It’s the last shopping weekend before Christmas, and retailers nationwide are drawing shoppers in with deals, discounts, coupons, and more. Before I had children, I wouldn’t mind waking up at 4 am to avoid the crowds and score the best deals. But shopping these days involves much more than throwing on a pair of sweats and caffeinating. Which is why I love shopping at off-price retailers T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. Both retailers offer the same brand names and styles in department and specialty stores right now at discounts of up to 60 percent!
So how do they do it? Awhile back, style expert Alison Deyette walked me (and several other bloggers) through the process. Marshalls and T.J. Maxx buyers travel most weeks out of the year to negotiate with more than 12,000 vendors in over 60 countries to bring you the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible price. On the contrary, department stores buy seasonally and cannot afford to offer such deep discounts. What’s great about the way these off-price retailers acquire merchandise is that the selection always changes, both within the store and from location to location. So my suggestion would be to snag that bargain when you see it because it likely won’t be there next time around.
Within our area, we’re fortunate to have both a T.J. Maxx and a Marshalls. I opted to check out our local TJ Maxx to do some holiday shopping because our location is also houses a HomeGoods. I was very impressed with their holiday section which included everything from trees and ornaments to seasonal gourmet foods. For this particular excursion, I focused on shopping for my kids, specifically clothing.
For $50.96 I was able to purchase two Carters Cozy Fleece Sleepwear suits ($7.99 each), a cute and cozy absorba jacket for my daughter ($19.99) and a 3 piece Savannah Baby outfit ($14.99). By shopping at T.J. Maxx, I saved a total of $62.04 (not including sales tax).
Shopping at off-price retailers like T.J. Maxx allow me to purchase name brand items at a fraction of the cost. I like that I don’t have to shop on certain days or at certain times…they always guarantee low prices. The diverse selection of clothes, shoes, toys, housewares, gourmet foods, and electronics means that I can check practically everyone off my list at one location.
T.J. Maxx and Marshalls offer a few tips on shopping off-price retailers:
1. Look carefully at the “compare at” value on the price tags to calculate how much money you’re saving. What makes a great bargain is a mix of the right fashion, a respected brand name, high quality, and a great price.
2. Shop often. Marshalls and T.J.Maxx receive more than 10,000 new items each week (in every store) so you never know when you’ll find the perfect piece.
3. Get to know your store manager and they’ll be able to give you the inside scoop on when new shipments arrive so you can grab your favorite brands as soon as they hit the floor.
4. Not sure where to start? Try shopping the displays at the front of the store before easing into the racks. Merchandise in this area is organized by style and designer on four-sided clothing racks.
5. Look for the purple tags, which indicate a piece of elite designer merchandise normally found at upscale department stores.
6. Scan the single queue for unique items that make great gifts.
7. Avoid passing up a really good bargain. The stores receive limited quantities of each item, so merchandise can sell out very quickly.
Check out my fabulous finds at T. J. Maxx:
To find out what great bargains people are discovering, visit Maxx Finds.
No compensation was received for this post. A gift card was supplied which helped facilitate this review.
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What great finds!