mixed in with the 15 packs. This usually includes only the Grape, Apple & Fruit Punch flavors -- never Orange Juice. They look exactly like the 15 packs which are generally stocked on the shelf, but instead of having 3 rows of 5 boxes, there are only 2 rows. They are often mixed in with the others, and even hidden in the back behind the 15 packs. You may go months or longer before you find your first set, but they really do exist. They are not an urban legend. And most of us can attest that you'll do a little dance in the aisle when you find them the first time.

Helpful Target Clearance-Related Links

Target Store Locator
Target Coupon Generator
PerimeterPerusing.com
Target Clearance Locator

[Brad]

http://www.gottadeal.com/images/target.gif

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Target Perimeter Perusing!

PerimeterPerusing.com - quick text-only list of current monthly finds - great for printing to take with you!

As many of you know, Target B&M stores are known for their terrific clearance deals. This thread is for GottaDeal.com forum members to share their latest clearance finds. Also, please keep non-clearance discussion to a minimum - there are other threads for discussing weekly sale ads and store policy. This first post will contain some background information on the wonderful world of Target clearance, otherwise known around here as Perimeter Perusing!

You may have noticed that although the sticker price (the red-orange clearance sticker) show one price, many times the items will actually scan for a lesser amount. You can use this to your advantage because many shoppers without the benefit of being GottaDeal members do not realize this and pass the item by, thinking the sticker price is the actual price. Also, many times an item is not marked clearance in any way but still may be on clearance, so if you have an item that you would consider buying if it was on clearance, we suggest you take it to the nearest scanner and check the price that comes up. This is especially true of items which other members have reported being on clearance at their local store.

The standard clearance pattern at Target usually begins by items being marked down 15% or 30% at the beginning. This price can last somewhere between two weeks to a month, depending on how well the item sells at this price and what department the item is from. Then the item typically drops to 50%, again for anywhere from two weeks to a month in most cases. 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%, and you will find a few occasional display items or things found in the stockroom after inventory discounted in the 80%-90% range. In many cases, the lowest price an item will go will usually end in $x.x4 or $x.x8, but this is not always the case for 100% of items, so take that into consideration.

A typical markdown schedule for the seasonal or holiday clearance is as follows:

Traditional Post-Holiday Target Clearance Schedule

50% off - marked down on the day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
75% off - marked down on the fourth day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days
90% off - marked down on the seventh day after the holiday, usually lasts for 1-3 days

Other than Christmas, this is usually the schedule used for post-holiday clearance, including Valentine's Day, Easter, Summerville, and Halloween, for at least the last few years.

The holiday mark-down does seem to fluctuate from store to store on occasion, but to help demonstrate how the holiday clearance has gone in 2008 and 2009, here is the Decatur, AL clearance dates for Valentine's Day and Halloween, courtesy of Timswife81404:

Valentine's 08
Feb. 15th, 2008 = 50%
Feb. 18th, 2008 = 75%
Feb. 20th, 2008 = 90%
Valentine’s 09
Feb. 15th, 2009 = 50%
Feb. 17th, 2009 = 75% (red dot dollar spot too)
Feb. 21st, 2009 = 90%

Halloween 08
Nov. 1st, 2008 = 50%
Nov. 4th, 2008 = 75%
Nov. 8th, 2008 = 90%
Halloween 09
Nov. 1st, 2009 = 50%
Nov. 3rd, 2009 = 75%
Nov. 7th, 2009 = 90%

Target initiated a controversial new return policy in November 2002 that says any seasonal clearance items returned will be refunded at the current clearance price, even with a receipt showing a higher purchase price. They updated the policy in April 2003 to specify these items as Christmas trees and decorations and Halloween costumes and decorations. Other seasonal merchandise should still be refunded at the price stated on the reciept.

Christmas clearance is an animal all to itself. The dates appear to be as follows:
50% off - always December 26,lasts four to five days
75% off - within a day or two on either side of New Year's Eve/Day (12/31-01/01)
90% off - within a day or two of Epiphany (01/06)

The Decatur, AL markdown schedule for Christmas in 2007, 2008 and 2009 was as follows:

Christmas 07
Dec. 26th, 2007 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2007 = 75%
Jan. 4th, 2007 = 90%
Christmas 08
Dec. 26th, 2008 = 50%
Dec. 30th, 2008 = 75%
Jan. 6th, 2009 = 90%
Jan. 2nd, 2009 = 75% Dollar Spot Christmas (black dot)
Christmas 09
Dec. 26th, 2009 = 50%
Dec. 31st, 2009 = 75% (black dollar spot too)
Jan. 5th, 2010 = 90%

Twice a year, Target has a major clearance on toys. Once in January and again in the summer.

Here are the dates for the January toy clearance in Decatur, AL:

Toys 08
Jan. 10th, 2008 = 75%
Toys 09
Jan. 15th, 2009 = 75% on MOST toys some still 30-50%
Jan. 29th, 2009 = 75% on remaining toys
Toys 10
Jan. 15th, 2010 = 75% (Friday)

Other departments have an annual major clearance. Dates will be posted here as they become known.

Baby 09
Jan. 19th, 2009 = 75% on MOST already clearanced
Jan. 26th, 2009 = 75% on remaining clearance

Target is one of the few stores where many (although not all) of the cashiers have the ability to bargain when an item doesn't scan with a price. 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 override 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.

The 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 inventory system. Again, a good suggestion is to 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 one of the reasons how Target can claim to donate so much to charity.

The markdown teams in each many stores have been known to keep to a standardized schedule, but there are stores that have different ones, so your experience many vary. For those who do follow the standard schedule, the departmental markdown days are:

Traditional Department Mark Down Schedule

Monday - Electronics, Kids' Clothing, Stationery, Cards, Gift wrap
Tuesday - Domestics, Women's Clothing, Pets, Market Pantry
Wednesday - Men's Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, Lawn & Garden
Thursday - Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Movies, Music, Books, Decor, Luggage
Friday - Automotive, Cosmetics, Hardware, Jewelry

Note that while this schedule says nothing about weekend markdowns, many Perimeter Perusers on the forum have seen items change in price between a Saturday morning shopping trip and one done on a Sunday afternoon. But nobody has found any rhyme or reason to what gets marked down on those days though - another part of the fun.

Target does not have a layaway plan, but die-hard Perimeter Perusers have tried various methods of getting around this. Most are constantly debated on the forum as far as being 'ethical' or not, so we'll leave it for you to decide for yourself. Just don't be surprised to find some differing opinions if you bring it up in this thread.

When an item goes 50% off and there are several left, some posters have said they find a hiding place to put the item. They then go back to see if the item is still there several weeks later, and if so, scan it to see if it has dropped in price. Some common hiding places shared are 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 or 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.

While not technically a clearance topic, in this thread, you may see reference to MM Juice or MM packs. These refer to 10 packs of Minute Maid juice boxes that can generally be bought for $.69. They are found in the juice aisle mixed in with the 15 packs. This usually includes only the Grape, Apple & Fruit Punch flavors -- never Orange Juice. They look exactly like the 15 packs which are generally stocked on the shelf, but instead of having 3 rows of 5 boxes, there are only 2 rows. They are often mixed in with the others, and even hidden in the back behind the 15 packs. You may go months or longer before you find your first set, but they really do exist. They are not an urban legend. And most of us can attest that you'll do a little dance in the aisle when you find them the first time.

Helpful Target Clearance-Related Links

Target Store Locator
Target Coupon Generator
PerimeterPerusing.com
Target Clearance Locator

[Brad]

This quarter's thread continues the PerimeterPerusing.com summary feature. Each quarter, PerimeterPerusing.com will contain a summary of clearance finds for the current quarter. It will only include items posted using the proper format, so please read below to find out how to make sure your clearance finds are included.

 

The list for the current quarter will be updated periodically (usually hourly) by an automated script. The script will go through the thread looking for lines which are labeled as being clearance finds and add them to the summary.

 

Again, when you want to add an item to the summary, include it in your post and prefix the line by adding three consecutive # symbols. Your post can also contain non-item lines, just don't use the three # symbols for those lines. The more information you have about each item, the better. Just keep each item on it's own single line so you don't confuse the script.

 

Here is a sample of what a post might look like:

 

went to my local Target this morning. here are my finds:

 

###087-06-1079 - Indiana Jones Mr. Potato Head - $3.74

###204-03-2795 - Thomas the Train Playset - $19.98

###50% off select scrapbooking supplies

 

more comments here if needed. blah blah blah.

If you don't have any items listed, your post will be skipped over by the script.

 

One more time, please keep all discussion in this thread related to Target Clearance deals only. Discussion about weekly ad items or store policy belong in other threads.

[Brad]

This quarter's thread continues the PerimeterPerusing.com summary feature. Each quarter, PerimeterPerusing.com will contain a summary of clearance finds for the current quarter. It will only include items posted using the proper format, so please read below to find out how to make sure your clearance finds are included.

 

The list for the current quarter will be updated periodically (usually hourly) by an automated script. The script will go through the thread looking for lines which are labeled as being clearance finds and add them to the summary.

 

Again, when you want to add an item to the summary, include it in your post and prefix the line by adding three consecutive # symbols. Your post can also contain non-item lines, just don't use the three # symbols for those lines. The more information you have about each item, the better. Just keep each item on it's own single line so you don't confuse the script.

 

Here is a sample of what a post might look like:

 

went to my local Target this morning. here are my finds:

 

###087-06-1079 - Indiana Jones Mr. Potato Head - $3.74

###204-03-2795 - Thomas the Train Playset - $19.98

###50% off select scrapbooking supplies

 

more comments here if needed. blah blah blah.

If you don't have any items listed, your post will be skipped over by the script.

 

One more time, please keep all discussion in this thread related to Target Clearance deals only. Discussion about weekly ad items or store policy belong in other threads.

[IrishWife]

oddest thing... Theres an older gentleman I've seen for YEARS at my Target. Hes there for the hot wheels. But hits clearance too. So he saw me mid day when I picked up Rx's. He said that morning it was 75% then they marked it back up saying "it was a mistake" why? huh?

[alexusrydr]

75% here (finally). spent $100 on Christmas and that didn't even include getting a tree, gift bags, wrapping paper, etc....lol

[alexusrydr]

Any updates on the Lafayette, LA store? haven't had a chance to get there, wondering if it's 75% yet.

 

Selena

You are in my old hometown. I'm from Opelousas and lived in Lafayette while I was going to college. Great to see someone from the area on here.

And to answer your question, I would think (think, not know) that all remaining stores are now 75%.

[supermom4]

Easton, PA was only 50% today and everything was picked over.

That's too bad!! I went to Malvern, Exton, and Oaks, PA Targets yesterday - all were at 75% and all still had quite a bit of stuff, including lights (just string & icicle lights mainly). You probably don't want to travel 1.5 hours - but just FYI.

 

I plan to go to IKEA in Conshocken today, so will check the Target near there as well (I believe it's listed as Plymouth Meeting), from past experience, they don't mark down on the same schedule as the others nearer me, so may still be at 50%, but will let you know.

:)

[studentnurse30]

Any updates on the Lafayette, LA store? haven't had a chance to get there, wondering if it's 75% yet.

 

Selena

I was wondering the same thing Selena. I *might* check out the northside store in a bit.

[jenvargas]

I forgot to add the other day at my target they had the winter flannel sheet sets all sizes for 5 dollars. They had some with mitten patterns which I got for my girls and a solid aqua sea foam color which I got for myself. Our bed is king size so its hard to find 5 dollar sheets that are good lol. I bought these last yr at reg. Price which is 20 and they last and are very warm! ; )

[carrieeng]

Pink $ Spot and Christmas is 75% off in Sioux Falls, SD. I had to go check it out in the middle of a Blizzard. I would like to go to the other store but my husband won't let me. Hopefully they have lots left at 90% off.

[bamaprincess]

Were the Hot Wheels in holiday packaging ringing up 50% off at your store? At my store in CA I found them in the regular section, but they were ringing up full price.

I didn't scan them, because I didn't need them, so they might not be clearanced. I just saw the red bow on the box. Hmm...

[bamaprincess]

75% off in Montgomery Today!!!

This is what I got (I hope it will help someone else find some good bargains):

###040031487 3 pk Merona mens flannel boxers 2.49(in a clear plastic box) some of the boxers look Christmasy and some don't.

###040031496 3 pk Merona mens flannel boxers 2.49

###059033837 Polar Express book with CD and ornament 4.73

###059033850 O Little Town of Bethlehem light up book plays music 2.74

###059033851 Christmas Prayer book 2.49

###071950377 Archer Farm Mixed Nuts 2.49

###002100471 Coin Counting Bank 2.49

###002100477 Coin Counting Bank 2.49 (Note: one of these banks was in the red striped Christmas box and one was NOT. The other one is Emerson brand and the box is green black and blue)

###002100480 Auto Vacuum 2.49 (Shift3 brand, blue, green, black box- doesn't look Christmasy at all)

###062260053 Full Flannel Sheet set (polkadot) 4.99

###06705449 Red cloth napkins (Classic Tidings-green packaging) .49

###067050543 Be Merry Thow (off white or red, green label with black ribbon)

###200020130 12pk bowls (in a big red box) 3.74

###200021777 12 pk mugs (big red box) 3.74 (the mugs and bowls are off white with gold rim)

###05110613 Plastic ware in a red box .75

I also got some cute stuff from the Dollar Spot! Thanks to others that post all these great deals so that I know what to look for.

[kathytheshopper]

Yippee, 75% off here. I got a ton of stuff.

2 pack of trees

Those bright boxed ornaments and matching boxed garland-pink, purple, green, blue sets, and I got various other ornaments that will match.

Penguin lite up for outside for my daughter-in-law.

Tons of the LED lights-the pink ones that are really more purple, the multi colored ones and 6 boxes of white ones.

Tissue paper, bags, boxes, tags, bubblewrap, Christmas designed Scotch mailing tape

The poker dealer nutcracker and one of the lady ones. I'm going to paint over the 2010 and paint my son and daughter-in-laws names on them. They both work at the casino here so they will be cute to put out next year.

3 cd's and one book.

Several Boxes of the "pie" kleenex.

Christmas tennis balls, nightlights, fancy ornament hooks.

I'm sure there's more but that gives you a good idea!

[txsupermom]

75% off North DFW. Found the tissues, plastic cups, plastic utensils, 12pack porcelain salad plates (best find at 3.24 for 12 plates), Captain Crunch Holiday cereal, cake mix, frosting, cookies, popcorn (poppycock and target brands), Oreos (peppermint and regular), red box items (golf putter, weather monitor, eyeglasses that are straws, cooler with speakers, world clock organizer, mens valet w/coin counter) and more of the previously mentioned stuff all at 75% off. The only thing that was still ringing 50% was the Ghirardelli.

 

Pink dot 75% with no signs.

 

Remember to check the bakery. They had the iced cookies, mini cupcakes and other holiday items at 75% too.

[boredbread]

75% Christmas here today. Didn't find anything not already mentioned but have one tip if you are looking for scotch tape-- my store had the purple package GiftWrap Scotch tape-- the ones that were 75% had "Bonus 50 inches" in the upper right. Found a couple in the regular tape isle. Just scan to be sure :)

[cutexianchick]

Both of my Targets went 75% off today. I did pick up that light up outdoor snowman and winter wonderland pole sign. I found about the same as everyone else is finding. They had a ton of paper plates/cups and napkins along with table clothes and napkins. Only some of the Christmas cd's were ringing up at 75%. I might go back later and grab the tape that I hid and a few cd's and see if they will mark them down.

 

To my surpirse this year both stores were nearly out of the "gift" hot chocolates and coffee boxes. I usually stock up and then break them apart and give them out to co-workers the following year (thats not a bad thing). Most of the candy was gone but they still had lots of Pep. Farm Cookies.

[HansieDZ]

The two north Targets here are 75% but bagged candy is 50%.

Northwood had about half as much as Glenbrook which is why I started at Glenbrook

Now,just to hit the SW store for 90% off.

[SelenaV]

I called the Ambassador Store in Lafayette and they said it went 75% off yesterday, any idea whn to expect 90%?

It's so nice to see some locals here!!

 

Selena

[dtwdmaty]

Orange County, CA TARGETS

 

Rancho Santa Margarita- 75%

Alicia Parkway-75%

Irvine Spectrum-75%

Irvine North on Jamboree/Irvine Blvd. 75% off both Christmas and Pick Dot. Lots left of both this morning.

[misshayley]

Went to 2 Targets in the Columbus, OH area today and they were both at 75% off, not sure when they went but they still had decent stuff left. I figured that there wouldn't be anything left, but I found all the outside lights that I needed and they still had some outside decorations, like the white deer and light up snowmen left. Also found plain red microfiber pillows that will match our sectional perfectly for 75% off, great deal, they were in with the holiday stuff must have been because they were red.

[Backstagemom]

Taylor Michigan Target is 75% off. Got some great gifts for the coming year. Whoo hoo

[Sarasuzymama]

Seriously a ZOO at Target today...the parking lot was as full as it was the weekend before Christmas!

 

It was 75% off and there was a TON left, even with a bunch of people shopping it. (This was at 9:45 or so at the Ward Parkway location).

 

I got:

###Queen sized flannel sheet set with mitten pattern: $4.99

###LS t-shirt "Joy to the World": $2

###Cars Book "Mater Saves Christmas": $3.24

###Phineas and Ferb book: $1.24

###Marley Book: $1.74

###Goldfish box: $.74

###Cake Mixes: $.42

###Frosting: $.42

###Dove Chocolate (in the regular aisle...just 50% off): $1.74

###Lip Smackers Sets: $.99 each (used a $1/2 coupon)

###Mickey/Minnie cups with snow globe bottoms: $1.49

###Hello Kitty Set: $1.74

 

From the Dollar Section:

###Felt buckets (great for giving gifts): $.25

 

Now...the pajama mystery. I scanned a set of women's Nick & Nora PJs (green with snowmen). These were in the regular women's pj section. They scanned 75% off...$6.24. I went back and grabbed every other Nick & Nora style and they all were clearanced, but just at 30% (and most had red stickers). I scanned a set of kids pjs with an identical pattern (green with snowmen) and they were full price, as were all of the Nick & Nora kids pjs, except a couple of prints that were 30% off. However, one set of Carter's PJs in the girls section (Santa pattern) rang up 75% off...just $3.24 for TWO pair (WOO!). Other Christmasy prints were either full price or just 30% off. It's a mystery. Last year the Nick & Nora sets were on the Christmas markdown, but they never moved them to that section. I got 4-5 pair for just $1.29 each when they hit 90% off! This year, no such luck (yet).

[lovetoshopCA]

### Dyson Absolute 50% at La Verne CA store. $224.50 (072070614)

[boblin119]

Champaign, IL target wnt 75% off today and it was a madhouse!

 

Managed to get:

 

### 8 rolls of scotch tape .50 and still a lot left

### winnie the pooh and iron man gift wrap .75

### outdoor extension cords $1.24

### santa cookie jar $4.00

[dealluvr]

south jerz

 

### christmas capn crunch $1.25

### target brand mouthwash .34

### really nice door mat with penguins $4.98 was $19.99

### 30 tealights $1

### small packs of southern comfort coffee .25

 

while i was there i cashed in my free starbucks coupon for a large hot chocolate with caramel whip cream and sea salt yum

[debnmark]

Just got back from our local Target. 75%. I hit the pink $ spot as it is perfect for treat bags for my daughter's b-day in a couple weeks. Found some cute infant/toddler phones in the Christmas section. The kind where you can record a message. They were down to $1.99. Saw some good toys at 50%... lots of Liv dolls, some Lego Halo motorcycle set, can't remember what else I saw right now... unfortunately my daughter was with me so I couldn't shop for her although I did pick up a 4 pack of zhu zhu pets for $9.xx. She saw it, but I couldn't pass it up for that price!

[debnmark]

oh yeah! i found a pair of scotch scissors on clearance for $.75 and used the $1 coupon. thanks for the heads up on this!