5 hacks for shopping at Macy’s, Gap and Kohl’s

These days it’s typically easier to find better prices online than in stores–unless you’re strategically shopping with hacks that can slash the price. Joanie Demer, co-founder of The Krazy Coupon Lady makes it her business to uncover these retail secrets and stopped by our studios to share some of her favorites store hacks for Macy’s, Gap and Kohl’s.

Macy’s store hacks

Create your own clearance prices: You can save at least 50% to 60% when you shop at Macy’s (M), says Demer. For an easy win, start by looking for yellow and blue stickered price tags that mark the lowest price of the season among the “Last Act” clearance racks. For full-priced items, Demer says you can create your own clearance prices by stacking 20% off in-store coupons with $15 to $20 cash-rebates that you can find on your phone through their app, or by asking the cashier for a rebate at checkout.

One-day sales last 2 days: One of the best times to shop at Macy’s is during the popular one-day sales on Saturdays. But the big secret is that they’re always 2 days long! “The hype is always about Saturday but there’s a preview day on Friday for the best inventory and selection,” says Demer.

Gap’s store hacks

Skip the skimpy sales: With the right strategy, Demer says you can pay less for a Gap (GPS) wardrobe than one from Walmart (WMT). The first rule is always to get at least 40% off. If you see a 20% to 30% off sale, come back a week or two later.

According to Demer and her team of shopping pros, every 6 to 8 weeks is when you’ll be able to score the holy grail of sales: stacking an extra 40% off items that are already discounted by 40%. That savings of 70% to 80% off at the Gap means you’re paying less than you would at Walmart. The only time of year when you could see a better sale than that is during Black Friday weekend when the entire store is 50% off.

Kohl’s Store Hacks

Shop strategically during “power hours”: At Kohl’s (KSS) you can score 60% discounts by going during key times. And the absolute best time to shop is a couple times a month during their “power hours” from 3 pm on Fridays to 1 pm Saturdays for an additional 10% to 25% markdown. Kohl’s advertises these sales in local papers and online.

Their digital price tags in-store also note marked-down prices, if you know where to look. The small square icon in the top right corner, above the listed price, indicates the lowest price of the season before it goes to clearance. And if you’ve purchased something before it went on sale, you can still secure the sale price within 14 days of purchase.

Have any store hacks to share? Share them with us using #waystosave2017.

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