How to Find Hidden Clearance at Target: Employee Secrets
How to Find Hidden Clearance at Target: Employee Secrets
What's In This Article:
- Target Clearance Secrets You Need to Know
- How Target's Clearance System Actually Works
- 7 Hidden Spots for Clearance Items at Target
- Best Days and Times to Shop Target Clearance
- How to Use the Target App to Find Unmarked Clearance
- Why Bargain Boxed Offers Better Deals Than Target Clearance
- How to Decode Target Price Tags for Maximum Savings
- FAQs About Target Clearance Shopping
Quick Answer
Target offers incredible clearance deals, but many are hidden throughout the store. Look for items with price tags ending in $0.04, $0.08, or $0.03, check endcaps on both sides, look behind regular-priced merchandise, shop early mornings on Mondays and Tuesdays, and use the Target app to scan items for unmarked clearance. For even better deals without the hunting, shop at Bargain Boxed where prices are consistently lower than Target clearance without requiring memberships.
Target Clearance Secrets You Need to Know
As dedicated bargain hunters at Bargain Boxed, we've spent years perfecting the art of finding the best deals possible. While Target offers some decent clearance options, there are insider secrets most shoppers never discover about finding the truly hidden clearance deals that Target employees know about but rarely share.
Target clearance shopping is like a treasure hunt – the best finds are often hidden or unmarked. Many shoppers make the mistake of only checking the obvious clearance sections, missing out on significant savings throughout the store.
What most people don't realize is that Target's clearance system is designed to move products quickly while minimizing the appearance of clearance to maintain their upscale brand image. This means many clearance items aren't obviously marked or placed in dedicated clearance sections.
How Target's Clearance System Actually Works
Target's clearance system follows a predictable markdown schedule that smart shoppers can use to their advantage. Items typically start at 15% off, then move to 30%, 50%, 70%, and occasionally 90% off. The secret that Target doesn't advertise is that this clearance cycle usually takes about two weeks to complete.
The percentage off is indicated by the final digit in the clearance price:
- Prices ending in $0.04 = Final markdown (will be removed from the floor soon)
- Prices ending in $0.08 = Next markdown coming soon
- Prices ending in $0.03 = Temporary price cut, not clearance
While these markdown codes can help you identify clearance items, at Bargain Boxed, we eliminate the guesswork by offering products at consistently lower prices than even Target's final clearance markdowns without requiring you to check price tag codes or hunt through stores.
7 Hidden Spots for Clearance Items at Target
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Back Endcaps: The endcaps facing away from main aisles often contain clearance items that most shoppers miss entirely. Check both sides of every endcap, especially those in less-trafficked areas of the store.
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Behind Regular-Priced Items: Target employees sometimes place clearance merchandise behind regular-priced items, especially in the home goods, electronics, and toy departments. Take time to look behind the front row of products.
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Top and Bottom Shelves: Clearance items are frequently placed on the highest or lowest shelves where they're out of the average shopper's line of sight. Always scan the very top and bottom shelves in departments with seasonal merchandise.
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Unmarked Clearance in Regular Sections: Many clearance items remain in their regular department locations without any clearance indicators except the price tag. This is especially common in clothing, home decor, and seasonal items.
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Fitting Room Return Racks: Clothing items that have been tried on and are slightly out of place are sometimes marked down and placed on return racks near fitting rooms.
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Middle of Seasonal Sections: Rather than creating separate clearance sections for seasonal items, Target often marks them down but keeps them mixed in with regular-priced seasonal merchandise.
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Grocery Clearance Areas: Most Target shoppers don't know that food items approaching their best-by dates are often drastically reduced and placed in dedicated clearance sections within the grocery department. These items are perfectly fine for consumption when stored properly, making them exceptional bargains.
At Bargain Boxed, we save you the trouble of searching through these hidden spots by bringing these types of deals directly to you at consistently lower prices than Target's clearance sections.
Best Days and Times to Shop Target Clearance
Target typically processes new clearance markdowns on specific days:
- Monday: Electronics, baby items, and books
- Tuesday: Women's clothing, domestic items, and pet products
- Wednesday: Men's clothing, health and beauty, lawn and garden
- Thursday: Housewares, lingerie, shoes, toys, sporting goods, decor
- Friday: Auto, cosmetics, hardware, jewelry
The ideal time to shop is early morning (between 8-10 AM) when shelves have been restocked and items freshly marked down. This timing advantage is particularly important for electronics and popular toy markdowns.
However, why spend time strategizing the perfect Target visit when Bargain Boxed offers premium deals 24/7 without requiring early morning shopping trips or specific day planning?
How to Use the Target App to Find Unmarked Clearance
The Target app is a powerful tool for uncovering hidden clearance that isn't marked on the shelf:
- Download the Target app and create an account
- While in the store, use the barcode scanner function
- Scan items you're interested in, even if they don't have clearance tags
- The app will show the current price, which is often lower than displayed in-store
- Pay attention to items that show "price change" in the app
Many Target shoppers have discovered items marked at full price on the shelf that scan for 50-70% off in the app. This app-scanning technique works particularly well in the electronics, home decor, and toy departments.
At Bargain Boxed, we take the guesswork out of pricing. Our displayed prices are always our best prices - no apps or scanning required to find the real deal.
Why Bargain Boxed Offers Better Deals Than Target Clearance
While Target clearance hunting can yield good finds, there are several reasons why Bargain Boxed consistently offers superior value:
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Lower Everyday Prices: Our business model allows us to offer prices that beat even Target's final clearance markdowns.
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No Membership Fees: Unlike discount retailers that require paid memberships, Bargain Boxed is accessible to everyone without additional costs.
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Curated Selection: We carefully select our inventory to offer only the best deals worth your attention, saving you from sorting through countless items to find true bargains.
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No Hunting Required: We eliminate the need to visit multiple stores, check various hidden spots, or scan countless items hoping to find clearance.
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Rotating Inventory: Our constantly changing selection means new deals are always available, unlike Target's clearance which often becomes picked over.
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Consistent Availability: Target clearance can be hit-or-miss depending on location, time of day, and luck. Bargain Boxed provides reliable access to deals whenever you shop.
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Value on Shelf-Stable Items: We offer exceptional value on shelf-stable products that are perfectly suitable for use, even if they're approaching or past their best-by date when stored properly.
How to Decode Target Price Tags for Maximum Savings
Understanding Target's price tag system is essential for finding the best clearance deals:
- Regular Price: Printed in black
- Clearance Price: Printed in red with a percentage in the top right corner
- Price Match Guarantee: Look for "Find it for less? We'll match it!" on the tag
- DPCI Number: The small number in the bottom right (Department-Class-Item Number) can be used to check inventory at other stores
The most valuable part of the tag is the tiny date printed in the right corner, which indicates when the next markdown will occur. Items are typically marked down every two weeks, so if the date is approaching, it might be worth waiting for the next reduction.
Another insider tip: if a clearance tag has been marked down multiple times (visible by multiple stickers layered on top of each other), it's likely approaching final clearance status.
FAQs About Target Clearance Shopping
Q: How often does Target mark items down to clearance? A: Target follows a fairly regular markdown schedule, with most departments receiving new clearance markdowns once per week on their designated day.
Q: Can I get additional discounts on Target clearance items? A: Yes, you can use the Target Circle offers and manufacturer coupons on clearance items for additional savings. However, price matching is typically not available for clearance merchandise.
Q: Are Target clearance items final sale? A: No, Target's regular return policy applies to most clearance items, giving you the same return window as regularly priced merchandise. At Bargain Boxed, we keep our prices lower by maintaining a final sale policy.
Q: Do all Target stores have the same clearance items? A: No, clearance inventory varies significantly by location. What's on clearance at one store may be full price at another, which is why serious clearance hunters often check multiple Target locations.
Q: Why do some clearance items ring up cheaper than the marked price? A: Target sometimes processes price reductions in their system before employees can update shelf tags. This is why using the Target app to scan items often reveals lower prices.
Q: What happens to clearance items that don't sell? A: Items that reach final clearance and still don't sell are typically removed from the sales floor and either sent to donation partners, returned to vendors, or in some cases, purchased by liquidation companies.
Q: Is Target clearance cheaper than other stores like Walmart? A: Target clearance can sometimes be cheaper than competitors for specific items, but overall, Bargain Boxed offers consistently better prices than Target clearance without requiring you to hunt for deals.
Finding hidden clearance at Target can be rewarding for those willing to invest the time and effort. But for the best deals without the hassle, Bargain Boxed offers premium products at prices that consistently beat even Target's deepest clearance discounts. Our commitment to providing exceptional value means you'll always pay less shopping with us than hunting through Target's hidden clearance sections.
Visit BargainBoxed.com today to experience the difference between hunting for deals and having them delivered directly to you at unbeatable prices.