2018’s Best Memorial Day Sales
2:47 AMPosted by: Adam McCann
Some people travel on Memorial Day weekend. Others shop. If you’re one of the latter, WalletHub’s been tracking offers from a dozen big retailers for the past year to help you easily find the best deals of the holiday and the rest of the month.
Listed below are WalletHub’s picks of the 10 most exceptional deals from the heap, followed by the top offers in eight product categories such as Apparel and Electronics. You’ll also find each item’s sale price and discount percentage to show you exactly how much you stand to save.
Does your wish list include a no-contract cell-phone? Our analysis shows that this item is cheapest in May versus the rest of the year. So make sure to leave room in your budget for a new phone this month, and scroll down for all the best savings opportunities. To learn how we found the deals, read our methodology.
- 10 Best Cherry-Picked Deals for Memorial Day
- Items with Biggest Discounts in May vs. Rest of Year
- Best Memorial Day Deals by Category
| Kenmore 73025 26.1 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator - Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel | |
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Sale: $899.99 52.63% offSears (Price valid May 13 – June 3, 2018) |
| Asus C202 Ruggedized Chromebook, 11.6” | |
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Sale: $99.00 41.42% offExchange (Price valid May 25 – 31, 2018) |
| Highland 7-Pc. Dining Set | |
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Sale: $1299.00 69.60% offMacy’s (Price valid May 23 – 28, 2018) |
| LG 49” 4K Smart HDR Ultra HDTV - 49UJ6300 + $150 Dell Promo eGift Card | |
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Sale: $399.99 42.86% offDell |
| Men's Aggressor Pro or Women's Laguna Pro Bike | |
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Sale: $349.98 41.67% offDICK’S Sporting Goods |
| Canon Rebel T6 18MP DSLR Bundle with 15-55mm and 75-300mm Lenses, 32GB SD Card and Shoulder Bag | |
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Sale: $449.99 40.00% offBJ’s (Price valid until May 30, 2018. The deals are clipless coupons and are automatically deducted at checkout.) |
| HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 | |
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Sale: $179.99 40.00% offOffice Depot and OfficeMax (Prices valid in-store May 20 – June 2, 2018) |
| Diamond Flag Pendant | |
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Sale: $99.00 75.25% offMacy’s (Price valid until May 28, 2018) |
| Sealy Hybrid Trust II Queen Mattress plus $200 Award Card | |
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Sale: $999.99 63.64% offSears (Price valid May 20 – June 2, 2018) |
| Dell 27 Gaming Monitor - S2716DG Plus $100 Dell Promo eGift Card | |
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Sale: $399.99 50.00% offDell |
No-contract cell-phones are discounted most heavily in May compared with the rest of the year.
Best Memorial Day Deals CategoryFor a more in-depth look at the best deals for Memorial Day, please select your favorite category below.
- Apparel & Accessories
- Appliances
- Computers & Phones
- Electronics
- Packaged Goods
- Furniture
- Toys
- All Other Products
Apparel & Accessories
| Item | Sale Price | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Reebok adult athletic shoes (Sears)¹³ | $39.99 | 27.28% – 50.00% |
| Skechers adult athletic shoes (Sears)¹³ | $49.99 | 16.67% – 37.50% |
| Tops and shorts for her, him and kids (Sears)¹³ | - | 0.00% – 50.00% |
| Tops & Shorts for the family (Kmart)15 | - | 25.00% |
| Americana themed Tops for the family (Kmart) 15 | - | 25.00% |
| Family Swimwear (Kmart)15 | - | 30.00% |
| Boys’ Rash Guard or Swim Trunk (JCPenney)16 | $11.99 | 60.03% |
| Juniors’ Shorts (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 50.03% – 62.50% |
| St. John’s Bay Shorts (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 50.00% |
| St. John’s Bay Gauze Top (JCPenney)16 | $17.99 | 50.00% |
| A.N.A. Stretch Twill Ankle Pants (JCPenney)16 | $24.99 | 43.20% |
| Xersion Sports Bra or Shorts (JCPenney)16 | $12.99 | 50.00% |
| Juniors’ Arizona Dress (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 55.91% |
| Nike Tee (JCPenney)16 | $15.00 | 25.00% |
| Worthington Top (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 50.00% |
| Liz Claiborne Tank (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 42.35% |
| Underscore Bra (JCPenney)16 | $19.99 | 33.37% |
| Bali Double-Support Bra (JCPenney)16 | $19.99 | 48.74% – 50.03% |
| Women’s Sandals (JCPenney)16 | $27.99 | 49.09% |
| Women’s YUU Sandals (JCPenney)16 | $34.99 | 41.68% |
| Women’s Clarks Sandals (JCPenney)16 | $39.99 | 37.53% |
| The Foundry Big & Tall Supply Co. Easy-Care Polo (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 62.53% |
| Playtex 18 Hour Comfort-Strap Bra (JCPenney)16 | $19.99 | 42.89% |
| Ambrielle Cotton Bra (JCPenney)16 | $14.99 | 53.16% |
| Graphic tees (misses) (Macy’s)17 | $17.70 | 40.00% |
| Summer handbags (Macy’s)17 | $66.00 | 25.00% |
| Juniors' rompers (Macy’s)17 | $24.99 | 35.92% |
| Finish Line women's sneakers (Macy’s)17 | $49.98 | 16.69% |
| Nike Men's swim tees (Macy’s)17 | $22.80 | 40.00% |
| Summer suiting by Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Bar III (Macy’s)17 | $118.00 – $360.00 | 40.00% |
13 – Prices valid May 18 – June 4, 2017 15 – Prices valid May 21 – June 3, 2017 16 – Prices valid May 25 – 29, 2017 17 – Prices valid May 24 – 29, 2017
Appliances4 – Prices valid until May 31, 2017 5 – Prices valid until June 26, 2017 13 – Prices valid May 18 – June 4, 2017 15 – Prices valid May 21 – June 3, 2017 16 – Prices valid May 25 – 29, 2017 17 – Prices valid May 24 – 29, 2017
Computers & Phones4 – Prices valid until May 31, 2017 7 – Prices valid until June 11, 2017 8 – Prices valid until June 4, 2017 22 – Prices valid until June 3, 2017 23 – Prices valid until June 25, 2017 24 – Prices valid May 28 – June 3, 2017
Electronics1 – Prices valid until July 1, 2017 2 – Prices valid until July 31, 2017 3 – Prices valid until June 30, 2017 4 – Prices valid until May 31, 2017 8 – Prices valid until June 4, 2017 11 – Prices valid until June 17, 2017 18 – Prices valid until May 29, 2017
Packaged Goods4 – Prices valid until May 31, 2017 8 – Prices valid until June 4, 2017 10 – Prices valid until May 30, 2017 15 – Prices valid May 21 – June 3, 2017 18 – Prices valid until May 29, 2017
Furniture4 – Prices valid until May 31, 2017 8 – Prices valid until June 4, 2017 15 – Prices valid May 21 – June 3, 2017 16 – Prices valid May 25 – 29, 2017 18 – Prices valid until May 29, 2017 19 – Prices valid May 24 – June 4, 2017 20 – Prices valid until July 12, 2017 24 – Prices valid May 28 – June 3, 2017
Toys6 – Prices valid until July 4, 2017 18 – Prices valid until May 29, 2017
All Other Products8 – Prices valid until June 4, 2017 9 – Prices valid May 19-29, 2017 13 – Prices valid May 18 – June 4, 2017 15 – Prices valid May 21 – June 3, 2017 16 – Prices valid May 25 – 29, 2017 17 – Prices valid May 24 – 29, 2017 19 – Prices valid May 24 – June 4, 2017
Ask The ExpertsFor a more-intimate look at Memorial Day savings opportunities, we posed the following questions to a panel of leading retail experts. You can find their bios and responses below.
- What types of products are most likely to be discounted as part of a Memorial Day Sale?
- What tips do you have for finding the best Memorial Day deals?
- What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
Robert Leone Professor of Marketing, Texas Christian University - Neely School of Business
Moran Cerf Assistant Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Judy A. Siguaw Professor & Chair, Marketing & Supply Chain Management, College of Business, East Carolina University
Lan Nguyen Chaplin Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Illinois at Chicago
Barbara L. Gross Professor and Chair, Department of Marketing, David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, California State University, Northridge
Nancy J. Sirianni Jones Endowed Chair, Associate Professor of Marketing, The University of Alabama, Culverhouse College of Business
Eva M. Hyatt Professor, Appalachian State University
What types of products are most likely to be discounted as part of a Memorial Day Sale?
Memorial Day is typically known for appliance and electronics sales. Washers, dryers, refrigerators, TVs, etc. But it is also a time when many retailers put 'anything summer' on sale -- patio furniture, lawn equipment, BBQ grills, A/C units, summer clothing, swim wear, etc.
What tips do you have for finding the best Memorial Day deals?
Certainly using the internet is one place to search. Many companies will announce sales a week or more in advance. Another less know tip is to look at what is being set up outside of stores like Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. since often these retailers 'stage' the items that will be on sale for Labor Day. The same is true for the inside of big box stores -- aisles are taken over by pallets of items that will go on sale for Labor Day.
What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
If you are looking for one of the sale items mentioned above -- do your homework before the weekend and see what prices you can find online and at discount stores so you can price compare. Also, set a budget on what you want to spend. Basically, don't act spontaneously -- just because you see a sign that says 'Was $499.00 now $349.00' doesn't mean that is a great price since $349 might be the price you can pay at another retailer or online at any time. Another thing to think about is whether there are stores that price match but also have free delivery...that might save you as much as $50-$100 on a large appliance.
Moran Cerf Assistant Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
Allocate a budget (say, up to $100) and give your credit card to someone else to go and purchase a present with that amount in mind using your card. People are known to be more careful when they use other people's card, and if the person is a relative or close friend you will also learn, as research shows, that they know better than you what is good for you. They will focus on things that you might not see as relevant. The final added bonus here is that we know that whereas buying something for ourselves seems like it will make us happy, it tends to not make us as happy as we thought once we do - the opposite is true when we buy something for others. That is, your friend/relative who buys something for you (with your money) will experience happiness from the mere action of doing something for you that s/he will not experience if they bought something for themselves. So it maximizes the happiness. You get something. You don't work on making decisions (which people hate), you get something that you might not have bought for yourself, AND the person who makes the purchase will experience joy from the mere act of doing something for others. Win for everyone.
Judy A. Siguaw Professor & Chair, Marketing & Supply Chain Management, College of Business, East Carolina University
What types of products are most likely to be discounted as part of a Memorial Day Sale?
- Party supplies
- Spring clothing
- Patio decor
And in alignment with spring cleaning:
- Appliances and kitchen gadgets
- Mattresses
- Furniture
What tips do you have for finding the best Memorial Day deals?
- Use comparison shopping engines, such as Google Shopping, NexTag, or PriceGrabber
- Do your research.
What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
- Don't use shopping for therapy.
- Make a list of items you need and only go to where those items are located. Do not browse the store.
- Use cash for your purchases.
- Ask yourself why you need the purchase. Do you have something already at home that will act as a sufficient substitute? If so, do not make the purchase.
- Set budgeted amounts for planned purchases and do not exceed that amount.
What types of products are most likely to be discounted as part of a Memorial Day Sale?
Spring apparel. Retailers are going to want to highlight summer so stock up with spring apparel.
What tips do you have for finding the best Memorial Day deals?
- Shop for last season's products. Around Memorial Day, it would be spring apparel b/c retailers are trying to lighten their inventory to showcase their new summer items. But these items will be on sale weeks before Memorial Day. Wait until the day before to get the best deals.
- If it's a product you really need, watch it for a bit to see if prices are dropping, and price compare across sites/stores.
- But a real "deal" is when you truly can afford it and you can even have some money left over after buying something nice. Don't be fooled into thinking something is a deal when you max your credit card, even if it's 90% off.
What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
- Have patience. It's so tempting to buy cute summer outfits and summer items because we are so excited about summer at our finger tips. To avoid overspending, ask yourself if you really need an item. Then, ask yourself if you really need it before mid-summer b/c mid-summer is when prices on summer items like bathing suits are going to get marked down. If you can be REALLY patient, shop at the end of the summer/early fall for that perfect bathing suit.
- Always shop for the season that's ending, not the season that's starting. No one has a strong need or desire to buy bathing suits or shorts then, so stock up on summer clothing. Don't buy grills, patio furniture or any outdoor items. Why would retailers drop prices drastically when these times are in such high demand for the summer? Buy summer items in the fall. Every season I have something new to start my season because I got it in the off season at a huge discount like 75% off. Christmas wrapping paper is always 75% in January so stock up and you can get great deals (50-70% off) on grills and patio furniture end of summer/early fall when everyone is covering up their outdoor entertainment items. So buy a good cover for your new patio furniture too!
- Don't buy tools for dad. Wait for Father's Day. It's right around the corner so there's no need for retailers to mark down a month early.
What types of products are most likely to be discounted as part of a Memorial Day Sale?
Traditionally, Memorial Day (and the month of May in general) is a good time to buy things for the home. There tend to be big sales on furniture, mattresses, and major appliances. Big box stores and department stores also typically feature small appliances (e.g., toasters, coffee makers, etc.) in their Memorial Day sales. Related to this, spring cleaning is also a traditional theme, with cleaning supplies and vacuums at discounted prices.
It may not be the very best time, but Memorial Day can be a good time to shop for clothing. Clothing retailers seem to need to promote almost constantly and they know the 3-day weekend gives people extra time to shop, so there is spring clothing and even some summer clothing and swimsuits on sale, and many stores have special promotions (e.g., "take an extra 50% off sale merchandise"). Spring clothing will be on sale to make room for summer clothing, and for people living in many parts of the country, there isn't much difference between what they would wear in spring versus what they would wear in summer.
There are typically discounts offered on summer-oriented products such as grills, patio furniture, and pool items, but these won't be the biggest discounts of the year. There will usually be larger discounts on those items at the end of the season or even mid-summer when retailers are anxious to move out inventory. The same is true for gardening supplies (e.g., perennial plants).
What tips do you have for finding the best Memorial Day deals?
Check newspaper ads, flyers, websites of your favorite stores. If you are in the market for a particular kind of product (e.g., a mattress, a major appliance), comparison shop at special mattress or appliance stores, department stores, and big box stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart. Check to see if you can save money by ordering on amazon since amazon now sells just about every category of product and often offers great discounts. Allow enough time before buying to make sure you have checked prices at a variety of retail outlets.
What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
The best way to avoid over-spending is to not go shopping! But If you are shopping, give yourself enough time to comparison shop for the best price on the product you need/want. If you can, avoid shopping for items that will be more discounted later (e.g., patio furniture, grills, swim suits). It's a good idea to buy swim suits later in the summer and save them so they will still be new to you next summer, rather than buying a new swim suit during or just before Memorial Day.
If you like to spend money on travel, Memorial Day weekend is a good time to stay home and plan a trip for another time because gas prices, hotel prices, etc. are usually highest on holiday weekends.
Nancy J. Sirianni Jones Endowed Chair, Associate Professor of Marketing, The University of Alabama, Culverhouse College of Business
One way consumers can avoid overspending is to ask themselves if they truly love the item they intend on purchasing versus merely liking it because it's on sale. The line between loving and liking is something we can clearly recognize if we give ourselves a moment to reflect on what we are buying and how we really feel about it.
We can ask ourselves: would I be committed to buying the item if it were full price? Have I been longing to purchase this exact product (or something like it) for a while? Answering yes to either question (or both!) shows us that we just might love the item in question and it could be worth the extra spending.
Alternatively, we can ask: am I feeling excited due to the rush of scoring a good deal (regardless of what I am buying)? Do I feel good just because I'm having fun shopping this sale? Will I feel this good after the sale is over?
Taking a beat to check in with our emotions can help us curb overspending if we typically find ourselves buying sale items that we merely like (and will likely return).
Eva M. Hyatt Professor, Appalachian State University
What types of products are most likely to be discounted as part of a Memorial Day Sale?
In line with the ritual of spring cleaning, things to help consumers get their homes spruced up are very likely to be on sale on Memorial Day, especially home furnishings, patio furniture, and home improvement products. Grocery stores will have lots of cookout items on sale as well to mark the beginning of summer!
What tips do you have for finding the best Memorial Day deals?
Stores like Home Depot and Lowes Home Improvement are big Memorial Day sales spots, along with furniture stores. Online companies like Houzz that sell stuff for your home are also having big sales. Of course, you can always use Google to find good sales in your area, and the local paper should be loaded with ads and inserts for Memorial Day deals.
What tips do you have for avoiding overspending during the Memorial Day sales period?
It's generally best to stick with the items that are actually on sale--that have special deals on them, some as high as 80% off. Marketers will try to get you in the store or on the website with the deals, and then get you to buy other non-sale items as well through eye-catching displays and suggestive selling, showing products that go well with the sale items. Of course it never hurts to set a limit on how much you will spend--i.e., make a budget and stick to it. It's much harder to do this when you shop with credit cards. The credit card effect is well-documented -- shoppers using credit cards instead of cash are more likely to spend more and make their minds up more quickly (indicating a less rational decision making process). Making a list will serve to keep you on task. Browsing and spending more time in the store will result in increased spending....So marketers will have special in-store demonstrations, free samples, displays, and other engaging point-of-purchase activities to keep you shopping longer and give you the shoppertainment bug. There are also apps to help you find the best deals on specific items, so take advantage of them as well. The more pre-purchase planning and information search you do, the better your post-purchase satisfaction should be.
MethodologyIn order to identify the best savings opportunities for Memorial Day, WalletHub’s data team surveyed deals from the following 13 retailers:
- Kmart
- Macy's
- Sears
- Walmart
- Sam’s Club
- Wayfair
- Sherwin-Williams
- QVC
- Costco
- True Value
- Office Depot and OfficeMax
- JCPenney
- Best Buy
Our editors then picked the 30 best deals and organized them into eight product categories, such as Apparel & Accessories and Electronics, to help shoppers easily find savings that match their needs.
In addition, we identified the best savings opportunities in May for the 16 item categories listed below by collecting the regular list price and discounted price of each item every day from April 1, 2016, to April 30, 2017. We then compared each item’s average discount in April with its average discount in other months. If its discount was highest in May, the item category was listed below as one of the best savings opportunities.
For price data, we referred to Amazon.com’s “Best Sellers” list. In each item category, we collected data only for items within a reasonable price range in order to avoid skewing our findings toward items that are likely too expensive for the average consumer.
Electronics- TV ($300–$600)
- Digital Camera ($170–$340)
- No-Contract Cell Phones ($100–$400)
- Refrigerator ($200–$1000)
- Dishwasher ($500–$1000)
- Washing Machine ($500–$2000)
- Ranges ($1000–$2500)
- Microwaves ($100–$200)
- Laptop ($450–$900)
- Tablets ($200–$500)
- Engagement Rings ($1000–$3000)
- Exercise Bikes ($300–$700)
- Treadmills ($500–$1200)
- Baby Crib ($200–$500)
- Strollers ($200–$500)
- Car Seats ($200–$500)
Sources: Data used to create the above lists were collected from the aforementioned retailers as well as SlickDeals, DealNews and offers.com.
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