The arrival of fall signals a major shift in retail. Stores clear out goods to make space for holiday inventory, making it a great time for anyone who loves a great bargain. Knowing exactly when prices fall each month allows you to plan your purchases and get the biggest savings possible.
Here is your month-by-month guide to mastering the shopping season.
September: Clearing Out Warm Weather Goods
September is a month of extremes. Store owners want to clear anything that resembles summer, creating the best times for deep clearance finds.
- Patio Furniture and Grills: Outdoor items hit their lowest prices. Retailers would prefer selling them cheap over spending money to store them for the winter. If you have storage until next spring, you win.
- Large Appliances: New models come out in September. Stores must clear out last year’s stock, resulting in great savings on washers, dryers, and refrigerators.
- Summer Clothing: Find bathing suits, shorts, and light dresses marked down by 60% or more. This is the perfect moment to buy clothes ahead for next year’s trips.
- Bikes and Sporting Gear: With the end of the cycling season, look for big cuts on bicycles and related gear.
October: Getting Ready for Cozy Days
October’s price drops are less about clearance and more about preparing for the season. This gives shoppers reductions on warm goods and early holiday plans.
- Denim and Jeans: October holds the best historical sales data for buying new jeans. Many companies run special events and coupons for popular fall styles.
- Early Electronics: The first round of serious tech sales shows up, especially on headphones and older tablets. This happens as a direct opening to holiday advertising.
- Home Comfort Items: Look for price cuts on everything related to creating a cozy indoor space. Stores release many deals on throws, pillows, and seasonal candles.
- Halloween Candy: You will start seeing good sales on bagged candy near the month’s middle. Wait until the final three days before Halloween for the most significant drops.
November: The Holiday Countdown Begins
November holds the largest and most well-known shopping events. Shopping wisely means knowing when to shop early and when to hold off for the final week’s rush.
- Travel and Flights: Book trips for December now. Airlines and hotels offer their lowest prices before the final holiday booking rush at the month’s end.
- Heavy Coats and Jackets: Wait until Black Friday (the fourth week) for the deepest savings on winter coats. Earlier sales are fine, but the greatest price waits for the holiday doorbusters.
- Gaming Consoles and TVs: These are the main draws of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Waiting until the last weekend offers the largest savings on these items.
- Footwear: Sneaker and boot companies run some of their largest percentage-off events during the Cyber Weekend sales period.
The fall season is full of smart opportunities to save money on everything from household appliances to travel. To keep track of all the savings events and find thousands of exclusive promo codes for these key shopping times, check out our main list of Fall Deals now.
