While stores will be pushing to clear out holiday merchandise on Dec. 26th, consumers should ignore any sales for less than 50% off.
In a NerdWallet analysis of 117 after Christmas deals at major national retailers dating back to 2009, NerdWallet found that 68% of retailers offered at least one discount on at least one major item category that met or exceeded 50% off.
The full results, tables and methodology can be found below.
This study shows that the industry standard for after Christmas sales meets or exceeds 50% off. Shoppers should look for these deep deals if they are bargain hunting on the day and weeks after Christmas. Common stores that have such sales include Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Banana Republic and others.
The most common major item categories deeply discounted were clothing, cosmetics, holiday décor, toys, shoes, clearance and bags. Merchants will slash prices on clothing, toys and holiday decorations because demand falls steeply after Christmas and the value of these pieces will fall off even more in January.
To avoid the possibility of never selling these items, retailers are willing to cut prices sharply. Cosmetics are often discounted after Christmas due to holiday packaging, as any item with holiday styling will be again worth less after Christmas. A more detailed explanation of why these items are heavily discounted after Christmas can be found here.
| Retailer | 2012 After Christmas Deals |
| Aeropostale | Save 60% off entire site |
| Calvin Klein | Up to 75% off all clearance |
| Carter’s | Save 20% off $40+ |
| Eddie Bauer | Up to 60% off semi-annual sale |
| Forever 21 | Save up to 50% off sale items |
| Harry & David | Save 20% of $75+ |
| J. Crew Factory | Up to 60% off sitewide |
| Nordstrom | Up to 65% off women’s dresses |
| Perfumania.com | 50% off celebrity fragrances |
| Perry Ellis | 45% off entire order |
| RadioShack | Save 20% off $125+ |
| Tommy Hilfiger | Save 30% off storewide |
| Total # of deals: | 12 |
| Toatl # of deals 50% off or greater: | 7 |
| Percentage of deals 50% off or greater: | 58.33% |
| Retailer | 2011 After Christmas Deals |
| Abercrombie & Fitch | 30% – 50% off all clothing |
| Amazon.com | Up to 70% off cellphones, watches, magazines, jewlery, shoes and more |
| Avon | Up to 60% off sitewide sales |
| Barnes & Noble | 50% off popular hardcover books, up to 50% off toys and games |
| Bath & Body Works | Up to 75% off |
| Best Buy | 15% off iTunes gift card |
| Big Lots | 30% off cosmetic, bath and fragrance gift sets, in-store only |
| Bloomingdales | Up to 75% off holiday items |
| The Container Store | 50% off holiday gift wrap, totes, tags and tins |
| Costco | Almost all items 50% – 80% off |
| CVS | 50% off Christmas candies and foods |
| Dollar General | Up to 50% off everything in store |
| Eddie Bauer | 50% entire store |
| Hobby Lobby | 40% off one regularly priced item with coupon, 66% off Christmas items |
| Home Depot | 10% off appliances and free delivery |
| IKEA | $0.99 for 8 pk wooden clothes hangers, kids eat free |
| J. Crew | 80% off fall merchandise |
| JCPenney | Red Zone clearance with 70% off stocking stuffers and 75% off other holiday items |
| Justice | Up to 75% off clearance items |
| Kohl’s | 60% off outerwear, 40% – 60% off boots |
| Lord & Taylor | 30% – 50% off women’s boots |
| Lowe’s | 50% off Christmas items |
| Lush | BOGO free, all holiday products |
| Macy’s | Up to 75% off holiday items |
| Michael’s | Up to 70% off winter clearance items |
| Neiman Marcus | 50% off holiday and epicure items |
| Old Navy | Online items up to 50% off, in-store up to 75% off |
| Rite Aid | 50% off gift wrap, greeting cards, Christmas tree decorations and more |
| Sears | Up to 60% off Bed & Bath |
| Sephora | Extra 20% off sale items |
| Target | 50% off popular women’s and kid’s apparel, home and holiday décor |
| Toys R Us | Buy 1 get 1 40% off all movies and video games, buy 1 get 1 free on select Hasbro purchases |
| Walgreens | $5 off $30+ purchase and $10 off $50+ purchase |
| Walmart | 50% off select Christmas candy, toys and seasonal décor. Kids and Baby Licensed Sleepwear starting at $6 |
| Yankee Candle | Up to 75% off select candles |
| Yves Rocher | $10 off $50+ purchase + 50% off entire site |
| Total # of deals: | 36 |
| Toatl # of deals 50% off or greater: | 28 |
| Percentage of deals 50% off or greater: | 77.78% |
| Retailer | 2010 After Christmas Deals |
| Altrec | Up to 70% off, including 60% off Columbia |
| Amazon.com | 50% off discount on games and toys |
| Ann Taylor LOFT | Extra 50% off w/ code SALE50 |
| Banana Republic | Extra 40% – 50% off in-store |
| Bath & Body Works | Up to 25% off |
| Best Buy | Up to 40% off digital cameras |
| Bloomingdales | 30% – 50% off after Christmas sale |
| Cabela’s | Up to 60% off winter clearance |
| Crate & Barrel | Up to 50% off Christmas décor, glassware and tabletop |
| Dell | 30% off best-selling laptops |
| Eddie Bauer | Up to 60% off on everything |
| Endless.com | Save an extra 25% off sale items |
| Gap | Save an extra 50% off in-store sale items |
| Hickory Farms | Up to 50% off entire site |
| IKEA | Up to 60% off quality IKEA products |
| Jos A Bank | Up to 60% off men’s apparel |
| Kmart | 50% off storage and organizational products |
| Kohl’s | 60% – 70% off after Christmas blitz in-store items |
| Land’s End | Up to 40% off for the home |
| Linens ‘n Things | Save 20% on entire order |
| Macy’s | 20 – 60% off Bed & Bath |
| Mikasa | Save up to 85% off |
| Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams | Up to 60% off select floor samples including sofas, sleepers and more |
| Nike | Save an extra 25% on sale items |
| Nordstrom | Up to 33% off on new arrivals during Men’s Half Yearly Sale |
| Polo Ralph Lauren | Up to 50% off factory store price + extra 30% off winter clearance |
| Reebok.com | 30% off holiday clearance sale |
| Restaurant.com | Save 80% off all gift certificates |
| Room & Board | Up to 60% off discountinued furnishings and accessories |
| Sears | 20% off Kenmore appliances |
| Sears Outlet | 50% – 70% off appliances |
| Sephora | Save an extra 20% on sale items |
| Timberland | 20% off the 30% off sale |
| Toys R Us | BOGO 50% on all video games |
| West Elm | Up to 75% furniture, accessories and holiday décor |
| Williams-Sonoma | Up to 50% on housewares and holiday goods |
| Total # of deals: | 36 |
| Toatl # of deals 50% off or greater: | 23 |
| Percentage of deals 50% off or greater: | 63.89% |
| Retailer | 2009 After Christmas Deals |
| 6pm | Up to 60% off select shoes |
| 7 For All Mankind | Up to 50% off during winter sale |
| Anne Klein | 30% off everything |
| Banana Republic | Up to 40% off + extra 15% off reduced items |
| Barnes & Noble | 50% off thousands of books and calendars |
| Best Buy | Save 42% – 51% on LCD TVs |
| Bloomingdales | 30% – 50% off select merchandise |
| Bluefly | Up to 55% off jewelry, handbags up to 65% off |
| Coach Outlet | Additional 20% off in-store |
| DKNY | Up to 90% off original retail prices |
| ebags.com | Up to 70% off handbags, luggage, and overnight bags |
| Express | 50% off winter items |
| Gap | Extra 20% off sale items |
| Guess | 20% full priced order |
| J. Crew | 20% off items already on sale |
| Kate Spade | Up to 75% off select merchandise |
| Kmart | 50% select clothing items |
| Kohl’s | Up to 80% off men’s, women’s and children’s clothing |
| Macy’s | 20% – 65% off almost all departments |
| Neiman Marcus | Up to 60% off |
| Net-A-Porter | Up to 50% off designer shoes, clothing and accessories |
| New York & Co. | Up to 70% off on women’s apparel and accessories |
| Nordstrom | Up to 40% off shoes, handbags and clothing |
| Office Depot | Save upt to 25% on orders of $40+ |
| Old Navy | 10% off new arrivals |
| Piperlime | 40% off select items |
| Sephora | 20% off items already on sale |
| Shopbop.com | Up to 70% off clothin tdg and accessories |
| Target | Up to 90% off selected clothing |
| Teavana | 30% – 75% off select tea and merchandise |
| Toys R Us | BOGO 50% select Nintendo DS games |
| Urban Outfitters | 50% off select items |
| Walmart | 80% off select jewelry, toys and Christmas decorations |
| Total # of deals: | 33 |
| Toatl # of deals 50% off or greater: | 21 |
| Percentage of deals 50% off or greater: | 63.64% |
| Total After Christmas Sales Numbers | Total Statistics |
| Total # of deals: | 117 |
| Toatl # of deals 50% off or greater: | 79 |
| Percentage of deals 50% off or greater: | 67.52% |
Methodology
NerdWallet sampled 117 major national retailer after Christmas sales from the period 2009 – 2012. 2012 deals that were available at the time of the study were included in the results as well.
Important exclusions: NerdWallet did not sample sales where only item pricing could be found. NerdWallet did include sitewide deals when dollars off (ex. $10 off a purchase of $25+) when the dollars off coupon could be easily converted to a percentage.
Because of poor data availability, the 68% number may be an underestimation. Barring serious data errors, however, it cannot be an overestimation, and therefore the conclusion of the study – that shoppers should not settle for less than 50% on select merchandise categories when buying the day after Christmas – still likely holds true.
The study also oversamples apparel, cosmetic and big box stores because these are the retailers most prone to offering after Christmas sales.
Sample Sources:
http://www.shefinds.com/2009/the-best-after-christmas-sales/
http://blog.seattlepi.com/boomerconsumer/2011/12/22/what%E2%80%99s-likely-to-be-on-sale-the-day-after-christmas/
http://www.thegloss.com/2009/12/26/odds-and-ends/hot-after-christmas-deals-steals/
http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2011/12/justice-after-christmas-deals-2011/
http://www.semidoppel.com/2009-after-christmas-sales-and-holiday-shopping-bargains/1555
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2010/12/after-christmas-sales-.html
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2010/12/25/after-christmas-deals-in-detroit/
http://www.ibtimes.com/after-christmas-sales-2011-best-deals-walmart-costco-and-more-387822
http://www.dealio.com/blog/2010/12/26/best-after-christmas-sales-2010/
Original image from Shutterstock.
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