Gift Cards Travel Target Shoppers: Here's How to Save Money!
callie
Target has one of the most complex pricing systems in the history of retail, but that's not actually a bad thing; the more complicated the system, the more money you can save.
Here is a break down of how their prices work along with a few other money saving tricks.
How Does The Pricing System Work?
Very carefully, that's how. There's an art to Target’s system that, once you learn it, you will wonder how you have ever shopped without it.
The Monday to Friday Rule
Each department at Target has their own dedicated markdown day where products are marked down from the original price. These discounts happen about 2 weeks after making their first appearance in the store.
Here are the days and departments in which these markdowns occur:
Monday
- Electronics, accessories, stationary, books, baby, and kids clothing
Tuesday
- Women's clothing, food, and pets
Wednesday
- Men's clothing, health/beauty, furniture, and garden/lawn
Thursday
- Shows, toys, lingerie, houseware, decor, luggage, and sporting goods
Friday
- Cosmetics, jewelry, hardware, and auto
The 30-50-70 Rule
Items get marked down in a special order, therefore making it easy to maximize your money saving skills.
Products that get marked down go from a 30% discount to a 50% discount, and then finally marked down 70% off the original price. And so, when you see that 70% discount, that's the time to snag the item.
The only exception are holiday items, which have a final markdown of 90% off the original price. This is a great tip for those of you who like to plan ahead with next years Christmas decorations!
Know Your Numbers
Keep in mind that Target marks their items down in 2 week increments, but how do you know when the markdown is final?
Simple! It says so right on the price tags!
- A price tag that ends with .06 or .08 indicates that the product will be marked down again within the next 2 weeks.
- A price tag that ends with .04 indicates that the price of the product is down to the final, lowest price. So buy it!
Don’t Settle For The Price You Paid
How many times have you purchased something only to see it go on sale the next week?
Price Adjustments
They don't flaunt it, but Target will actually adjust the price of an item you paid for to the sale price given that the price has dropped within 2 weeks of purchase.
For example, let’s say that the price of a pair of sunglasses is $15, but you bought them last week for $30. Bring in the receipt or proof of purchase and Target will reimburse you to match current sale price of those glasses. Magical!
Competitor Price Matching
Furthermore, Target price matches competitor prices. Just bring in a flyer or coupon of a competitor store and Target will adjust the price to match the lower one.
Rain Checks
Let's say that there is a sale on a pair of shoes but they are out of stock. If you ask an employee for a “rain check,” Target will give you 30 days to come back and purchase the item at the sale price, despite if the sale has ended at that time.
Other Thrifty Tips
- Target takes five cents off your purchase for using a reusable bag.
- Although the general return policy states that items must be returned within 30 days, Target gives you one whole year to return store brand items.
- Use coupons on top of Target’s gift card promotions. Gift card promotions are when the sale results in a gift card to the store if you buy a certain number of that product. So if a product has a “$5 gift card when you buy 2 of this item,” you are still free to use other coupons on top of that.
- Stack manufacturer coupons on top of Target coupons and get double off the original price.
- The Target app sends you 10 exclusive coupons per week, so download the app!
- If you don't want to ruin your credit, the REDcard now comes with a debit card option where you will earn rewards, discounts, and receive an extended return policy.
There you go! The secret to shopping at Target isn't so much a secret as it is simply knowing how their system works. Get shopping!