Bargain Shopping.
Getting the Best Buy.

Getting your best buy at the stores involves knowing when and where to be shopping for bargains. Here you will learn about the many bargain sources that stores have to offer. Take advantage of these opportunities and make your bargain shopping successful.

Types of Sales

Black Friday - This well known sales event takes place every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day in the United States. These sales start early in the morning with 5 AM being the average.

Many retail stores have bargain prices that are unlikely to be seen any other time of the year. They often offer loss leaders, items that are sold below cost, to draw customers into the store. These are the bargains to bag.

Clearance Sales - These sales are for clearing out merchandise. These are often seen after the holidays to clear out related items such as candy, wrapping paper, lights, and decorations. You may find discounts ranging from 10% to 90% off retail prices.

Closeout Sales - This sale may be on an item that will no longer be offered or is not selling well. It could also involve the entire inventory if the retailer is moving, had a fire, is undergoing a bankruptcy, or is otherwise going out of business. A nice situation for bargain shopping.

Fire Sale - This can be a the sale of items at super bargain prices due to an actual fire. It can also be the merchandise of a company that is undergoing bankruptcy.

Going Out of Business Sale - The owner may be retiring or they may be going bankrupt. Either way they are liquidating their inventory.

Grand Opening Sales - These occur when a new store opens their doors for business or shortly thereafter. Chain stores often celebrate the opening of a new store at all of their locations. Many discounts can be found at these events making it a nice opportunity for bargain shopping.

Hail Sale - A sale conducted by car dealerships after a storm causing hail damage to automobiles. A possibility of cheap cars here. keep in mind repair costs however, unless you don't mind it looking like swiss cheese.

Inventory Reduction Sale - Rather than count it, most stores would prefer to sell it. The best way to reduce inventory is to reduce prices. A good deal for the bargain finder.

Moving Sale - Moving a lot of merchandise is expensive. It's far better to sell it cheap than to move it. You can benefit by moving it for them and bag a bargain at the same time.

Scratch and Dent Sale - This sale can frequently be found at furniture and appliance stores. However, any item that can be can be scratched, dented, or otherwise flawed, can be subject to such a sale. And if something is going to get scratched or dented anyhow, who cares if it has a scratch in it when you buy it.

Shopping at stores during these events will bring about some good bargains. Here are some of the other opportunities that can be found behind the doors of retail stores.

Bargain Bins - A bin that holds CDs, DVDs, VHS movies, and other small items that are on clearance or closeout. These are not usually part of a sales event.

Clearance Isle/Rack - An isle or rack that has clearance or closeout items. Like the bargain bin items, these are not usually part of a sales event.

Display Units - This is an item that was used for display on the shelf. Things like televisions, cameras, computers, DVD players, appliances, even furniture. If you're shopping for a bargain on any of these, this can be a good source.

Open Box - An open box item is often an item that has been returned. If there is nothing wrong with it, it goes back on the shelf, usually at a bargain price. Sometimes things may be missing like the owners manual or accessories. Check it out before you buy.

Types of Stores

Antique Store/Shop - This is a retail store that buys, sells, and/or trades antiques. They get their items from auctions, estate sales, and private parties.

The quality of items can vary depending on the type of shop and its location. Antiques found at a shop in a small country town will be different than those found at a shop in an upper class suburb of a large city.

You may find such things as a wood stove like great gramma used to cook on, collectible glassware and silver sets, art work and vintage clothing.

Army/Navy Surplus Stores - A retail store that sells excess military supplies at bargain prices. They may include camping gear, tents, sleeping bags, military clothing, boots, ready to eat meals, and other accessories.

Bargain Stores - Almost any store can be a bargain store if you are a bargain finder.

Bread Stores - These stores are usually attached to a bakery or a distribution center. You can buy bread and other bakery items for about a third of retail prices.

Cheese Stores - These are usually connected to a cheese manufacturing facility. As there are no transportation costs or retail markups you can usually get a bargain price on fresh cheese and other products too.

Closeout Stores - This retailer buys closeout items wholesale from other retailers and other wholesale sources. They then sell them at discount prices. Some closeout stores sell a variety of items. Others specialize more in clothing, housewares, jewelry, or furniture.

Consignment Stores/Shops - These sell items from private parties for a percentage of the sale price. Depending on the type of store you may find baby clothes, childrens clothing, bridal gowns, books, antiques, musical instruments, athletic equipment, and even used cars. Definitely a store for bargain shopping.

Department Stores - These retail stores sell many different types of merchandise including clothing, housewares, appliances, electronics, tools, paint, furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, toys and sporting goods. They usually have check out registers in each department. Some department stores cater to the high-end consumer.

Discount Stores - This is a type of department store that offers discount prices on brand name merchandise. Most offer a wide variety of products like the department stores. They usually have their checkout registers in a central location at the front of the store.

Some discount stores may specialize in a product such as jewelry, paint, furniture, or electronics. Add a grocery department to this store and you have a "superstore".

Dollar Stores - These go by many different names depending on where you live. In the United States they are called dollar stores. They carry items like candy, toys, cleaning supplies, personal care products, stationary items, and other products.

Most of these have a single price for any item in the store, usually, as the name implies, $1.00. Others, sometimes referred to as a variety store, may charge $1.00, $2.00, $3.00, and so on. You can do some cheap shopping at the dollar stores.

Furniture Stores - These of course sell furniture. They vary greatly in quality from the discount outlet to the high-end specialty store. At this point, a bargain is in the eye of the beholder.

Grocery Store - You can even find bargains shopping at the grocery store. Compare prices and brands. You'll be amazed at what you can find. When produce starts nearing an expiration date you'll see prices drop considerably.

Online Stores - With the proliferation of the internet, bargain shopping has become easier than ever. You can be a bargain finder from the comfort of your own home. You can shop for bargains the world over. There is no need to go out in the rain, snow, freezing cold, or blistering heat. No traffic, no crowds.

You can get online coupons to save at offline and online stores. There are even online clearance sales. As you can probably imagine, you can get a shopping bargain online on just about anything.

Pawn Shops - A pawn broker loans money on items of value. He may even buy them outright. If the loan is not paid, the item is forfeited and the broker puts it up for sale.

You can find a variety of items here that may include jewelry, electronics, musical equipment, firearms, used cars, tools, DVDs, CDs , VHS movies, air compressors, lawn mowers, weed whips, chainsaws, and leather jackets.

As most of these items were bought for 1/4 to 1/3 of what they are worth, you can usually find a bargain. If you get to know the broker, you can get some super bargains. Some shops however, seem to get a little greedy and charge so close to retail that you'd be better off buying new.

Another word of caution. Don't take their word for it that a certain item works fine. Buyer beware. Check it out before you buy it. For more information on pawn-shops, click here.

Retail Stores - A type of store with a fixed location that sells products. These are stores such as department, discount, and dollar stores.

Secondhand Stores - A type of store that sells used merchandise. This would include stores like pawn shops, consignment shops, antique shops, thrift stores, and used car lots. These types of stores are an excellent source for bargain shopping.

Surplus Stores - These sell new and used excess items from government and industrial sources. They may also sell overstocked, liquidated, freight damaged and short date items. They may or may not carry military items.

Thrift Stores - Thrift stores are usually run by charitable organizations. Items are donated by the public and the stores are usually staffed by volunteers. You can find bargains on a variety of items like clothing, books, movies, toys electronics, and glassware.

Most of these stores sell items cheap, but depending on the neighborhood some may charge a little more than they should. Still, a bag of books for 50 cents or a suit for $5.00 is a pretty good bargain.

Used Car Lots - Another good source of cheap cars. Although most of these are overpriced, even after negotiating, almost all of them have a back row of used cars that they are more than happy to get rid of. Needless to say, but I will anyway, look these over good. It's just not a bargain if it's junk.

Explore the world of store shopping. You never know what you might find. Stores are an abundant source for bargains. My philosophy is, "So many stores, so little time."

So now you know the when and where of shopping stores for bargains. Bargain sources are plentiful and there are many more to be explored. "Pick and click" on another bargain source. I'll see you there my friend.

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